Active The Elder Tales [CYOA]

[Jeroth]

Jasper and Richard came to the conclusion that they’d seem insane in the membrane to go to the police station at this hour. Making their way out of the library, they walked back to the agency. Shadows danced along their path as the sounds of hurried footsteps echoed on the streets. Glancing over their shoulders, they would see the empty streets of Boston.

Drew and Pete would enjoy their nights with their dates, landing a kiss on the porch of their apartment before retiring to their rooms.

The four investigators would not sleep well. Tossing and turning, a shadow tormented them. A gnarled figure with burning eyes.


They awoke early in the morning with from their restless slumber. They had managed to go to sleep, but the twisted visage haunted them throughout it. Starting their day, they met at a diner before going to the police station.

“All right, so what approach are we taking to this?”

> Bribery
> Lawfully
> Persuasively

 

[Requiem]

Persuasive

 

[Easy]

Lawfully. If that's not working out, default to persuasively. If that doesn't work out, default to... well, unlawfully.

 

[Colonel Thunder]

Jasper's all about doing things by the books. Otherwise we're no better than the bad guys.

Or ghosts or whatever.

 

[Easy]

Nnnnnno. We'd still be a lot better.

 

[coolpool2]

> Persuasively

 

[Tirin]

What Easy said.

 

[Jeroth]

“The only way.” Richard’s gruff voice could be heard before pushing open the doors to the station. A few cops had been chattering as they caught a glance of Richard flanked by Pete, Drew, and Japer. Richard’s green eyes glared at the cops before he gave a slow nod towards them. Returning it, they quietly chattered to one another over their coffee before he approached the desk.

“My name is Richard Young. I need to access your records. I’ve helped the force out on the kidnapping case back in 57’. Consider this part of our arrangement.”

The clerk gave a slow nod. “Let me just check in with the Captain." Standing up, he disappeared into the office before returning to the desk. “You’re free to check out the records. Just be quick about it.”

“Thanks.” He walked past the clerk before the clerk could even point out the records department. The three of them followed Richard with Jasper giving a small apology to the clerk.


Scanning through the Church of Contemplation, they found the following information.

Spoiler: Criminal Records

There was a secret raid on the Chapel of Contemplation. The police raid was occasioned by affidavits swearing that the members of the church were responsible for the disappearances of neighborhood children. During the raid, three policeman and seventeen cult members were killed by gunplay or fire. Autopsy reports are singularly undefiled and uninformative, as though the coroner had not actually performed examinations.

Though 54 members of the church were arrested, all but eight were released. The records hint of illegal intervention in the proceedings by an important local official, offering an explanation of shy stories of the battle - the biggest criminal action in the city’s history - never appeared in print.

Pastor Michael Thomas was arrested and sentenced to 40 years in prison on five counts of second-degree murder. He escaped from prison in 1917 and fled the state.

> Go to the Corbitt House
> Go to the Chapel of Contemplation

 

[Tirin]

We gotta check out this creepy fuckin' place.

 

[Jeroth]

We gotta check out this creepy fuckin' place.

Which one?

 

[Easy]

The one we were actually hired to check out, I'd say. We're here to inspect a house, not solve the case of the disappearing heretic scumbag.

Pretty pointless to just jet off to a closed-down church.

 

[coolpool2]

> Go to the Corbitt House

 

[Tolvan]

Corbitt House.

 

[Jeroth]

The brick bungalow is overshadowed by taller, newer office buildings on either side. The house fronts the street. In the rear are overgrown plantings and a half-collapsed arbor. Access to the rear exists on either side of the residence.

It’s impressive how the house seems to withdraw into the shadows cast by the flanking buildings and how the blank curtained windows hide all understanding of what lies within.

An uneasy feeling spreads in the gut of each of the men who stood in front of the house. The front door is secured with a single lock. Four additional bolts seem to have been added within the last year or two. Curiously, Pete attempted to lift the windows, but to no avail. It appears that they were nailed shut from the inside.

The long, narrow corridor held three doors on each side with a staircase leading up and a staircase leading down at the end of the hallway. Where would you like to go?


> First door on the Left
> Second door on the Left
> Third door on the Left
> First door on the right
> Second door on the right
> Third door on the right
> Upstairs
> Downstairs

(You may also split the team up to explore individually, if you dare.)

 

[Tirin]

Explore in pairs. One pair takes the doors to the left, the other the doors to the right.

 

[Tolvan]

Pairs are fine, just don't split up any further.

 

[Requiem]

Explore in pairs.

Personally, I think giving us individual doors is a bit much, so maybe fragmenting the decisions a bit less would be more manageable. Just saying.

 

[Tirin]

Pairs are fine, just don't split up any further.

Also absolutely this. This place is fuckin' eerie, yo.

 

[coolpool2]

> Third door on the Left
Wow, a bunch of nondescript door choices. Well hopefully some eldritch abomination will not show up and decay the sanity of our wonderful protagonists.

 

[Jeroth]

Personally, I think giving us individual doors is a bit much, so maybe fragmenting the decisions a bit less would be more manageable. Just saying.

Got'cha. Figured in case people wanted to have one and one. Either way, I'll have the pairs be the usual ones.