Pulp Cthulhu - The Two Headed Serpent (Mu Part #2 & Finale)

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Zeke Broda (Grease Monkey / Mechanic Spy)

Ivy Guinness (Outsider / Nurse) 

Oz the All Knowing (Mystic / Entertainer)

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

The team rides Oz's tamed lloigor down off the plateau into the swamp. The path weaves between hills of festering mud and pools of thick, foul-smelling liquid. Twisted forms can be seen writhing just below the surface. Thanks to their steads however, nothing bothers them as they make their way towards the volcano. About half way across the morass, they encounter debris from one of the flying spheres. Based on Zeke's assessment, it appears the sphere had been smashed straight down into the ground and shattered. They hear a hissing groan nearby, and find a badly injured serpent person lying in the mud. He begs them to pull him out before the swamp creatures eat him alive. The team does so, and then question him. The serpent person is one of Rose Meadham's followers, and he tells the team she has reached the Citadel and should now be starting the process to summon Mu back to Earth and then invoke the doomsday device to destroy humanity. He also points out the battle underway on the lower slopes of the volcano, where the elder things and lloigor have tried to stop Rose's forces from getting into the Citadel. The team asks him about the transport sphere, and the serpent person described how they work and that they need to be filled with a special oxygenated liquid before flying. Ivy meanwhile tries to apply medical aid, but her knowledge of serpent person physiology is poor and instead their captive dies. 

The team pushes on, and at the edge of the swamp encounter the remains of battle. Three dead elder things, scorched by flame pistols, lie beside the broken remains of two serpent people. One of the serpents’ bodies has been so badly crushed that it is little more than a red smear. A fourth elder thing has survived,  barely conscious, floating in a pool  and being nibbled at by creatures that look like human eyes with the legs of spiders. The team approaches and Oz tires to communicate with the strange barrel-like creature. He seems to have no success, but the thing pushes a strange metal deices towards Oz. He picks it up, and now finds himself in telepathic commination with the Elder Thing.  It tells them of the battle to stop the serpent people, and how the Citadel draws its power from the body of the god Ghatanothoa who lives inside the volcano. The team is also warned not to stay too long outside the Citadel, as the power of the god will eventually turn them to stone. Though it also warns that the Citadel itself is partly out of phase with Mu, so they may have to wait some time to gain entry once they reach the top of the volcano. Once more, Ivy tries to help the creature, but once more her knowledge of alien physiology lets her down and the creature dies.

While in communication with the elder thing, Oz also learned it had summoned help in the form of a shoggoth from the nearby battle. They now it it approaching with a piping cry of “Tekeli-li! Tekeli-li!". Not wanted to take their chances with the protoplasmic monster, Zeke leads them in a wide detour out of the way and towards the volcano. As they get closer, they see more scenes of fighting, which they avoid and instead head up the slope towards the huge egg-shaped metallic citadel. It is perched over the mouth of the volcano on struts, one of which has already been damaged in the fighting. The team approaches one strut and waits for the Citadel to phase back into solid form. When it does, Oz tires to lead his lloigor through the strange metal door; but the creatures cannot pass. So he releases them to the battle, and the team pushes through the weird liquid metal door on foot.

On the other side they found a corridor of metal construction, slopping up towards the interior of the Citadel. Nigel notes damage along the walls of the narrow passage, and guesses it comes from the transport spheres zooming through. So they follow the trail deeper into the structure, noting that the structure becomes more organic and less metallic as they proceed. They also start to see signs of life; weird stunted and deformed serpent folk, and odd hairless and mutated rodents that sequel like humans. These flee from the team and the advance continues without delay. They eventually some to a point where the trail splits; the transport spheres seems to go one way, and a trail of serpent person footprints goes in another. They decide to follow the footprints, surmising it will lead to Rose and her goons. But they make note of the location of the transport spheres as they expect to need a quick exit before the day is over. 

The trail leads to a grand, circular structure, some 200 feet in diameter. Alcoves around the edge are filled with colorful, ophidian statues that writhe constantly. The walls coil up to a domed roof hundreds of feet high, with a glowing green ball of energy at its apex. A great snake-like form rises in the center, with an alter at the top. Around the room itself is a thick layer of shed snakeskin and debris. Zeke and Oz quickly check the alter, but then the team all converge on the only exit; a catwalk/gangway that leads steeply down. However, before they can reach this exit, a black amorphous form emerges from the debris on the floor; a formless spawn that now moves to block their passage. Zeke shoves a stick of dynamite at the thing, which unfortunately catches the rest of the team in the blast. But Oz then finishes it off with a laser staff.  

With the way now free, the team slowly makes their way down the gangway. They come to the entrance of another round room, this one surrounded by a strange mesh of fine wire and fleshy tentacles. In the center of the room is a giant holographic projection of Yig. Four armed serpent people stand guard around the perimeter, while seated at one side are Rose Meadham and two other serpent people. The two are connected to the wall via tentacles to their heads and seems to be controlling something. As the team enters, they hear a voice: "T-30 and counting. Mu return sequence activated". Knowing it was now or never if they wished to save the Earth, the team springs into action. They try to focus on Rose, but another formless spawn drops out of the ceiling to confront them. Oz wrestles with Rose for control of the creature, but even with the added power of the Crown, the control passes back and forth. In the meantime, the serpent person guards open a hail of deadly fire on the team, and Ivy is soon dropped unconscious. Nigel makes the fateful decision to activate the haftorang device he's been carrying since Calcutta, accepting the team may have to sacrifice themselves to save the world. But then with the successful application of more fire power and a bag of grenades, the team finally kills Rose and the remaining serpent people. 

With the countdown nearing an end, Zek rushes to the tentacle panel, and attaches the writhing flesh to his head. And finds himself in contact with the AI controlling the Citadel. In a blaze of nonsense logic, Zeke convinces the intelligence that humans and serpent people need to live in peace and harmony, and the AI is unable to process the fact that this monkey-person was as smart as it's serpent person masters. And so it goes insane, stops the Mu countdown, and begins a new countdown; 5 minutes to self destruction of the Citadel. 

Now with two dooms counting down, the team flees from the control room and rushes back towards the transport spheres. They find them in a strange fleshy workshop, where orifices are oozing out new structural material for the Citadel as well as new transport spheres. Some successful first aid brings Ivy back to consciousness, and the team jumps into individual spheres to escape. Unfortunately, Nigel is unable to properly interface with the mental control mechanism of his sphere. With gallant aplomb, the war hero waves the others on, then sits down with his pipe and pocket edition of Kipling to await his fate. 

The rest of the team, with a final salute to Nigel, rush out of the nearby airlocks just as the citadel begins to rumble and explode. They jet across the swamp towards the gate, which is starting to waver and fade. But all three spheres plunge in, and within moments the three survivors find themselves floating above Serpent Island, back on the green and pleasant earth ...

And here ends the campaign. 

Pulp Cthulhu - The Two Headed Serpent (Brazil Part#2 / Mu Part #1)

DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Zeke Broda (Grease Monkey / Mechanic)

Ivy Guinness (Outsider / Nurse) 

Oz the All Knowing (Mystic / Entertainer)

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

Reaching open ocean, the team is perturbed by three things. First, a rising storm. Second, the absence of anyone with nautical skill. Third, Nigel's inability to navigate due to the thick storm clouds and lack of a reliable compass. So the night is spent on the tossing waves, half the team too seasick to function, until dawn finds the skies clear, sea calm, and boat in the middle of the ocean with no land in sight. After some time, Ivy sees smoke on the horizon, so the they steam towards it and set off flares. The horizon soon resolves into ships, and Nigel through his binoculars identifies them as US Navy warships. 

A ships boat approaches and takes them in tow once Zeke identifies himself as a former Navy man in need of help. Reaching the flagship USS Salt Lake City, the team is brought aboard under the careful eye of armed sailors, and brought to the bridge to meet with the captain. Once given their names, Captain Martín Watt  turns sharply to Zeke and announces "Lieutenant Commander Broda, welcome aboard. As per  Executive Order 33-12, Task Force 11 is ready, willing and able to provide whatever assistance you require to complete your mission." Retiring to the captain cabin, Zeke fills  him in on what is happening, and the team gets to to business with plans. Captain Watt does caution them that any direct armed involvement by he and his men could be problematic from an international relations perspective, invading sovereign nations and all, but he has orders to  do whatever  the Lt Cdr deems necessary. 

Having reviewed the charts of Snake Island, the team decides to land on the cliffs below the lighthouse with the help of some sailors and a lot of rope work. And since they will be doing this in daylight, a second Navy boat will cruise the opposite side of the island to drawn attention away from the landing. In addition to a few extra weapons and ammo, the team takes the Haftorang Device and a fistful of flares which they will use to communicate with the fleet should any further help be required once they are on land. 

The plan goes into action. As the team's boat approaches the rocky reefs that surround the island, they hear scattered gunshots on the far side, indicating their decoy was in place. At this point, Ivy notices a massive shape moving through the waves towards them; a giant sea serpent! Oz brings this creature under control with the Cobra Crown, sending it to attack the Caduceus ship The Ascelepius on the far side of the island. 

The sailors bring the boat in and start securing ropes up the steep slope. Suddenly, bolts of fire leap out of the scaggy brush above them, and in the ensuing firefight one sailor is cut down and Zeke burst into flames from the strange weaponry. But good shooting by the team take out the ambushing serpent people, and the landing proceeds. The first thing they note are snakes. Everywhere. The island is crawling with golden vipers, and Oz has to use the Crown and continually switch control from snake to snake to keep them from poisoning his companions,. 

Climbing the cliff, Ivy notes there had been others lying in wait for them as well, so it seems their decoy ship was a success. Peering up at the lighthouse, the sharp eyed nurse also notes activity there. About 10 serpent people, plus Joshua Meadham and Dr. Gonzales. Dr. Gonzales seems to be preparing a party of serpent people to come their way, so Zeke leads them in a wide loop to the south to approach the lighthouse from a different direction. There they see a handful of serpent men and Meadham clustered near what seems to be a hole in the ground. Fearing Meadham is up to no good, Nigel takes an aimed shot to disrupt any sorcery thing their former employer might be performing; they assume it is he that is controlling all the snakes on the island. Meadham is hit, but he then pulls out of sight behind a building as the serpent men open fire with their flame pistols. As the team engages, Zeke rushes forward towards the cover of the lighthouse to keep an eye on Meadham. Whom he sees transform into a huge, dragon-like creature, which shuffles over the the 'hole' and slides in. The remaining serpent people follow their leader into the 'hole', as does the now returning Dr. Gonzales and his men. And if that wasn't enough, the team now observes a series of round glass spheres containing other serpent people come whizzing in from the north end of the island, and these likewise drop into the 'hole'!

The rest of the team, having run across the open fire-swept field, join Zeke and they so over the to 'hole'. It is in fact a grey swirling vortex about 10 yards across. While some of the team thinks the best course of action is to just dump in the Haftorang Device and hope the ensuing explosion seals the gate, Zeke convinces them the only way to proceed is to go through the gate and destroy the citadel of Mu itself. So one after they other, they all jump into the mists ... 

The passage through is a kaleidoscope of flashing lights and images that sears everyone brain. Ivy, however, senses a pattern and notes the passing images are showing a narrative. The images tell the tale of the serpent people of Mu, and the fighting between the three factions of Yig, Tsathoggua and Ghatanathoa for control of the Citadel of Mu. And how the followers of Tsathoggua won, and were preparing to use the power of the Citadel to create a doomsday device that would destroy all life on earth. However, to prevent their own death in such a doom, a race of winged barrel-like aliens dwelling on the earth tore Mu out of the world using alien science. In doing so, they also trapped themselves and the other residents of Mu (a dragon like race) in a separate reality. These two races have since guarded the Citadel to prevent the serpent people from returning and harnessing its' power. 

Emerging on the other side, the team find themselves on a blasted plateau, where rages a fearsome battle of seven great dragon-like creatures like those Ivy saw in her vison. Scattered around were bodies of serpent people, torn to pieces, as well as the body of Dr, Gonzales. Oz used the Crown to gain control of three of the beasts (which he learned were called lloigor), for once the creatures had finished with the one the team assumed was the transformed Meadham, they turned on these latest human intruders. Oz's controlled lloigor defeated the others leaving the team in command of the blood-drenched battlefield. 

Now looking around, they see the sky is a great swirling mass of dense gray fog, with strange strands reaching down like writhing tentacles. The peak of a mighty volcano is seen across a swamp filled valley. Atop the volcano is a strange, spired structure that glints like steel and glass, while flashes of light and fire cut through the surrounding fog from around the base of the volcano.  The team also observes a line of the flying glass spheres racing over the swamp at high speed, just about the alight at the Citadel itself.  And so they prepare to mount the tamed lloigor and make their own way towards the mighty Citadel of Mu. 

Pulp Cthulhu - The Two Headed Serpent (Calcutta Part#3 / Brazil Part#1)

 DRAMATIS PERSONAE:

Zeke Broda (Grease Monkey / Mechanic)

Ivy Guinness (Outsider / Nurse) 

Oz the All Knowing (Mystic / Entertainer)

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

Zeke and Ivy work frantically to pull their unconscious colleagues from the wrecked car. Luckily the approaching police officers are still caught in the crowd, but the truck from the fort is not so impeded. The two finally pull Oz and Nigel out, along with some choice items of their gear, then toss a grenade in the wreckage to destroy anything incriminating. Dragging the comatose two, Ivy and Zeke head up the stairs and inside the Victoria Monument. Pausing for a moment to let Oz and Nigel recover, they then all run out the back door, looking for somewhere to hide  or a vehicle to use in their escape. Finding nothing, and with the truck full of soldiers almost on top of them, Zeke whips out the Cobra Crown and convinces Oz to put it on in the hope that it will give the mystic some sort of power to help them. Immediately, the cobras on the crown animate, and drill their tails into Oz's skull. Oz now feels the power to control snakes and other reptilian creatures, as well as the ability to summon nearby snakes. Which he starts to do just as the army truck pulls up and  disgorges soldiers from the back. 

Confronted by a young Lt. Williams intent on taking them into custody, Nigel manages to use a mix of fast talk and impressive war stories to convince the officer they are some sort of special operatives. While the lieutenant won't let them go, he agrees to take them to his own commanding officer  instead of just locking them up. His men load the teams gear in the truck, wave off the now arriving police and, and then load everyone aboard to head back to Fort William. As they drive, Oz orders the cobras he has attracted to attack their captors. The venomous snakes kill half the soldiers, while the others jump out of the back and and quickly left behind.  Zeke crawls on to of the truck cab, and as another cobra kills the driver, slides into the driver seat and takes control of the vehicle. Slamming on the brakes, he pushes Lt. Williams out of the cab, and Nigel slips into the drivers seat. And gets them to the airport quickly, stealthy and without raising any further alarm.  They make it to their plane, and as they board notice another plane with a Caduceus crest on the side, taxiing for take-off. Assuming the is Joshua Meadham, they initially plan to quickly follow him into the air and try shooting him down with their small arms.  But in the end decide to just rely on Nigel's piloting skill and outfly him, figuring they are headed to Brazil and the gate to Mu as well. 

Two weeks of flying from one airport to another finally lands them in Santos, the port of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Hiring an out of the way hanger, they get the plane out of sight. Questioning the airport personnel, they learn no one matching the description of Rose or Joshua Meadham have landed recently. Nigel figures his marathon flying has gained them a half day at most, so the team hires a truck to bring them down to the docks where they hope to find a boat to take them to the Ilha de Queimada Grande aka Snake Island. Once there, they find it impossible to hire a boat. No one will take them on the water, and certainly no one will take them to Snake Island. They also note a small steamer nearby flying a Caduceus pennant. Zeke uses his contacts and makes a phone call to the local US Navy attaché, learning that a US Navy task force is stationed offshore but the attaché doesn't know why. There was some thought of requesting a boat from the Navy, but in the end they decide just stealing one would be their best bet. 

While they wait, a young boy approaches with a folded piece of paper. Nigel takes the paper and unfolds it, revealing a crude drawing a a serpent eye. Which to their horror, then blinks at them! The young boy, looking at the paper with them, suddenly gasps and they see his shadow start to to wrap itself around him in a constricting embrace. Before they can do anything to help, the boy is dead. And Oz feels his shadow start to grasp his body. After a few panicked moments, the team hauls Oz into cover where he cast no shadow, thereby saving him from death. 

Fearful now of going out in the sunlight, the team watches helplessly as a group of vehicles approaches the Caduceus ship, loading men and supplies. After this, the ship raises steam and heads out the harbour.  Shortly after, as darkness had fallen, the team slips out onto the docks and steal a boat to make their way under cover of darkness across the waters to Snake Island.