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:

Rutherford regains consciousness in Richard's bedroom, stands, and turns on a light. He sees Bello's body near the bodies of two strangers, as well as Richard's remains. Rutherford has a hole in his shirt in the middle of his chest with blood soaking the shirt below, yet his body seems to be intact. He uses Richard's spy camera to take a picture of the stranger with the scarred face. He also searches the bodies to find that both strangers have 4 digit numbers tattooed on their abdomens.

At the same time, Boone drives the doodlebug with Cully, Jo, and Franny, seeking medical care for Franny's gunshot wound. They visit Dr. Gardener, who treats Franny's wound and questions the kids forcefully, clearly suspecting Bello of the shooting.

Rutherford leaves to find his friends and finds the morning paper has been delivered. Headlines include the explosion at the lab (14 dead!) and the removal of a spy.

Back at Dr. Gardener's place, there is a pounding on the door and the doctor sends Boone, Cully, and Jo to hide in the back room. The person at the door is a very distraught Sam Wagonear, who's son is "all torn up" (emotionally). He's looking for the chicken man who is responsible for his son's situation. Sam, on edge, bursts into the back room and has a heated exchange with Boone. Sam calms himself and apologizes, and Boone, with a wink to the kids, takes Sam outside to tell him about Bello.

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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:

Boone invites Sam to accompany him to Richard's house where he can find the recently deceased Bello. As they pull into the driveway, they see Rutherford loading bodies into the trunk of the agents' car. Sam is understandably taken aback and wonders who he's fallen in with. In the front of the car, Rutherford found an old, worn wooden box. At the same time, Boone leads Sam inside the house to Bello's body and then leaves him there to pay his respects. He then orders Sam to get the kids from the doctor's office and meet him at 2500 Modern Street, Abiquiu.

Back at Dr. Gardener's clinic, Jo pockets the rod that the doctor used to explore Bello's wound, and finally heads upstairs to find Cully and get some sleep. When Sam arrives, it is early morning and everyone is still asleep. Ellen invites him in, although after Sam shares the story of his experience at the house, she has a very foreboding feeling and checks to make sure he wasn't followed.

Dr. Gardener checks Franny one more time and then encourages her to accompany Sam. Although Franny doesn't know or trust him, she takes the doctor's word and agrees to get in the truck. Similarly, the kids are also suspicious of Sam, and when Jo discovers they're headed to Abiquiu she freaks out, demanding that she needs supplies from her room at the general store to disguise herself. Finally, as the argument drags on too long, she runs away. Cully follows, and even Franny gets out of the truck and hobbles along until she can go no further. As we close, Franny's health is failing as Sam tries to talk the kids into his truck.

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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:

Jo, Cully, and Franny enter the kitchen to talk to Boone. Still quite drunk, Boone speaks freely about exploding heads, and although Jo tries to cover Cully's ears, Boone's words still anger him. Cully storms out, Joe following, and when they encounter Rutherford in the hall Jo encourages him to offer Franny medical care.

As Rutherford attempts to help Franny, the piercing head pain returns and his eye bursts, spraying her with gore. The kids help Franny to the bathroom to wash herself while Boone helps Rutherford to the garage.

Boone and Rutherford encounter Sam in the garage, and Rutherford refuses Sam's offer of medical assistance. Rutherford is afraid he might be contagious and doesn't want to spread the malady. He asks Sam to move his truck so Rutherford can leave in the car (with two bodies in the trunk) and take the blame on himself.

Rutherford drives erratically out of town and hears sirens behind him. When he pulls over, Mulvaney approaches his window and as they talk. It goes poorly.

Back at the house, Jo, Cully, and Sam decide that Franny needs more medical care. Jo describes the route to the local doctor she knew 6 years ago, and Sam agrees to drive. He orders the kids to stay in the house for safety, and leaves with Franny in the back of the truck. Instead of driving to the doctor Sam heads out of town, pulls over by the Barbasol billboard, and...

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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:

1920's Wyoming, June. We meet John, a petite, thin paleontologist participating in a dig led by Edward Cope, Jr. After unearthing many small bones near the surface, they uncover a hole, 2 feet in circumference, leading down into the earth.

Struggling with his claustrophobia, John agrees to explore the hole. Harnessed and attached to a long rope, armed only with a light and a pocket watch to time his descent, he's lowered into the hole. It's a tight fit and his shoulders are wedged between the walls of the tunnel, but eventually he reaches a large cavern.

The cavern is massive. John walks until he reaches a wall and touches the glistening substance that coats the floors and walls of the chamber. It feels like gooey seaweed and smells strangely sweet. As he focuses on the wall, there is a yell and a crash from behind as the ceiling crumbles and most of John's crew falls, now buried in a pile of rocks. He realizes that now his only way out is gone.

John explores the larger of two chambers off the main cavern and realizes that he has entered a massive skull, probably not of earthly origin. At this point he hears a yell and a rope is lowered into the cavern. He has been rescued by a rival paleontology team. One punches him in the face and he loses consciousness only to wake much later on a train to Colorado.

Present day, Los Alamos. Buddy and Eddy return to the bar to look for Lana. They find her arguing drunkenly with a disheveled yet well dressed man, yet she slips by as they're busy ordering Buddy a root beer. The follow Lana out and witness her being thrown into a car and kidnapped.

Buddy takes a shot at the car and damages it. It drives off, but slowly, veering back and forth. At this speed, Buddy and Eddy are able to follow the car, on foot, miles out of town until it pulls into a gas station.

Once again, a vignette from the past. Sam is dreaming. He yells and swears at an insistent knocking in the dream, only to wake to a policeman standing on the dark road, knocking on his truck window. He's immediately struck by the smell of iron, and his hands are stiff and crusty.

The policeman asks Sam to step out of the truck and trains a gun on him. The policeman investigates the back of the truck and is disgusted to find a pile of liquefied intestines. Sam claims to have no knowledge of the offal.

Present day, Los Alamos. Sister Byelopushkin is working at a Catholic charity with a nun she knows from Europe. She takes an interest in a resident named Pappy because of his fascination with strange and morbid stories. Sister B searches for stories of someone who seemed to die but instead survived. She questions Pappy and the two fall into deep conversation about odd events and missing friends.

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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.