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.

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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.

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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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JOURNAL OF PAULO REGITONI

5 March 1933: Considering Caduceus is a volunteer organization, shouldn’t be surprised the USS Dreamcatcher isn’t a luxury liner. Spent the first 5 days losing my lunch over the railing. Finally recovered enough to meet the rest of the team. Not exactly sure how our skill sets meet the needs of an aid camp; no doctors or nurses among us. Maybe this is a test to see how we handle pressure situations.

12 March: arrived in Santos and are met by Dr. Arturo Ursini. Use the rest of the day to provision: mosquito netting, bug spray. Surprised Arturo mentions availability of grenades...for a medical re-supply mission? Are we providing military escort?! Strange.

13 March: Dry, arid region explains why this conflict is called the ‘War of Thirst’. Machete hacking thru undergrowth leads to extreme dehydration; thankful we have mules loaded with barrels of fresh water. 3 days travel in this thick jungle environment tests my jungle-survival skills. Dr. Arturo seems troubled but doesn’t offer reason. Daily radio check-in to New York: Miranda climbing tree with the antenna while I talk to bosses. Till Cliff fire me! No know how to speak? American jerk. Aid camp not answering their radio. Trouble? Now Arturo frown more but still no say.

15 March: Another hour till the camp when Arturo finally decides to explain. “You should have been briefed. Caduceus isn’t what you heard. We’re…” His words cut short as his head explodes. Rifle-shot echo. Silhouettes scattered in the jungle underbrush before us; sunlight glinting off barrels reveals an ambush! Shotgun blasts shred the foliage; only a few pellets reach us. Isaac and Cliff get off their own shots and apparently wound the leader who turns and runs. Miranda…crazy girl runs down the path exposing herself to close fire. Sure death yet she is barely scratched. My shot ricochets off a branch. Mikael props his rifle on Ursini’s body improving his aim; drops one soldier. Yes, Bolivian soldiers!

And that’s when the birds flush out of the trees as a roar erupts…Cliff climbing into the air with some-kind-of-rocket pack on his back. Lands beside 2 soldiers aiming their shotguns at Miranda. Them not even stunned by the strange sight and sound. Luck that Cliff draws both of his 45s and trick-shoots them both before they can blast the girl. I rush forward to tackle the last soldier; grappled and restrained for interrogation. He just stares blankly ahead. Like a zombie with all his festering wounds. No answers. Only, “Matar, matar” which I translate as “kill.” Another gunshot rings out; Mikael has ended the questions. At least the doctors and nurses weren’t near to witness the execution.

Mikael offers papers to Miranda, “I take these off dead doctor. He lie. They lie. Mr. Meadham want his mummy.” Cliff checks his watch, “It’s time we contact New York again. For answers.” Having read the letters, I joke to Cliff, “Tell them Arturo no keep his head as Mr. Shapiro boast. And ask what is Level-3 threat.” Shapiro no get joke, “Call back in 30 while I get higher authority.” Finally, Brazilian Dr. Goncalves explains temple and ancient guardian. “Beware Inner-night. Foe who can dominate minds.” That explains the mindless soldiers we fought. He also tasks us to retrieve mummy “alive” from temple along with any artifacts. I thought mummies dead and wrapped in burial cloth; how be “alive”? Jenny confused, “Inter Knights? Bolivian kill squad or adversaries to Caduceus?” Mikael finally understands, “Ah, Meadham’s mommy is alive and hiding.”

And that’s when we hear howler monkey. Sun glint off something metal in its hand. Cliff shoot it out of tree. Miranda find strange gun coiled around its arm. Gun with snake-tail wrapped around its forearm with fangs sunk into skin. Girl excitedly puts it on, flinching as fangs sink in. Pulls trigger to test. Fireball. Mini-flamethrower! Mikael wonder if fangs poisoning or fluid to control Miranda. Cliff wonders if fangs draw blood as source of flames. New toy for girl. We guide ourselves to the aid camp, escorting the caravan of doctors and nurses and supplies. I lead as jungle guide, following the map found on Arturo.

Signal halt. Binoculars. More soldiers in aid camp; with festering wounds and dull gaze. Bump into staff but no harm. No carry weapons. Mikael enters; we follow. Nurse approaches, “Are you our relief?!” Mikael goes to mess tent while rest of us follow nurse Sergio into hospital tent. Find Dr. Gomez and give him intro letter. He explains soldiers arrived days ago, “Won’t let us treat their wounds. No real threats; they just get in our way. Their captain Kamassh sends them out on daily patrols west (0900-1600). They don’t really bother us; so, we don’t bother them.” And that’s when nurse Elena enters, pausing to give us each the stink-eye before leaving to prep an appendectomy. Suspicious; I follow her. She do as say; prepare for surgery. I leave.

Mikael gets food tray and sits with soldiers with rank. Captain and his Lieutenants. He ask about camp but they no give true answers. They ask where he from. When he say ‘Caduceus’, they frown and leave. Well, not really frown. Mikael notices their facial skin taunt; doesn’t move normally during speech. Odd.

Jen leave tent to go explore soldier houses. Picks lock. Strong smell…of reptiles. Gags. Leaves. Peeks into other houses; cots. Barracks for regular soldiers. She slips in to steal a uniform in case she later need a disguise. Meanwhile, Miranda search worker tents where we are to stay. Nothing unusual. Continues thru camp exploring well then laundry. Realizes no military uniforms being cleaned. Filthy soldiers. Open wounds, filthy clothing. Ripe for infections. Stupid captain no know how to care for his troops! Meanwhile, Cliff takes shower to clean off days of jungle sweat. I go to patient tent to question local, “What do you know about a temple in this area?” She explain harvest goddess “The Dreamer”. Villagers leave offerings every solstice hoping she bless the crops. Each of the 5 points west of the river.

Meanwhile, Mikael too take shower but he find something. “What you think of this large scale. I think dragon.” Jenny mentions reptile smell at the soldier house. And that’s when an eavesdropping nurse Elena chimes in, “I happened to look inside the captain’s window nights ago and saw his flesh hanging loose. What could I do? Where could I go?! I just kept quiet and hoped someone would come to save us. When you arrived, I was suspicious you were more of them. I looked at you for tell-tell signs of loose skin.”

We plan a night raid…to dynamite captain’s house when they are all inside. Except now guards outside [Jen forgot to relock the door, drawing suspicion]. Jen and Isaac sneak to rear of house. Mikael and Cliff walk toward house in argument. Close enough till Mikael boxer-punches one guard unconscious while Cliff clubs other on skull with butt of his pistol. Mikael then lights stick-of-dynamite, “Fire in hole!” Tick, tick. “BOOM.” Shingles and wooden splinters rain down in a cloud of smoke. Someone or something tries climbing out a shattered window. Rifle fire terminates him. Cliff walks forward to tug at his scalp.

His face lifts off like a mask, revealing, “Holy crap! It’s a snakeman.” [Sanity check for all]

Soldiers pour out of the other tents. But now they speak (Spanish) and question what’s happened. At first think we need to kill them too. Now realize they were mind-controlled. “Artillery round took out the captain’s house. Direct hit.” Mikael and I enter to make certain. And find strange grid-map drawn on animal hide.

Or snakeskin. We recognize the river and ford. Mikael reasons it a search grid that the “Inner-night” has been following. Meanwhile, the soldiers begin to organize as true soldiers. A sergeant takes command, “Get everyone cleaned up, treat wounds, and post guards to protect this aid camp.” Finally, a good night sleep.

16 March: We cross the ford toward what we describe as ‘sector 8’ (due south of the center): an open grid not been searched by the ‘Inner-night’ [if we read the skin map correctly]. Jen spots a strange crooked tree. Closer inspection: 2-foot thick granite disk 55 foot wide. Appears to be a well-cap. Smooth. No etchings. No openings. Dry, rotting food offerings at its base. We suspect it one of the “5 points of worship” the local described to me. We continue west-northwest in search of another. Hours later…another. Simple math to calculate the other 3, realizing/confirming the ‘site-of-battle’ is one of those points.

Almost 4pm when we come upon the site. Unnaturally silent. No birds or insect noises. Dead soldiers from both armies litter the ground. Isaac approaches an abandoned truck, “If I can fix it, we’ve got transportation to get the mummy home.” Simple flat-tire fix. The disk is easy to find. Chunks everywhere. A direct hit by artillery or mortar. We stare down into a deep cylindrical shaft. Flashlights barely penetrate its depth. A dropped stone to time the fall. LONG delay till faint thud, “Maybe 1500 feet deep?!”

Miranda already climbing over the lip and descending the stairs, “Times wasting boys. Get a move on.” I try to warn, “Check for tracks. Those inner-night patrols were going west for some reason. Maybe they enter this place to loot.” No tracks.

Almost 300ft down; sunlight but a pinhole above us from the shaft opening. A section of stairs broken from falling chunks of the granite cap. An 8 ft span. With rope around her waist, Miranda crosses first as the brute Cliff holds the other end. Isaac crosses next finding handholds to aid. Mikael crosses using the handholds and rope. I natural climber; cross easy. Jen slips [Climb 00] as she crosses. [Push 32] Thankfully, she only falls 15 ft onto another ledge of stairs below the gap. Skittling noises below us. Miranda shoots her snake-gun creating a flame to see further down the shaft. We all see a LARGE oily/grease thing climbing up from below. [Sanity check]

“Get out. Climb!” Miranda and Isaac are already climbing. Mikael stands his ground, pulling the pin on a grenade he bowls down the stairs toward the creature. “BOOM!” A squeal. I try bowling my own grenade but it bounces off the stairs exploding harmlessly away from the creature. Cliff jumps down, landing beside Jen [he had his jetpack if needed], drawing both pistols to shoot at the thing. The bullets seem to melt into the oily blob. Mikael bowls another grenade that sinks into the blob before detonating. “BOOM!” Greasy ichor splatters on Jen and Cliff. We all regroup to descend to the bottom. Only 1000ft.

Flashlight beams reveals murals on the walls at the bottom. Runes of an ancient language. Headache as I seem to gain some knowledge of the language (Naacal). Almost a 3D relief showing a pentagram centered on a raised dais. Serpent people whipping a giant beast. I take pictures as evidence. “The etchings have eroded over the years, but that sure looks like a Yeti. But aren't those snow creatures? What would one be doing here in the tropics? At least the pentagram confirms our thought. Looks like we need to head west-northwest for maybe a half-mile to find the temple.”

I make suggestion, “Mr. Clef. You talk 2 sweet. Honey catch flies but we face snakes and blobs! You no know how to speak. Ask real questions. Kick bear in balls. I take back radio to talk. Need to tell Mr. Goncalves not to keep us in night. How you say, dark. They want mummy alive. Best way is to keep us alive! Tell more we face. Just who this Inner-night?! Maybe topside we make call for airdrop? More grenades, dynamite, and maybe flamethrower. And dinner. I’m starving.”

Next session: https://riggle2hs.blogspot.com/2020/02/s1e2-why-did-it-have-to-be-snakes.html