https://rigglew5totk.blogspot.com/2019/07/part-1-tatters-of-king.html
[Last seen, Mikael was still in Bombay detained by the
police for the ship attack.]
Thursday,
17 January: Small creatures, unlike anything
they’d ever seen. Jen calls them pygmies standing 3 feet tall, but their
hairless black-as-tar skin suggests non-human. Morning sun glints off the Tcho-Tcho’s
sharpened teeth as they grin at John while pointing to the cliffs. Fortune they
see John as a god and bow to him; otherwise, they could easily swarm and kill
all of the humans. Lionel pulls out the picture of Anzalone to show to the
creatures: their grin widens as they laugh while pointing to the caves above. “Sounds
like we’re supposed to go into that particular cave where Anzalone’s team
entered. Grab food, ropes, and climbing gear; leave the rest as too heavy.”
John grabs his oxygen backpack but the pygmies rush forward while pointing to
the rest of the men. George interprets, “I don’t think their god is supposed to
labor.”
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A small pack of pygmies scamper up the cliffs
toward the cave, expecting the humans to follow. No steps; thus, a slow climb made
easier following the pitons Anzalone’s team planted. 4 pygmies positioning
under John’s rump to aid his climb. The cave reeks of rot coming from a side
alcove. With torches, they continue deeper into the cave till they come upon a
grand cavern. A statue of their elephant god glistens from the far side. The
thrumming sound even louder, coming from the statue. The elephant trunk sways…
realization THAT is neither statue nor elephant! [Sanity check – gasps].
Looking closer, with weapons now
drawn, they see 2 humans. Anzalone sways while standing; shock to see his eyes
gouged out and his teeth busted out too! Jen is the first to recognize the
other man, squatting with his legs crossed as if meditating, “Oded?” [Tony
playing his first character Oded from the beginning of the ‘Tatters of the King’]
John and George can’t believe their
eyes, “I thought him dead escaping Carcosa?! Can it be?” Lionel interrupting, “Is
that the mysterious Persian you told me about? You sure he was a friend? Or is
he another Gresty who wanted you to lead him somewhere for his own agenda?” Jen
starting to rethink past events, raises her Enfield rifle. John puts his hand
on the barrel to lower it, “Let’s see what he has to say first. Then, if
needed, you can kill him.”
They step into the cavern as John calls
out, “Oded, is that you?” Indeed, Oded rises to offer welcome as he begins speaking
to the Tcho-Tcho in a strange language; they begin to clap. Lionel gripping his
revolver as he wonders if Oded has offered the humans as pygmy sacrifices, “You
speak their language?” Oded countering, “A common language.” Jen asks, “We
thought you dead as we escaped Carcosa. How did you get out?” Oded explains, “I
didn’t escape; at first. Hastur enveloped me, dragging me into utter insanity. Days,
months, years? Time progresses differently in Carcosa; it was only days in our
world.”
Oded continues, “Anyway, I regained
sanity and realized I needed to track down Alex. He provided me another means
to escape and get back to earth.
Meanwhile, my agents had been tracking you.
They let me know your travels and plans. That, combined what I’d learned in
Carcosa, brought me here. Only days behind Quarrie who has already gone forward
to meet Hastur and bring him into our world. I was able to convince the
Tcho-Tcho Quarrie was a false White-Acolyte. That is why they assaulted Anzalone;
for helping a false prophet. He will soon be offered as sacrifice to their elephant
god Chaugnar Faugn. But you bring luck! In the form of a true White-Acolyte.
John, you bulk of a white-skinned man. Did you not wonder why the Tcho-Tcho bow
to you?! They expect YOU to bring Hastur across the plains into our world. You
are our means of following Quarrie and stopping his plans. But first, we must
rest.”
The pygmies setup a primitive camp inside the cavern,
while providing a feast. Everyone hesitant, till Oded offers, “While they are
cannibals, they do hunt yak.” But Lionel has been unable to relax so close to
that elephant thing! And its constant thrumming. He sees a few pygmies lead
Anzalone down a side passage. Soon they return with a platter, dessert.
Anzalone’s head upon the plate with the skull cracked open and his brains
exposed. [Sanity
check – gags]. Oded cautions, “Don’t offend our hosts. Remember, they
think John is god-like and we his followers. Eat.” Yet while the others eat,
Lionel fakes it [Sleight-of-Hand:
pass with luck], tossing his spoon-full behind his back. Those who have eaten
have a night full of strange yet refreshing dreams.
Friday,
18 January: What must be a pygmy priest,
dressed in blood-splattered robs, appears before them. Even Oded doesn’t
understand his strange chanting. Taking the hand of a young pygmy, the priest
cuts his hand then uses the blood to draw the 3-armed sign of the King-In-Yellow
on a cave wall. A portal opens (what John calls a “wormhole”). One by one, they
enter the portal followed by a dozen pygmies. Standing upon a barren plain,
Oded gazes skyward, “Those are not our stars nor sun.” In the distance they can
barely make out a large building. Realizing they are no longer at altitude,
John discards his burdensome oxygen backpack. Jen suggests they drop other gear
along the way to help mark a path back to this portal, now closed behind them.
They trudge toward the building that
seems to move away as they travel towards it. Always at a distance, they trudge
onward. Lionel happens to gaze skyward, spotting a large bird, “Did someone
blow their black whistle and summon THAT?!”
All look up to see an unfamiliar creature
swooping down at them. MUCH larger than a Byakee. With shotgun drawn, Lionel
calls to close ranks as the creature attacks a lone pygmy, beheading it in one
swipe of its claw. As John starts his chainsaw, Jen levels her Enfield
[Extreme], blasting a hole in its body. Meanwhile, Oded rushes toward it,
slashing with his blade. The huge creature, towering over Oded, is an easy
target for George blasting with his shotgun. The creature now pissed and
focused on Jen as it wheels toward her, allowing Lionel to blast with his
readied shotgun. But still it swoops toward Jen who manages to block its beak
attack with her rifle stock. Close enough now for Lionel’s 2nd
barrel, “BLAM.” The creature skidding to a stop after plowing into a pack of
pygmies. The pygmies climbing over the dead beast in victory. Oded offering, “They
call it a ‘Shantak’.”
They continue. Finally, the building
begins to grow as they draw near. The building seeming to glow red. Oded [Astronomy - pass] recognizing
the red-star Aldebaran shining down on the backside of the building. “This must
be the place.” As they round the building, they spot a man smoking opium (from
the smell of it). All (except Oded) recognizing Quarrie (from his picture at
Nug’s farm). Quarrie cautiously asking, “Who are you?” John replying, “Your
wife Hillary sent us.” Now at easy with who he considers friends, Quarrie opens
up, “I told those short runts I was the White-Acolyte, but there is no such
thing. Hastur just needs someone, anyone, to guide him across into our world.
Any moment now he should be arriving. You are about to witness a true god
appearing in our world!”
The Christian Lionel has heard enough, “Blasphemy!”
He raises his pistol to shot. [opposed
DEX; both rolling extreme. Lionel faster] Quarrie caught in the middle
of casting a spell when the red stain grows in the middle of his shirt. He
falls. The signal for the pygmies to swarm and begin biting the false acolyte.
And that’s when the star Aldebaran begins to pulse. The Tcho-Tcho and George
pass out [POW check-
failure].
Those still conscious see
someone/something approaching from the near horizon. Like a ghost without arms
nor legs extending from its yellow robes. A yellow ghost. Hastur! [Sanity check – pass] John at first
bent over to grab George’s collar and drag him. Now digging into his backpack
for sticks of dynamite. The ghost now within yards waving its arms; George wakes.
Voices in everyone’s head, “Who will guide me?”
Oded already dipping his fingers into
Quarrie’s blood and begins to draw the yellow-sign on the building wall.
Mumbled words he’s heard the Tcho-Tcho priest speak. Again, “Who will guide me?”
Mental suggestions to each: glory, fame, women, Dylia’s return. And that’s when
all can hear the “whoosh” of the portal opening at the same time there is
another “whoosh.” All turn to see John has lit 2 sticks of dynamite, “We cannot
let him cross. Run, save yourselves.”
Oded is the first to jump thru the
portal. Followed by Lionel and Jen. Poor George and his prior arterial wound;
now limping. He cannot move fast enough. The dynamite explodes (8d10),
vaporizing John, George, and the unconscious Tcho-Tcho. Hastur, unfazed, turns
and slowly returns to the horizon fading from view… if anyone was alive and
there to see him.
EPILOGUE: The priest and other Tcho-Tcho
keep looking to the portal while Oded, Lionel, and Jen lie in a heap before the
portal. Oded understanding the pygmies, “Where is our king?” Oded having to Fast-Talk, “You fools let
Quarrie in first. He betrayed us. He stopped the king from crossing. He killed
the White-Acolyte.”
It’s a long month before they return to
Bombay. Chance to run into Mikael, “So, what took you so long? Where you been?”
Jen offering the easy answer, “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”
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