Call of Cthulhu RP: Their First "Special" Assignment...
 

2:00 PM, Monday

It was a start of another day. After the horrible events at the House, and the banishing of the Lurker, life has settled down for the Investigators. They have settled into their new jobs, and life living at the mansion is nice. It has been a slow week, with no random murders ti investigate like last week, and since The Night, everyone wondered about the Cthulhu Mythos. They didn't doubt it existed, since no one could after all that happened, but maybe it wasn't as prevelent as Merriweather had put on. Life was returning to normal, both for the Mythos Vets, and the poor unsuspecting new frineds that had joined since that fateful night and new nothing of what had actually brought all these individuals together as friends.

Some were resting in the Den when there was a knock on the front door. Business was always welcome since maintaining the Mansion and their wide assortment of equipment was no small change. When the door was answered, an older man entered. He had aged, tanned, wrinkled skin, and was balding, but still had thick brown facial hair and a keen twinkle in his eye. He was short and overweight, but not huge. He said, "I've heard great things about you all, great things. Let me introduce myself, the name is Clyde Walford, but you can call me Cal. Hmm, sorry, speaking a bit fast, just instinct. I am a landlord down at Bosten, and the police there tell me you are some of the best private investigators they've seen recently. Solved a nasty murder for them if I do recall, police found no clues but you all put it together. Well, my problem is a house I have. Seems I just can't keep it rented, odd stuff seems to happen. I don't really feel comfortable telling the whole story, but if you agree to take on the case, I'll tell you all I know. Just don't know if you'll believe me before you know some money is on the way..." The man shrugged apolagetically.

Henry glanced around at the others. Then, he looked back to the man, Clyde. Hesitation was in his voice, but it wasn't obvious. "Can you tell us what kind of 'odd stuff' happens in the house?"

Thomas Monaghan, or "Tommy", to his friends, sighed to himself as he walked towards the mansion, pausing only to glance at the piece of paper in his hand.

Again.

It always came back to this.

He had taken leave of absence about a month ago, for personal reasons. As a result, he had to leave his employer, Gabriel Valentine alone for a while. Of course, his master had decided to get involved with a group of strange people and a man called Meriweather... who subsequently died. It wouldn't have bothered him, not really... but Gabriel had been one of them, and he had been missing for almost a month now.

After almost two weeks of fruitless searching, Rachel, Gabe's secretary, had filled him in on the details that she knew, and according to her, the people Gabriel had last been seen with occupied this place.

So he had come, to find some answers to the mysteries.

Then, he noticed a man standing in the threshold of the mansion's door. Rather than barge past him, Tommy chose to wait quietly behind him, listenign closely to what he, and the other occupants, had to say.

"Well, err... See, the last renters, they complained about "Strange" things happening in the house, and wierd dreams. Both of them... well... The husband had a nasty accident a few weeks ago and wasn't the same since, and just recently his wife went about as crazy as her husband, probably from taking care of her him..." He saw some people giving him looks after he mentioned the strangeness and he said, "Don't tell me you believe in ghost stories? The house was supposedly haunted, wasn't inhabited for a long time because of the rumors. I bought it on the cheap since no one else would buy it and recently refurbished it to rent to make some money. I need you all to look over the house and give it a clean bill of health for me so I can keep renting it out. Can you do that?"

Paul was listening in on the man's explanation, but didn't feel like talking. He always had trouble thinking of good questions, but was generally good at keeping things in his head. Then he thought of something. "What exactly were they doing? Homicidal behavior? Hallucinations?" he asked.

Henry nodded, answering for everybody. "Yes, we can check out the house. However, we'll need to know a few more things. The first two, such as the monetary payment and location of the house, are of course necessary for us to investigate the house. Also, to help us in this endeavor, I request that you tell us more about the haunted house; its history as well as those of it's former residents. That information should include the stuff that my friend just asked about.

"No, we do not believe in ghost stories, and what happens to people who live in 'haunted' houses usually has to deal more with their mentality, and usually those around them. If they expect something to happen with full belief that it will, it usually will in some form or another.

"However, the stories are often fuel for these delusions people have. It would be ignorant to say that they have no affect on the people hearing them. Therefore, it would aid us in our deduction."

ooc-Henry made all that stuff up. Time to put up his bluff skills to the test.

Doctor Marcus Looked up "Hmmm could you give us a little more info on the house Cal?"

Jim remained silent, but nodded in agreement to Henry.

"Well, err..." Cal seemed somewhat flustered now. "I don't know much of the history, just what the previous owner said. I asked why he was selling the house so cheap, and he said it was because of a neighrberhood rumor about a haunting. Some old owner supposedly haunts it or something, no one really knows much, and the hauntings are only rumors. I don't know who the old owners are, just the last owner moved out of town shortly after selling the house."

"As for the location and price, I'll pay you $100 up front, no strings attached. If you walk, the money is yours. I'll pay you $20 an hour, and you get another $100 if the situation is resolved to my liking. Is that alright?" He puts out a hand, hoping to get approval of the deal, a hopeful smile on his face.

Henry once again looked around to his comrades, unsure what to do. He had a feeling that something was might happen if they went to that house, and that it would be dangerous; possibly more than the money offered was worth. However, if they pushed higher, it was likely that they would be turned away as the man seemed to wholeheartedly believe that nothing was going on, and they needed money.

More importantly, if something was up with the house, it was highly unlikely that the issue would not be resolved for many more years. Also, if the stories were true, then it might give them more insight to the Cthulhu Mythos, assuming it had to do something with it.

Then there was always the possibility that nothing would happen at all and that it was just a normal home with an unlucky streak of abnormal residents.

Sighing, knowing that if the others disapproved he could end up alone on this mission, he took the other man's hand and shook it. "You've got yourself a deal Mr. Walford. Now, where is this house?"