Call of Cthulhu Actual Play: The Scuttling



Based on the adventure "The Scuttling" by Todd A. Woods and Kevin A. Ross from Chaosium's Sacraments of Evil

 Friday March 15, 1889

 Ascott, Morton, and Pound are hired by railroad tycoon by Nigel Stander to acquire a 16th century bust of Lady Jane Grey from Misters Weiman and DeMarco in New York City, with Ascott to work as his agent. Agent suspected his brother wanted to get him out of the city for a few months but a trip to America seemed entertaining. Mister Morton saw a potential story and Pound accompanied him to make sure he stayed alive.

Sunday, March 17, 1889

 The characters travel to Liverpool and depart on the Christabel under Captain Dan Holley. There is some confusion when the Gustav Ericsson is in her berth but they make it aboard eventually. It is a long journey as the Christabel is an older ship without steam engines.

The crew tries to scare their passengers with tails of monsters (i.e. squid).

Monday, April 15, 1889

 The Christabel glides into New York harbor, seeing the newly assembled and still shiny Statue of Liberty in the harbor. After some confusion about currency exchange, the characters acquire lodging.

Tuesday, April 16, 1889

The bust of Lady Jane Grey is determined to be authentic and purchased at the previously agreed upon price, despite Weiman and DeMarco's attempt at dishonesty.

Thursday, April 18, 1889

 The Christabel begins its return voyage to Liverpool.

Tuesday, April 23, 1889

An undersea earthquake raises a mud bank to the surface which the Christabel runs aground upon. The characters are able to walk on the bank and collect some fossils that date to the Silurian Age, 400 million years ago.

Friday, April 26 - Saturday, May 11, 1889

 A number of mysterious deaths occur. Eventually they discover the ship has become infested by prehistoric eurypterids, a cross between scorpion and lobster. Seeing the scope of the infestation, including a nine foot long mother, they scuttle the ship. Realizing they will be considered insane, they falsify the log to indicate an out of control fire burning the ship down to the waterline (which is indeed how they scuttle it). The survivors board a longboat, though the bust is left behind (while the mud bank is the likely source,  there is a lot of suspicion at the bust as well...)

Tuesday, May 14, 1889

The Christabel survivors are picked up by the Gustav Ericsson, en route for Greenland...

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