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.”
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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.”
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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!”
Mikael the first to get off a crack-shot [extreme- 25
damage]. Small rocks break off of the troll. Enough distraction to cause it to
miss as that thrown boulder falls short of Hilda’s stopped car. Paulo stays in
the driver seat aiming his rifle out the window: his hit ricocheting off the
troll. Isaac using cover to stealth up the hill as Jen aims her Enfield.
Another ricochet. Mikael improvising a rubber-hose launcher as he arches a
grenade at the thing. More tinkling of ricocheted shrapnel. Porter spotted as
he tries to climb the hill; a fortunate dodge as a large rock disintegrates
where he once stood.
Another exploding grenade that chips a few more peddles
off the beast. Another arching boulder smashes Hilda’s car. Which prompts Paulo
to stomp on the gas and drive around the wreck and up the road. A hopeful
moving-target distraction. Indeed, Isaac able to stand atop the hill and level
his tommy-gun, “Rat-a-tat-tat.” Mostly ricochets but some dislodged pebbles.
Mikael switching back to his rifle as Jen steadies her aim at a rock-eye,
“Blam!” The troll flinching and brushing its eye, before breaking off a chunk
of rock at its waist to throw at Mikael below.
It choosing to ignore Porter who has reached the top and
throws a grenade. That bounces off the thing before exploding. Shrapnel
tinkling off rocks near Isaac. Isaac and Porter insignificant as it throws
another boulder at Mikael who seems to be doing the most damage with his
Russian rifle. That is, till Isaac and Porter each toss a lit stick of
dynamite, “Run!” The warning meant for each other. Yet after the explosion, the
troll seen running off. Long strides! Already out of range. They can only watch
as the thing runs west toward the volcano. Over a mile away when the thing just
disappears; as if it melted into the ground. Paulo reappearing, “Need a lift?”
Hilda shocked, “What was that?! My brother Oli’s stories
are true. His villagers have always believed in the rock-trolls. They leave
offers to the petrified ones near their village of Olafsvik. I think we best
drive there and ask what they know.” But the village deserted. No replies to
the blaring truck horn. Concern when they find damaged houses with doors ripped
off. Blood. And muddy tracks…almost 20” long. Hilda rushing to her brother’s
house, “Oli. Oli.” Only a smashed kitchen table and bed ripped apart. Paulo
trying to comfort, “At least there’s no blood. Maybe he escaped.” Mikael
offering his own comforting words, “I’m sure he go quick. No blood, no pain.
Not like he a boyfriend.”
Isaac calling from another house, “Over here.” Beneath
the collapsed roof beams, a guttural noise. Brownish fur. Realization it a fabled
yeti wearing a metal collar with serpent runes etched on it. Paulo reading the
Nacaal inscription, “A torture device.” While the beast is still trapped, Isaac
tinkers with the collar, able to remove it. Then everyone joining in to free
the beast. Even Jen finding time to name him, “I’ll call you Sweeney.” But as
soon as it free, it begins walking toward the volcano.
“So much for gratitude. Let’s follow.” Hilda declining,
“I not go. Maybe my brother come back.” Thus, across hill and dale when
suddenly, “What are those?” Sunlight glistening off spheres arching across the
sky, trailing smoke. Then suddenly stopping over the volcano and descending
into the dome. Sweeney blissfully continuing toward the volcano, up its side,
and into a cave. They follow. Quickly drawing their rifles at the sight of 5
serpent men. Relaxing when they realize them just heads ripped off and displayed
as trophies. Porter donning his night goggles to then warn, “Careful. Act calm.
There are 2 yeti guards just inside.”
These yeti without collars. They howl a warning till
Sweeney howls something that must mean ‘friend’. The humans allowed to enter.
“On second thought…” Most gagging from the stench. Fetid air as if they roll in
their own dung. Cooking fires at the center of the cavern, “From the looks of
it they are feasting on the remains of those serpent men.” The cave illuminated
by bioluminescent fungi. Further in, dead yeti placed on a mat before a wide
abyss. Their fur melted in patches as if by fire. Another yeti adorned with
strings of bones and skulls chanting over the bodies. Then cutting its palm to
then draw symbols on the dead before tossing them into the abyssal void.
Which evokes faint tremors and a gust of fetid air from
below. And that’s when they turn to see another 3-dozen yeti squatting before a
huge statue of what can only be described as a frog. “I think that’s
Tsathoggua. I’ve heard this god described as the sleeper. Ugly abomination.
Isn’t that the god of the Inner Nights? Are the yeti aligned with that branch
of serpent folk?” Paulo looking into a trapdoor dungeon, “There’s a serpent man
below 3 times as large as we’ve ever seen! I don’t think these yeti like ANY
serpents.” Paulo tries to communicate via drawings and sign-language, “If I
understand this shaman, the serpents dwell on the other side of this abyss. See
that rectangular doorway over there?”
Per his Dolomite days, Paulo builds a ‘via-ferrata’ (iron
bridge) using the ledges that surround the abyss. [Climb-failure] Blocked going
counter-clockwise, he finds a better path going clockwise. Lights recessed into
the ceiling at this entrance; Paulo finds a rock outcropping to hide behind.
Isaac next, inching along as he’s tethered to the anchored rope lifeline. The
rope holding as he slips; rocks crashing down into the abyss. Mikael starting
when Isaac halfway. Isaac reaching the opening.
And that’s when both he and Paulo hear something
approaching. They crouch. And shutter when they see giant-baby-things walking
towards them. Zippered skin?! Both carry flame-pistols like Mira found in
Bolivia. Too close for Paulo to give warning; thus, Porter already starting
along the iron-bridge while Mikael 2/3rd along. Mikael an exposed
target. Paulo jumps from hiding to throw a dart [poisoned] at the closest baby.
That howls in pain. The head flopping backwards to reveal a serpent. THE
SERPENT IS WEARING A GROTESQUE HUMAN SUIT!!! Sanity check!
Isaac is able to wound the other serpent. Mikael, left
arm hooked around the rope lifeline, fires at the same serpent which slumps
dead. Paulo careful to avoid the flailing serpent as he removes the dart before
kicking the thing into the void. Which draws a small tremor in reply. Porter
curiously fires down into the void which also draws a small tremor. And that’s
when he looks up to see 2 holes evenly spaced overhead.
The threat clear, all wait for Jen to cross last.
Harrowing moments as she slips and falls almost 10 feet using up all the slack
in the rope. Porter bracing for her fall since he’s still attached to the rope.
Minutes to regain composure. Porter takes the lead with his night-goggles.
[Room 1] A dark doorway to
the left. He opens it finding a giant troll chained up. “Is it just me, or
does that troll look like a yeti on steroids? Conners called the rock-trolls
Voormis. I’m thinking the yeti and trolls are both what everyone has been
calling Voormis. Maybe the serpent folk have been experimenting on them.”
[Room 3] West to a
T-junction, then left drawn by the sound of crying and screams. All at the
ready: Porter opens the door, Mikael next with rifle ready. A serpentman on a
crosswalk indiscriminately firing his flame-pistol down into holding-pens
crowded with naked people. 70 people crammed into 7 pens. Rifle fire; the
serpent quickly dispatched. Then wonder how to release the prisoners. “Do we
really want to release them now? What’ll we do with them? How about if we just
come back? Fine; then how do we get them out?” Paulo reading Nacaal
inscriptions on some paneling, “Says to press here.” Jen suggesting, “Use the
dead serpent’s hand.” Exactly what was needed.
Jen wants them to follow. Porter suggests they go a
different way (cause distraction). Paulo recognizes Oli from his picture in his
house, “I give Oli flame pistol to lead his people across the via-ferrata to
safety. Hopefully the yeti let them pass.”
[Room 4] As they backtrack
with Paulo showing the freed-captives the path, the others go north short of a
cave-in where they find a 300ft deep pit. 4 Voormis with collars amble about
with 3 more dead Voormis at their feet. Compassionate Jen, “Can’t we free them too?”
Mikael nonchalantly pointing out, “Not enough rope. I give them rations; maybe
their last meal.”
[Room 5] Paulo rejoins them
as they go west along the corridor. Another lit room. At the ready. 2
serpentfolk (dressed in human environmental suits) tend large vats filled with
opaque fluids. Overhead railing with mechanical arms that bend and extend into
the vats. Needles. Injecting something inside the vats. Closer look: large
serpent forms. 3 times larger than normal! Gunfire rings out. One serpent
overseer levels his flame-pistol at Porter: [00] the pistol explodes, coating
the serpent in flaming fluid. It quickly dies.
The other serpent lashes at Mikael with its long tongue;
he dodges out of the way. Paulo mumbling before throwing a dagger: that begins
to burrow into the serpent flesh. Porter’s shotgun blast, Isaac’s tommy burst,
Jen closing to attack with her machete. Glee when the thing crumples at her
feet (dagger reached its heart). Surprise when a large serpent rises from the
vat beside her to attack. Slashed but able to stay conscious. Paulo yelling
“Drop” before he levels his shotgun over the prone Jen. A barrage of weapon
fire before the last serpent dies.
But it’s not over. [failed Luck] A mechanical arm swings
over Jen and injects her with a needle. Mikael blasts the arm into pieces. The
other needle arms also destroyed. Isaac blasts the other 2 serpent embryos
still in the other vats. Mikael already treating Jen’s puncture, “Maybe this is
their steroid room where they enlarge themselves. I wonder what the effect on
you will be?” Paulo dissecting the serpent to get his dagger.
[Room 6] They pass another
pit. More Voormis with slave collars. But these with the top of their skulls
removed. Their brain exposed. Jen crying, “Lobotomies. Medical experiments. The
bastards. Can’t we do something to save the trolls? No? Them kill them to put
them out of their misery.” Mikael pointing out, “They mindless. Have no
feelings. Just a waste of bullets. Let’s go.”
[Room 8] Around the corner to
another lit room. At the ready. They storm in, “Oh my god!” More serpentfolk
(dressed in human suits) pump fluids into humans strapped to tables. The human
bodies expanding. Realization the humans still alive. The baby talk is them
reduced to basic knowledge. They enter just as one serpent medic makes the ‘T’
cut to disembowel its subject. [SANITY check – failure] Porter loses all reason
as he removes his own coat, “That looks like a more comfortable coat.” The
serpentfolk caught by surprise seeing a human put on another human. Long
seconds before gunfire erupts.
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Initial shots errant per distraction of the scene. Jen
backing out of the room, “I can’t take it. I wanta go home. I think I need to
find a bathroom.” Shotguns, tommy gun, flame pistols. Porter ignores his surrounding
as he talks with his 2nd head (his suit still alive). Minutes till
the room silent. The serpent dead. Mikael mercifully killing the suits. Porter
regaining his senses, “Ooow. It’s squishy.” Mikael suggesting, “Keep it on.
Make great disguise.” Porter still insane enough to see the validity of that
statement.
[Room 9] They follow the
corridor north then east to a large circular room. Sunlight from the open roof
reveals 3 large glass spheres on short legs. Machinery hums as mechanical arms
swing hoses to each sphere, pumping it with fluid. Recognizing the spheres what
they earlier saw descending into the volcano.
And that’s when the serpent mechanic comes into view; its
back to the humans. Mikael shoots while Jen back out, “No, no, no. No more.”
The serpent turns to then throw a large wrench. Surprise when Mikael catches
the wrench and throws it back [Hard]. The serpent crumbles to the floor.
Isaac and Mikael study the spheres, learning how to
operate them, “That’s an oxygenated fluid that is both life support and fuel.
These levers are for up, down, and left, right. In case we need to make a hasty
exit.” But Isaac learns more as he places his palm on the sphere [psychometry],
“These things are flying back and forth to South America. There must still be another
operational base around Bolivia.”
[Room 10] The room is dark
suggesting no serpent. Porter cracks the door open as the others shine their
flashlights. Voormis and human statues. Some broken and shattered on the floor.
Then realization statue eyes follow their moves! [SANITY – failure] Realization
of more testing – petrification. Paulo and Porter both over the edge [Paulo
having lost more than 20% sanity; both ‘Red Mist’]. Both go on a destructive
rampage smashing each statue. Even Mikael stepping out till they come to their
senses.
[Room 11] Down a flight of
stairs. A fantastical array of wires and instruments and bank of flashing
lights. Paulo reads the Nacaal inscriptions, “This is an automated control
room. I think it powers the entire operation. Here is a self-destruct button.”
The others discarding that idea, “We still don’t know what they are entirely up
to. Save it for later.”
Paulo the last to leave as he ponders to himself, “That’s
strange. I pushed the button and a countdown timer appeared. But then turned
off. Maybe I have to hold it in longer? Or there is another switch I have to
activate first?”
[Room 12] Thumping noise
drowns out their approach as they descend another flight of stairs. Automated
drilling rigs. One pumping a silvery fluid down the pipes while another pumps
reddish fluid out. A rancid odor assaults Paulo’s enhanced smell (his forked
tongue), “Smells like those dead Voormis back at their lair. Only ten-times
stronger.”
Porter making the announcement, “The volcano is alive.
Those holes above the abyss…it’s nostrils. It breaths. The rhythmic tremors is
its shallow breathing. I think they are trying to wake it up.” Isaac steps
forward and disables the pumps. Electrical sparks as he shorts out the pumps.
Silence.
Voices from a room above, beyond an open manhole cover on
the western end. Paulo understanding the female berating other serpents, “You
fools. There is still time to get more out before it explodes.” Paulo silently
wondering, “Maybe there was a delay after I pressed the self-destruct.” All
surprised no one descending the stairs below the manhole to investigate the
silent pumps. They cautiously creep past and into the next room.
[Room 13] Shiny metal boxes
with wiring running between them and glass cylinders arrayed around the room.
Closer look: brains floating inside the cylinders. Spillage on the floor –
rotting brains. Mikael already striding forward, “I’ll just unplug the damn
things.” In reply, a voice emanating from one of the metallic boxes, “What are
you doing?! Yes, I’m one of the brains talking to you. Myself? Londoner from
years ago. Did one of you press the self-destruct button?” Everyone looks at
Paulo with surprise. He shrugs, “Jen said she was ready to leave. I would have
told you if it activated.”
Mikael asks, “What is the purpose of this facility?” The
brain replies, “The sleeper is beneath this volcano. Millenia old. An ancient
Voormi that has grown miles long. Yes, the opening is its mouth. The holes its
nose. The silvery fluid keeps it asleep. But the red fluid they extract is its
life. It is on the verge of awaking.”
Mikael suggesting, “Can you help us kill the serpentfolk?
Then we can deal with your ‘Sleeper’.”
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