The Lost Notebook
Chapter Two - Session Seven - England
4/9 1925
Eduardo Minendez examines Kingsworths chambers once again and is, upon his request, escorted to the tower right above the room of Kingsworth by a manservant (Gilbert Dennys). As the two walk down a long, dusty corridor on the top floor, Eduardo Minendez inquires about a series of doors to his left - Gilbert Dennys politely explains that the doors lead to what used to be servant's quarters. However, since the addition of a third floor to the servant wing, the rooms have not been used on account of their small size. Having reached the Northeast Tower, Mr. Dennys proceeds to unlock the sturdy door.
Minendez enters a circular room, heavy with the dust of countless years. The tower is purely ornamental in nature, serving only to enhance the splendor of the manor. Nonetheless, a narrow set of stairs wind their way up along the wall, providing access to an equally narrow ledge running the full circumference of the upper tower - some three yards above the entrance. Minendez ascends - determined to have a look out the shuttered windows accesible only from the ledge. Gilbert Dennys stays on the floor.
The view from the ledge is spectacular - a sweeping vista of the forest and the lake as dawn gives way to the day - slowly lifting the last of the morning fog still lingering over the quiet lake. Alas - as Minendez is about to close the window coverings he happens to glance down, and spots a strange pattern in the moss and vines growing on the tower. Upon closer inspection, he concludes that several small patches, no larger than a fist, have apparently (been?) broken loose from the layer of moss, possibly the result of stones hurled at the tower from below - or perhaps something different... The regularity of the missing patches is oddly suggestive of animal tracks made on the vertical wall. By clever use of a hand-mirror (kindly provided by the somewhat anxious Gilbert Dennys), Minendez is also able to study the outside of the tiles above him (which would otherwise require a rather precarious lean from the window). He notices that the tiles are marked by several scratches - possibly clawmarks from a very large cat (or perhaps a grappling-hook?). Satisfied with his discovery, Minendez has another cunning plan. He manages get poor Gilbert Dennys to join him on the ledge (though the manservant is clearly not comfortable with the situation) - and then proceeds to discreetly place himself between Mr. Denny and the stairs leading down - blocking the "escape-route". Upset by the position in which he finds himself, Mr. Dennys becomes more talkative, eager to leave to tower. He reveals that Tommy Crane (the Madhouse Attendant) has been expelled from the Manor at some point (though he does not care to elaborate on the cause for this measure). Mr. Denny is clearly uncomfortable speaking about Tommy Crane - and maintains that he is "not too bright". Minendez personally finds it hard to believe that Tommy Crane has really been banished from the household - given that he has seen him arrive at the manor when they followed him from Exmoor Asylum. Their discussion at an end, Minendez dismisses the manservant, who is more than eager to lock up the old tower again.
After 12 hours of resultless searching in Kingsworths crates the party receives a telegram from the party in Exeter telling them that they have finished business i Exeter.
so that he will arrive late in the afternoon. Having driven half an hour, he is stopped by 2 men and a lady with car problems, asking for help. Somewhat(!) paranoid, he nonetheless reassures himself that this isn’t an ambush, and tells them that, although he isn’t a wizard with car mechanics, he will give all of them a ride to the nearest town. Scott Pricthard finds out that they are going to Lynmouth (Site of Sheep killings!). Scott Pricthard and the new passengers (Mr. Alistair Ward (shipowner), his very attractive wife Cynthia and their chauffeur Johansson) arrive at Greyston Manor, where Pricthard generously lends his car to the unfortunate trio, allowing them to reach Lynmouth before nightfall.
At the dinner with his Lordship and the Lady it is decided that Scott Pricthard, George Rosewood, David N. Oaks og Eduardo Minendez, at their request, will go duck-hunting east of Greyston Manor (near the assumed chapel ruins) the next day.
the party completes the search of the second crate of Kingsworths - but with no remarkable discoveries. Disheartened by their futile efforts, the party members retire.
In the dead of night, Scott Pricthard is awakened by scratching noises by the window (on the second floor???). He also hears scratching noises from the floorpanels by the door. He gets up from his bed, quietly, and toggles the safety on his newly acquired .45. Slowly approaching the window, he hears a distinct, metallic squeaking noise by the window and braces himself mentally to confront a "Castronegro-monkey". Sloooowly pulling the heavy curtains aside, Scott Pricthard sees a shadowy figure of some kind, dangling just outside the shutters and hears something that makes him think the shutters are being quietly dismantled. Casting a quick glance back, he sees something metallic under the door being retracted. In a burst of activity, he then turns on the light and throws open the window. Nothing. The chill night air caressing his face- the dark, quiet lake below - the black sky above - Pricthard looks up:
Above him - clinging impossibly to the vertical wall, he sees four maybe five horrid little creatures. Vaguely simian, but with smooth, hairless skin; long metallic claws and terrible, silvery eyes staring straight into his soul. Time stops as their eyes meet - a single drop of perspiration falls from Pricthards brow, and then - an explosion of movement as the nearest creature darts straight down the wall towards the open window. Pricthard hurls himself back into the room, but the little horror is much too fast. Holding on to the upper framework of the window by the hind legs, the abomination swings into the room, extending long, thin arms towards the horror-stricken Pricthard.
Staggering backwards, Pricthard has no chance of matching the sheer speed and agility of the demon-ape. A sudden coldness spreads from his right arm, as the creature buries its claws deep in Pricthards flesh. Instinctively, he jerks the arm back, and with surprisingly little resistance breaks free from the grasp. The creature hurls itself back out the window, and vanishes. Pricthard, still stunned, takes a look at his arm, and gasps. There is no pain whatsoever, but four, deep, deep lacerations run from his elbow to his wrist; crimson blood is gushing from the gaping wounds. Head spinning, Prichthard screams for help, and staggers to the bathroom (though not before he has unlocked the front door)
In the bathroom, trying to stop the bleeding by applying a tourniquet, Pricthard is eventually able to slow the river of blood. George Rosewood arrives first and is shocked by the bloodstains everywhere, and then tries to first aid Scott Pricthard, unsuccessfully. Eduardo Minendez arrives second and more permanently stops Scott Pricthard’s bleeding. In the room, Minendez discovers four perfectly parallel lines of blood lines starting approximately ½ meter from the window, out the window and up over the roof.
The door to Scott Pricthard’s bedroom has scratch-marks near the floor. After the arrival of the Butler (Ashton), Scott Pricthard explains the true story of the event (except for the gun-part), which Ashton seems to disbelieve. George Rosewood og Eduardo Minendez try to go to the roof to follow the strange lines of blood, and George Rosewood uses his locksmith abilities on the trapdoor to the attic. They open a window to the roof of the mansion, and Eduardo Minendez climbs onto the slippery roof and tracks the blood lines from Scott Pricthard’s room. Eduardo Minendez follows the lines to the edge of the roof and sees that they do not run back down the walls of the mansion, but end abruptly. George Rosewood suggests that Eduardo Minendez look for the bloodlines in the air (?) and by waving in the air in front of him, Minendez is disturbed to find that his arm breaks a cobweb-fine strand of blood, seemingly suspended in mid-air. George Rosewood, with Castronegro experience, thinks the blood lines will lead to "The Cathedral" of this area. Minendez and Rosewood look at eachother, then in the direction of the vanishing blood-line. Only the sight of the dark forest greets them...
Later, the wounds of Scott Pricthard are tended to by the local doctor, who will inspect the wound on a daily basis, due to the latent danger of serious infection.
5/9-1925
Eduardo Minendez overhears a small part of a conversation between His Lordship and The Lady, concerning the party, but his eavesdropping is not efficient. At breakfast, Eduardo Minendez recaptures the nightly incidence (the almost-true story), and his Lordship answers that the surrounding forests will be searched by his people to track down whatever creature wounded Scott Pricthard. Eduardo Minendez also tells His Lordship about the night George Rosewood and Eduardo Minendez went into the gardens and beyond, where they think they saw this fox-like creature.
George Rosewood starts to look for important stuff in The lost book of Herod, and the rest of the party continues the crate-search and find what is probably the last chapter from Kingsworths diary. Past noon the party hears gunshots from the woods. George Rosewood remembers something about Oog Tautos and connects this to Yog Sothoth. Nothing further happens until suppertime.
The Lady is in a far better mood (maybe because His Lordship has gone off to London, where he will remain a few days). Making conversation, Scott Pricthard starts to talk about the nightly incident. She seems oddly indifferent to what happened last night. Scott Pricthard, spurred on by her lack of reaction, begins to talk about all kinds of Cthulhu stuff (mentioning Kingsworth in connection with names such as Cthulhu, Hastur, Yog-Sothoth etc.) and Eduardo Minendez senses that she is trying to pretend that she has no idea what Scott Pricthard is talking about. Eduardo knows how to spot a bluff when he sees one, and he is convinced that she actually knows exactly what he is talking about. Scott Pricthard, still not satisfied that he had made an impression (or for whatever reason?) takes of his sunglasses at the table to see her reaction to his rectangular pupils!. Eduardo Minendez is overwhelmed by the alien nature of Pricthards eyes, and experiences a deep-rooted compulsion to kill this creature posing as the human being; Scott Pricthard. Pricthard tells her about a fictive person who knows a lot about geometry and mathematics, and Eduardo Minendez supplies with a name (Mark Woodforde), suggesting that he be brought into the investigation. Small talk is the subject during the remaining dinner, where Swans are the main course. The Lady, in a sparkling mood, leaves the room, bidding the guests "sweet dreams".
Scott Pricthard tells David N. Oaks and Eduardo Minendez that he owes them an explanation about his eyes. Scott Pricthard tells them that its a disease, but David N. Oaks is rather sceptical. Scott Pricthard and George Rosewood then begin to tell about what happened in Castronegro and on January Island, but they are having trouble convincing David N. Oaks and Eduardo Minendez. Still, both sceptics sense that there is at least an element of truth to the mad tale; which is more than enough to make them nervous. Darkness descends as the party retires. Outside, a heavy downpour heralds the coming of the night...