S7: They Follow but Do Not Believe...Yet

Klaus mentally projecting his thoughts to his flock

Monday, 20 May: Oh, how I miss you and your total devotion and patience. Unlike my allies on this journey who constantly get sidetracked despite my guidance. They cannot understand how I’ve seen the future through my brother’s eyes and thus know the path. Father asking permission to enter the catacombs when the entrance is right there. Thus, I’m always the leader. But then, that is my calling. They my followers.

Flashlights and lantern guide the way into the collapsed tunnels beneath the temple. And as hoped, we find murals upon the few walls that remain upright. Six panels that maybe retell a prophecy.

• ·    First a globe filled with 2 amorphous shapes that intertwine, reminding me of the oriental Yin/Yang. I do not know the meaning of the buildings that rise about them in various angles that disguise a true horizon. But Father equates them to this temple that “honors Nug and Yeb who are the bastard children of Shub-Niggurath and Yog-Sothoth.”
• ·      The next panel destroyed. Whether eons ago or by this recent collapse?
• ·     The 3^rd panel depicts a woman performing a ritual, yet the accompanying etchings of the chant have been recently chiseled off.
• ·     Next, we see her engulfed in black flames.
• ·     Another panel that has been destroyed.
• ·    The final panel repeats the globe except this time, the woman appears instead of the 2 intertwining amorphous shapes.

Further passage blocked. So, I ask, what else is to be learned? We must consult the wounded worshipers above. But my allies are not yet true devotes to my wisdom. They do not follow my lead upward. Instead, they linger. And disturb creatures skittering amongst the rubble. Small, gelatinous blobs that seem to pull themselves along with a claw. I levitate one to gives them reason to follow me, “What the fuck is that guys?!” Instead of departing the area, Will loudly ponders, “If that’s a baby, is there a mother around?” Fright maybe? Whatever, Peter raises his proton-pistol and obliterates the harmless creature I hold aloft.

Harmless no more. Almost a dozen appear, surrounding us. Now, foolish as my allies can be, I cannot abandon my flock. Peter discharges his proton gun. I turn in time to see Father holding his lantern high to block a blob that suddenly extends a pseudopod appendage arching toward him. I gasp while Father gags as the appendage connects, whipping the globular body towards Father’s face. Tendrils races down his throat and up his nostrils while others stretch toward his ears. Panic by my allies; if only they’d followed. I walk thru the storm of Peter’s shots as I calmly confront the 5 blobs that assault Will. His attempts to bat them away with his rifle butt only reshapes the things. Three attach to his arms and leg.

Once again, I telekinetically grab a blob and sling it against another that attacks Will. Blubber on blubber; no spine or bones, no damage. Will attempts to pull off his attackers but only stimulates them into forming mouths across their gelatinous bodies and bite (17 damage). At least Father (extreme) manages to pull off his attacker and slings it against the wall where it splatters. At a distance I am able to telekinetically removes blobs from Will, like ticks from a hound-dog. Will proceeds to stomp them. “Now can we go?!”

But Father insists upon studying the panels more. Examining the rubble beneath the 5^th panel, I can only determine it was written in that K’n Yan language. Will attempts to copy the wording to show to the worshipers above. [Fail, Push-fail] Their reaction? “Blasphemers! Get out of our temple. You are worse than the prior surface dwellers.” If only Will had let me do the talking. At least I was able to Charm them and ask forgiveness. Their reminders, “The catacombs are holy and sacred; we are not worthy to cast our eyes upon the stories. So, for that…that foul man to show HIS interpretation is unholy. We can only suggest you consult our other brethren across the sea at our sister temple. Boats? We have never tried to reach them. Look for them across the sea.”

As we exit the temple, climbing over the rubble of the perimeter wall, I spy a van partially hidden up the road. Father recognizes it from his watch last night and thus warns a stealthy approach. But what reason to fear them? [Klaus failed his stealth] So, I purposefully make noise as I approached. 4 surface dwellers climb out; 2 men setup large cameras on tripods as 2 women approach, “Is father with you? We sensed he came with the book.” Father explained later how he thought they referred to father Coughlin of The League of Forgotten Gentleman. Thus, his subterfuge in trying to trick them, “Yes, I am father, bringing the book to Argos and his team.”

From their reaction (Psychology), I could easily tell Father had said the wrong thing. Per my nudging, Father corrected himself, “We were unable to join Ashe who invited us below; so, we had to follow Argos.” I had to step in to Charm them to learn they actually were in league with Ashe, whom Anna calls “Esmerelda, our most-holy leader.” They were patients of the Slater Institute whom Esmerelda enlisted. Such as Graham Tolhurst whom Dr. Windslow searched for in Saugertes. Father now able to mention Jeffery as the last patient to follow Esme. Only now did the men relax and start to disassemble the cameras. When I asked, Anna explained, “You would call the cameras Disintegration Rays. We didn’t know if you were friend or foe.”

So, it seems we are to join Ashe in her city called V’Thruu. Enjoy the ride, and the drinks. But my allies so paranoid; Will whispering, “I don’t trust them.” Peter making a clairvoyant read on the van (sensing true believers). When will they learn to follow my lead? I know best. As confirmed by Anna’s explanation, “We were looking for you last night. To keep you safe from the defiler R'ga-Lil.”

The city aglow in golden reflections. Major portions overgrown with vines that seem to pull-down some of the buildings. To the east, “That is the Arena. Do not temp Esmerelda else she sends you to the pits.” As we ride further into the city, vines have been cleared. Buildings seem occupied. Yet for all the wonders before us, even I must shudder at the sight of walking corpses. Not zombies with rotting skin. These seem alive but beheaded at nose level. Do they even have a brain remaining? They move and work as if robots from the World Fair. Anna calls them, “Leftovers from the civil war that Esmeralda employs to rebuild her city.”

We are led into a large golden tower (“her palace”) where murals adorn the inside walls. Scenes depict a sky and sun I am familiar with in my world above. Father remembers, “Back at the Institute, Ashe did describe her K’n Yan world driven below ground. This must be their history.” Up the stairs where the men return the cameras to storage while we are led right, into a reception hall where Ashe herself awaits. Peter apologizing for not being at the Institute upon her return as we’d agreed. She nonchalant, “Does it matter? You are here. The arena? Was it not your own Cesare who told his populous ‘Give them bread and circuses.’? I too use the arena to distract my people. They need to see blood to be drawn to my cause.”

When questioned about Argos’s group, “The temple defilers? They have moved on, looking for their city at the center of the Earth. I lost track when they entered the forest in their quest for Yian-Ho. They follow the false god Shub-Niggurath. But they are not prepared. Fools. Enough of them. Tell me, now that you have joined me, what positions do you seek?” Peter was the first to speak up extolling his Engineering skills. Will meekly offered his Medical skills while remembering words she considered him slave material. “Even my arena gladiators need healing.” As for myself…she has such a weak mind. She could not comprehend my understanding of the coming apocalypse. Her determination, “You will be part of the circus.” I’d best get suited for the ringmaster position.

As for Father: she laughed at his ‘blasphemous’ claims of her. Till he struck a cord… mentioning Argos the living embodiment of the Lomarian wizard Thetronis. “Their world older than yours. What makes you think he not prepared?” Which made Ashe reconsider the priest’s words, “Yes, you may be of value. I being the enemy of your enemy. They took the long way to Yian-Ho thru the other temple of Nug/Yeb across the sea. I can offer transportation direct. But what’s in it for me? Is Dr. Woollon ready to give me the book he tries to hide in his backpack?”

Now to be fair, I had already wandered out of the room. Not that Esmerelda missed me. So, I wasn’t there when they bargained. Book upon return. No, what if you fail. Then send your minions along. You made it here without my help. Then give us your cameras. I need collateral. I think in the end, Will gave her half the book now, the other upon return. I learned of the deal when I encountered Peter and Will descending from the upper floor. A Healing Room that restored Will to full health. And thus, his desire to bring a portable healing devise along, “to ensure our success such that you get the other half.” I’m so proud of my followers…they are learning how to barter like I taught them.

As for transportation: reminds me of our subway trains that run beneath Boston. “Don’t lose these coins that not only operate the train but keep you alive.” Glad I was around to hear THOSE instructions. For as the doors closed, and we settled in our seats, the train took off with a rush. Will’s backpack he put in his lap was slammed and pinned against the end of the train. A readout on the wall claimed we were traveling 500 mph. Is that possible?! Yet we remained comfortably in our seats as if the train never left the station. Peter trying to explain how the coin interacted with a magnetic field that both served as our seatbelts and accelerator. 

All I can say with certainty is that barely 15 minutes past before the train stopped and the doors opened to reveal a grand city filled with towering buildings and huge gears. Utilitarian…a working man’s environment.

It was Peter who brought my attention to pressing matters. Walking down the train platform toward us, 60 yards away, were 4 humans that glowed with a fire about them. How did they know we were coming? Father was the first to unload a camera and begin setting up the tripod. But that’s when the shot from afar rung out as Peter dove for cover. Will leveled his rifle at the pistol-man (extreme) and blew his head off. Only to have to duck for cover as another glowing human leveled a tommy-gun. And that’s when I saw another human jump into flight and ram Father, knocking him 30 feet beyond the camera. I tried to Telekinetically bounce flyboy off the ground (Hard versus POW150) but failed.

I’m not sure what Father was trying to do (Cthulhu Mythos-Physical Ward: failed) other than stand out in the open in a non-threatening manner. At least Peter and Will were shooting if not dodging. And that’s when I discovered these glowing humans spit acid. Flyboy got me good, temporarily blinding me. But I could still hear him breathing and taunting, which helped aim my Telekinetic reply. And thankful Father was speaking as he approached to lend aid, else I Telekinetically bounce him into a train. When I regained vision, I tried to defend my allies: use my Telekinesis to block acid spits. Tried.

As it turned out, the chant of the destroyed Nug/Yeb temple bestowed these men with super-human strength and powers. Such as the power to regenerate/heal. All of those bullet wounds were slowly sealing. It was the disintegration ray that was causing permanent damage. Nothing left to repair. What we didn’t see coming, was the explosion of flyboy when Father turned the camera on him for the final blast. Acid splattered everywhere. None of us escaping some wounds. But neither was the human body completely consumed with acid. Enough remains to find wallets and thus ID.

Flyboy none-other-than Leopold Fontenelle himself! Two pages of his journal survived. His early May joy at joining Thetronis and his Lomar countrymen. Hijacking the bodies of the humans now trapped in their Lomarian bodies in the threatened tower. The human souls I now carry within this Crystal of Naphkon. Thetronis’ plan to rule the world. A week later, their desecration of the V’Thruu Temple to Nug/Yeb as they stole the ancient secrets of the ‘Black Supplications’. Gleeful excitement for the chance to “walk the thousand bridges of forbidden Yian-Ho.” And now, his confused mind. Thetronis drawing power from the Twin Blasphemies, “but something’s not right. Too late to stop the ritual…all is doomed.” Thus, Leo entrusted to return to K’n Yan to consult the ‘Black Supplications’ again.

Did we stop him from returning with the knowledge he sought?

Just when I think my allies NOW believe in me. Willing to follow. Yet Peter bolding claiming he knows how to drive this drilling machine that will take us into the city. Despite my concern for the strangeness of the machine. So it be…Peter (Drive-fail, Push-fail) pops the clutch which suddenly lurches the machine toward the chasm before us. Panic. Scramble. Gears grinding. And we crash, throwing everyone off the machine deck. “Medic!”

CONCLUSION: https://rigglecoldfire.blogspot.com/2020/10/s8-dantes-9th-circle-of-hell.html