Classes and Cthulhu: A Miskatonic Student Quest
- Thread starter Frostbyght
- Start date
Cmd. Frost
The last one standing.
- Location
- The Summer Stretch
[X] Let yourself rest. You've been pushing yourself hard these past few weeks. Just... nap for a while. (Recover 1d6 Sanity)
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Let yourself rest. You've been pushing yourself hard these past few weeks. Just... nap for a while. (Recover 1d6 Sanity)
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
Talking about horror, let's have a nive trip in the mysterious disapearance/murder forest. It'll be great fun for all people not physically at risk, I'm sure.
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
He's slowly starting to realize his true nature as a meat shield. I wonder how he'll deal with the existential horror.
Talking about horror, let's have a nive trip in the mysterious disapearance/murder forest. It'll be great fun for all people not physically at risk, I'm sure.
- Location
- Orlando, Florida
[X] Let yourself rest. You've been pushing yourself hard these past few weeks. Just... nap for a while. (Recover 1d6 Sanity)
[X] Talk to Dr. Lake
-[X] Ask him about the place you'll be investigating. Disappearances and murders are freaky, even if a demon isn't responsible.
[X] Talk to Dr. Lake
-[X] Ask him about the place you'll be investigating. Disappearances and murders are freaky, even if a demon isn't responsible.
Prologue 23
Frostbyght
Not Dead Yet
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[x] Let yourself rest. You've been pushing yourself hard these past few weeks. Just... nap for a while. (Recover 1d6 Sanity)
Sanity Recovery Roll:
5 Sanity Recovered.
When you were a child, your parents used to joke that you had a special variant of Narcolepsy that only occurred in motor vehicles. They called it Car-colepsy, and they thought it was hilarious. The moment they buckled you in and started up the car, you'd fall deep asleep. Today is no different. The soft rumble of the bus lulls you slowly into slumber as Sarah and Walter chat about horror movies. Soon enough you are fast asleep. The difference between your childhood and now, is that now you can remember your dreams.
--------------------------------------------------------------
You are on a beach, standing amidst pale sands that stretch to the murky horizon. The sky above you swirls and dances with a careless freedom, as if unbound by the obligations of gravity and space. The pinks and oranges that suggest a setting sun are mixed with the bright intensity of midday, leaving the act of guessing what time it is a pointless exercise. Shore-bound waves crash soundlessly against fine grains of sand, throwing opalescent mists skittering across the ground. There are fish that swim along the shallows. At least, you think they might be fish. Your eyes will not focus, your memory will not map the shape of their forms. Whatever the case, you're almost certain they're beautiful.
You shiver, not from the chilly ocean air, but from the sense of unease that surrounds you. This place makes no sense (not that dreams often do), and has a palpable feeling of wrongness to it. Your steps along the beach are slow and careful. Deep in your belly, you feel that this place is beautiful in the same manner as a venomous animal, the bright colors serving as a warning rather than a welcome. Yet, inexplicably, you are beginning to feel... at peace.
Then you are sitting on the shore, soft sand beneath you. The candy-sweet mist roils around you. It tickles your skin in a surprisingly pleasant manner. The waves are smaller now, and you can see far across the ocean in front of you. Clouds twist and curl across the sky, glowing in the light of noon's sunset. As you watch over the calm sea, you can see the curve of a massive beast barely breaching the surface far away. Despite the distance, you think you can hear labored breaths from the immense flank. As it rests lazily on the pallid water, the clouds rapidly shift above. You observe placidly, as if in a trance, while a single cloud stretches and bends and reaches down a vast limb that anchors itself to the beast. Then, as swift as a whip-crack, the writhing shape is pulled from the sea and vanishes into the sky. You let out a sigh of contentment.
Then, you are walking further down the beach, languidly skipping pebbles along the waves. At least, you are trying to skip them. Instead of bouncing across the water, the pebbles strike against the ocean and bring noise from the depths of the mist. A foolish grin spreads across your face as you begin to string a simple melody from the sounds.
The song is still with you as the pale shore begins to recede from your view, as the noiseless ocean disappears from sight, as you are slowly slipping back and back and away from the dream.
---------------------------------------------------------------
You are awakened by Dr. Lake arriving at the forty-sixth line of his solo performance of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall". Walter has his head in his hands, desperately attempting to ignore reality. Sarah has simply started listening to what sounds like incredibly heavy metal music, and gives you a small wave as you stretch. You nod back, and groan as the doctor launches into his forty-seventh verse. By god he's really going to go all the way, isn't he?
Yet even as Lake continues his tuneless murder of your eardrums, the tune from the shore still echoes in your head. Half remembered, never quite forgotten. You remember your dream, if that's all it was.
---------------------------------------------------------------
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
The two other students initially resist your attempts at friendly conversation, but their resistance withers in the face of your persistent friendliness.
The boy is Henry Wilcox, a 2nd Art student at the university. He is a thin, dark young man of neurotic and excitable disposition. He also claims to be "psychically sensitive", whatever that means. You assume it probably has something to do with the fact that he looks as though he hasn't slept in weeks. He could probably use a nap, or a sedative. Nevertheless, he seems alright. He even shows you a small sketchbook he carries around, filled with some rather impressive drawings of the views out the windows the bus. You barely notice the faces he added to the trees in the background. He mentions that he joined the Cryptozoology class for inspiration, believing that the supernatural is the best source of material for his work.
The girl is Lily Chen, a 1st year Electrical Engineering student. She is a tall, cheerful woman who valiantly ignores your attempts at asking about her past. Other than that, she seems grateful for the conversation once you move past the introductions. You get the feeling that she doesn't talk to too many people, as it's hard to ignore the fact that she isn't great at it. She is constantly pausing at awkward intervals or interrupting you before you're done speaking. It's also hard to ignore the fact that she is fucking ripped, and is very eager to share her exercise routine when you inquire. She joined the class out of pure curiosity, and is disturbingly excited to find something dangerous and spooky.
You introduce the both of them to Sarah and Walter, and while nobody hits it off immediately, everyone now knows everyone else's name. That's the first step on the path to friendship. You're sure everybody will soon be the best of pals! Hopefully.
--------------------------------------------------------
It is mid-afternoon by the time your bus turns off the side road onto a smaller side road. And then onto a smaller side road. And then onto a dirt road. And then onto a dirt trail that winds its way through the woodlands. Your noses are pressed to the widows, watching the forest thickening around you. Fifteen minutes later, you see a small, handmade wooden sign driven into the ground by the side of the road:
Walter sidles up next to you, "Beautiful isn't it? Almost lovely enough to make you forget that a bunch of people died in these woods."
"Jesus, Walt." says Sarah, dragging her bag in the dirt behind her, "Could you not act like this trip is death sentence?"
"Fine, but if we're attacked by a monster I reserve the right to bitch about it."
"Students!" Calls Dr. Lake from down the trail. "Let's get a move on!" The group falls into a staggered line behind him as the six of you begin to tramp your way down the dirt trail. Five minutes pass, then ten, then twenty. The woods grow deeper, and you can see the sun begin to lower in the sky. Henry falls into step beside you, and you notice he is staring at the woods around you.
"Something wrong?" You ask, "You're sort of... staring."
"Yes." He replies, "Not sure what."
"Oookay." You look over your shoulder, "How about you Lily? How you doing?"
"Listening to the birds!" She smiles, "They are very nice. Keeping an eye out for demons! Would be fun to see it so soon."
"Yeah... right."
Another ten minutes pass as the group crests a small hill and rounds a tight bend in the road, and then you see the cottage.
Orchard Run is set a ways back from the dirt trail that acts as the only road leading to it. The path ends at a small barn, that you see has been converted into a garage. The area around the barn is freshly graveled and shaded by a deliberate planting of trees that keeps you shaded from the sun. The cottage is a recently renovated, single storied, old colonial style property. A well-tended garden extends past the back porch, stretching all the way to the treeline. Dr. Lake stops the group outside the house.
"Right. I'm going to say hello to Godfrey, anyone who wishes to join me may come along. He's an old coot, but he's also one of the most well traveled and well educated men I've ever known." He laughs, "Perhaps you'll learn something!" He points down a small wooded path that leads through the garden and into the forest, "Those of you who do not wish to wait for me can get started down that path. The campsite is about a ten minute walk thataway. I'll meet you there when I'm done." He turns on his heels, and begins walking towards the cottage.
Sarah and Henry briefly converse, and indicate that they will be heading to the campsite. Lily and Walter begin to follow Dr. Lake down the pathway to the front door.
Where do you go?
[] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
[] Join Walt, Lily, and Dr. Lake at the Cabin.
Sanity Recovery Roll:
5 Sanity Recovered.
When you were a child, your parents used to joke that you had a special variant of Narcolepsy that only occurred in motor vehicles. They called it Car-colepsy, and they thought it was hilarious. The moment they buckled you in and started up the car, you'd fall deep asleep. Today is no different. The soft rumble of the bus lulls you slowly into slumber as Sarah and Walter chat about horror movies. Soon enough you are fast asleep. The difference between your childhood and now, is that now you can remember your dreams.
--------------------------------------------------------------
You are on a beach, standing amidst pale sands that stretch to the murky horizon. The sky above you swirls and dances with a careless freedom, as if unbound by the obligations of gravity and space. The pinks and oranges that suggest a setting sun are mixed with the bright intensity of midday, leaving the act of guessing what time it is a pointless exercise. Shore-bound waves crash soundlessly against fine grains of sand, throwing opalescent mists skittering across the ground. There are fish that swim along the shallows. At least, you think they might be fish. Your eyes will not focus, your memory will not map the shape of their forms. Whatever the case, you're almost certain they're beautiful.
You shiver, not from the chilly ocean air, but from the sense of unease that surrounds you. This place makes no sense (not that dreams often do), and has a palpable feeling of wrongness to it. Your steps along the beach are slow and careful. Deep in your belly, you feel that this place is beautiful in the same manner as a venomous animal, the bright colors serving as a warning rather than a welcome. Yet, inexplicably, you are beginning to feel... at peace.
Then you are sitting on the shore, soft sand beneath you. The candy-sweet mist roils around you. It tickles your skin in a surprisingly pleasant manner. The waves are smaller now, and you can see far across the ocean in front of you. Clouds twist and curl across the sky, glowing in the light of noon's sunset. As you watch over the calm sea, you can see the curve of a massive beast barely breaching the surface far away. Despite the distance, you think you can hear labored breaths from the immense flank. As it rests lazily on the pallid water, the clouds rapidly shift above. You observe placidly, as if in a trance, while a single cloud stretches and bends and reaches down a vast limb that anchors itself to the beast. Then, as swift as a whip-crack, the writhing shape is pulled from the sea and vanishes into the sky. You let out a sigh of contentment.
Then, you are walking further down the beach, languidly skipping pebbles along the waves. At least, you are trying to skip them. Instead of bouncing across the water, the pebbles strike against the ocean and bring noise from the depths of the mist. A foolish grin spreads across your face as you begin to string a simple melody from the sounds.
The song is still with you as the pale shore begins to recede from your view, as the noiseless ocean disappears from sight, as you are slowly slipping back and back and away from the dream.
---------------------------------------------------------------
You are awakened by Dr. Lake arriving at the forty-sixth line of his solo performance of "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall". Walter has his head in his hands, desperately attempting to ignore reality. Sarah has simply started listening to what sounds like incredibly heavy metal music, and gives you a small wave as you stretch. You nod back, and groan as the doctor launches into his forty-seventh verse. By god he's really going to go all the way, isn't he?
Yet even as Lake continues his tuneless murder of your eardrums, the tune from the shore still echoes in your head. Half remembered, never quite forgotten. You remember your dream, if that's all it was.
---------------------------------------------------------------
[X] Talk to the unknown students. It'll be good to get to know them before you arrive.
The two other students initially resist your attempts at friendly conversation, but their resistance withers in the face of your persistent friendliness.
The boy is Henry Wilcox, a 2nd Art student at the university. He is a thin, dark young man of neurotic and excitable disposition. He also claims to be "psychically sensitive", whatever that means. You assume it probably has something to do with the fact that he looks as though he hasn't slept in weeks. He could probably use a nap, or a sedative. Nevertheless, he seems alright. He even shows you a small sketchbook he carries around, filled with some rather impressive drawings of the views out the windows the bus. You barely notice the faces he added to the trees in the background. He mentions that he joined the Cryptozoology class for inspiration, believing that the supernatural is the best source of material for his work.
The girl is Lily Chen, a 1st year Electrical Engineering student. She is a tall, cheerful woman who valiantly ignores your attempts at asking about her past. Other than that, she seems grateful for the conversation once you move past the introductions. You get the feeling that she doesn't talk to too many people, as it's hard to ignore the fact that she isn't great at it. She is constantly pausing at awkward intervals or interrupting you before you're done speaking. It's also hard to ignore the fact that she is fucking ripped, and is very eager to share her exercise routine when you inquire. She joined the class out of pure curiosity, and is disturbingly excited to find something dangerous and spooky.
You introduce the both of them to Sarah and Walter, and while nobody hits it off immediately, everyone now knows everyone else's name. That's the first step on the path to friendship. You're sure everybody will soon be the best of pals! Hopefully.
--------------------------------------------------------
It is mid-afternoon by the time your bus turns off the side road onto a smaller side road. And then onto a smaller side road. And then onto a dirt road. And then onto a dirt trail that winds its way through the woodlands. Your noses are pressed to the widows, watching the forest thickening around you. Fifteen minutes later, you see a small, handmade wooden sign driven into the ground by the side of the road:
Welcome to Orchard Run
Dr. Webb, MD
No Solicitors
Dr. Lake pulls the bus over to the side of the trail and shuts the engine off. He stands, stretches, and claps his hands together. "Right students! Grab your stuff. We've got a bit of a hike to the camp site." The group unloads off the bus, and you are greeted by the rushing of wind through the trees and the choir of nature. It's been a long time since you've been camping.No Solicitors
Walter sidles up next to you, "Beautiful isn't it? Almost lovely enough to make you forget that a bunch of people died in these woods."
"Jesus, Walt." says Sarah, dragging her bag in the dirt behind her, "Could you not act like this trip is death sentence?"
"Fine, but if we're attacked by a monster I reserve the right to bitch about it."
"Students!" Calls Dr. Lake from down the trail. "Let's get a move on!" The group falls into a staggered line behind him as the six of you begin to tramp your way down the dirt trail. Five minutes pass, then ten, then twenty. The woods grow deeper, and you can see the sun begin to lower in the sky. Henry falls into step beside you, and you notice he is staring at the woods around you.
"Something wrong?" You ask, "You're sort of... staring."
"Yes." He replies, "Not sure what."
"Oookay." You look over your shoulder, "How about you Lily? How you doing?"
"Listening to the birds!" She smiles, "They are very nice. Keeping an eye out for demons! Would be fun to see it so soon."
"Yeah... right."
Another ten minutes pass as the group crests a small hill and rounds a tight bend in the road, and then you see the cottage.
Orchard Run is set a ways back from the dirt trail that acts as the only road leading to it. The path ends at a small barn, that you see has been converted into a garage. The area around the barn is freshly graveled and shaded by a deliberate planting of trees that keeps you shaded from the sun. The cottage is a recently renovated, single storied, old colonial style property. A well-tended garden extends past the back porch, stretching all the way to the treeline. Dr. Lake stops the group outside the house.
"Right. I'm going to say hello to Godfrey, anyone who wishes to join me may come along. He's an old coot, but he's also one of the most well traveled and well educated men I've ever known." He laughs, "Perhaps you'll learn something!" He points down a small wooded path that leads through the garden and into the forest, "Those of you who do not wish to wait for me can get started down that path. The campsite is about a ten minute walk thataway. I'll meet you there when I'm done." He turns on his heels, and begins walking towards the cottage.
Sarah and Henry briefly converse, and indicate that they will be heading to the campsite. Lily and Walter begin to follow Dr. Lake down the pathway to the front door.
Where do you go?
[] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
[] Join Walt, Lily, and Dr. Lake at the Cabin.
Last edited:
- Location
- Reno
- Pronouns
- They/Them
[x] Join Walt, Lily, and Dr. Lake to the Cabin.
Safety in numbers
Safety in numbers
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
The real demon was with us all along!
Nice, another meat shield for our posse!
[X] Join Walt, Lily, and Dr. Lake to the Cabin.
DeepWaters
No one will be the wiser.
- Location
- Land of Spiders and Shipping Charts
[X] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
Let's not leave our roommate to go in the group with fewer numbers (and basically a stranger to boot) to a site that's (on the surface) much less safe. I'm tempted to do a write-in to try and persuade the two to stick with the group, though Sarah at least is probably going to accuse us of catching Walt's paranoia. She believed us about the man-faced rat, though, so it might be worth a shot?
Let's not leave our roommate to go in the group with fewer numbers (and basically a stranger to boot) to a site that's (on the surface) much less safe. I'm tempted to do a write-in to try and persuade the two to stick with the group, though Sarah at least is probably going to accuse us of catching Walt's paranoia. She believed us about the man-faced rat, though, so it might be worth a shot?
EternalObserver
eYe Gaze baCk
- Location
- The Void
[X] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
- Location
- Germany
[X] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
Yeah, I'm on board with sticking with our roommate for now. Also, here's hoping that Henry has a psychic warning system. Just in case.
Yeah, I'm on board with sticking with our roommate for now. Also, here's hoping that Henry has a psychic warning system. Just in case.
- Location
- Lasha Tumbai
Lift?
Beast
Also, hi.
[x] Join Walt, Lily, and Dr. Lake at the Cabin.
- Location
- Lasha Tumbai
It was nice, yeah. I'm not sure how else I'd describe it other than what you've said, though I'm curious if it'll lead anywhere or be expanded upon, or if that's just the sort of dream we have.
- Location
- Earth
ooh, good point.
@Frostbyght, was this a normal sort of dream, like some that Iris has had before, or was it unusual for her?
Cmd. Frost
The last one standing.
- Location
- The Summer Stretch
[X] Follow Sarah and Henry to the Campsite.
Frostbyght
Not Dead Yet
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Are any dreams really normal?
For Iris, the dream was certainly an outlier. For one thing, she can recall every moment. Perhaps not in perfect clarity, but she can recall them. The dream itself was incredibly vivid while it was occurring. The aforementioned tune continuously interrupts her thoughts, and until it fades she may find herself humming a song that has no earthly source.
It should be noted that for those who pursue a deeper knowledge, dreams quickly cease being random firings of synapses and start being other, more unwanted things. It does not take much to begin the transition, but true exploration of the land beyond dreams is not something done accidentally. Iris, having been exposed to a sliver of the mythos, now finds herself on the cusp of losing dreaming as a haven for the mind. This will not be a one-off occurrence.
Last edited:
- Location
- Rapidly approaching your location.
- Pronouns
- Any/Morb
Oh goody. Time to make ourselves comfortable in Cthulhuland.
