Page 4
Professor Wilmarth
Once they get finally get back to Arkham, the characters check into their hotels and meet back up with LaRoche at the Miskatonic University library. LaRoche has suggested that they consult Dr. Stanley Archer, chief librarian, and Professor Emeritus of anthropology. They’re hoping he can provide some insight on the clues they have found.
When presented with the figurine, Archer says it doesn’t look familiar to him. He says, however, that there have been local tribes of Indians on this land since pre-historic times and maybe this is a new find from one previously un-recorded. Possibly a religious artifact of some sort, associated with the fishing culture of these ancient peoples.
When shown the cufflink, Archer seems a little puzzled. He doesn’t know what the symbol is, but he does recognize the cufflink itself. He says it’s the same kind worn by a man named Lyndon Wilmarth, a visiting professor from Boston College. It seems that Wilmarth has been making frequent visits to the library, and was particularly interested in a very old, untitled tome that was in the library’s keeping.
Archer says Wilmarth was a bit aggravated when Archer refused to let him peruse the old book, owing to its age and rarity, but still came fairly often to the library to research Arkham history, genealogy, and local Indian culture. Archer hasn’t seen him in a few days, but says he was staying at the Arkham Arms Hotel run by Dolores Curry. Maybe they could find him there, but surely, he wasn’t implicated in anything criminal? For all his oddities, he didn’t seem a felonious sort of character. A bit pitiable, maybe.
When asked by the characters about the book Archer says he knows very little other that it was at the library when he got here. It seems of Indo-European origin, has no obvious title, and is very old, dating perhaps to the early Middle Ages. Its language is undecipherable but seems to be written in a script reminiscent of ancient Arabic.
Because it’s a matter of public safety, Archer agrees to let the characters have brief look at the book. He goes on to say that he’s been corresponding with a Professor Bernard Maitre at the University of Paris about its contents. It seems the Sorbonne has its own copy of the book and Maitre is curious to see if they are the same.
With that the characters are off to the Arkham Arms to find Wilmarth. LaRoche leaves Flanagan in charge for the time being as he has work to do at the station and still has to debrief the mayor on the loss of his son.
The Arkham Arms is in a section of town that has seen better days, but is still reasonably well kept up. A man is at a table having breakfast downstairs, but he doesn’t match Archer’s description of Wilmarth. Eventually Mrs. Curry appears and asks the characters if they’re here for a room or food.
When they tell her that they’re looking for Lyndon Wilmarth she seems a little surprised. “You just missed him,” she says. “He checked out this morning in a bit of hurry. Oh dear, I hope it wasn’t anything important. He was a bit of a quiet young lad, but seemed very nice. He’s not in any trouble, is he?”
The characters give her a decent cover story and ask if they can see his room. She agrees and gives them the key to his apartment on the 2nd floor.
When entering they find it mostly empty except for the bed, an iron stove, and an old wooden chest. They begin searching for clues with Wilson looking under the bed, Kildare searching the chest and Flanagan checking out the stove. Jones keeps watch on the door to keep out any curious residents (or zombies).
Not finding anything under bed, Wilson begins to search the walls. On the East side he finds a loose piece of paneling which, when pulled from the wall reveals a small space. Inside Wilson finds a few papers in a bundle. These include:
1. Info on old Trescott deed transfers
2. Notes on Trescott genealogy
3. Notes on Stanley Archer
4. Notes on American Indian mythology, specifically something called “Hahgwehdaetgan”
Flanagan finds a matchbook stuck between the floorboards for a place called the “Cuttle Club”. Then searching the stove he finds a partially burned piece of heavy paper with very strange symbols and some kind of writing.
Kildare, meanwhile, has opened the chest, and finding nothing, turns it over to look underneath. There he finds a piece of paper glued to the chest’s bottom. It’s written by hand and says:
Old S. Gt.
500-360
700-325
200-270
XXX
300-075
They deliberate on what this could possibly mean for some time before deciding they’ve exhausted the room’s secrets. Except they haven’t…
On their way out they notice the windowpane has deep scratch marks on it. When they look outside the window, they see similar marks on the exterior walls, but oddly none below the 2nd floor where Wilmarth’s room is.
Taking note, they adjourn to an adjacent room and plan their next moves.
End-Of-Session