Thread #23155

last time"
the team made its way to eddie vernon's studio which was being ransacked by Chanskey's thugs. Chansky showed up and there was a big fight over Eddie at which point it was revealed that he was the perpetrator of the murder the team was investigating. Chansky was defeated and the team took Eddie and returned back to the camp, with Eddie's goddaughter, Sicily, in tow.

last thread: >>14534 →

"Listen Vernon, before we, handle what comes next. I have a question. Chansky was pretty convinced you were the one that murdered Higgensworth. Do you have a connection to this whole affair?"

Eddie shakes his head. "I ain't tellin' you nothin'. I didn't do nothin' wrong! Higgensworth got what he deserved!"
Sicily, listening in, seems to agree with that last part.

I sigh. "Regardless of what he deserved or not, law is law. But if you're not willing to cooperate, I guess there's not much to do here.
DId you know Higgensworth at all from before he was murdered?"

"I'm your creditor now so you have an obligation to tell me! Otherwise I will just hand you over."

"I don't think you actually made a successful negotiation, VV."

>>23193
"Eddie himself agreed that I would assume his debt if I helped him with that man. Which I am."

Eddie sighs, his eyes darting between Felicity and VV. A look of defeat covers his face as he realizes he won't be able to lie his way out of this.
"Fine. I'll tell y'all what happened. That richer fucker Higgensworth was a bastard, always lordin' his money over everyone. One day, I got fed up with it, y'know? Shut up, I'm tellin' them!" He mumbles to himself quietly for a moment before continuing. "I tried to pick his bag, thinkin' I could sell whatever stuff he had innit. Guy always got expensive stuff. Turns out he had this weird book, when I picked it up, I started seein' shit. Not like with opium or nothin' either, I was seeing real stuff that ain't happen yet. I saw myself stabbin' him in the back of the head, too. So I had to do it." He sighs again, seemingly done with his story.

"I don't think you have to stab someone in the head just because you saw it in a vision..."

Eddie raises his voice to a shout. "It already happened, I done seen it happen! So it had to happen!"

"It didn't though."

"The fuck're you talking about?! It done happened!" Eddie appears to be becoming enraged.

"It happened because you chose to make it happen, you goof. But it can't be helped now."

"You don't get it..."
Sicily sighs, glaring daggers at Eddie.

"I get it on some level. But the things you saw didn't have to happen."

"Because frankly, if that's the case, we're in a heap of trouble."

"Well, where's the book now?"

"It happened before I did it, so I had to do it! If it ain't happen yet, how come I see it happen?" Eddie turns to VV. "One a' Olbritch's cabinets. I was hidin' the book at the bar."

Thomas makes a dismissive hand gesture towards Eddie, knowing it // nothing more can come of this conversation.

>>23214
Is that why you and the bartender ended up in a huge squabble some time before we got here?

He clicks his tongue. "Yeah."

"Also because this son of a bitch started painting on the tables", Sicily adds.

"All right, I think I see the whole picture here. You're not in a great position, but maybe you're crazy enough for it to work out.
Either way, I'm more concerned about where the men of the camp have gotten off to. Where'd Dan go; he was just here.'

"How exactly do you not immediately see someone like Dan? He's kind of hard to miss."

Eddie looks dejected.

You can hear Dan shouting from near the tent you met him in before.

I follow the sound of Dan's voice to him.
"Mister Eagleman, we've returned from Orangetown. If you don't mind me asking, what has happened here?"

Dan looks serious for once. "Something - emphasis on the THING - grabbed another one of the guardsmen on patrol in the 'Glades and disappeared with him! ...Who're they?" Dan gestures towards Sicily and Eddie.

"I don't suppose it happened to look like some sort of gorilla-thing?"

"I didn't see it, but one of the witnesses said so. You know something about it?"

"They're a species our study group lead was particularly interested in, sir.
On that topic actually, has Ralph Oleander come around yet, or is he still in recovery?"

Dan coughs awkwardly. "He, uhh, died. Who are those people, again?"

"Part of the ongoing investigations into Higgensworth's murder, sir. They mean you no ill will."

"Forget all that. I just had an amazing idea." Dan laughs, back to his usual self. "Since you folks know about this thing, how would you like to track it down for us?"

"As I understand it, that was what we came down to Florida for in the first place. Maybe.
"But if Oleander is no longer present, I worry we may be at a loss on where to start though."

"I don't suppose you can identify big scary gorilla tracks?"

Dan laughs loudly again and slaps Thomas on the back several times with his very large, muscular arms.
"That's a good one. It's a swamp!" He pulls out a small map of the encampment. "This is where we are," he points out a small box on the map to Felicity. "This is where the guardsman was taken." He points to a small, red X on the map, not too far from the encampment. "You can start there."

I nod. "Are there any Indian settlements in the area?"

"We should recover that book first, should we not?"

"I definitely would like to do that but I mean there's this spooky gorilla going on and that seems kind of important too?"

Dan nods. "The 'glades are home to the Seminoles. Used to be real feisty, dangerous, but they're not too rowdy anymore. They'll probably help you out if you run into them."

>>23275
"Our competitor is after the book. He's presumably not after the swamp monster. Besides, the book may contain a clue."

"The book may contain some information I'd love to know."

Sicily glares at the two of them. "You're not going to go back to the town that a mob boss wants you dead in, are you? At least let the heat die down. It's like you guys have never left your backyards or something."

"Oh, definitely not. That would be a horrible idea."

"I make some life threateningly bad decisions but that isn't one of them."

"Okay, fine."
She turns to Dan. "There's an item we require, a book, in a bar. Do you think you can send some agents to pick it up for us? Instruct them not to open it."

"I'm pretty sure all the agents are gone dealing with our burly not-Sasquatch"

Dan shakes his head. "We don't have enough manpower. If someone is free, I can send them after the book for you."

"Well for the time being, we can look into this situation. With any luck, the heat will dissipate by the time it's all done." I turn to Vernon and Sicily. "Vernon, you're coming with us for the time being, unless you want to entertain the FBI. Sicily, what do you feel like doing?"

Sicily looks at Felicity like she were /// was an idiot. "I feel like staying here, with these armed dudes, and alive, not torn apart by some kind of swamp gorilla. Are you guys serious right now?"

"Dan, do you have any explosives around here?"

Dan looks puzzled. "I came here to investigate a murder, son."

>>23314
I stare back with a flat expression, nonplussed. "Totally serious. This is what we came down to Florida for in the first place. You can thank this man," I jerk my head in the direction of Dan, "for getting us tangled up with you in the first place."

"Do you think any of these nice guardsmen might have some spare explosives then?'

Dan shakes his head. "TNT is hard to light in the swamp due to the humidity."

Thomas' face sours deeply.

>>23320
Sicily sighs. "Well, try not to die."

"Isn't getting the book why we came here?"

"There's a time and place for everything, VV. But not this moment. Not right now. "

Dan points to another area on the map. "There's an airboat here you can use if you don't want to slosh through the swamp."

"That would probably be preferable. We'd also, you know, cover more ground."

"I'd prefer not to slosh through the swamp.
"

"If you've never piloted an airboat before, it's pretty self-explanatory. Start it like a lawn mower, steer it where you want to go, pull the lever to make it go faster or slow down." Dan hands Felicity a key. "This'll take the chain off it so you can take it out."

I suppose at this point we head over to the airboat 'dock'?

if you want to take the airboat out, yeah

As Dan mentioned, the airboat is easy to figure out.
As soon as someone sits in the pilot seat, off they'll go!
Naturally, there are several other seats on the small airboat. Additionally, it is covered in mosquito netting, save for near the propeller.

Thomas shivers at the realization of just how many mosquitoes will be involved.

I sit down at the pilot's seat give the motor's ripcord a strong yank.

"Swamps, graves, why must we always have to go to such dreadful places?"

The motor EXPLODES into a loud sound and the propeller starts spinning violently.
It looks terrifying. It's surrounded by a cage, but it still looks terrifying. It would not be pretty if a limb were stuck between the cage bars and into the propeller.

The boat starts moving slowly. The beautiful, moist, hot, Florida air reminds you that you forgot sunscreen.

Thomas checks his bag but realizes that's not what's exploding.

As the boat increases in speed, it carves a path through the greenish, swampy water, splashing everywhere - especially onto the seats of the airboat and their inhabitants.

But water isn't the only thing that splashes onto the boat.
A small rodent the size of a squirrel has also been thrown onto the boat. It is hairless and has the face of a fish.

"BUH"
Thomas kicks it back intot he water

It sounds like it whimpered in pain when kicked.

#d10 (8)

Another creature splashes onto the boat. Followed by another, and then another. Eight of the creatures throw themselves onto the moving boat within seconds. They shake the water off of their bodies like dogs and begin to growl with a "blurrrrrrble blurrrrrrrble"

"Do you want to, um, help me with some american football practice, VV?"

VV looks horrified but obviously can't hear him over the loud engine.

"DO YOU WANT TO HELP ME WITH SOME AMERICAN FOOTBALL PRACTICE VV?"

#d6 (4)
One of the small creatures jumps onto Thomas' leg. Its sharp claws do nothing as it takes care not to harm Thomas. It begins to purr with a "Burrrrrrrbly burrrrrrbly".
It clearly likes Thomas. The other ones jump onto Thomas and begin to do the same thing.

Thomas squeals

VV still looks horrified but thinks Thomas is seriously underestimating how loud airboat engines are.

Thomas slowly begins to calm down and accept his fate.

This is a good time to sense danger.

Oh of course
#d6 (2)

This is fine

They look so friendly and cute. Maybe you should take one home and make it a pet.

Maybe VV should sense if Thomas is going to die

(Sense Trouble! #d6 (5) )

#d6 (3)
One of them begins crawling up Thomas' body.

>>23438
Felicity notices and so does VV, that these fish-things have mouths full of sharp, pointy teeth.

Sense trouble #d6 (6)

#d6 (4)

VV, still horrified, looks at Thomas and makes a chomp chomp motion with her hands.

Thomas retrieves a candy bar from his bag and gives it to VV

(What sort of items or props might be laying around the boat?)

Thomas ponders for a moment and realizes what VV actually meant by looking closely at these naked cat squirrel fish and noticing their teeth.
Thomas carefully attempts to start removing them
(I'm aware Kirara stepped away)

>>23448
There is nothing useful around... except the large spinning propeller of terrifying death.

>>23449
#d6 (4)
One of them reaches your shoulder. It speaks to you in a whisper. "You are a dreamer, blurrrrrrrrble."

Thomas makes an extremely perplexed expression before picking that strange fellow up off his shoulder.

It does not struggle. It gazes into Thomas' eyes with its own fish eyes.

you should roll for stability

Oh no
#d6 (3)
EFF

you lose one stability

If I talk back am I going to risk more

no but you have like 4 stability
so this probably feels ok

Thomas whispers? at the one he picked up "Are you guys going to eat me?"

It whispers back, "blurrrrbala, you are a dreamer, blurrburr, what do you come here for, dreamer?"

"Well, we're on behalf my nice benefactor Archie, who is a dreamboat by the way, and we're currently looking for this big scary gorilla-looking thing. I'm sure you and your pals have seen it wandering around the swamp. Thirdly, there's also this really important book that we kinda need to grab but also not really? It's kind of complicated. There was this rude mafia boss and also this bartender girl who didn't seem to like me very much? It's been a weird day, but about normal for the past two months or so. How are you guys doing?"

The other fish-things jump off and return to the swamp. Thomas' fish-thing listens quietly and nods with its fishy head despite lacking a neck. "Blurrbu, you seek the defender of the seminoles?"

"Well, knowing that it's associated with the seminoles is a pretty nice fact, thank you already Theodore."
Thomas takes a seat somewhere assuming there's room.

"Blublublublublu!" It makes a sound like a fish laughing. Maybe it's laughing. It's hard to tell. "Bluuurrrrrraga, you wish to recover the tome? I will lead you there, dreamer." It slowly turns its fishy face towards VV. "The girl has dreamed, too, bluurrrrr."

"Oh right right yeah, I remember that. That was some strange stuff, but I know it's important. I hope she doesn't get too spooked by you looking at her though. I imagine she can't hear a word you've been saying to me and same for me to you, so this probably all looks really strange. But I also know that you're clearly important."

"Oh, by the way Theodore, do you think my head has enough room to read these tomes from time to time? Last time it was a little intense but I'm wondering if this time will be different."

"Blublublublublu, read all the tomes you want, blurrruhg." It continues staring at VV. "The other dreamer doesn't think you should read them, Thomas."

"That's pretty fair. My head's still kinda weird from the last time, really. But it's just in my nature, you know? I can't help it."

"Blublublublu, she's going to take them from you, won't let you read them."

"She'll probably just take them to Archie and then once all that business is settled he and I will have all the time to discover the secrets of the universe together. Then I can read them."

"I can help you read them." The fish-thing has stopped making its fishy sounds. It turns back to Thomas and makes eye contact again.

"You mean, make it so my head doesn't hurt so much when I try reading? That'd be pretty nice.
Well, I suppose it was more that the first one wouldn't let me stop, which was a bother. I can't read forever.
How would you go about helping me out, Theo?"

"Kihihihi," its laugh is clear now. This time, even VV can hear it clearly despite the sound of the motor. It's almost like it's talking into her head.
The fish-thing grins a toothy grin. "If you let me into your head, I can help you read whatever you want to, dreamer."

Thomas frowns.

VV glares at it with fire in her eyes.
And then picks it up and tosses it into the engine.

Thomas glances over towards the engine.
Then he shrugs.
"Things started getting a bit fishy there towards the end, so I can't blame you for killing Theo, VV."
Thomas feels damp and looks back over towards the engine.
"WOW that's a lot of blood.

It makes horrible screams and an amount of blood that shouldn't have been able to fit in its small body becomes a thick, red mist behind the boat.

Thomas realizes again that VV can't hear him so instead he mouths as visibly as possible "Thanks"

"Why am I the only sane person on this boat." I say to myself.

As the airboat continues to move through the swamp, the smell of smoke and fire fills the air. There are what appear to be smoke signals on the horizon.

(Are they in the same direction as the place we were travelling to in the first place?)

Yes. Continuing forward will lead you there.

"Hey VV remember the last time we saw smoke s-"
Thomas pauses.

Thomas waves at VV, then points at the smoke signals, then points at VV, then points at himself, then makes a sleeping pose with his hands and face, then depicts a wall and then scrapes the wall and then makes a sandwich from the wall and then eats it, then looks at VV expectantly."

Pursue the source of the smoke? y/n

I kill the engine, bringing the roaring whir of the rotor to a stop.
"Do you think the Seminole peoples were expecting us?" I ask, leaning forward.

VV glares at Thomas:
"You were TALKING to that thing? Are you mad?"

"Uh, maybe?"
Thomas looks back at VV "Hey, I mean, it started talking to me. It would have been rude to just ignore it. But thanks for getting rid of Theo, he was getting freaky. Anyway, a moment ago I was trying to remind you of that weird dream we had? With the indian guy?"

She throws her hands up in the air.
"Of course, you are mad. Why did I even ask?"

"I am mad! A MAD SCIENTIST!"

"Next time something obviously not of with world starts TALKING to you, don't!"

VV composes herself.
"As for the smoke, I think we should investigate."

Thomas nods understandingly and apologetically.

"As far as I care, you two can handle whatever weird comes up whenever it comes up. But all right, I'll put us on course for the smoke."
I kick the engine back on.

#d6 (5)

The water ripples around the airboat but as the engine comes on and it jerks into motion, it safely escapes whatever lurked beneath the surface.

Finally, the airboat reaches an area that looks safe to get out of the boat on - it seems that to get any closer to the smoke signals, the team will have to make do on foot.

Thomas hops off the boat onto what is presumably lovely squishy swampland.

Thomas' presumption is proven true as the ground squishes beneath his feet.

"I have proven by scientific analysis that the swampland is squishy, friends."

Cutting the engine off, I step more gingerly off the boat.

VV steps off the boat with a sour look on her face.

"The smoke signals looked like they were coming from that direction," I say as I point off in general direction. "We should probably try to get to them before it gets too late into the night."