Episode 06: Aylesbury

[Mushgnome]

As morning wears on, the rickety Monorail descends from the highest mountains to a craggy realm of foothills and countless waterfalls. The old locomotive, running in reverse and pushing the crowded carriage behind it, huffs and puffs and belches clouds of black smoke.

The Monorail slows and stops at a ravine that seems deeper than the rest. A couple of the Green Train Men jump out and disappear from sight; you hear metallic grinding sounds from up ahead. Then the Monorail creaks back into motion, you see the main track receding on your right-hand side. The train has switched onto to the northbound spur to Aylesbury.

You gather from the chatter of the passengers and crew that Aylesbury is not a regular passenger stop on the Monorail line. Rather, it is a service station where supplies are kept (including the spare Monorail you're currently riding on) and where many of the Green railway employees make their home.

Soon you rumble past the skeletons of dilapidated barns and toppled silos, ghosts of the region's former agricultural economy, before the railway was built. Thick vines of pumpkins, grapes, and other greedy plants seem determined to pull the abandoned structures to earth.

Finally you approach the village of Aylesbury proper. This is the first time any of you have seen the architecture of the Green Men, and it is depressing indeed: Homes are built entirely of evenly-planed wood planks, with mildewed cellars and rat-filled gambreled attics. The nicer homes are whitewashed, but as the neighborhoods change, the white gives way to mildewed yellow and eventual collapse under the ravages of termites and time. As the train passes, surly Green Women look up from their chores and Green Children rush to the picket fences and stare glumly, wondering if their fathers have returned alive.

The train yard contains the only stone building in town, a warehouse built from smooth, mossy river stones, perhaps re-purposed from some earlier structure. Across the street is the second-largest building, a meticulously whitewashed church with a bell-tower spire.

Train Boss enters the passenger car and loudly instructs: "Okay, listen up people! I need the help of every able-bodied person. The plan is to move the dead and wounded to the church. We have volunteers standing by to take care of everybody. We need to do it quickly so I can turn this train around and get to the tunnel and back by nightfall."

And then the Monorail comes to rest at the service station. Welcome to Aylesbury!

[ehiker133]

The Shadow stands and says, "Well... I guess he did get us out of trouble back there."

He stands up and moves to the carriage with the wounded and dead. He will begin helping move the wounded over to the church.

[crusssdaddy]

Fated to Die affects a limp and motions to Pack Slave to help him out of the train. All of the stolen personal effects have been packed into a single bag, along with the papers, key, etc.

Fated steps out and takes a look around at the town... anything to see?

[Deleted]

Minion , with skull head exposed above his armour, begins helping move people to the church, smiling invisibly to himself as he focuses his efforts solely on the corpses.

[Mushgnome]

Moving the wounded and dead is grisly business; many of them are severely mangled or lacerated. Inside the church you find several squat, matronly Green Women. They are dressed in puritanical black dresses and kerchiefs. These women speak not a word nor even make eye contact with you, but scuttle about setting up cots, bringing water, and bandaging wounds. The church itself is notably austere and devoid of all decoration save a huge uncarved hunk of stone in place of an altar.

Fated observes the village of Aylesbury has a sleepy, almost furtive ambiance. The railway station and church form the hub of the town, with residential neighborhoods on either side. The only visible business establishment is the Miskatonic Company Store adjacent to the rail yard.

[Deleted]

Minion of the Unholy Fragnog stares at the altar for a bit, getting as close as remaining inconspicuous will allow. Is the stone green in colour? Do I sense eldritch vibrations from it?

[Mushgnome]

Jun 19, 2011 12:26:01 GMT -6 @migellito said:

Minion of the Unholy Fragnog stares at the altar for a bit, getting as close as remaining inconspicuous will allow. Is the stone green in colour? Do I sense eldritch vibrations from it?

The altar is an unpolished hunk of onyx... geologically unusual for this region, perhaps... but (secret Wis check) you do not detect any sorcery afoot.

[kipper]

Breath of New Moon also helps out with the work, but with a profound lack of enthusiasm. Thankfully the expression of distaste upon her face is wholly invisible.

[vito]

The Mirthful Doomed helps move bodies. He tries to take his mind off his work by making idle conversation.
"Hey Breath of New Moon" he says "You wouldn't believe this dream I had on the train..."

[Mushgnome]

"Thanks for your help," says Train Boss. "You guys are alright! I need to get back to the Tunnel and clear the tracks, or my boss will kill me. Here's a little something for your trouble. Stay here and keep out of trouble, okay?"

He hands you each a travel voucher for a one-way trip to any destination on the Monorail route, then he steps outside to the crowd forming on the street. Green Men are queuing up outside the rail yard, some of them just boys. They are dressed in civilian clothes and carrying a rag-tag assortment of shovels, pitchforks, torches, etc. The crossbow-wielding Train Men you met earlier are organizing and instructing the newcomers.

[tombowings]

"I don't like the look of those arms," mutters the Sovereign Mask of All Who See, making sure his flail is nearby and ducking behind a nearby building or brush to don his platemail armor.

[Deleted]

Minion, relieved to receive the one-way ticket, begins trying to get everyone from the incident gathered together, beginning with Breath of New Moon.

[kipper]

To Mirthful: "It can't be any more weird than mine!"

She rejoins Minion. "Well, it seems we're on our own now. We've got a ticket, but not a destination."

[crusssdaddy]

Fated to Die: 'Would anyone else like to go to the store? I'm out of food & drink. I think replenishment of supplies is in order, before deciding on a new destination."

[vito]

Jun 20, 2011 21:21:56 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

Fated to Die: 'Would anyone else like to go to the store? I'm out of food & drink. I think replenishment of supplies is in order, before deciding on a new destination."

"Yes!" Mirthful Doomed exclaims "To the liquor store!"

[ehiker133]

"Unless we plan on selling these one-way tickets... we'll need to do something about money soon. Well, I will, in any case."

[Mushgnome]

While the party gathers to discuss their next move, the Green matrons serve up a rustic breakfast of oatmeal, sweetened with raisins and garnished with a dollop of clotted cream. The meal is bland but filling. Water is the only beverage.

Next, those who choose cross the street to the Company Store. The proprietor of the shop is an exotic Orange Man known as The Gracious Provider. The scam is easy to figure out: the Railroad Company pays the Green Men their salary, then takes a big chunk of it back by selling goods and sundries at an exorbitant mark-up.

You may purchase common items (rations, lanterns, rope, ammunition, etc.) at double the standard listed price. If there are other items you're interested in, make a shopping list and I'll let you know if they're available (and at what price). You won't find any plate armor, lances, or two-handed swords, for example.

[tombowings]

"I likewise have no coin," mutter the purple man. "How much you reckon these rail passes could fetch?"

[Mushgnome]

Jun 21, 2011 13:23:06 GMT -6 tombowings said:

"I likewise have no coin," mutter the purple man. "How much you reckon these rail passes could fetch?"

Each of you paid a different total ticket price based on your origin, but the leg of the journey from the Tunnel to Arkham (roughly 120 miles) cost 12 gold.

And I'll remind you that everyone except Minion is pre-paid through Arkham.

However it is unlikely you will find a buyer for the travel vouchers in Aylesbury. First, it is a service station, not a passenger stop, and second, most inhabitants of this town are railroad employees and ride for free. The closest regular station is Dunwich a few hours walk to the northeast, across the Miskatonic River.

[crusssdaddy]

Fated to Die: "Gracious Provider! Look closely, time to earn your name. Do you see what I hold? Yes, these are indeed fine lapis lazuli earrings, the like of which you'll not see again in this mud puddle of a village. If I said they were worth a thousand gold pieces, my name would be cursed for cheapening their value!

"These are precious treasures... what havoc could a handsome scoundrel such as you wreak upon the emerald ladies of this flyspeck shantytown with such magnificent treats in hand? Today is your lucky day - I offer them to you! Myself and my friends are in sore need of provisions and gear... let us satisfy ourselves of your wares and these wondrous jewels are yours!"

[kipper]

Breath of New Moon begins enquiries into the schedule for departing trains, specifically to Arkham.

[Mushgnome]

The Gracious Provider does a double-take on seeing such strange adventurers enter his humble establishment!

"Gold? Gold you say? We don't see a lot of that around here, now do we! Oh yes, the earrings, let's have a look... of course a eunuch such as myself has no need of impressing the ladies. Ha! But the parents in this town are always looking for baubles and trinkets for their daughters. An offer of 140 silver I can make (store credit only of course).

"Now come, come, see my wares! The finest in all Aylesbury... here we have a fine leather knapsack, are you tired of carrying your things around in your hands? Now you can carry them on your back! A steal at 100 silver! And look at this wooden pole, on sale--buy 9 feet and get the 10th foot absolutely free, total price a mere 18 silvers! Talk to me, what do you need?"

[Mushgnome]

Jun 21, 2011 21:53:58 GMT -6 kipper said:

Breath of New Moon begins enquiries into the schedule for departing trains, specifically to Arkham.

Regular service is suspended until the workmen clear the flaming wreckage from the track.

Realistically, you're not getting to Arkham today.

You are of course welcome to spend the night at the church in Aylesbury and eat your fill of oatmeal (though it appears they're running low on raisins).

[crusssdaddy]

[OOC: Do we have to go back through the same tunnel to get to Arkham?]

[Mushgnome]

Jun 22, 2011 8:50:43 GMT -6 crusssdaddy said:

[OOC: Do we have to go back through the same tunnel to get to Arkham?]

No--the tunnel is to your west and Arkham is to the east.

They are sending a replacement train from Kingsport to pick you up in the morning (if you're still alive).

[kipper]

"It seems we are stuck here, at least for the night." Breath says to her allies, a tone of ill-concealed disgust and frustration in her voice.

"We had best keep together, we know not if these townspeople be brigands as a supplement to their obviously meagre income."

[crusssdaddy]

Fated to Die: "Hmmm, Gracious Provider... I rename thee 'Hard Bargainer'. Tell me... are the folk of this town God-fearing? What are the attitudes here toward sorcery and related monstrosities?"

[Mushgnome]

[crussdaddy: see the edited post above, new offer is 140 silver... basically I originally listed the offer as 14 gp, then decided the local economy is based on sp, but forgot to add the 0. He is a hard bargainer but the earrings are certainly worth more than a 10' wooden stick... my bad!]

[kipper: You're not necessarily stuck here for the night, since this is a sandbox campaign after all... You could wander off to the creepy mountains, walk a few hours to super-creepy Dunwich, go back to the mega-creepy tunnel if the train men will take you, etc. And it's possible Aylesbury is not as boring as it seems! Use your imagination...]

Gracious Provider in response to Fated: "The people of Aylesbury worship The Mountain God who thaws the ice in springtime and makes the life-giving waters flow. The Church is right across the street. The men-folk have a pretty thick skin towards monstrosities due to their work in the Tunnel, but they try to insulate their women and children from the lurking horror."

To Mirthful: "Sorry I can't sell you any liquor, unfortunately Aylesbury is a 'dry' town. But if you're looking for a stiff drink, there's a place called The Gorge about an hour-and-a-half walk from here, down the Aylesbury Pike toward Dunwich. You can't miss it! And tell Bucket I said hi..."

[Deleted]

Jun 21, 2011 22:21:51 GMT -6 Mushgnome said:

..and eat your fill of oatmeal (though it appears they're running low on raisins).

At least we're hoping they're raisins..

[ehiker133]

Casually looking through the available equipment and supplies, The Shadow of the Evermore asks the Gracious Provider, "Do you have any black pearls?"

He pauses immediately after asking the question, gives the Gracious Provider a cold, hard stare, and shifts his weight so that the links of his flail rattle against each other.