610: Observatory

Synopsis

In the observatory of the Meridian House, Jameson, Tallahassee and Devin Black study the two rituals found with Nathaniel Vane Orialis's last letter.

The Rite of the Turned Key is the Brotherhood of Orion's standard sealing ritual. It is complex, takes about half an hour in three phases, and is best performed by four or five participants. It requires:

a brass or iron key engraved with a seven-pointed star, or an equivalent Brotherhood artifact
three lights set to mirror Orion's belt, which takes a roll to align correctly
two more lights for the sword and shield
a reflective pool, such as a mirror or a basin of still water
a boundary of salt, iron filings or a chalk heptagram

The Dreamer Ritual, or Call to Cthulhu, is shorter and more likely to succeed, needing one caster and one or two assistants. It would bind Amducius by reasserting a far worse power. It requires a "dreamt idol" of Cthulhu, at least a foot across, that has been touched by his dreams. Without one, the ritual automatically fails.

The group wonders whether a chalk sigil could be made to work, perhaps by pressing Tallahassee's face against it, but leans toward the safer Rite of the Turned Key. Either ritual has to be performed at the nexus, which lies somewhere in the southern swamps on the map page torn from Russo's atlas. Jameson suggests finding someone in the police who knows where the 1907 action against heretics took place. Devin will call Goodman Gray for police contacts, both to locate the site and possibly to recover the Cthulhu idol from evidence. Along the way they will gather a key, salt and the other supplies.

Meanwhile Major Bakersfield and Dr. Shrimp Puerto Rico hear a door creaking and voices downstairs. They sneak across the landing to warn the others. Tallahassee, still dressed in clothes borrowed from Shrimp, casts Armor Arcania on himself, pouring all ten of his magic points into it. He gains 35 points of shimmering, diamond-like armor at a cost of 2 sanity, which leaves him at 21. Shrimp climbs the ladder to whisper the warning while the half-deaf Major waits below.

The voices turn out to belong to a pair of vagrants who use the house as a flophouse. One, who gives his name as something like "Hibbidoe," cheerfully admits his contribution to the monstrous bathroom. Shown Corbitt's photograph, he recognizes him. About two weeks earlier Corbitt came into the ground floor, poking around, but got spooked when he found others in the house and fled without answering their questions. As the vagrant chats with the glittering Tallahassee in the doorway, there is a grunt, and an axe blow splits him in half lengthwise where he stands, splintering into the floor.

Funny Moments

Tallahassee's Armor Arcania leaves him shimmering "like a vampire," and Shrimp breaks down crying at the sight.
"Are you a hobo?" "Oh, I'm not a hobo. I'm a bum."
The vagrant welcomes everyone to "the bum house," since it belongs to nobody.
The Major, at the bottom of the ladder, can't hear a thing.

Notable Quotes

"We gotta go down to the swamp." —Devin Black
"Stand aside, Jameson. I don't know if you've seen this or witnessed it yet, but it's something to behold." —Tallahassee Turner
"He seemed like a better fancy man, but he was poking his nose around here where it don't belong." —Hibbidoe