The Case of Darwin - History: Difference between revisions
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==== June 10, 1925 ==== | ==== June 10, 1925 ==== | ||
{{:Event:1925/06/10 Journey to Port Hedland}} | {{:Event:1925/06/10 Journey to Port Hedland}} | ||
=== Cuncudgerie, Australia === | |||
==== June 11, 1925 ==== | |||
{{:Event:1925/06/11 Journey to Cuncudgerie}} | |||
==== June 12, 1925 ==== | |||
{{:Event:1925/06/12 Explore Cuncudgerie}} | |||
==== June 13, 1925 ==== | |||
{{:Event:1925/06/13 Journey to the East of Cuncudgerie}} | |||
Revision as of 18:19, 18 June 2022
Synopsis
Calendar of Events
<eventCalendar> namespace = Event aspectratio = 1.3 defaultmonth = 1925-06-01 </eventCalendar>
Log of Events
Travel to Australia
May 29, 1925 thru June 6, 1925
Left Shanghai on May 29. Arrive in Darwin, Australia on 6/6/1925.
Darwin, Australia
June 6, 1925
We decide to stay at the Darwin Hotel (as opposed to the Victoria Hotel). The local watering hole is named Bertram's Bar, which women go to as well. We meet Gurumarra and Edith Jackson while getting drinks. Charles had reached out to Edith before our arrival, and Gurumarra is looking for trade. Gurumarra knew another aboriginal that, on his walkabout, said he saw the Bat God and said it was the worst thing he ever laid eyes on. He's also aware of the stories of the Rainbow Serpent and that corpses have been found like described by Anthony Cowles. Lloyd overhears[1] an aboriginal relating to a friend about shading dealings at Randolph Shipping Company that are concerning him. Edith attempts to approach them and flash some money, but he sits up rail straight and says he doesn't know anythingfailed check[2]. Gurumarra tries[3], but also fails.
Edith knows that Toddy Randolph, a man in his mid-40s known to frequent Bertram's Bar, is the owner of Randolph Shipping Company. Chun Li gets charming with them[4] and learns that Randolph lives at his office.
We go back to the hotel to sleep.
Skill Checks
June 7, 1925
After breakfast, we go to the docks to the Randolph Shipping Company. It's Sunday and the place is pretty empty. Randolph eventually comes to the door, and after a confusing conversation, Edith mentions strange things and he denies it and shuts the door. Looking around, Lloyd sees boxes on the dock matching the description of the other investigators.
We head to the dockmaster. Chun Li charms[1] the man working for the names of the last 3 ships that come into Randolph Shipping Company - the Poseidon (from Kolkata, India), Speckled Magpie (from Shanghai), and the Keeper's Discretion (from Cape of New Hope). Lloyd spots[2] in the manifest that the next shipment coming in to Randolph Shipping Company from Ho Fong Imports in Shanghai is listed as mining equipment on the Margret en route to Cuncudgerie.
Charles talks to other dockworkers and learns that Cuncudgerie is a gold mining town. Seems like things come into Randolph Shipping Company, go to Port Hedland by sea from there, and make their way inland to Cuncudgerie by rail from there. The other bar in town is the Outback Inn.
Lloyd visits the local constabulary saying he's new in town and asks about the strange murders. Constabulary says that local aboriginals are talking about a cult that has awoken, but don't know that they believe that. Seems like victims were hit with club with hook or spike on it repeatedly puncturing them. Victims come from all walks of life. Charles intimidates[3] someone into revealing that they've heard a white madman is leading the new cult.
Chun Li, Edith, and Gurumarra canvas the non-white section of the city. They hear that there's a great city buried in the desert. Buddai, a great old man, sleeps with his head in his arms and snores beneath it. One day, Buddai will arise and devour the world.
That evening, we rent a boat and row it toward the Randolph Shipping Company dock. We find crates marked with the sign of the Sand Bat that came from the Penhew Foundation. Opening one, we find a wooden statue of the great Cthulhu about 3' tall[4]. Gurumarra opens another crate (loudly), from Ho Fong Imports in Shanghai. This one contains engine pistons. We move to the doors and Edith [5] gets us in. Unfortunately, there's no partitions within the warehouse, and we wake Randolph. Gurumarra throws a spear at him and then stabs him, killing him. Lloyd plays lookout[2], and announces that it doesn't seem anyone is near. Gurumarra finds a key on the body that opens the desk, along with a flask that he pours out over the body. Inside the desk is a ledger for 1925. The ledger mentions multiple shipments to Mortimer Wycroft in Cuncudgerie that are also marked with the sign of the Sand Bat, scheduled to go by boat to Port Hedland and then by rail. Other shipments marked with the sign of the Sand Bat are for Ahja Singh in Mombsa, Kenya. Additional shipments to Ho Fong Imports in Shanghai also have the sign of the Sand Bat, and earlier in the year, some shipments routed to the Penhew Foundations in London. In a newer looking, unmarked crate, Charles finds a 2' tall, 1' wide strange device made of rods, wheels, and mirrors. Edith and Lloyd check it out, and Edith comments[6] that to examine this further a laboratory is needed. Gurumarra drags the Cthulhu statue inside so it burns too. The group sets the building on fire, takes the device to the boat, and sails away.
We return to the hotel to sleep... as much as we can.
Skill Checks
June 8, 1925
Spend the day setting up a laboratory in Edith's hanger. Rumors around town are that Toddy Randolph got drunk, knocked over a lantern, and died in the resulting fire. Edith and the others also prep the plane.
June 9, 1925
Working together, Edith and Lloyd get the device working. Lloyd announces that it appears to be some sort of mechanical telescope, and looks through the aperture. He sees a flash of light and then nothing.
The others gather provisions for the trip (gin and cigarettes, of course) and we prep the plane.
Port Hedland, Australia
June 10, 1925
Edith flies us half way to Derby and we refuel in the bay, then fly to Derby, refuel, and then from there fly to Port Hedland. We arrive in the afternoon. The aboriginal peoples of the area are the Kariyarra and Nyamal people. They give the name as “Marapikurrinya" which translates to "Place of Good Water." In the town there is a small hospital, the closest asylum is in Perth, there are no libraries or newspapers. The local bar is Chuck's. People in the town are talking about the time a few years back "that crazy American man came through with 2 dozen (mostly white) men and headed to Cuncudgerie". They describe the man as older, unsettled, and throwing money around. They recommend talking to Robert Mackenzie about going to Cuncudgerie. They also mention dead bodies with punctures all over them being found. A few days back someone said they thought they saw a really big bear. They give us Mackenzie's address.
We go to Robert Mackenzie's house. He's a stout man with a bowler hat and old but fairly nice clothes. We tell him we're looking to go on a mining expedition. He says Cuncudgerie is very dangerous; there's been a lot of strange sightings and weird goings on. Arty said he saw a giant city come out of nowhere in the great sandy desert. He'd found some old weird stones that led him to an old city, and he took pictures using photographic plates. The pictures didn't look like they could be faked. A Mr. Huston came looking for him 2-3 years ago, and he hasn't seen him since. He believes MacWhirr's diary is with a friend, Dr. Dodge, in Sydney. Since we asked, he provides the exact longitude and latitude, 22°3’14” South by 125°0’39” East. We'll need to be well provisioned if we want to go there - good possibility of running out of water. We ask Robert Mackenzie to give us details about what we'll need to supply. He explains the provisions we'll need. He expects that it will be 4 days of travel to reach our destination, and we decide on 10 days of supplies. He recommends Mortimer Wycroft in Cuncudgerie as a guide. Gurumarra buys a case of dynamite. Chun Li attempts to charm him into selling us more, but he's already earmarked it and is unwilling to part with it. He helps us rent a truck to transport our supplies. We ensure we have supplies to repair the truck as well as significant extra fuel. (The group learns about rectal rehydration.) Charles acquires bloodletting equipment, a drum, and stone carving equipment to perform the ritual. Chun Li also picks up mirrors and binoculars and picks and shovels.
Cuncudgerie, Australia
June 11, 1925
We leave Port Hedland and head to Cuncudgerie. The trip happens without incident except that we see some very large birds in the distance. Gurumarra suggests that they might be bats based on his knowledge of Australia. Lloyd agrees. We arrive in the evening, and we get a room at the saloon. There's one shop in town with a sign that says, "Wycrofts." Gurumarra notes that the large birds/bats are still flying around at night by observing stars winking in and out. There are camels (dromedaries) in the town.
June 12, 1925
Chun Li notices[1] that two women are paying attention to our group. They are blonde with highlights from the sun, pretty, blue-eyed. Gurumarra notes that this area is so dry that tracks persist for indefinite amounts of time. Chun Li approaches the women and notices[1] that one of them has a Father of all Bats tatoo. One of them, a woman in her early 20s, introduces herself as Shula Wycroft, the daughter of Mortimer Wycroft, and recommends him as the only qualified guide in Cuncudgerie. She says that her sisters are Gertie Wycroft, older, and Janice Wycroft, younger, making Shula the middle child. She tries to get Chun Li to reveal information about what we're doing. Chun Li attempts to reveal little, though she does say we've talked about "craziness in the desert" and that Lloyd and Charles are in charge of the group. Then she shifts the subject to Shanghai and talks about that.
Gurumarra talks to the local aborigines. They say that, long ago (like 3-5 years ago), there was a mining disaster against the white men that came, and dozens of the white people died. They all came from Wycrofts. Everyone died, but the mining continued. They've also seen the giant birds on the horizon, but they know nothing more about them.
Charles decides to stay with the truck. While he waits, Janice Wycroft approaches and asks what we're doing. Charles says we're here prospecting and going to talk to Mortimer Wycroft about where to go. She indicates that there are golden reefs in the west, basically opposite of where we're planning to go. Charles gets the sense that she's just trying to be impressive about the town, but it's not true. She's also trying to direct the expedition's wealth through her father.
Lloyd heads to Wycrofts. Chun Li catches him along the way, introduces him to Shula. After they all chat for a bit, Lloyd and Chun Li head to Wycrofts together. Mortimer Wycroft has deep set eyes and looks unwell, like he doesn't sleep. We get the sense that he is off, mentally. Lloyd negotiates for supplies and to have Mortimer lead us into the desert the next morning.
Gurumarra prepares a traditional meal for the aboriginal people in the area. He remembers that he needs to tell the white folks to beware the dangerous plants and animals in Australia.
We get back together and compare notes. Gurumarra tries to check out the back of Wycroft's shop. Janice comes up and talks to him, and in the conversation she convinces him to go East with her, and they walk into the desert together. We only have 7 sticks of dynamite because Gurumarra carried 3 into the desert with him.
The rest of us realize that Gurumarra has gone missing. Charles and Lloyd go to look for him while Chun Li watches the truck. Shula finds Charles and Lloyd and mentions that her sister and Gurumarra headed to the east earlier. She offers to take us to the east as well and promises to find treasure. Lloyd realizes[2] that she is lying and untrustworthy. Charles attempts to question her about the disappearance, and eventually Lloyd cuts that conversation off and says that, if they return, to let us know.
Skill Checks
June 13, 1925
Gurumarra ditches Janice in the desert overnight[1] and heads to Mt. MacPherson.
In the morning, we're all still alive. Charles and Chun Li meet Gertie and Shula midtown and get them to follow them to Wycrofts to help carry supplies. They keep them in the store looking over supplies while Lloyd works on disabling the other truck in town[2]. Lloyd grabs his friends, they load the truck, tell the cultists something to get them away momentarily, and then drive off with Chun Li at the wheel.
We look over the supplies loaded in the truck and determine we have enough for about 6 weeks. Chun Li drives us north first and then turns to the east. As we're driving, we happen upon Gurumarra near Dingo Falls around noon. We aim to drive about 10 hours per day, making about 150 miles of distance per day. We make it to Mitchell River, and we find 2 aboriginal people, Yarran, male, and Jarrah, female. Gurumarra talks to them, as they don't speak English. They tell us to avoid the place we're headed to as Ngunung Ngunnut has returned in the form of a white man. They tell us to beware their servants who use the bat symbol (which they draw in the sand). They also tell us to beware the footprints of bats, drawing 5 circles in the sand. We share a meal with them and sleep.
Skill Checks