[COC7e] S08 | It's Always Sunny in Mirthville

"The Sacrifice of Heimlich Maneuver"
GameMaster: Michael Mirth

Attendees: Ginger, Derek, Nik
Away: Gerald, Frankie

Dreamland NPCs of note
Atol (moonwine), Kranon, P. Baxter, Maven, Maven's soldiers, Dwarf prisoners, Tokar (librarian), Nodar (Librarian's assistant usually at Gordian Knott), Nasht and Kaman-Thoth (entrance), White Savage (magical construct of Eibon)

Waking World NPCs of note
Gregori (Rasputin), Heimlich Maneuver, Roslyn Rosebud, Martha (Ginger's maid), Gus (Atol), Matthew (Kranon), Tom (Doc Holiday), Judge, Cynthia Baxter, Tcho-Tcho Priest (The Dwarf)

Dreaming - forcing will against Dreamland to make things.
Dream Lore - knowledge of Dreamland as it is now.
Cats are connected to Dreaming somehow

In this episode, Gregori has a vision and says we must go back to the observatory.

We've been in the dreamlands for two weeks which should amount to about two days in the waking world but this all may be timey wimey machinas. It would take us a day to get to Ulthar.
Baxter, now in the dream-body of The Page says he wants to wake up however I explain his situation; how he died in the waking world (the whole paralysation, and his friend eating his brains). He's sad. I find out that Philip (Baxter) has never been to the observatory.

We three say the word "Bubastus" and wake up.

I awaken in a graveyard and no longer see the tunnel. My withered leg is restored so the affliction is only while dreaming. A pity. I truly had hoped it would be the other way around. Nik also has his hand back. Unlike the others who feared their waking bodies being mangled in the dreamland, I feared my dream body being mangled. I clutch The Moon Pool by A.Merritt closely.

"One on one on one together to heal leg."

Whatever that means. Maybe the answer is three. Giuseppe (Atol) picks us up and we rush to the observatory to see Truman delivering groceries. A flying crustacean swoops down and takes Truman away! Groceries tumble from his arms cracking the eggs which start cooking in the heat. We cry over spilled milk.

Harry S. Truman must be important to the timeline. Why else would they use him to goad us into action. It's a trap!

Gregori has mentioned before that he thought the Mi-Go are using the local fire tower as a base. Perhaps we go back in time and catch Mi-Go returning to tower with Truman?

We collect some dynamite while Gregori recons ahead. There are three Mi-Go with a spraying device mounted on the floor of the fire tower that can spray the mountain plus they have handheld weapons. Perhaps the spray is what mutated the bear. Gus will come with his carriage.

Beyond the three of us there is also here, Rose, Heimlich, Gerald, Frankie, Martha, Gregori, Gus and Tom.

Gus will take myself (Derek), Tom, Ginger, Nik and Heimlich to the fire tower.

Someday Giuseppe saves us.

We ambush the Fire Tower. I start with my shotgun and with a little luck invested I damage the third one. Tom finishes it off with his pistols. Nik nicks the second one. Ginger surprises us all by throwing a knife with some accuracy. This does remind me that I need a thrown weapon. Perhaps a spear? Gus casts a spell that withers the first one's hands causing it to drop a strange gun. I glance at Gus feeling a phantom pain in my leg. One uses it's nippers and claws Tom for some damage. A Mi-Go with a Whorl-gun takes out Heimlich Maneuver in one shot. I blow away the second one. Nik reloads. Tom finishes off the first one. Level cleared.

Ginger and I give Tom some much needed First Aid. Gus somehow heals me and Nik but my leg is it... yes it's okay. With the flashback comes adrenaline and the image of The Dwarf.

There are three Whorl guns and I grab one. Each seems to have a couple charges left. We see the incoming Mi-Go with Truman. Did I mention we slipped back a little in time with Greg's clock?

We set up an ambush.

The Mi-Go falls for it and lands. I critically fail on my usage of this alien gun and it starts making noises like it might explode. Tom snaps a couple bullets into the ugly enemy. Nik misses but Ginger fires and hits the creature right between the eyes. I toss the beeping alien gun over the side. It hits bottom and explodes causing the whole tower to start collapsing. I grab Truman by the scruff of his neck and throw him down a level to Nik. The fire tower collapses with Heimlich however the rest of us escape to Giuseppe's carriage of safety.
Dancing skill may help with falling or jumping.

Truman is gibbering. I collect a block and tackle for us to return to the fire tower. We lower Ginger down and she retrieves one whorl gun. She goes above and beyond, salvaging the sprayer and blowing up the remains of the tower, Mi-Go and Sir Heimlich Maneuver (may he rest in piece).

We should look into the town's records/history.
Anticipating a seedfall.
Five doses of Dream Drug left plus the clock. Want to deal with the Baxter estate, learn cat language, heal my leg (Nik's hand) in Dream, attempt dreamland manipulation, ask Kranon for a spear.

We dream (2 doses now left). This is Nik's first time. We get to Kranon but *Dolphin* is no longer the password. New password for Kranon is *Swordfish* and Ginger gets 17gp. I gain a spear. My leg is still crippled from The Dwarf. Kranon indicates we can manipulate the Dream World and some have a knack for it. This brightens my spirits. King Kuranus (from England) is renowned as the greatest dreamer and created a city in the image of Cornwall - Celephais (capital of Ooth Nargai). An avid drug user in the Waking World he no longer has that to re-enter and lives in the Dream World. He is the King of Ooth Nargai and the cloud-city Serraniam (sorta like the Evolution of Selson Blue, whatever that is) and may heal our wounds. Seems like Selenium, er Serraniam is the goal here. There is some type of airship from Celephais to Selenium. The Dwarf is drugged to keep from waking (in chains as well). Cynthia does not dream - worships Nharlotep (spider-god). We also learn that now if our waking bodies die, we will continue on in our dream bodies. This has been my wish all along. I get Philip's location - behind the Wheelwright between two Fishmongers. After talking with Philip (who is trying to make his own way without help) I decide we should send Silas to a sanitorium. When Philip is under stress he develops some of Silas' psychoses - specifically the fish thing. I encourage him and suggested he rebrand himself (new body, new life, new Philip), perhaps as The Teacher?

Ginger spends time with the local cats and then goes to the library to learn their language. I meet Ginger there and find a map to Ooth Nargai until Ginger and I look up at each other and at the same time say, "The doors from the library!" They can teleport us to Celephais. We also ponder how we're supposed to take the clock to the moon eventually.

East of Celephais there is a place next to the waking world filled with ghouls. Done with this for now I decide to help Gerald out by studying Hyperborean. Nik is there over my shoulder and I push a chair out so we can study together. Academic horniness ensues climaxing with new knowledge of this ancient language.

Lastly, all three of us study Dream Lore and give 12gp to Nodar.

Todo
Chat-Aquadingen - protection from Yibb's vision
Cat Language
Clock to Moon
Find King Kuranus (healing)
White Savage? Teleportation spell? Summon Ghoul?

Threshold: + to Shotgun, First Aid, Throw