Robert Douglas’ Will.v3.P2 Conclusion

Thursday, 11am, Bothnall Law Firm: Nico gathered the material and put it all back in the manila envelope as Calvin put the cabin key in his pocket. Carmen offered, “Ellen, are you sure we can’t give you a lift to the hotel?” As they walked out of the conference room, Carmen asked Mr. Bothnall, “After you finish paperwork with my cousin and drive her back to the hotel, could you please talk to a Mr. John Francks also staying at Ellen’s hotel? The poor man was left for dead hanging on the airship rope without care or concern from the aircrew. Our own Mr. Mayor had to lead his rescue. We could give testimony to the crew’s dereliction of duty.” Nico seconded the opinion, “Not just callous reaction from the crew, almost murderous in intent.” The secretary called for a taxi.

With address in hand, the cabby raised his meter-flag and drove eastward towards a western spur of Lake Kootenay. Per their questions, “Yes, business has picked up for me these last months with this new airship service. Mostly passengers wanting a meal in town as they complained of the bland food served on the airship. Not many actually with Nelson as their destination.” Carmen pondered out-loud, “Exactly, why here of all places? Who was Robert hiding from?”

He had to backtrack a few times, but the cabby finally turned onto the correct dirt road to the cabin. Calvin slipped him a clam (slang for $1), “Wait here till we can confirm there is a working phone in the cabin.” They did a walkaround before going inside. Nico found, “Look at these fresh shingles on the ground. Still moist on the underside. As if Robert was on the roof yet the coroner report noted pine needles and sap to imply that he fell from a tree.” They found a ladder to inspect the roof but decided to check inside first.

Outside the cabin: “Excuse me, this is private property. You need to leave before I call the police.” Carmen detected the frostiness in her voice, “You must be Jean Simpson my cousin Ellen told us about. Thank you for being a friend to Robert and being at the funeral. We understand there were few attendees. We just got the letter from the lawyer yesterday and rushed up here.” When Nico pointed out the shingles, Jean explained, “Damnedest thing how Robert was afraid of heights yet the day before his actual death, I saw him standing on the roof as I was out for my evening jog. I had to call out his name several times before he responded and almost fell. Almost as if he was sleepwalking. He rushed inside only with the excuse ‘old secrets come back to haunt you’.”

Calvin asked about the police report of a tree. “Yes, they said it was one of the trees at the end of his walking path to the shoreline. I’ll show you.” At first there was nothing unique about the tree only 6 feet from the shoreline. Till Nico noticed dried blood on some of the rocks along the shore. Which got them to look up and see the broken branches and thus realize those branches on the ground were relatively new, still with weeping sap. “Maybe he was chased up by a bear or rabid animal?” But they found no tracks nor claw marks on the tree trunk.

Again Carmen pondered, “Why climb? Better visibility?” And that’s when Nico found the strange goggles floating just under the shoreline waves. Calvin retrieved them, “Made in Germany. Strange lens coloration but not tinted like sunglasses.” He put them on, “A distorted image. I’d say prescription but Robert never wore glasses.” Jean recognized them, “That’s the goggles he wore when I found him on the roof! He said it makes the obscure more apparent.” Jean excused herself to shower and change from her jog, “I’ll come back in case you have more questions.”

Inside the cabin: The single floor wood cabin was trashed with dirty plates and half-eaten food. Nico and Carmen went for the table littered with crumbled pages of mad scribbling; they had to squint to make out words like “Haunting, secrets, climb, no-no-no, yes.” Calvin dug around in the fireplace and found a partially burned address book, “We’re in luck! Smudged but I can read Chester Whittle’s address as 403 Lake Washington Blvd, Sucia.” Carmen continued into the back bedroom where she found a rumpled bed and wadded sheets. Glass crunched under her shoe: she picked up the framed picture (with broken glass) that had fallen off the nightstand. “Holy crap! Look at this!”

Nico pulled out the manila envelope and retrieved the list of names, “The riggers! The ten names per the newspaper reports and death in various countries. You can add Robert although he wasn’t beheaded. And there’s Chester’s name!” Carmen remembered another name, “Look at the officer list, Lt Donald Bambury! He was the navigator that helped us board and acted so coldly to me at mention of the rigger on a rope.” She scrambled to pull out the Shakespeare book and looked at the first page, “I’ll be damned. Property of Donald Bambury. The referenced sonnets sound like some kind of maligned control or sending visions. As if Donald pleading for release if not death itself.” Nico remembered another name, “Ensign Ross was the bartender.”

As they locked up the cabin and stepped toward the cab, Jean returned just in time for Calvin and Nico to hear a distant airplane engine. Nico saw the floatplane on its final approach to a far lake spur. Jean remembered, “For a minute that reminded me of the sounds the night Robert died. At first, I thought it was the echo of cars descending into the glacial valley. Multiple engine yet this is only a single engine of the lumbermill owner’s floatplane.” Calvin followed up, “Speaking of which, is there other aviation transport as we want to return to Vancouver.”

2pm: On the drive back to town, the cabby offered, “Gave up on your airship, huh? You can check the airfield north of town. We have limited airplane service.” While Calvin bought tickets, he also bought an atlas. They had time to check out of the hotel and say goodbye to Ellen before their 4pm flight. The 2.5 hour flight allowed them time to use the atlas to plot the list of rigger deaths and confirm a south to north progression that had some thinking the next death might take place at the north pole. At least Carmin had time to sketch some Canadian landscape for Calvin’s office.

6:30pm: They landed at the same Charleston Airfield where the airship had launched. Which meant Calvin’s Cadillac was available transport to check into a Vancouver hotel for the night.

Friday, 20 April: After an early breakfast, they found ferry service to get them to the nearby Sucia Island just north of Orcas Island in the Straits between Vancouver and Seattle. Actually, Sucia wasn’t on the ferry route till Mr. Mayor bribed the ferry-captain. They took a taxi to 403 Lake Washington Blvd. After 3 knocks, “Go Away!” The strained voice was adamant till Carmen spoke of Robert, “We’re friends and have the package you sent him.” They heard the unlock of numerous bolts and chains before a tin-hat wearing man holding a rifle while wearing the same German manufactured red-tinted goggles ushered them in, “Quick, before brainwaves leak out. Where are your hats to protect your thoughts?!” Chester Whittle dove under the desk when Nico mentioned, “Robert is dead.”

That was it: the poor man a blathering idiot. Thoroughly insane. As Calvin tried to calm him, Nico dug into his medical bag to administer Laudanum. It took a while before the medicine took effect and Chester relaxed to tell his story. 

“We were all riggers on the 1921 expedition. Instead of discovering the magnetic north pole, the officers returned with a meteorite. When we returned home per a failed mission, we were still paid handsomely for hush money per declared secret government work. Life was grand till I happened upon newspaper articles about my fellow riggers dropping like flies. From south to north. It doesn’t make sense; we all kept the secret. I tried to warn Robert. Tell me, was he also beheaded?”

Somehow Carmen convinced him to join them, “Hiding didn’t work for Robert or the others. Come with us and we’ll protect you. We’ll disguise you. Stay strong and seek revenge for your fellow airmen.” Nico reflected on Robert’s death, “He didn’t fall out of the tree. It was as if he leapt on purpose. Maybe he decided to deny someone or something his head.” Still calmed per his meds, Chester agreed, “Thoughts. I’m telling you they are after our thoughts and memories. Here, one of you should take my goggles. Only the airship officers had them. I stole two as a memento of the trip.” Nico accepted the goggles, “If you believe in anything, it makes it real.”

2pm: Calvin used Chester’s phone to call back to the Vancouver Charleston Airfield. “I’m sorry sir, but Chandler Aviation terminated their trial service yesterday without explanation. You could call their home office just outside Seattle.” Neither Carmen nor Calvin had heard of the operation. [Craft/Journalism] Suddenly Nico remembered, “I did a 1921 article about the philanthropist, berating his wasted money on a stupid polar expedition rather than contributing to humanitarian needs.” Chester remembered, “Chandler Aviation is where we launched for the 1921 expedition.” But Calvin was still confused, “OK, but Robert died April 1^st. Why would the airship continue operations in Canada for another 3 weeks?!” Medicine induced, Chester laughed, “Maybe they thought I was hiding there too.”

4pm: It took some more phone calls to convince the ferry returning from Victoria to stop at Sucia to pick them up. They got back to Vancouver and Calvin’s car around 7pm. Too late to drive at night, they rented rooms. They just had time to shop for a disguise for Chester. Nico continued Chester’s medical treatment to subdue his fears. At dinner, they had hushed conversation, “We need to get to Candler Aviation and find hard evidence we can take to the police.”

Saturday, April 21^st: After an early breakfast and 5-hour drive, they reach Seattle around 2pm. They climbed the steps to the Seattle Library to research: Edward Chandler, German goggles, the airship company, and any journal articles related to the airship service. From 1921 coverage of the expedition, they learned Chandler Aviation was 15 miles east of the city but didn’t have any scheduled service since the expedition. As for Edward Chandler: the man had been traveling the states and the world since the failed expedition. But it was Nico who dug up Weird Science articles about the man’s involvement with cults and seances. “He’s a practitioner.” They also found schedules for the Terra Nova airship service that spanned South and North America with dates and destinations that matched the rigger’s deaths. As much as Calvin wanted evidence, Carmen admitted, “We could burn the airship as long as no-one is injured.”

4:30pm, Chandler Aviation: They parked the car off the access road within the trees. While Nico and Carmen stayed with Chester, Calvin walked to the airfield gate where a guard interceded. Calvin ignored the guard’s announcement, “The airfield is closed” and launched into his mayoral spiel, “I had a chance to ride on the airship in Canada and want to talk to the owner about possible commerce service with my town of Tacoma.” The guard let him in and directed him to the ticket hut. As he entered the fence, he took in the view of the Terra Nova anchored at its tether-tower in front of a massive hanger. He saw men ambling underneath the airship doing some kind of work. 

And watched as a firetruck type vehicle approached to raise its ladder to allow workers to climb and repair the airship’s skin.

As he got closer to the hanger, noise inside amplified out the open doors to reveal more work being done inside the hanger. Calvin approached the ticket agent who explained, “I’m sorry sir, I was just hired yesterday. Apparently, we are starting local operations. I don’t even have the flyer printed about our routes. Let me call the office to see if Capt Moore is in. Sorry sir, no answer; he must still be in the airship.” Calvin had already wandered toward the hanger doors to peek inside. The agent caught up with him, “Sorry sir, too dangerous without a hard-hat.” And that’s when one of the workers saw them, “You two! What the hell are you doing? This is off limits. No smoking as we have hydrogen tanks.” Calvin was escorted to the gate.

8:30pm: With the car pulled further into the dark woods, they snuck towards the fence to watch the operations. They had already monitored the hanger workers climb into their cars at end of shift and drive home. Even the ticket agent left. Only one car and the firetruck remained. “Wish we had thought to bring binoculars.” A bright security floodlight shone from atop the 400ft tall hanger with its beam just short of the Terra Nova. But there was enough moonlight to vaguely make out shapes. Yet the only movement they saw was near the airship. Carmen perked up, “The man that just climbed out of the gondola and is walking towards the hanger… that looks like Capt Moore!"

They’d seen enough, “Let’s circle around to the north and climb the fence behind the hanger so we are in the dark away from the lone guard at the gate.” It was a cautious 20-minute walk and just as they got to the northside, they saw Capt Moore returning to the airship. They gritted their teeth as the fence rattled as they climbed. Their hearts pounded in expectation the guard would arrive any second. But all made it over and crept along the northside of the hanger to then peer into the cavernous hanger from the open bay doors. The overhead security light was angled out such that they were in dim shadows. Dim light shown from inside from the small overhead lights that lined the upper spine of the hanger. Calvin pointed out the lit upper office tucked along the northwest corner.

CLIMAX

“Creak!” Carmen froze on the stairs despite trying to avoid the middle of the steps. And that’s when she realized Chester still stood just inside the hanger bay door. “You guys go on; I’ll stay with him. We’ll keep a watch on the airship and warn if anyone comes.” Calvin peeked through the window into the office. 

Empty except for the desk with papers and a semi-steaming cup of coffee. It wasn’t long before the two of them read Capt Moore’s journal documenting the 1921 expedition and the discovery of an egg that hatched into something invisible and described as a dho-spawn. And its thirst for the minds of the riggers to which it had become attached. It already had the officers snared as puppets and only needed the brains of the riggers to feast on their knowledge.

Carmen shifted when she noticed someone suddenly appear under the airship. The man paced a few steps before squatting. Strange; is that some kind of ritual? What was he doing? And that’s when Calvin and Nico returned to reveal their discovery. Too consumed with the discovery, no-one noticed Chester react to the spoken cause of all the trouble. Only when they heard the rifle fire and Chester yelling as he ran towards the airship, “Damn you to hell for killing my friends. You want a piece of me?! Well, not as much as I want a piece of you, you foul piece of shit!”

While Chester ran directly at the airship, they circled north to stay out of the beam light as they too charged for the airship as they silently cursed, “Damn it Chester.” And that’s when Carmen noticed the man who was sitting under the airship actually had a pistil pointed at his own head. The man dropped the gun, rose, and sprinted towards Chester screaming, “No, No, Get away. Save yourself from certain slavery or beheading.” It was Donald Bambury in a moment of clarity. Unlike when they meet him aboard the airship, dull and bland, Donald’s voice was resonate and frightened.

And that’s when they saw 3 other crewmen descend from the engine platforms 25ft high. A jump that would sprain ankles, yet these men seemed to drift/be lowered down. [Sanity check] As if tethered. Being the fastest, Calvin was point-blank range to the closest airman wielding a wrench: he fired 3 quick shots. Two solid hits blew a hole in the man’s chest while breaking his left arm below the shoulder.

[Sanity check] The man slumped… then slowly rose as if a puppet on strings as he slowly but deliberately advanced on Calvin! Calvin [lost 5 sanity, passed his INT check and thus suffered a Bout-Of-Madness: Flee] turned and took off running. The slowest and thus last in line Nico [lost 5 sanity, passed his INT check and thus suffered a Bout-Of-Madness: Amnesia] stood in bewilderment, “What, what is going on? Are we taking another airship ride?” Carmen [only lost 1 point of sanity] recognized the situation and turned to follow Calvin, grabbing Nico along the way as she slapped his face, “Snap out of it!” They all heard the engines start and saw the slow rise of the airship released from its mooring.

And that’s when Bambury’s voice changed. Had they been able to see his eyes, they would have seen them flutter before becoming wide open. Donald sneered, “Chester, just the thoughts I sought. Yes, you’ve come to me.” 

Funny how both Calvin and Nico chose that moment to put on their special goggles: as the airship rose higher and higher, the now visible tether to each of the men on the ground grew taunt just before the men’s heads were ripped off along with part of their spines.

[Sanity failure- lost 5 sanity, passed her INT check and thus suffered a Bout-Of-Madness: Significant Person] Carmen stopped in her tracks when she saw the heads ripped off without cause. She saw Bambury confronting her idle, William Blake (really Chester) the English poet. “NO!” She was about to rush to his aid till his head too was ripped from his body which collapsed to the ground. It was now Nico’s turn to drag her along as he watched another tethered crewman jump from an engine platform while the engine was running. The man was shredded as he was sucked into the engine blades. Nico only laughed as he drug Carmen along their escape route.

BEHIND THE SCREEN

Most of the story is explained in Chester’s dialog along with Capt Moore’s journal.

The strange goggles took on the characteristics of Powder of Ibn-Ghazi which allows one to see the unseeable. In this case, the ethereal tentacles. The goggles were needed to see thru the skin of the airship and see the actual dho-spawn hidden inside. Fortune you did not look as to witness: SAN 1d4/1D20 (i.e. pass or fail your Sanity check).

Curled within the enormous volume of gas-bag #4, the dho-spawn was invisible save for a sense of 'oiliness' in the air and a weight on ones shoulders. Passing through space occupied by the creature imparted the impression that the air had thickened. That is what caused the blurred effects for Martin Biagio’s (the airship astronomer) telescope sightings outside Nelson as the airship flew around searching for Douglas.

The loathsome spawn was enormous, and without fixed shape as its livid pulsing body, shifted and rotated through far more than three dimensions. From its median line sprouted writhing forests of whip-like tendrils which easily (multi-dimensional) passed through the fabric of the gas bag, the ship's airframe, paneling, and even bodies. The tendrils only interacted with solid objects where the dho-spawn desired, such as the base of each crewman's skull.

Realizing the airship was in danger and having his last rigger (Chester) deliver himself to the dho-spawn’s doorsteps, the creature commanded at least half the crew to return to the ship to start engines for liftoff. Had the PCs been aboard, and fire started, the PCs would be left looking for means of their own escape and survival. A slim chance [Luck] to finds parachutes, descend the anchor ropes, or jump and hope to survive… without the burning frame of the airship crashing down on them.

If the dho-spawn was reduced to half its hit points (near impossible), or if the airship caught fire, the dho-spawn abandoned ship. Leaving the crewmen screaming in agony as the monster's departure tore their spines out through their skulls.

And as a closing salute to Steve's multiple mentions of his favorite "Buckaroo Bonzai":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfMEEt0OvGk

If you are interested in other’s play of the scenario:

https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2021/06/rigid-air-part1.html

https://rigglew4.blogspot.com/2022/02/rigid-airv2-reading-of-robert-douglas.html