Under the Library - A Call of Cthulhu Podcast

On this episode of Under the Library:

Cully thought of Richard like a father and sobs, inconsolable, as he processes his death. Jo tries to comfort him with optimism and also a passage from her book, which brings him some calm and peace. They head back into the house, avoiding the worst of the carnage.

Rutherford, searching the body, finds something sewn into the breast of Richard's jacket. It seems to be a small camera, probably with just one exposure, and Rutherford suspects the picture might hold a clue.

Franny is still examining the filaments, and it's clear the sample in the jar is degrading faster than the filaments still connected to the body. Franny takes another sample, this one attached to a chunk of flesh.

During the recent drama at the house, Boone has been in the Straits, disposing of the chicken-mobile. He then hitchhikes to Santa Fe with medical equipment salesman Fred Durskin, and takes a train from Santa Fe, headed towards Albuquerque. In the middle of the route he jumps off the train and sets off through the country to his family home.

He asks his brother Duke to help him fix up the old family car, so he can give it to Bello in return for the one he torched. Duke isn't mobile, so Boone helps him sneak out of his window and uses a wagon to move him to the barn. Duke is a talented mechanic and in just a few hours has the car running again.

Boone is triggered by his history and being back home, and he promises Duke he'll return in a few weeks for the Pie Festival. The engine starts loudly and wakes their mother, and Boone hops in and speeds away, leaving Duke to push himself back to the house in the wagon. Boone's guilt feels overwhelming.

Finally, back at the house, Rutherford finds Cully and asks him to locate the darkroom. Cully says he'll only help if they will find the people who killed Richard. Jo supports him, and Rutherford agrees to this goal, but it's unclear whether everyone is really on the same page.

Franny joines them, hearing a mention of clues, and says "I have a clue right here" as she holds the filament jar aloft.

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Under the Library, an actual-play Call of Cthulhu podcast, where cosmic horror is steeped in mystery and slathered with self-deprecating humor. Our main storyline, a sandbox created by our Keeper (Michael), is set in (a fictions) 1942 Los Alamos NM and follows the misadventures of Boone (Chris), Jo (Emily), Culligan (Scott), Bello (Rick), Rutherford (Wayne), and Franny (Artur). We focus on narrative, improv, and character building. We may stick our heads in front of a train because that’s what our character would do, and when we look under the bed even the Keeper may not know what we’ll find. We’re crafting a story, creating flawed characters, suspenseful events, and fulfilling revelations. Call of Cthulhu is a horror TTRPG; characters die horribly graphic deaths. It’s for mature audiences, but played by immature people.

Background art on YouTube courtesy of the brilliant artist Andrii Shafetov.

https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov & AzDimension Virtual Technology from their game The Last Dead End available on Steam.

On this episode of Under the Library:

Cully leads Rutherford to the darkroom, located in the basement. On the way, two pictures catch Rutherford's attention. The first shows a young Richard arriving at university, obviously thrilled to be there. Cully, noticing the object of Rutherford's attention, shares that Richard hung this photo to encourage him to attend university. The second picture is of Richard and Cully together. Rutherford becomes emotional and promises to help Cully attend college however he can.

Entering the darkroom, Rutherford examines the film and realizes that it's hand cut. Rutherford wonders why Richard had such specialized technology, in Rutherford's own wheelhouse, and never mentioned it to him.

Upstairs, Franny wants to examine the filaments in a lab, She knows of a small lab that she could access after hours, but it's often used by a very difficult colleague. She and Bello decide to drive by the facility and see if the lab is available, and if not, pay a visit to Dr. Gardener (the vet who repaired Bello's arm).

At the same time, Jo realizes that she doesn't know how Bello got his injuries and inquires, at first casually, but with growing intensity as she realizes she is being lied to. As the grilling of Bello continues in the kitchen, Rutherford continues to work in the darkroom and sees a face in the film.

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Under the Library, an actual-play Call of Cthulhu podcast, where cosmic horror is steeped in mystery and slathered with self-deprecating humor. Our main storyline, a sandbox created by our Keeper (Michael), is set in (a fictions) 1942 Los Alamos NM and follows the misadventures of Boone (Chris), Jo (Emily), Culligan (Scott), Bello (Rick), Rutherford (Wayne), and Franny (Artur). We focus on narrative, improv, and character building. We may stick our heads in front of a train because that’s what our character would do, and when we look under the bed even the Keeper may not know what we’ll find. We’re crafting a story, creating flawed characters, suspenseful events, and fulfilling revelations. Call of Cthulhu is a horror TTRPG; characters die horribly graphic deaths. It’s for mature audiences, but played by immature people.

Background art on YouTube courtesy of the brilliant artist Andrii Shafetov.

https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov & AzDimension Virtual Technology from their game The Last Dead End available on Steam.

On this Episode of Under the Library:

In Richard's house, Franny and Rutherford continue to plan for their entry into the science facility. Franny sketches rough copies of the blueprints, and Rutherford memorizes them. They realize the train runs in and out of the building in question, and they want to ask Boone if he saw any clues in his travels.

At the same time, Jo shares a tragic story from her past with Cully and explains why the journal is so important. She shares her story with Boone, who promises not to talk as an adult. Boone had heard of a bunch of murders in Abiquiu, and also knew of a hallucinogenic popular there.

Jo passes Boone the book, and he sees a vision that is probably the inside of Jo's house. He's overwhelmed by the feeling of death in that space and drops the book.

Together Cully, Boone, and Jo decide that Richard might know Hans (the book's former owner), and they should find him to better understand the journal. They decide to rejoin the search for Richard despite hard feelings towards Rutherford and Franny. They will not share Jo's story and instead will pretend that everything is fine.

They return to the house, meeting Bello along the way. He offers to help by distracting the staff during his meeting, and Jo agrees to help.

Franny and Rutherford ask Boone about his experience on the train. He shares some information with them, including an unusual level of security and some strange, unidentifiable sounds from the front of the train.

Finally, Franny, Rutherford, and Cully head out in Richard's car, while Jo and Boone accompany Bello in his "Bello La Barca". As the first car passes through town, Cully spots a disheveled Richard stumbling down the street. Cully speaks to him, and he is clearly not himself!

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Bloodstone is an original Call of Cthulhu sandbox, designed by Under the Library’s Keeper, and features weekly actual play / live play / real play sessions. Call of Cthulhu is a Horror Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) similar to Dungeons & Dragons, which focuses on narrative development, gore, portals from beyond and servitors of the outer gods. If you’re interested in becoming a cultist, you can join us at underthelibrary.com or patreon.com/underthelibrary.

Background art on YouTube courtesy of the brilliant artist Andrii Shafetov.

https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov & AzDimension Virtual Technology from their game The Last Dead End available on Steam.

On this Episode of Under the Library:

Rutherford puts Richard to bed after plying him with valium laced alcohol, and asks "who pushed you into the car?" Richard struggles to speak, eyes bulging, and his head explodes! Rutherford is covered in gore and his own eyes sting horribly. Bello, Jo, and Franny run in to see a headless Richard and blood covered Rutherford.

Rutherford runs to the bathroom to rinse his burning eyes while Franny investigates, finding strange veiny structures within Richard's brain matter. In the bathroom, Rutherford rubs at his eyes and scratches his cornea with a rogue bone fragment. He writhes on the floor in pain and experiences visions.

Back in the room Jo was hiding under the bed, but Bello coaxes her out and leads her from the room. She prevents Cully from seeing the carnage and instead brings him out to the patio.

Franny further examines the body, finding strange filaments where the spine would've come up; 3-4 threads still attached. She takes a sample. Rutherford examines the filaments and determines that they're not native to the body. He takes a blood sample. Bello finds all of this fascinating.

Outside on the patio, Jo opens her mysterious book to a random page. She reads "The idea is to give people something else to think about. Imagine a better world. Move beyond. Seek other realms." Lost in the storytelling, Jo daydreams that she's sitting in Georgia O'Keefe's studio, painting a human skull.

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Bloodstone is an original Call of Cthulhu sandbox, designed by Under the Library’s Keeper, and features weekly actual play / live play / real play sessions. Call of Cthulhu is a Horror Tabletop Roleplaying Game (TTRPG) similar to Dungeons & Dragons, which focuses on narrative development, gore, portals from beyond and servitors of the outer gods. If you’re interested in becoming a cultist, you can join us at underthelibrary.com or patreon.com/underthelibrary.

Background art on YouTube courtesy of the brilliant artist Andrii Shafetov.

https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov & AzDimension Virtual Technology from their game The Last Dead End available on Steam.

On this episode of Under the Library:

Jo continues to grill Bello on the events in the parking lot, and he eventually reveals that he punched Paula Bradford in the throat, probably causing her death. Her screams triggered memories of his violent childhood. We learn that Bello killed his father to protect his family, and Jo relates her own experience with the journal, the summoned creature, and the death of her family.

In the basement, Rutherford continues to develop the image from the film and enlarges the face. He doesn't recognize it, but realizes that the background is a car interior. He also hypothesizes that Richard's secret house in Abiquiu might have more pictures from the camera.

Boone, driving the newly repaired doodlebug, arrives in Santa Fe around 2:30am. He sees a liquor store, closed, and pulls over. In his emotional state, he craves a drink and pounds on the doorframe, fighting temptation and his own overwhelming anger. He succeeds in moving past the cravings and gets back on the road. As he drives he battles waves of emotion, torn between returning for his brother Duke and rejoining the group in Los Alamos to explain his actions and replace the chicken-mobile.

-----------------------------

Under the Library, an actual-play Call of Cthulhu podcast, where cosmic horror is steeped in mystery and slathered with self-deprecating humor. Our main storyline, a sandbox created by our Keeper (Michael), is set in (a fictions) 1942 Los Alamos NM and follows the misadventures of Boone (Chris), Jo (Emily), Culligan (Scott), Bello (Rick), Rutherford (Wayne), and Franny (Artur). We focus on narrative, improv, and character building. We may stick our heads in front of a train because that’s what our character would do, and when we look under the bed even the Keeper may not know what we’ll find. We’re crafting a story, creating flawed characters, suspenseful events, and fulfilling revelations. Call of Cthulhu is a horror TTRPG; characters die horribly graphic deaths. It’s for mature audiences, but played by immature people.

Background art on YouTube courtesy of the brilliant artist Andrii Shafetov.

https://www.artstation.com/andriishafetov & AzDimension Virtual Technology from their game The Last Dead End available on Steam.