Miskatonic University professor Bill Amos dispatched our party of students to investigate the disappearance of James Wayfield, a fellow member of the Society for the Exploration of the Unexplained, who was investigating a cult in New Orleans
- Wayfield’s final letter warns that the cult’s next ritual happens on the coming full moon
The party travelled overnight by train to New Orleans
The party went to search James’ office at Tulane, where James had been studying
- The anthropology dept. head told the group that he hadn’t seen James for several days, and told them he often spent time with an old dockworker
- They found a gift box (addressed to “Relling”), a book on Louisiana indigenous tribes, a photo of a ritzy blonde girl by the beach, an old newspaper clipping, an ad for an antiquities shop, some artifacts (fancy arrowheads and some potsherds)
The party split in two
- Two members went to the antiquities shop
- The owner told them James had purchased the swampglass arrowheads and potsherds from his store
- Owner said the artifacts were from the local Sitimaxan tribe
- Owner said James had been asking about an odd metal sculpture
- Two members went to the docks
- They asked around until they found someone who pointed them to Relling’s workshop (“Relling’s Repair”)
- They found Relling, and gave him the gift from James’ office
- Relling told the party that he was drinking buddies with James
- Relling said he was worried about James because he had seen him talking with Luke LuDoux, local longshoreman and known smuggler/shifty character
- Relling said James had been drinking at the Marshy Seadog speakeasy
- Relling revealed that James had gone to visit an old ceremonial ground out in the delta marsh a week and a half prior
- Relling offered to send the group out with his apprentice in the morning to the ceremonial site
The party reunited for the evening to debrief at a cafe
- The group exchanged what they’d learned
- The group headed to bed at their hotel
- A cat greeted them near the entrance
- The party befriended the cat
The party regrouped early the next morning, and headed to Relling’s workshop
The party took Relling’s boat out to the swamp with Matis acting as their guide
- After several hours of rowing, they reach a large island of dry ground in the swamp
- The site was a large clearing with a nearby waterside shed
- The site was mysteriously clear of plant growth
- The shed was empty except for some rope, cloth sacks, empty crates, and wall fixtures
- The party found a dirt road near the clearing
- The party followed the road to its ending
- The road led to a bayside shore with a nearby boat pier and a garage shed
- The party broke into the shed
- The party found a truck, with keys under the doormat
- The party found miscellaneous old tools, a small container of gasoline, some fishing gear
- The party found a chest with several sets of black robes
- The party returned to the boat uneventfully and rowed back towards their origin
The party arrived back in town in the late afternoon, and headed to Storyville in search of the Marshy Seadog
- The party asked around until they found the speakeasy
- The party managed to pass as ordinary patrons, and gain entrance
- The party purchased a round of drinks
- The party unsuccessfully tried to fish information from the bartender
- Haywood attempted to score
- He was offered a dope sample, but asked too many questions for the vendor’s liking
- The party left the bar
- As the party exited, they noticed sailors at the vendor’s table whispering to each other and pointing at them
The party went back to their hotel for the night
- They were greeted again by the cat outside the hotel