Part Two

*A monster loose, a unknown victim, a path forward...*

### Content Warnings

Mutilation (bone-cleaving), murder, human sacrifice, body horror (Black Goat), corpses, assault, gun violence, strangling, sounds of death (gurgling, etc.), throat slitting, children in peril, car accidents.

## Summary

Arthur and the Entity follow their latest lead to the Miskatonic University Library where they begin researching the mysterious symbol found on the book and in the basement. A disturbing encounter with another strange book and another connection to Roland Cummings leads them out of Arkham and towards the small town of Harper's Hill. Along the way, Arthur and the entity run into trouble when they stop to help a stranger in need.

## Synopsis

Arthur and the entity head to the Miskatonic University Library to research Shub-Niggurath and the history of the abandoned house, 58 Pelican Lane. Along the way, they discuss the possibility that the corpses in the house may have been part of a cult. The entity mentions that the archway they found may have been some sort of gateway into The Dark World, and that perhaps, considering his book and the podium, the cultists brought him through when they opened it. Arthur expresses concern over this, wondering who the entity is to have a religious cult open a gateway for him, but the entity is still unable to recall his identity. The entity expresses concern about the creature in the basement of the house. He explains that if it laid dormant in the room for over ten years but didn’t attack Emily the moment it was let out, instead choosing to follow her and the book, then it must be intelligent.

Upon arriving at the library they find that the librarian, Mr. Armitage whom Arthur met previously at a city hall fundraiser, is reluctant to tell them anything, warning Arthur that he is looking into something very dangerous, and that some knowledge is not worth pursuing. Arthur is polite but persistent, and eventually Mr. Armitage relents, telling Arthur that the library doesn’t contain anything on Shub-Niggurath, but he has something in his personal collection. He once again cautions Arthur, explaining that these books should only be read by “those with the strongest of minds.” When Arthur questions the entity about this, he reveals that Arthur is playing in a world of things that can bend and break his mind.

Mr. Armitage leaves to retrieve the book from his collection, and Arthur uses this time to research the abandoned house. They don’t discover anything about the exact address, but they do find a newspaper article that mentions a woman named Amanda Cummings, who had been found walking down Pelican Lane after being reported as missing on July 17th. A second woman, unnamed, is also mentioned, and the article claims that police implied they had been held captive together. The article is dated approximately 10 years in the past. Arthur connects Amanda Cummings to Roland Cummings.

Mr. Armitage approaches to tell Arthur the book is ready for him, and directs him to his office in the back of the library. They find an entry depicting the symbol from the book and it is revealed that Shub-Niggurath is a female entity, also called the Black Goat of the Woods, and that she has offspring that the author calls her ‘Dark Young’. The entity points out a note under the symbol that contains an image of the Black Goat and something written in a different language, which reads: “Shub-Niggurath! Praise and abundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Iä! Shub-Niggurath! Iä! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young! She is Lord of the Wood and mother to us". Arthur tells the entity to read it aloud, and doing so has a strange effect on them both.

Arthur speculates that perhaps Emily was killed by one of the Dark Young and suggests going to the police station to find out more information. He mentions having contacts that might share with him. The entity disagrees and convinces Arthur to follow up on Amanda Cummings instead. Arthur recalls that he stored some of Roland’s old mail containing his home address in the basement of his office. On their way out of the library Arthur mentions that he feels strange since reading the book, as if his mind has been ‘severed a bit’. The entity agrees and says he feels it too.

They arrive back at the office to find police wheeling out the body of Peter Yang. Arthur begins to panic, but the entity calms him down. They head into the basement through a side entrance to avoid the police. Once in the basement, they locate Arthur’s storage unit and  find mail addressed to Delphine Cummings, at 86 Townline.

As they’re leaving the basement they get attacked by Eddie, who wants revenge on Arthur after their encounter in Part One. Arthur fights back and the entity commands Arthur to kill Eddie. Arthur shoots him twice, incapacitating him. The entity manages to take control of Arthur’s left hand and uses it to strangle Eddie to death. They escape the basement and hail a taxi.

They arrive at the Cummings address and approach the house. No one answers the door. Despondent, Arthur sits down on the porch and expresses his frustration about the case and the entity’s possession of him. A neighbor calls out to them, informing them that Delphine was found dead in the basement freezer, and that Roland was the prime suspect but didn't return to Arkham. Amanda, however, returned a few weeks after her mother’s body was found, then left to live with some family in Harper's Hill.

The entity suggests they drive Arthur's car up to Harper’s Hill. He believes it should be possible with him able to see and steer while Arthur manages the pedals. They retrieve his car from a lot near the office and begin the drive to Harper’s Hill.

The entity expresses sympathy for Arthur’s situation. He repeatedly mentions that he does not want to take control of Arthur’s body and that his preference is to find a new body for himself.

Some time after they’ve left Arkham, they come across a vehicle sitting on the side of the road and the entity expresses a desire to investigate. The car is empty and the passenger’s side door is open towards the surrounding forest. The entity speculates that someone may have been pulled out. He spots footprints leading into the woods and blood on the seat. There is also a baby’s seat in the backseat of the car.

They decide to follow the tracks. The sun has set and the sky is growing darker, so they take a flashlight from the trunk of Arthur’s car before heading into the woods. Eventually the entity sees a light ahead of them, coming from what looks like a camp of some kind, full of collapsed huts. They enter the camp and find a small campfire inside one of the huts. A woman’s corpse lays next to it, her throat slit. An ancient, grotesque old woman is sitting on the other side of the fire holding a baby.

Arthur instructs the entity to draw his gun and use it if he needs to. They approach the woman and Arthur tells her to give him the baby. She holds it out to them, and Arthur takes it from her. As soon as he does, the old woman starts to laugh eerily. Arthur and the entity leave quickly, heading back into the woods to check over the baby. She appears to be unharmed, but has a symbol drawn on her in charcoal. The symbol has mostly been rubbed off.

They attempt to make their way back to Arthur’s car, but the entity is disoriented by the darkness. A disturbing, animalistic noise comes from somewhere in the woods and the entity sees something moving. He tells Arthur to run and the creature seems to chase them. They manage to make it back to the road and the car, shutting themselves inside. Arthur starts the car and the radio can be heard playing *Some Call it Madness (But I Call it Love) by Russ Columbo.* The entity points out that they never turned the radio on. Suddenly, the old woman reappears and attacks them as the entity tells Arthur to hit the gas. Arthur tries to drive away but gets into an accident with an oncoming vehicle.

## Votes

* Chapter 6: **Read the Book [8]** / Do not Read the Book [0]
* Chapter 7: Head to the Police Station [3] / **Head to the Cummings Residence [5]**
* Chapter 8: Fight but do not kill. [2] / **Fight with the possibility to kill. [3]** / Avoid fighting and run. [0]
* Chapter 9: **Help Whomever You Can (Follow the Tracks) [8]** / Move Towards Your Own Goals (Continue to Harper's Hill) [1]
* Chapter 10: no vote

## Trivia

* Arthur’s basement storage space is #76.