Call of Cthulhu, Episode #29: 'Shrink to Fit'

 After translating the story of the past, the party resolve to go to the temple chamber first. They initially speak to Father Jorge, the Island's Priest, and he and Professor Methridge (who just wants his missing students back) show them some of the local artifacts.  

Of these is the 10,000 year old statue of a deep one - the 'Long Ears' whom the human settlers took the island from, and a vase of ancient resin, which the cuneiform script indicates may be some sort of weapon against the unnatural when used to coat a blade - which they will use liberally. He also tells them of the Tangata Manu - the ancient birdman priest.

Resolving to address the temple problem first, they ride the airship to the ancient volcano on the cliffs, where the journal told of an ancient ambuscade. Finding a way in from the upper cliffs they emerge from an ancient stairway into the same chamber that contained the massive Cthulhu statue, and see four of the students in cages, with one already sacrificed, when they are rushed by deep ones which they dispatch, then move to release the students...though McLeoud sees something dripping, forming, rolling and sloughing in the darkness of the outer cave...the Shoggoth from the ancient text?

'uhhhh guys?.....'

Fumbling and forcing the locks, the characters manage to get the students free just as the shoggoth shrinks to fit into the chamber...The chase is on, with DEX only being inhibited by large STR and SIZ, placing the order as McDade, Mcleoud, with the Professor and Sinead at the back guiding out students. 

Releasing the students

SAN rolls kick off, with McDade and McLeoud passing (losing 1d6) and the Prof and Sinead failing - potentially losing 1D20 each. INCREDIBLY, they roll a '1' for the Prof and a '2' for Sinead. They might even get away with this as they run, ...no.

The Shoggoth catches up too one of the sane students, the Prof and Sinead.simultaneously.. the roll is a 5...

'It's a big 'un'

 Sinead and one of the insane students are engulfed by the Shoggoth as it sloughs over them, melting and making their bodies one with it, despite their screams... Sinead lets go of the dead man's handle on the bag of explosives as she is eaten, and *BOOM*...the shoggoth is badly damaged, but of course will heal, but the slowing down of the thing lets the rest of the party get back to the airship.

Sinead's last BOOM!

 With memory of Sinead's death still fresh, they resolve to visit the Tangata Matu at the place where the journal locates him near the smaller island to the south west. Large eagle like birds guide them in to meet a small bald man, covered in feathers, by a cave. He relates the ancient wisdom of his forefathers, which ties in with the ancient journal script record...the ancient Black Spear of Nuah can defeat the creatures of the Mythos...and he knows where it is.

 On the island to which ShanTryan had swam in the ancient text, the remnants of the black spear still resides he claims...with a crystal that the Priest wants. Now, the conventional way to do this, would be to use the ancient mask he has to allow underwater travel, swim across alone, and fight your way through deep ones..no? Do they do that? Do they heck...using the airship with the Lewis gun as top cover they fight their way to the island, drop down, shoot their way into the cave with heavy weapon covering their movement, and shoot a couple of deep ones in the cave for good measure, grabbing the spear, and realising that it is in fact the ....remnants of Belphegor's black sword well attached to a thick shaft of oak...the Spear of Nuah.

Jazz Hands

 They drop the students back with Professor Methridge at the town and return to the temple complex, entering from the front this time, with the spear-sword-thing; the deep ones that remain are terrified by the spear..as is the Shoggoth, whom they manage to hold off whilst they restore the fourth pillar and record the spell that will enable them to return R'lyeh to the depths...if...they can find it.

Of course this time, as it reels from the blade, the Shoggoth turns, and part of Sinead's stretched face is in the side of its protoplasmic flesh ..>ROLL YOUR SAN!

Jazz hands...Sinead's mostly

Upon their return to the town, the Chilean army are now asking for their help...they have received word from the mainland...that an island or land mass, appears to have emerged far to the south west of Easter Island, and they have no means of reaching it with their ships...can the party help?

...sad music plays...