Pulp Cthulhu - The Two Headed Serpent (Bolivia Part #2)

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Oz the All Knowing (Mystic / Entertainer) 

Nigel Thorne, VC, DSC (Thrill Seeker / Explorer)

Zeke Broda (Grease Monkey / Mechanic)

Ivy Guinness (Outsider / Nurse) 

Concerned their presence may be a danger to the aid camp, the party parts ways with Dr. Gomez and heads to the scene of the recent battle, looking for clues. While passing through the battlefield around the ford, Zeke has the party stop for awhile so he can get one of the abandoned trucks running.  They then drive across the ford and after short search find their first clue; the remains of a large, alien concrete slab destroyed by an artillery shell. It had covered a 40’ diameter well or pit, which under the layers of moss and lichen is covered with strange writings and carvings of unknown origin. The pit is likewise clad in this strange concrete. And has a stairway winding around the perimeter and descending deep into the darkness.  The party enters the abyss warily, and after some 1000 feet come to the bottom. Their flashlights illuminate a series of murals painted on the walls, showing that this location is one of five identical places, at the centre of which was marked a location of some importance. Also shown are strange serpent-men, some using whips to direct hairy giants to build a cone shaped temple. One serpent person is shown holding a scepter and wearing an ornate snake crown. Oz spends some time examining these carvings closely, and learns both some things better left unknown, as well as a smattering of the ancient language scattered among the murals and on the capstone. 

Finishing with the murals, the party begins its trek back up the stairs. And just as they reach the top, a large amorphous shape looms over the edge of the pit, blocking the light of the stars. The light of Nigel’s flashlight reveals a black, protean being; a lump of with hundreds of rudimentary legs. The sight causes Ivy to scream in terror and lunge back down the dark stairs, while the others are horrified to see their bullets have no effect. Nigel makes a small fire of scotch and bandages on the stairs, which makes the creature hesitate. So as the fire burns down, Zeke leaves a lit stick of dynamite. Everyone retreats deeper into the pit as the dynamite explodes and showers them with rubbery, singed flesh. And leaves a gap in the stairs. This Nigel jumps across, hauling a rope with which he pulls the rest of the party across (including the still visibly shaken Ivy) to the surface where they set up camp for the rest of the night. 

Dawn the next morning. The party strikes out to the NW, plotting a course based on their seized map and the information from the mural. After some hours of following pitted, winding tracks, they come upon another of the cement capstones. This one intact. They do not disturb it, instead striking off to the SW to look for another and hopefully thereby pinpoint the centre of the pentagram and the temple. After more slow driving, they come over a low hill and break into open land. In the near distance they see hints of another capstone. But approaching it is a small party of Bolivia soldiers. These spot the truck and unshoulder their weapons. Nigel immediately drops the clutch and slams the accelerator to the floor,  barrelling down the hill at high speed. A few shots ring out, but the fool-hardy aviator slams the truck into the Bolivian sergeant and then into a large dog-creature accompanying the soldiers. The remaining soldiers are cut down by rifle fire and machete blows from the rest of the party. The party loots the bodies of more rifles, ammo, and dynamite. But to their horror they find the sergeant is not a man at all. The collision has torn away his skin, revealing scales and cold reptilian eyes.  The ‘dog’ likewise exhibits a strange mix of mammalian and reptilian features, as well as venomous fangs. 

The party once more ignores the capstone, hurrying off to find the temple. But leave a false map behind to throw off any pursuit. More slow driving brings them to a clearing in the forest. In it sits a strange structure; a conical helix some thirty feet tall, like the tip of a massive stone screw protruding from the ground. Oz climbs the corkscrew exterior but discovers no entrance or clues. The other search the base and likewise come up empty handed. Ivy, however, notes that based on the way the turf and vegetation have been torn away from the base, the ‘screw’ emerged from under the ground only recently. Probably not more than a week ago; which matches with the destruction of the first capstone from artillery fire and release of the guardian from he pit. They surmise that more of the pits needs to be broken open to get access to the temple … 

Pulp Cthulhu - The Two Headed Serpent (Bolivia Part #1)

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Oz the All Knowing (Mystic / Entertainer) 

Nigel Thorne, VC, DSC (Thrill Seeker / Explorer)

Zeke Broda (Grease Monkey / Mechanic)

Ivy Guinness (Outsider / Nurse) 

The campaign begins with the heroes in the employ of the Caduceus Foundation, a charitable organization that provides medical and humanitarian aid to disaster areas and war zones around the world. Their party, lead by Dr. Arturo Ursini, has flown 5 days from the foundations' New York headquarters to the wilds of Bolivia. They are to help set up a field hospital to treat the military and civilian victims of the Chaco War raging between Bolivia and Paraguay. 

Leaving their plane at a remote landing field, the party leads a train of mules carrying medical supplies (and Nigel's scotch supply) on foot towards the aid camp some hours north. They are almost there when Dr. Ursini stops them and begins to tell them there is more to the mission than they've been told. And that Caduceus isn’t everything it pretends to be. But before he could tell any more, a shot rings out from the jungle, killing the doctor. A small party of Bolivian soldiers has ambushed the party. In the ensuing firefight, Nigel, Oz, and Zeke are all wounded by rifle fire. The party tries to raise their humanitarian credentials, but to no avail. Fighting back, they kill the four soldiers trying to surround them through the jungle, and Nigel drives off the officer firing on them with a few well placed shots from his Webley .445. In the process of fleeing, the officer drops a backpack. Nigel also notes the man took more shots than he should have been able to and still remain standing. 

The party recovers and loots and the bodies. They loot rifles, ammunition from the soldiers, as well as a short range radio and three sticks of dynamite. Try to take uniforms for disguise, but they are too blood stained and/or poor fitting. From Dr. Ursini's baggage they recover a rough map of the area, letters of introduction,  a mission briefing talking about a temple, a mummy and a 'level 3 threat'. And a .45 Colt revolver, plus 3 more sticks of dynamite and a short wave radio. From the backpack dropped by the fled Bolivian officer, they recover three more sticks of dynamite, a stone flute, a compass and what seems to be a map or diagram covered in strange unrecognizable writing. Parts of the diagram/map had been scratched out. Oz takes the stone flute and uses clairvoyance on the object, learning that it is an object of primordial evil predating the dawn of man. He warps it carefully and tucks it away.  

Listening on the soldiers radio, they hear infrequent snippets of conversation. Sounds like several teams of men searching. For what they can't tell. The party gathers the mules and continue on for the aid station, passing a partially ruined village along the way. The aid station looks innocent enough, except for a group of army tents at one end, occupuied by a pair of Bolivian soldiers.  

They enter the aid camp and meet Dr. Rafael Gomez and the rest of the medical staff. They get their wounds dressed and talk to the doctor. He seems above board, and gives no hint he knows anything more about the mission beyond the humanitarian aspect. He says a group of Bolivian soldiers arrived two days ago and set up camp. Although Dr. Gomez was not happy with this, there was little he could do against the armed men. And though they acted strangely, the soldiers have left them alone apart from destroying the camp radio. 

Zeke and Ivy approach the soldiers camp, to talk and distract so Oz could sneak into the officers tent to look for clues. The soldiers act oddly, like they are drugged or have some intense 1000 year stare. They also smell awful, and have obviously not been looking after themselves. One has multiple minor wounds that have likewise have not been treated. They do, however, notice Oz trying to sneak into the tent and turn on him. Oz fast talks his way out of the trouble, and learns the soldiers are still under what they believe to be their normal chain of command. But it is strange that they have been left behind here searching for something while the rest of the army has followed the battle front miles to the east. 

Leaving the soldiers, the party heads off into the jungle to find a safe place to set up their radio and call Caduceus HQ in New York. Patched through to Dr. Quentin Shapiro, a Caduceus scientist and team handler, they learn their true mission, and the true mission of Caduceus:

"You’ve probably guessed by now that Caduceus does more than provide humanitarian aid. Our teams also seek out threats against humanity and deal with them. You are one such team. Ursini was supposed to explain this to you all. On March 4th, an artillery shell hit a site of interest near to the aid camp you are now in. Some kind of ancient guardian was released and may still be at large. We don’t know what it is, but we consider it to be dangerous, so be careful. We’re interested in what this guardian is protecting. We believe that you’ll find a temple in the local area. Inside the temple, you’ll find a mummy. Your job is to bring the mummy back to us. Alive!" 

The party starts sizing up their maps and documents to decide what to do next. 

WEAPON STATS

Argentine Mauser Model 1889

7.65 x 33mm 

SKILL: Firearms(rifle)

DAMAGE:  2D6+4 

RANGE:  110 yards 

SHOTS PER ROUND: 1

MAGAZINE: 5

MALFUNCTION: 98

 

.45 Revolver (Nigel's Webley .445 and Dr. Ursini's Colt .45) 

SKILL: Firearms(pistol)

DAMAGE:  1d10+2 

RANGE:  15 yards 

SHOTS PER ROUND: 1 (3)

MAGAZINE: 6

MALFUNCTION: 100

Machete

SKILL: Fighting (Brawl)

DAMAGE: 1d8+DB 

 

LINKS

Aid Camp Map

Dr. Ursini's Map

Dr Ursini's Mission Brief 

Introduction Letter to Dr. Gomez 

Bolivian Officer's Map