Story (The following synposis was written immediately after the game by Tony Raymond, one of the players, in the voice of his character, R.J. Davereaux.) When I returned to the Miskatonic University to give a few lectures—in journalism and such—I had no idea my journalistic skills would come into play by preventing the entity Maskim from entering our world. It all began on a lazy spring afternoon when I received a message from Professor Sarah Gordon of the MU Theatre department. I was intrigued by the curious note from the noted psychic, which said there was an urgent matter to discuss. I made my way to the darkened theater building the following day at precisely 11:20 a.m. as the message had instructed. I entered the office and seated myself as it appeared Miss Gordon had not yet finished with her previous appointment. I was pleasantly surprised, however, when Miss Gordon invited me in to meet her and her appointee—Herr Wilhelm Von Helsing. I had heard of Von Helsing before, and I was eager to interview him for the Twilight. My eagerness was soon abated when I saw the distressed look on Miss Gordon’s face. Before she told us anything, we were joined by a quiet woman dressed in black. Her identity: Aimee Semple McPherson, noted evangelist. Gordon quickly produced a note bearing a quickly-written message, with a call number of a book, signed by Mabel Robinson, one of the upper staff librarians at MU. It also bore a partial hail to someone or something, unintelligible to us at this time. After quickly discussing the notations, and possible meanings, Miss Gordon suggested we meet with Henry Armitage, a noted professor at Miskatonic. Our pace was quick, and along the way to Armitage’s office Herr Von Helsing was expressing distress about the remnants of the Buchtel Chapel which had burned down mysteriously several years earlier. He said he felt ill when near it, but Mrs. McPherson said he shouldn’t as it was a house of God. But was it? Armitage was a man of few words. In fact, he was a man of little light, little neatness, and little office. We showed him the note, which he examined, then handed back to us mumbling that we should see Mabel Robinson. We did. Our questions to her regarding the call number were met with high resistance, and an almost fearful anger. Choosing not to pursue the matter, we decided our next step would be to locate the book in question. Mrs. McPherson, Von Helsing, Gordon and myself trudged upstairs and perused the stacks. The final resting place of the book was found, but so were we. Robinson and one of her underlings had followed us upstairs and seemed to be watching our every move. Our search of the library was leading to something, and our quest was arousing suspicions in quite a few people. It was Von Helsing who found the note. It said that the Necronomicon, one of the few copies in existence, was taken care of, and signed Mabel Robinson. We quickly hid the note and decided to depart. After moving out of the aisle, we noted Robinson and her colleague moving away from us at some pace. We elected to follow—Von Helsing and myself. They entered an aisle, and the conversation contained the curious phrase, "I did the best I could before they came." Learning nothing more, we returned to join the others. Upon our return to the main floor, we questioned Robinson about the Necronomicon, and again our questions were met with hostility. All she would say was "Another group is viewing it now:" she didn’t know when it would become available. In discussing our next move, it seemed only logical to talk to the people with whom Gordon shared the study carrell where the original note was found. So we went to talk with Gordon’s friend Irene. Although her views of the occult differed from Miss Gordon’s and my own, not to mention Von Helsing’s, she was not disturbed by the clues we had uncovered. She suggested we talk with Professor Erwin Mottle, an instructor in anthropology. Mottle, an elderly gentleman with reddish curly hair, was very distressed when we showed him our clues up to this point. When pressed he became even cooler, and very unuseful to us. It was about this time that Miss Gordon and Irene began to be rather vocal in arguing each others’ beliefs, so we left without further ado, and split up until the following day. The following morning at 11:30, the three of us returned to Gordon’s office, where Gordon herself informed us of her visions and dreams regarding steps and buildings. Our next step—the plant manager, Ed Stevens. We met Regina, Stevens’ secretary, first. Not at all pleased with our arrival, she tried to dissuade us from seeing Stevens at all that day. After debating with her for a few moments, Stevens himself entered and invited us to his office, albeit begrudgingly. He was highly agitated, and positively wanted to keep Regina from overhearing our conversation. At one point in our talk, he left the room, and my colleagues searched it. They finished just as Stevens returned. He instantly sat down and opened a drawer, looking for what my friends had already found. Maps. Stevens explained that recently his office had been stripped of all its power and all the maps to the campus had been removed from his possession. The maps we found were rough sketches from memory of the campus, and walkways. A total of three in all. He explained as much of them as he could—or dared—and we promised him our trust. We left. He was scared. McPherson offered a prayer. Our next step was to the Chancellor—under the pretense of our being guests at MU. Unfortunately, he was not in, and we had the displeasure of meeting his assistant, Mr. Santin. When Santin had left the room to set up an appointment with the new Chancellor, we searched his office and the Chancellor’s at Miss Gordon’s request. We acquired two valuable pieces of evidence—a letter and a crumpled note. Both went out of sight on our persons shortly before Santin returned. We reexamined our clues after leaving Santin to his work. One map bore the number 4641 preceded by 1X. We assumed it was a telephone exchange, and may be our next logical step. Trying to find a telly was a bit difficult. We soon were followed by Santin and his secretary. Von Helsing was given a quarter, and he entered the University Hall to find a phone. Santin and the secretary stopped for a moment, and then Santin circled the building. Thinking Von Helsing needed assistance, I went to intercept Santin while the call was being made. I succeeded. Von Helsing exited the building just as Santin was about to enter. The first exchange tried was not a working number, so we decided to try another phone. This time, it was best to split up and lose our "tails." McPherson and I took off for the chemist’s shop across the street from MU, and hoped Von Helsing and Gordon would survive to find us. They did. The second exchange also did not get us anywhere. We split up for the day. The clues we had gathered were split up between Von Helsing and myself, with the maps going to me. I had a notion about the walkways...something I had read about long ago...and I had to test my theory. When we gathered again, many things had occurred. I had taken the hand drawn maps from Stevens and had made handmade copies in the event the originals were stolen or lost. I had also verified the exact position of the buildings, and lines and placed them into proper relation to each other on a separate piece of paper in reduced scale. However, there will still many puzzles concerning the maps, so we returned to see Stevens. He explained that the number and other pencilled in doodles were simply that: doodles. That lead died. However, we showed him the note we had found in Santin’s waste-paper basket—it said something about guarding the map room, and it was signed M. Rich. Stevens pointed out that there had been some work done to the Chancellor’s office, and there very well could be a map room in existence. Unsure if Santin was in his office, we developed a contingency plan that required a telephone call from myself luring Santin away from his office. Upon knocking at this door and hearing a "yes?" our plan went to work. I ran down the stairs, out of the building and over to the main theatre office. There, I had access to an an on-campus telly. The phone rang in Santin’s office a number of times and finally he answered. I identified myself, and told him I had to meet with him immediately regarding a note found with his name on it. "The need to see you is urgent," I said. He agreed. I remained in the theatre office, where I had a clear view of Santin’s building. I waited until he was safely past, then I returned to the Chancellor’s office, while Santin continued on to the meeting at the new student center. Upon my arrival, I discovered Von Helsing and Gordon in the process of penetrating the "map room," a hidden chamber in the ceiling accessible by ladder. Their results were nearly nil, due to lack of appropriate lighting. Quickly I acquired some matches from Armitage (who was again with us this day but of little help), and gave them to Von Helsing while Gordon locked the door. Within seconds Von Helsing had spotted our next clues: a map, an envelope, and a book. As the book fell through the opening in the ceiling, its title flashed before me: The Necronomicon. It was safe, for the moment, but we weren’t. Quickly stuffing the materials in my shirt, for lack of a better place, I heard a knock at the door. Von Helsing popped down out of the map room, replaced the panel and sat down in the chair he was standing on only a moment ago. As soon as I sat down, Miss Gordon unlocked the door. It was Santin’s secretary, who promptly ordered us to leave the office, which we gladly did. We left the building, traversed the sidewalks, and finally ended up in the Star Market and Delicatessen, where we could examine all we had found. Upon close examination of the Necronomicon, we found a page detailing the coming of Maskim Xul, complete with a symbol vaguely resembling drawings I had seen before. The enveloped contained a letter to Maskim’s demon servant, Rabishu, which told of an idol buried at the focal point, "according to procedure." Armitage, who seemed fascinated by the Necronomicon, began flipping pages. He soon discovered that the idol in question was of the Master Enki, and was the only key to preventing Maskim from coming to this world. In the hands of Maskim’s followers, there would be no way to return the deadly deity to his own realm and save our world. Then it dawned on me. The symbol, the ley lines, the drawings, the maps...it was beginning to make sense. The new walkways constructed all over campus were laid out in a pattern identical to the symbol of Maskim Xul. The focal point, according to my crude drawings, was Buchtel Chapel—burned to the ground—all but the eastern tower. That had to be the focal point. It seemed that a massive plot was afoot to use the campus itself as a location for summoning Maskim, and using the hapless student body as bait for the hungry god. A letter we had found said: "...as soon as the school year is over, the theatre buildings can be torn down and the pattern can be completed. And when the pattern is completed, we can call on Maskim to do his great work. I am sure that the students Maskim does not require for his nourishment can be easily converted and made to see the glory of his work." After dividing the materials among us (we decided it was safer that way) we decided our next step was to find the idol...before it was too late. The maps appropriated from Santin’s secretary’s office had to be returned before they were missed. Armitage and McPherson were elected to go, while Von Helsing, Gordon and myself tried our luck at Buchtel Chapel. As we approached the tower, Von Helsing reported that he began feeling ill. He pushed on despite his inability. We quickly discovered a marker—two sticks and a stone—on the west side of the tower. Immediately Gordon and myself converged on it and started digging. After reaching hard earth, I was sure my semi-inexperience had botched the whole bloody mess. Armitage and McPherson returned to the Chapel, after successfully returning the stolen maps. Armitage sauntered up to me and said, "The plot thickens, as they say." He looked downward and informed us that Santin was dead. Although Armitage and McPherson joined Gordon and me in our quest for the idol, we were stumped. It was nowhere in sight. In our sight, that is. After gathering his wits, Von Helsing became of use after all—by using a divining rod, he bravely fought his sickness and pointed out the resting place of the idol. The purplish-white head, twisted from the fires of the primitive kiln in which it was made, was quickly cleaned off, and given to McPherson for safe keeping (who would think of looking for an occult idol with a devout Christian?). We then split up for the day. Upon entering Miss Gordon’s office the next morning, McPherson, Von Helsing and I were scared out of our wits by a near-paranoid Gordon, who had been awake most of the night. "Were you followed?" We weren’t sure, and related as much. "You fools!" she yelled. "Don’t you realize we are in great danger?" The door to the foyer outside Gordon’s office opened, and the four of us hid behind the furniture. The inner door opened—it was Armitage, late as usual. He was "sure" he wasn’t followed. We all sat down and pondered what to do. Either let the cult group of Maskim come to us for the idol (McPherson gave it to Gordon for safe keeping. Gordon had placed it in a safe place surrounded by a blue aura visible only to a true psychic); or attack the cult group in a frontal assault. Neither were wise; neither safe. We were stalled. "They’re coming! They’re here!!" Von Helsing screamed as he leapt from his chair. I tried to keep him quiet, but to no avail. In through the office door marched Chancellor Michael Rich—the person we believed was the demon Rabishu. Following close behind was Santin’s secretary. "You!" he yelled at Gordon. "You started all this!" He reached out with his left arm, and began to close his spread fingers in a crushing motion. Gordon began grasping at her chest as Von Helsing ran for the secretary trying to break her catatonic trance. McPherson fell in behind me—I was holding the dying theatre-psychic. With a final thrust, Rich’s fist snapped shut, and Gordon expired and fell to the floor. I ordered McPherson out the back door when Rich moved towards us, thinking I might be able to hold Rich there and allow my colleagues to escape. When Rich came close enough, I shouted for Von Helsing to run—and protect the idol (he would be the only one of us who could now locate the hidden idol). Von Helsing scrambled out the office door and into the foyer, followed by Rich, followed by me. After leaving the building Von Helsing sprinted toward the main theatre building, and when I was in reach, I made a flying tackle at Rich’s pursuing body. Slightly missing my target, I slowed Rich, landed in front of him, rolled, and came up on my feet ready for a scrap. Almost afraid to attack, Rich retreated, and disappeared back into the building. Thinking McPherson and Von Helsing could fend for themselves for the moment, I cautiously made my way back to the side of the building. I made my way to the door and was about to enter when Armitage, who had disappeared long before Gordon died, came around the corner of the building wielding a large stick. Pursuing him was the very agile Rich. I grabbed a lawn chair and picked it up using it as a weapon/shield. Armitage lured the demon servant out onto the lawn, where Rich became more involved with pursuing me. In self-defence, I lifted the chair and struck Rich with it, forcing him back. Armitage hefted the stick and blasted Rich’s midsection three times, sending him to the ground. Turning, I caught a glimpse of Santin’s secretary out of the corner of my eye. As Rich crumpled under Armitage’s vicious attack, the secretary came to life and began to speak in the voice of Rabishu. Lifting the rest of the chair to defend myself, I watched as Armitage came to my aid, seeming almost reluctant to hit the woman. "Hit her! Hit her!" I yelled. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he did and she crumpled to the ground. The evil spirit of Rabishu fled the body of the female and returned to the body of Rich, and again began pursuing Armitage. In a split second, Rich turned his back on me and I jumped him, wrestling him to the ground. It was at this time McPherson and Von Helsing returned. With Von Helsing entering the building, my hopes again dropped, thinking that help was far from coming. Still wrestling with Rich, I saw McPherson open her Good Book and begin reading. She must have seen that we were about to lose the battle. As the got further along in her scripture, Rabishu began to weaken. Her voice began to falter, and I urged her to keep reading—my grip was beginning to loosen on Rabishu/Rich. She kept reading as Armitage, now recovered, began poking the body of Rich with his stick. Within moments the body of Rich went limp: he was dead. I crawled out from under the body, and moved up on one knee trying to catch my breath. Von Helsing popped out of the building, idol in hand, ready to attack Maskim Xul’s massive cult. He stopped dead in his tracks, surveyed the situation, then paused. "What happened?" he finally asked. "Mrs. McPherson..." I gasped for breath. "Mrs. McPherson’s god came through." I write this epilogue to inform you, the reader, that the Miskatonic will undergo sweeping changes now that the Board of Trustees has been discovered as the driving force behind the cult of Maskim Xul. The bold adventurers—those who survived—I’m sure have nothing to fear now that all has been exposed. We have enough evidence now to clean up the entire cult, and place MU back on the right track—leading the scholastic world on a bold adventure. June 1, 1925 R. J. Davereaux