S1E17 [Mu]: What Lurks Beneath the Citadel

23 August, 1933: As they stand upon the plateau and gaze upon the barren landscape, Porter offers to carry Oded’s backpack. “No thanks. I’m responsible for the Haftarong (nuc) device; wouldn’t want it damaged.” Meanwhile, Mira inventories her own backpack, “Both flame-pistols, 4 sticks dynamite. Yeah, I’m good to go.” With binoculars, Isaac scans the base of the Citadel, “Hundreds of serpentmen along with those helmeted T-Rex. Outnumbering their foe which look like multi-eyed abominations. Yeah, we can just slip right past them. What are we waiting for? In fact, there’s a trail.”

S1E16 [Santos Brazil]: Snake Island

[Denny and Angela absent; thus, no Cliff or Mira]

19 August, 1933: Two weeks cooped up on the SS Coolidge; especially considering Cliff avoiding Astor. The last blast that destroyed the pipe organ also accelerated Cliff’s transformation: his fangs visible. Not to mention the investigation into who destroyed Astor’s art collection. Yeah, they were anxious to depart when the SS Coolidge finally anchored in Santos, Brazil.

Oded and Paulo (speaking Portuguese) immediately head for the docks to find the local ‘black market’ to purchase grenades and dynamite. Someone had to be supplying the ‘Chaco War’ still raging across the border in Bolivia. They are lucky just to get 4 sticks of dynamite. Meanwhile, Isaac and Porter use local guides to secure a reasonable hotel. The rest of the evening is spent reconnoitering, “I wonder who rose to power for the ‘Inner Nights’ since we eliminated Rose? Ask if anyone fits Caning’s description; that’ll help locate Caduceus’ operation.”

S1E15 [SS Coolidge]: The Game’s Afoot

6 August, 1933: All meet back up in the Soda Shop (Boat Deck) to compare notes (except for Cliff still wandering the decks with Astor as they enact Holmes and Watson). Mira distracted when she sees a familiar face exiting a nearby stateroom. Mira bolts from the table in pursuit, “Chad Peterson, where have you been? Virginia has been worried sick.” Isaac ten steps behind. Paulo trying to get up but catching the tablecloth with his cane and spilling the table contents. Oded and Porter ignoring the interruptions as they continue their meal (waiting for their own opportunity to slip away).

Chad ignores the calls of his pursuer as he rushes forward around the lifeboats. Jumping over the railing to the Promenade Deck 20 feet below. Stopping Isaac in his tracks. But Mira up and over the railing herself, bound and determined in pursuit. Till a stumbling man crosses her path. The crowd erupting in panic and screams as Mira raises her arms with flame-pistols belching a stream of fire at the man now ablaze. 

The walking fireman stumbles to the railing falling overboard, splashing into the seas 80 feet below. For it was only Mira who saw the man’s skin flopping on his arm…surely a serpent-man in disguise. Now Isaac calling out directions from above, guiding Mira to a crew door. Kicking it open, she soon accepts she has lost the man in the dark bowels of the ship.

S1E14 [SS Coolidge]: Something’s Bugging Me

22 July-4 August, 1933: Laid up in Calcutta for 2 weeks. Enough injuries to fill an entire hospital ward. Paulo in the burn center, wrapped up like a mummy treating his 3^rd-degree burns on his left leg. Isaac bruised and battered from his ‘flight’ across the street, being propelled by the concussion when those Loigor creatures detonated. Cliff the only healthy member; well, physically. Mentally…he’s a nut case!

5 August: “Seriously Phil, you could only get us ship passage?! A 2-week sail to Santos, Brazil? Joshua Meadham and his man Caning left Calcutta aboard their private plane the day after Tish’s little ‘crowning affair’. They’ll have a month start on us.” At least they were sailing in luxury aboard the SS President Coolidge.

S1E13 [Calcutta]: Heavy is the Crown

[Max/Jen absent; Tony now playing Oded after Mikael’s death]

Monday, 10 July: Imagine same-day travel from the Congo to New York?! Using that teleportation gate sure did save time and got the injured to a hospital quicker. Unfortunately, with the ‘Sleeping Sickness’ cure still in their possession and NOT returned to Kasongo’s village. But no time to dwell once Paulo announced the newspaper article Tish circled: a museum exhibit in Calcutta soon to display the ‘Cobra Crown’. HER crown! Thus, the rush to enlist Phil Conners to secure ship passage to India. If only they had fuel for those flying spheres they brought back from Iceland. Or had another ‘gate’.

11-20 July: A week sail aboard the ‘Viceroy of India’. Time to heal although the Atlantic storms did little to allow peaceful rest. Mira wanting to practice her ‘throwing’ considering she did cause the death of Mikael. Unfortunately, her throwing was over the railing as she chummed the turbulent seas. Thru the ‘Straits of Gibraltar’ then on to the Suez Canal and into the Red Sea before sailing the shark infested Indian Ocean.

S1E12 [Congo]: Overload and the Evil Plan

Sunday, 9 July: Despite his near-death injuries, Michael refuses to be littered back to the hospital. Where they find Mira, Porter, and Jen just waking up. While the doctor treats the Russian, they brief the others, "Welcome to the jungle." Then bad news from the doctor, "The government has given up on us. No more supplies. We are to pack and move, consolidate. But the nearest village is 20 miles away! These patients don't have a chance!" Paulo suggests, "Kasongo couldn't collect all of the last supply drop. We'll get them to give you another day at least." Cliff adding, "and then to the mines to confront those snake bastards and find a cure."

Trekking north to the supplies goes fast with Kasongo guiding. And cliff on the lookout for those fake plant sensors, "There's one! Two-foot-tall, barrel shaped, topped with a red flower. Can't miss it. Careful, we don't need to waste our few bullets against another trex." Cliff disarms it, taking its battery source. A few more yards in and Kasongo stops to tend his dead tribesmen attacked by the beast. The others collect the rest of the supplies. Cliff suggesting, "now that we know what to look for, let's walk the perimeter to check for other flower traps." Indeed, the village surrounded, "The snakes obviously didn't want us or the villagers wandering."

S1E11 [Congo]: “Look at Me. Tadaa!”

[Angela/Max/Brian absent, thus no Mira/Jen/Porter]

???: Mikael’s eyes flutter open, taking in the view of a hospital room. He swats at the sweat dripping from his forehead before realizing he has an IV stuck in his arm. He yanks it out causing blood to flow. “Doctor, doctor. Come quick; they’re waking up!” Isaac, Cliff, and Paulo also wake up but are gentler taking their IVs out, “Where are we? What have you done with our cloths and gear? WHERE ARE OUR WEAPONS?!”

Cliff and Paulo are already at the window opening the shutters, surprised at the jungle vista before them. Explains the animal and insect chatter. Mikael freaking out; already at the door when a doctor arrives, “Please get back to bed before you faint. You must still be weak from the crash and sleeping sickness. Don’t you remember? Your plane crashed 2 weeks ago, you’d been bitten by Tsetse-flies, and in a coma ever since. Where? Why we’re in the Belgian Congo. I’m Dr. Thibault and this is nurse Fleurette.

We requested Caduceus send help for this ‘Sleeping Sickness’ outbreak. Your crazy pilot tried to land at the old mine airfield…at night! Why not airdrop the supplies like all the other day deliveries? Oh, you were also bringing people. Are you doctors or nurses?”

S1E10 [Iceland+NYC]: “That was all too easy.”

[Angela absent, thus no Mira]

Sunday, 25 June: As the Icelandic prisoners escape along the ‘via-ferrata’ inside the abyss chamber, there to greet them on the other side is Cliff, “Have you seen my fellow team members?” Thus, directed across the ‘iron bridge’ and inside the research facility where he finds them talking to a bank of brains [room 13]. A Londoner’s accent (Calum MacDonald) telling how the serpents created this facility millennia ago but lost control and abandoned it.

[room 12] The group in agreement to turn the one pump back on to pump the silvery petrification fluid that will keep ‘the sleeper’ dormant. And that’s when Paulo hears the female serpent voice [in Nacaal] thru the manhole above, “Why have the pumps stopped? Send a team to investigate.” Paulo translating; they take up ambush positions. Long minutes till they realize the serpents must be coming from a different path. They rush into the pump room just in time to hear the feral grunts of Yeti slaves (with pain collars) being driven forward by large serpent overseers. More serpents follow.

S1E9 [Iceland]: “Save the Trolls”

[Denny and Angela absent; thus, no Cliff or Mira.]

Saturday, June 24, 1933: Fueled and provisioned, another Caduceus cargo plane launches in the early morning out of New York. “First stop Goose Bay. Then on to Reykjavik, Iceland. OK, so Conners couldn’t come up with grenades but at least he got us this crate of dynamite. We can only hope it’s enough. No telling what we’ll find. Show me your badge again; I need to learn our new names.”

Sunday, June 25: After hours of nothing but barren sea, Iceland’s volcano is a welcomed landmark. As the plane taxis to a stop, they are greeted by Grunnhildur, “Velcomb to Iceland. Home to elves and trolls and our famous volcano. We call her Snaefell. If someone else care to drive, I have 2 trucks. We can stop at your Caduceus camp before continuing on to the volcano. It’s a 2.5-hour drive made bumpy by the seismic quakes cracking the roads.” Isaac, Jen, and Porter climb in with Hilda, “No need to go into the camp. If you’ll just swing by for us to get our bearings then on to our real destination.”

Bumpy roads indeed as it takes 45 minutes to just travel 10 miles south then west towards the village of Budir. Paulo focused on the bumper in front of him while Mikael relaxes in the passenger seat, “Reminds me of home. Crisp air, smooth roads…Yeh!” Paulo suddenly swerving as the car ahead brakes. Then “CRASH” as a huge boulder smashes near the car before bounding down the hillside. All eyes look up expecting to see a landslide; but instead, they see a HUGE…troll [SIZ300]. And it lifting another boulder. “Out before it crushes us!”

S1E8 [NYC]: A Cloud of Lead ain’t Got Nothing on a Swarm of Mosquitoes

Monday, 5 June: “Welcome back.” Paulo mistakenly entered the wrong apartment as this one is occupied by a voluptuous woman. But he recognizes the voice, “Tyranissh?!” She partially transforms to reveal her serpent form before becoming all woman again. And Paulo gasps as his nightmare from nights ago flashes behind his eyes (entering home to a nest of snake children). Soon Paulo briefs ‘Tish’ about the Oklahoma cult. “Glad you made it home safe. Where are the others?” Tyranissh very curious about how Isaac and Mikael are doing after recovering from the Yellow Death. Paulo shrugging, “Fine, I guess. I didn’t want anything to do with Caduceus and the Tier 3 promotion they and the others are now getting.” 

If only he knew at that very moment, the promotion about to go up in flames. The Meadham estate in Connecticut. Mikael tossing a stick of dynamite into the temple. Cliff considering to re-toss the stick out a window; reason convincing him to dive for cover along with everyone else. Except for Jen who runs to join Meadham escaping the temple, “Wait for me master.”…………………KaBLAM!

S1E7 [Oklahoma+Meadham Temple]: “This snake skin is a little tight”

[Bill absent, thus, no Paulo]

Unable to find Mira, Mikael drives Jen and Cliff back to the hotel, “Pretty lady always run off. No worry; she be back. Now where Porter and Isaac?” As they go room-to-room, about to knock, they hear Paulo inside his room, “No. No more snakes!” A pause, then, “NNNNOOOOOOO!!” Jen chiding, “Yeah, we’ll just leave him to his fantasies of his girlfriend Tyranissh.” Knocking at Porter’s door, “Just a minute.” Shuffling sounds (he’s hiding the egg). Porter soon joins them as they head to Isaac’s room, “Yeah, I’ve been studying these scrolls we found at the Bolivia temple. We’d best gather our gear, and weapons, for tomorrow’s desert trek."

Wednesday, 31 May: A hearty breakfast, “Better fill up. Something tells me the reverend expects us to fast in the desert too.” They arrive at the church finding Mortimer and his son already talking to the pastor. And others to greet them, “Sheriff Cliff, at your service. I understand you folks are joining our little outing. That’s the barber Harry Matthewson who used to be blind.” They look over in time to see Harry pick up a whole turkey, distend his jaws, and swallow the turkey WHOLE! Like a snake! Jen speechless with her jaw wide open in disbelief. Mira shocked, “Even the bones?!” Porter pondering, “He’ll either be constipated or leave one huge dump.”

S1E6 [Oklahoma]: “Be healed. And Beelzebub.”

[Matt absent, thus, no Isaac]

Sunday, 28 May: Fueled and flight-check complete, Cliff welcomes the team aboard, “Settle in. It’ll be a long flight but at least you’ll have access to a full bar. First stop: Springfield, Illinois. Then on to Oklahoma City tomorrow.” It was a wet flight…in that every time Mikael lifted his vodka, air turbulence caused him to spill his drink. Till he figured out to just drink straight from the bottle.

29 May: Per arrangement there was a Hertz rental car waiting for them at the Oklahoma City airport. “Before driving on to Bingham, let’s check the radio station where those religious broadcasts came from.” WFOC run by Katherine Mackle, “Why yes, a 15-minute nightly program. Every Saturday Reverend Kornfield drives down delivering five 75rpm records; one per weekday. The reverend? In his 40s, full head of black hair. Tall forehead; nice fella. Did ya wanna listen to some of his records?” As expected, a Pentecostal sermon. A lot of “Halleluiahs”, and promises of spiritual healing. And now that they knew what to listen for, the background Nacaal tongue speaking of Yig. Timed to match the spoken name of God in the English sermon.

S1E5 [NYC]: And you thought the mafia was bad

[Angela/Mira and Denny/Cliff absent.]

6 May 1933: Caduceus building, 7^th floor, as Phil Conners shoves more paperwork in their face, “Fill out your travel report if you hope to get paid. And do it right for once.” Jen lashing out, “You heartless bastard; are you going to fill out the forms for Isaac and Mikael lying in a coma down in the lab?!” Porter trying to console her [no need to piss off the paymaster], “Now, now Jen. Mr. Conners is just doing his job. See him at his desk…he’s filling out their forms as we speak [a wink, wink to Phil]. In fact, he’s checking the box for double hazard pay for the risk they faced.” Minutes later, Conners is correcting Paulo’s papers. “What? I no get double hazard pay too?! What, you have to be sick? Cough, cough. My throat is dry.”

S1E4 [Borneo]: “Tick” 29, “Tick” 28: When the constellations align

[Angela and Denny absent. Mira still in New York; Cliff remaining at the military runway trying to fix the plane he crash-landed.]

28 April 1933: The passengers scrambled for their seats, buckling in tight. Mt. Kinabalu (rising over 13,000 ft) looking oh so close out the windows of the diving plane. Cliff would call it controlled flight as he muscled the disabled plane to the runway below. Grounds people confused whether to run from the crashing wreck (after the nose-gear collapsed) or to it to save lives. Long minutes after the screech of metal stopped and the dust settled, when a lone military officer approached, “Good heavens, that was an impressive landing. Captain Lancaster, of the British Expeditionary Force, at your service. I saw the engine on fire as you approached. What happened?”

Inside the plane, Shapiro directed the team to hide the dead night-gaunt bodies in the 47 section back of the plane. As the passengers disembarked, complaining of whiplash, Porter tried to downplay the airborne attack, “Turbulence.” Upon seeing Cliff climb out of the pilot seat, the captain could only comment, “Bloody American cowboys. Men, help them unload the plane.” Opening a side-cargo door, local conscripts began removing crates. Shapiro directed the efforts, “Careful that large crate; contains the viral analyzer equipment. Those other crates are medical supplies for the quarantine area. Those our own water and rations.” All the while, Shapiro clinging to his own heavy box (20x20x30) he personally offloaded. One step off the plane and Shapiro almost melting from the oppressive heat; his shirt drenched and he sweating profusely.

S1E3 [NYC+Borneo]: HANG ON…IT’S GONNA GET BUMPY

24 March 1933: Strong tailwinds got the airship to New York a day early. Tethered at an airdrome outside of the city, the crates unloaded and trucked into the city for delivery to the Caduceus Building. An impressive 18 floors with two domed towers rising higher.

But all dwarfed by the towering Empire State Building mere blocks away. The unloading activity almost gone unnoticed by the thousands lined up in the bread lines.

The Great Depression at its worst: some 15 million Americans unemployed. Nearly half the banks failed. Man scrambling for scraps like the rodents filling the gutters. The lone saving grace for some: the passing of the Beer Act amending the Volstead Act to legalize the sale of beer and wine. “I’ll drink to that!”

The Bolivia team is ushered into the Caduceus Building where they meet Frank Deluca (paunch belly, habitually wiping his nose), “So, you’re the new agents who returned the mummy. As promised, let me take you up to the 8^th floor for in-brief into Tier 2 access. Please follow me.” Most notice Frank’s yellow badge as they enter the elevator. Attention as he opens a small panel, swipes his badge, then presses ‘8’. The doors open to a long hallway. They walk past doors labeled ‘Mission Planning’, ‘Radio A’, ‘Radio B’, then various individual names signifying offices, as they make their way to the ‘Briefing’ room.

Inside, pictures line the walls. Each member makes a curious scan; Jen actually recognizes one picture, “Hey, that’s Oded! Do you remember me telling you about the Persian I met some 5 years ago? Damn, he said he worked for a secret organization but I thought it was some cultist group.” The door swings open as another man wearing a yellow badge enters, “I’m Dr. Gonsalves. If you’ll please roll up your sleeves. I need blood samples. Why? To verify you’re still human. We’ve lost a few agents who were ‘infected’ and began working for the Inner Nights.” Boredom as they wait an hour.

S1E2 [Bolivia]: Why Did It Have to be Snakes?!

Bill (Paulo 31)- Italian ex-soldier, now linguist tour guide.

Matt (Isaac)- mechanic, cultist who knows spells.

Max (Jenny) - femme fatale with a machete.
     [absent]Tony (Mikael)- ex-White Russian marksman, now boxer/dock worker.

Denny (Clifford)- American cowboy, barnstormer, gadget man.

Angela (Miranda)- Archaeologist searching for the unnatural.

Brian (Porter 21)- philosophy student on rifle team; with psychic ability.
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16 March: Isaac scratches his chin while surveying the murals at the bottom of the shaft, “Guarani natives [of Brazil] once told me about a Dreamer god who is asleep in a temple. Could this be it?” Miranda (archaeologist) studies the murals and stonework, “This has to be at least 10,000 years old. Man was still in his grunting stone-age time and surely didn’t have the skills to craft such wonders as this.” Her flashlight reveals loose gravel at the base of the wall. Scanning up, she finds an iron-metal disk imbedded in the wall. Poking and prodding, they soon realize it’s like a screw drilled into the wall. “Let’s dig it out.” But Paulo has other plans, “While you do that, I’ll go topside to scour the battlefield. Maybe find a crowbar to help dig.”

S1E1 [Bolivia]- Losing his Head over the Bolivian Aid Camp

Bill (Paulo)- Italian ex-soldier, now linguist tour guide.

Matt (Isaac)- mechanic.

Max (Jenny) - femme fatale with a machete.
Tony (Mikael)- ex-White Russian marksman, now boxer/dock worker.

Denny (Clifford)- American cowboy, barnstormer, gadget man.

Angela (Miranda)- Archaeologist searching for the unnatural.

[absent] Brian (Porter)- student on rifle team; with psychic ability.

======================================

1933 South America: the Chaco War between Bolivia and Paraguay rages on. Some believe the impetus for war was exacerbated by a conflict between oil companies jockeying for exploration and drilling rights: Royal Dutch Shell backing Paraguay and Standard Oil supporting Bolivia. The discovery of oil in the Andean foothills sparked speculation that the Chaco might prove a rich source of petroleum. The perfect excuse for both landlocked countries to war with hopes of gaining their own access to the Atlantic and Pacific, desperately needed for import/export.

======================================================

Welcome to Caduceus.

We hope that you find your employment with us rewarding. The world is grateful to you for volunteering to go help alleviate suffering in places that others are unable or unwilling to go. We have a packet to orientate you to the organization.

Tier 1 Information. Unclassified.
In 1912, millionaire pharmacist Joshua Meadham sold his empire he had built up over the past 30 years. With the proceeds, he founded the Caduceus foundation. The foundation has been instrumental in providing aid, medical services and reconstruction operations in the wake of conflicts and wars across the globe. The Caduceus foundation operates out of New York City and employs hundreds of people in its headquarters and thousands across the globe.
Joshua Meadham, the founder and leader, is a driven man, highly energetic and passionate about the foundation’s work. He is known to be brisk and rumours abound about his personal life, the suicide of his late wife and the sudden estrangement and dismissal of his daughter Rose Meadham in 1928. Joshua Meadham is now in his eighties and there is a certain level of ‘shuffling’ in the wake of his heir’s departure.

Your first assignment will be in the Chaco region of Bolivia. We will get you a ticket on a ocean liner heading to Santos, Brazil. There your team lead will meet you and get your supplies for the mission. You will escort a team of doctors, nurses, and re-supplies for delivery to the aid camp we have set up.

Good luck.

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From Caduceus:
You are booked on the USS Dreamcatcher, sailing on 5 March from New York, to arrive in Santos, Brazil on the 12 March. You are sharing 3 rooms in the 3rd class section.
Dr. Arturo Ursini, your team lead, will meet you in Santos. He will secure any supplies you need.
You will then hike to the aid camp in Bolivia (in the Chaco region) that we have established. It is a 3-day journey through the jungle to get to the aid camp.

Wishing you the best of luck,
Philip Conners
Caduceus Quartermaster
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