S4: “Egon, You’re Missing out on this Occult Shit Show!”
File#32756: Slater Institute Research by Dr. Peter Venkman
Sunday, 12 May: I
had such high hopes when I learned of the Slater Institute for
Parapsychological Studies in up-state New York. A chance to compare
theories and experiences with others in my field. But then disappointment to find
there are only 3 residents and only 2 doctors on staff. But I quickly learned looks
can be deceiving. In 12 hours, I’ve already witnessed and recorded 2 ghosts and
monitored my colleagues using a dream machine for time travel! Thank goodness
the institute is in financial hardship; Dr. Yvonne Callisham agreed to sell me
(and Columbia University) the Dream Machine. I can’t wait to set it up and
silence all my naysayers! But I must be careful how I introduce it; I don’t
want the government to step in and take it. Now that I’ve studied its operation
and auto-timer setting, I hope to experience dream travel for myself tomorrow
after everyone is rested.
Monday, 13 May, 1:32am:
Awaken by Barker pounding on my door, announcing (or warning?) a ghost in my
room. You can imagine my excitement as I knocked my recorder off the nightstand
as I reached for my ghost-detector. Flipping it on, it indeed flashed lights
indicating a presence. There, in the corner, a pulsing blue flame. The same
blue flame I saw and recorded earlier when Father Angelo summoned her. Barker
providing details of his encounter, “Ashe appeared in my room but left when I
refused to help. I think she’s just using Ashe’s form as an acceptable medium. Says
she’s of a master-race called K’n Yan who want to return to glory.”
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I was torn between what Barker was saying and what this
entity was offering: to teach me how to improve my own abilities. Such as: I
only seeing a blue flame while Barker sees her form. She must be able to read
minds and thus perceive my desires to expand my knowledge and skills. Which
made me ask, “What are you?” She explaining, “I am just a projection, come for
one of you. There are always people here with ‘gifts’ that can help our cause.
Like Jeffery who will join me shortly. And Graham before him. One cannot run an
empire alone. I offer you a position. Yes, you’d maintain your free will; you could
leave anytime. If it’s gold or treasure you seek, my city overflows with them.”
Her offers so appealing. Gold and treasure would
definitely offset my meager scholarly pay and free me from government
contracts. But then she added hints such as, “As for the non-gifted such as
your Dr. Woolen, we need slaves too.” As I turned to gather the others into my
room, she approved, “I hope everyone has heard of me by the time I’m done.” Of
course, when Father came in, he was immediately defensive reminding all about
her evil impression. “If she’s only a projection of a master race, what
happened to the real Ashe? Careful what you accept and believe of her.” Dr. Woolen
proved his non-gifted status when he couldn’t see her or a blue flame. As for
Valentine, he came in and immediately threw a powder around the room. Said it
was “ibn-ghazi” to reveal the invisible. All I know is it covered my bed sheets
and caused itching all night.
Once again, Ashe made her offer for all to aid her cause.
When asked if Argus, Leo, and Brendon were working with her, she scoffed. “They
are dangerous. They burned our temple and enslaved my diplomats on the surface
in the Temple of Nug and Yeb. I am gathering my forces to
confront them.” Dr. Woolen seemed to recognize the name of her city,”Yian-ho”,
as a fabled city at the center of Earth. Maybe that caused him to focus more as
he suddenly began to see her form. And recognize the symbols on her robe as
those in his book he then pulled out of his backpack. Ashe impressed, “So,
you’ve found a copy of the Book of Eibon. Do you know what you
hold? A holy book of spells from the last survivors of Atlantis. The original
was penned on Mt. Voormithadreth.” More intrigue to draw the doctor into her
plans. Should I tell him she only wants him as a slave? But then, knowing the
doctor, he’d probably accept that if she taught him how to read the book and
learn the spells within.
As for her offer, I agreed to join her. Could she read my
thoughts of subterfuge? Then again, was I truly trying to deceive her? She did
say we could change our minds anytime. How could I not go? I’m surprised that
so much of what my friend Egon used to say about the occult is actually
happening. And like him, Father warns she could be dangerous; she did attack
him after yesterday’s encounter. But she’s just a projection; what could she
really do if I changed my mind? If only Egon were here, he could tell me. Not
that I’m willing to die for this quest; but, I’ll worry about that later.
Anyway, she instructed, “Bring everything you’ll need for a long trip. Food,
clothing. I’ll be back later tonight. For now, I must gather Jeffery as he is
ready to make the journey.”
13 May, 6:30am: Breakfast
was interrupted when Valentine stumbled thru the front door exhausted and
disheveled. “I followed Ashe and Jeff on their journey. Miles/hours up into the
Catskills. A roadway then riverbed then the craggy foothills of the mountains.
Almost twisted my foot in a crevice I spotted at the last second. Bear scat. Up
we walked till I began to hear other voices. Human guards with shotguns. A
verbal password but I wasn’t close enough to hear. Saw them round a blue tower
built of stacked stones like that English construct called Stonehenge. Anyway,
behind it, I saw them enter a cave hidden by brush. So, I returned. Give me a
few hours to rest.”
Meanwhile, Yvonne began to count heads and realized
Jeffery was absent. While we tried to act surprised, Father Angelo confessed
his departure. At least Father was vague enough. And convincing enough
[Persuade-fail/Push-Hard pass] for Yvonne not to call the police, “But what
will I tell his father when he arrives tomorrow?” Father suggesting, “Tell him
Jeff is old enough to make his own choice. Wrong as they may be.”
8:00am: Much to Klaus’
delight, I reveal the capacitors I removed from the Dream Machine. “I think
it’s time we took a trip down memory lane.” Dr. Will offering to monitor our
dream trip, “Yes, you could enter an auto-timer for all of us. But what if you
needed an emergency exit. Or something happens here in the real world. God
forbid the movers arrive early. I’ll stay behind in case you need medical aid.
Four hours ought to be enough time. Check in here and re-enter if necessary.”
Thus, Klaus took the master chair to drive the dream all
of us would participate in. A mild headache and some disorientation as we
appear in a city at night, bathed in the glow of a red-horned moon. Klaus (observing
the stars) suggests us at the North Pole. I seem to remember the Quest
for the Aryan Eden book Father ‘stole’ from Leopold’s house referenced
Lomar somewhere around the North Pole. Could I actually be traveling thru
time?! This is SO much more exciting than just chasing ghosts. I’m meeting them
in their actual settings. Them with forked beards all dressed in their “Roman
attire” as Klaus suggests. But these are not Romans; much, MUCH older.
So it is, Klaus heads to the city edge to confer with
Arapthis in his tower. And learn how to brew the ‘Dream Drug’ needed to project
oneself to the astral plane. “But you will be drawn to ancient Lomar only. To
travel elsewhere, you must save the 6 humans trapped in the burning tower of
the other city. Return them to their own time, your time, to break the link
that limits astral travel. But you are only freeing their psyche (soul); you
can store their psyche in the Crystal of Naphkon you
carry. You can then merge those with their physical bodies located somewhere in
your time.” Sounds so easy. Six humans. I recognized Brendon Sterling. And I
remember the name Ivy Tinsdale as the last entry in Mr. Argus’ May appointment
book. The others: Norbert Blythe, Adelaide Hartley, Marguerite de Lacy, Hugo
Northridge. Where would Argus (aka Thetronis) have hid their bodies?
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As for myself and the others, we traveled to the center
of the city and the citadel to meet Zelrathis. He does not know of temples to
Nug and Yeb. But suggests Mt. Vaormithadreth was in the time of the
Hyperborians. And that the fabled Atlantis is near our Greece. He explains
Will’s Book of Eibon is written in K’n Yan. Which explains
Ashe’s interest. Zelrathis describing
her kind as “megalomaniacs” obsessed with their own power. A fare warning to
distrust her!
Noon: Where we really
only gone 4 hours? It felt like days. Thankfully we do not feel the exhaustion
of being on our feet for days. As I hover over Klaus (to also learn) as he
brews enough ‘Dream Drug’ for us to travel and return, the others gather
weapons and gear to make an assault on the burning tower within the astral
plane. When it’s time, we drink the bitter potion. An out-of-body experience
much like LSD. Yes, I’ve experimented in the name of parapsychology studies.
We stand upon a ship-deck in a sea of swirling colors. On
cue, Klaus images himself a pirate and thus instantly dressed as one, complete
with eye patch. As per nautical stories, the sea ripples with the backs of
surfacing beasts that then plunge beneath the waves. Signpost on buoys seem to
guide us thru an archway tunnel that stretches to infinity. Is this Klaus’
dream interpretation of time travel? Whomever controls the dream must be to
blame for the appearance of the enemy ship closing from behind!
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Ourselves! Pirate doppelgangers! “Avast ye mates, look alive. Man the cannons; there be pirates!” Really? Can’t you just blink them out of existence?
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And that’s when Valentine’s rifle-fire echoes across the ocean.
A solid hit to his counterpart, who returns fire. Father takes a different
approach as he gives blessing over us, inspiring my own actions. Holy shit
Egon, my proton-pack actually works! Or is that just in this dream? Whatever;
I’m able to dodge return fire. Others exchange fire to include Klaus aiming the
cannons at the enemy masts. Which inspires Val to cast a Dominate
spell at his lookalike to “destroy your masts.” Father conjures a barrel of
gunpowder he pushes over the side, allowing the waves to carry it toward the
enemy. But before anyone can take aim to detonate it, Val casts Mists of
Ry'leh and thus a fog bank. Between it and a sudden wave Klaus
conjures, we slip away.
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Maybe another hour before we exit the archway tunnel and run aground. A city under siege before us. Trumpeting and thunderous vibrations announce the arrival of trolls riding mastodons. These must be the Voormis Zalrathis described destroying his original Lomarian city. This must be Lomar in the time of Hyperboria.
Klaus holds his crystal high as a guiding-rod to find our destination tower in the distance. But fire sweeps the market square before us. Klaus conjured cannons during our sea battle; why can’t I conjure a fire suit? Are we no longer in a dream? With the Voormis threatening, we dash thru the market skirting the fire. Well, most of us. Will suffers burns and smoke inhalation, while Val and Barker inhale smoke. We duck into a house to allow the doctor time to treat wounds.
Klaus directs us to sneak past the troll-patrol as he
charges them. At the last second, vaulting over them. He must have used his
Telekinesis ability to launch himself. Now what made Klaus think WE could
sneak? The tiger easily smells us and snarls to begin the fight. Weapons blast
left and right as the trolls throw spears. And in the center stands Father
locked in a staring contest with the tiger he holds in a hypnotic trance.
[Cat Scratch Fever] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fit99l6kHyA
POSTSCRIPT: Dr. Peter Venkman
1. Peter's motivation to continue this journey is to
further his study in ParaPsychology and the expansion of the human mind.
He is tired of being the laughingstock of Columbia U. and is afraid he will
lose his grant. He has developed a bit of a Clairvoyant talent (50)
over the last few years but has no magic ability.
2. He is seeking to increase his knowledge of the
occult and any kind of psychic powers either in himself or others. He
doesn't want to die for this quest though. He is also looking for further
funding for his research and his own life. He doesn't make much from the
University as his classes do not draw many students other than love struck
girls.
3. He is part of a ghost hunting group that has had
limited experience with occult and ghosts in particular. He helped
develop the ghost detector and proton accelerator that he wields. He has
some electrical talent but is more suited for psychology and
parapsychology. This is the real first test of his proton
accelerator and he is jazzed to see it work so well in this weird realm we have
entered. He's a bit surprised that so much of what his friend Egon used
to say about the occult is actually happening and can't wait to compare notes
with him when this is all over.
4. Peter has seen a limited number of ghosts but
was still a bit skeptical of the greater occult and this is his first real dive
into anything big.
In general, this is the base of Peter from Ghostbusters with a bit of how I rolled and the skills I needed to take overlaid. I've been trying to play him as a bit of a sarcastic lady's man but haven't had the most opportunities to see that happen since we've seen all of one woman and she was married.
NEXT SESSION: https://rigglecoldfire.blogspot.com/2020/09/s5-out-of-body-situation.html
Loved the Klaus picture
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