At the Mountains of Dadness Ch. 1 - Casting Call of Cthulhu

**> *"San Dimas, California, 1939. A washed up actor, a wanna be actor, a nervous producer, and an undercover reporter set out to uncover the mystery of a missing film..." - Episode description*
>
>****"Chapter 1: Casting Call of Cthulhu" is the first episode of the three-part miniseries *At the Mountains of Dadness*. It is set in 1939 and features the grandparents of the Season 1: Odyssey PCs. The campaign follows four employees of a movie lot struggling to survive while solving the mystery of a missing film crew. It is set in the Call of Cthulhu system.**

This episode was released publicly for free. The other episodes are available freely for Patreon subscribers. They can also be bought on the show's official store.

This episode introduces the four PCs: Meryl Streep, Robert Wilson, Hildy Russet, and Stuart "Stud" Stampler. They are tasked to discover what happened to the cast and crew of *The Heart's Greatest Desire* - the newest film being produced by their employer, Father's Own Studios. They must find the cast and crew, retrieve the film, and bring it back to the movie lot.

## Character Introduction

The characters are introduced as follows:

* Meryl Streep (Freddie Wong): Meryl is an actor of the silent film era who, due to his race, hasn't quite found his foothold in Hollywood as it transitions from silent films to talkies. He is the maternal grandfather of Glenn Close.
* Hildy Russet (Will Campos): Hildy (also known as Sally Stipe) is an investigative reporter for the San Dimas Defender. She is the paternal grandmother of Henry Oak.
* Robert Wilson (Matt Arnold): Robert is a cowardly line producer who wishes he were a stuntman so that he could emulate his father, who was a war hero. He is the paternal grandfather of Darryl Wilson.
* Stuart "Stud" Stampler (Beth May): Stud dreams of being a star on Broadway, but has chosen the more practical career of construction. He is currently raising his nephew, Willy Stampler, after the death of Willy's father. Stud is the paternal great-uncle of Ron Stampler.

## Granddad Facts

* Meryl: The first movie that Meryl starred in had a very similar plot to the film Kramer vs. Kramer. (This fact was inspired by a joke made by Beth.)
* Hildy: Hildy's favorite musician is the crooner Louis Prima. Her favorite song is "Stardust", but she "goes absolutely crazy" for "Long About Midnight". She loves the early era of Louis Prima music, and that's what she mostly listens to.
* Robert: Robert has three cats named Bob, Robert, and Robbie. He also has a steady girlfriend, Sally.
* Stud: Stud does not have polio.

## Episode Summary

**[WARNING: This summary contains descriptions of intense body horror and gore. Read at your own risk.]**

### Father's Own Studios

The episode opens in San Dimas, California on the set of the film *Blue Planet*. Upset by the script and role that he deems "beneath him", Meryl stops filming and starts to argue with the director. Hildy - posing as a makeup girl named Sally Stipe - and Robert insert themselves into the conversation. The frustrated director throws down his beret and leaves.

Stud approaches the group. After Meryl is rude to him, he reveals that he is an aspiring actor and a carpenter. The studio head of Father's Own Studios, R. L. Stein, arrives. He calls for production to stop on *Blue Planet* and arbitrarily chooses the four PCs to do a job for him.

They walk through the movie lot. Stein points out the abandoned set of *The Heart's Greatest Desire*, a film that was hoped to revive Father's Own Studios. He reveals that the director, the star, and the physical film have all vanished. He tells the group to find the film and bring it back to the studio.

He also instructs them not to tell anyone else about their mission because the missing director was involved in the murder of multiple prostitutes. Robert, alarmed, suggests they call the police; Stein tells him not to, because if they call the police, they'll arrest the director and the film won't get finished. Hildy is elated by the PR disaster that this information could potentially cause.

Meryl asks to have an aside with the director, but Stein refuses to move. Meryl tells the others to leave. Robert refuses, Stud moves a respectful six feet away, and Hildy hides in a bush. Meryl asks to be made the film's villain in exchange for doing the job, but is ultimately not able to intimidate Stein. Meryl, defeated, still agrees to search for the film.

Robert asks Stein if he's sure that they're the right people for the job. Stein says that he hired a private detective to look for the film and crew, but that he disappeared. Stein says that he feels that he needs to send people that he doesn't care about. Robert asks if he can talk to Stein privately, but his request is denied.

Instead of listening in on Robert and Stein's's conversation, Hildy runs to the nearest payphone. She calls the San Dimas Defender and tells her editor, Julian, about the potential scoop she's found. She doesn't have much concrete information, but she leaves him with the promise of a sensational story.

Robert attempts to make a deal with Stein where, in exchange for not requiring hazard pay and not telling anyone about the situation, he can be a stunt double in the upcoming movie. An enraged Stein punches Robert in the face. It hurts Stein more than Robert, but Robert is effectively intimidated into backing down.

In retaliation, Stud punches Stein in the mouth and breaks his front two teeth. Stein tells the group that they're all fired and that they need to get off his set. Stud starts to make a grand speech about how the movie industry should be about making dreams come true. Meryl tries to quiet Stud and comfort Stein, but it's too late; Stein is already waving over security guards. Robert manages to stop the bleeding in Stein's mouth, but Stein tells them that he doesn't want to see them again unless they have the film.

Stein's assistant, Deen Coonts, waves the four of them over and away from Stein. He tells them that, if they can bring the film and the crew back, Stein will probably re-hire them. He gives the group a list of three potential places to investigate: the director's apartment, the office of the missing private detective, and the editing suite where the film was last being edited.

Stud suggests that they "hit the streets" and ask around to see if anyone's heard about anything suspicious; the assistant and Hildy remind him that they've been instructed not to tell anyone about the situation. Robert reveals that his fiancé's name is Sally, but he corrects himself - he hasn't proposed to her yet, but is planning to. Robert shows the group the ring, and Stud and Hildy both compliment it.

Robert thanks Stud for defending him. Stud tells the group about his dreams of Broadway stardom and that they've been put on hold so that he can raise his nephew, Willy. Despite the fact that Robert and Stud look completely different, Robert offers to be Stud's stuntman when he makes it big.

The group considers going to the library, but decides against it. Meryl suggests that the group head to the Musso and Frank restaurant to speak with some directors, but Hildy reminds him that it's three hours away from San Dimas. Hildy proposes that they start the search at the director's house.

Robert tries to lie to the assistant about how much R. L. Stein said that they're being paid. (The number Matt suggested in character - $500 a day - is actually $9,200 in 1939 dollars.) Robert utterly fails at his attempt to lie, but promises to keep track of the numbers so that everyone will earn an equal amount. Meryl offers his expensive car for the group to use, but Hildy remembers that there's a bullet-riddled stunt car for the studio's new gangster picture, *All Angels Die Suddenly*. Stud drives the group in the stunt car to the director's apartment.

### Director's Apartment

When the group arrives at the apartment, they see that the door is wide open. Before they even enter the apartment, they can smell terrible things from inside it - "every manner of bodily fluid imaginable". As they step inside, they find that the apartment is completely wrecked. Robert stands at the doorway and doesn't fully go inside. Meryl puts on his white gloves and pretends to look around.

Hildy finds the director's journal. In terrible handwriting, it reads:

> *"NEW FINALE. Current finale is NOT working. I need to film it where the OAKS GROW TALL."*
>
>

Another entry reads:

> *"This lead actor is [smear of human feces]. Need auditions. Can film auditions in California, unlike finale."*
>
>

Hildy also finds a business card for Yellow King Cab Company stuck to the back of the journal. She calls the number on the card and inquires about the cabs that the director - Joseph Joseph Abrams, also known as "Double J" Abrams - ordered from them. The man on the other end of the line won't give them the information.

Meryl grabs the phone and tells the man who he is. The man reveals that his name is Danny Devito and that his wife has had "untoward thoughts" about Meryl. Meryl offers to pay Danny in exchange for the information. He agrees and gives the group a list of the cabs that Double J Abrams ordered: one from the editing suite to his apartment, one from his apartment to the Griffith Observatory, and one from the observatory to Union Station.

The group returns to the diary and theorizes as to what the phrase "where the oaks grow tall" could mean. Robert calls Sally, who used to be a landscaper but now works for the Joshua Tree National Park. He asks her about the clue, but it's too vague for her to really help. Robert says goodbye and hangs up. The group heads off toward the editing suite.

### Editing Suite

When the group opens the editing suite door, they find that the room is completely dark except for a single source of light coming from the moviola on the other side of the room. Silhouetted in that light is a woman who is hunched over the moviola and manually feeding the film through the machine by turning a crank. They hear the sounds of fluttering film and the clicking of the moviola.

Hildy reveals to the others that the editor, Gertrude Von Strumph, is one of the most famous editors in San Dimas and is notoriously cantankerous. Hildy sticks her head into the room and calls out to Gertrude, but gets no response. She turns on her flashlight and does a sweeping scan of the room, but doesn't see anything especially strange. Hildy slowly moves the flashlight beam toward Gertrude in an "Are You Afraid of the Dark level slow reveal". As the beam of light runs up Gertrude's form, the group sees a blackish, grayish liquid oozing from cuts in her arms and trickling down her body.

As Gertrude turns to face them, they realize that the clicking noise they hear isn't just coming from the moviola; there are two small film reels bolted into her eye sockets. As the reels quickly spin, the sharp edges of the film are cutting up her eyes and cheeks. Gertrude opens her mouth and film starts to spew out of it. In a warped and horrifying voice, she asks the group, "Have you come to see the film?"

Gertrude begins choking up more film and pulling it out of her throat. Stud, thinking that she's choking on the film, runs over to Gertrude to try and help her. Hildy follows. Robert, still in the hallway, fully turns around and doesn't look into the room.

Stud grabs the film and tries to pull it out of her mouth, but it doesn't budge. Gertrude grabs Stud's arm and begins telling him about the "horrible, pure randomness" that comes with editing film; the more you work with it, the more it becomes warped by scratches and specks of dust.

Hildy tells Stud to get away from Gertrude, who won't let go of Stud. Gertrude insists that he sees the movie. Hildy tries to persuade Gertrude by saying that they want to wait for the real premiere before seeing the movie, but she fails. Gertrude unhinges her jaw and Hildy is temporarily blinded by a bright light coming from the back of Gertrude's throat.

Meryl runs into the room and does a flying kick at Gertrude's head. He injures her, but she still keeps her hold on Stud. She grabs him by the neck and tries to force his face down into the moviola's opening where the razor-sharp film is exposed. Stud tries to knock the moviola over, but critically fails. She jams his head into the moviola and the film reels slice out his eyes, permanently blinding him.

Because he was blinded with the cursed film, Stud is able to see the movie "in his soul". He sees a romantic scene between the two leads being shot on the Father's Own Studio lot. Double-J Abrams stops the scene and goes on a tirade about how the whole scene is bullshit. He orders the casting director to go to the Griffith Observatory and host a casting call. Double-J Abrams steps out of the camera's view, but can still be heard mumbling about how the end isn't believable and that it needs to be darker. He says, "There's a place in Tennessee where the tall oaks can burn real good." The film ends.

Stud can also see the imperfections that Gertrude was telling him about. Along with the movie itself, he can see the dust mites and bits of hair on the actual film. The "visual noise" begins to drown out the actual image, and Stud is filled with the knowledge that nothing can escape the universe's slow, agonizing atrophy.

Stud suggests that they knock the moviola over, chuck a lighter at the flammable film, and get out of the editing suite. Stud successfully kicks over the moviola, causing Gertrude to let go of him and hurry over to the machine to try and fix it.

Robert, holding out a match at Stud's request, asks the group to tell him what's happening. Hildy says that they're getting out, so Robert immediately turns around and starts running out of the building.

Meryl flicks his lighter on and throws it at the biggest pile of film he sees. The fire immediately starts spreading and even lights Gertrude on fire. Meryl grabs Stud and gets both of them out of the room. Before she flees the scene entirely, Hildy stops in the doorway and snaps a picture of Gertrude.

The crew bursts outside through the doors of the editing suite. Stud's face is bleeding excessively. As Robert tries to bandage Stud's face, Stud tells him that he saw him running away. Stud gets angry, but immediately apologizes for his outburst. The entire building starts to go up in flames. Since Stud can't drive, Hildy hops behind the wheel and the group takes off.

In the car, Robert successfully stops Stud's bleeding. Robert apologizes for leaving the group behind, and Stud forgives him. They decide to take Stud to the hospital. Robert offers to lie about Stud working for the studio so he can have the studio's health insurance.

### San Dimas Mercy Hospital

The group arrives at the hospital. The doctor asks the group how Stud lost his eyes. Stud offers the doctor a cigarette and Meryl tries to convince him that it was a workplace accident, but he doesn't believe them. Hildy gets angry, yells at the doctor to do his job, and tries to slap him across the face. The doctor catches her wrist before she can hit him and calls her hysterical. Finally, the doctor accepts a bribe from Meryl in exchange for not calling the police.

The doctor treats the wounds in Stud's eyes. He also, at the group's request, gives them painkillers and puts glass eyes in for Stud.

Hildy announces she's going to the restroom to deal with "feminine things", to the horror of everyone else in the room. Hildy finds a payphone and calls Julian again. She updates him on everything she's learned so far. She demands an article above the fold and threatens to take her story to The Bugler - the Defender's rival newspaper. Julian promises her the front page for a week if she can get him the full story in all its violent glory.

Stud uses the phone to call his house and tell Willy that he's going to be home late. Before he can say anything else, Willy says, "Cool," and hangs up.

Stud tells the group about the film that he saw in Gertrude's moviola. The group debates where they should go next; ultimately, they decide to head to the Griffith Observatory before they go to Tennessee. Robert insists on driving this time because Hildy was drinking and driving on the way to the hospital. When Robert realizes that he's going to miss dinner with Sally, he pulls over and calls her to let her know.

### Griffith Observatory

The group arrives at the observatory at 1 AM. When they enter the observatory, they find four actors holding scripts and reviewing their audition sides. They notice that the actors seem a bit devoid of color - like they've been de-saturated. The actors are all muttering the lines to themselves:

> *"The oaks will burn bright. A weapon to end all wars. Let us embrace the random hand of fate in a firm handshake."*
>
>

One of the actors throws down her script, runs over to a set of double doors, and starts clawing at them desperately, begging to be let back inside and given another chance. A voice from the other side of the door tells the actors to leave. The voice begins to threaten them, but dissolves into strange humming and huffs of laughter before they can articulate what will happen if the actors don't leave.

Meryl, confident in his knowledge of the audition process, suggests they find another way inside and talk to the producer. Hildy agrees, saying that they should find a route that allows them to avoid the sepia-toned actors. The group agrees not to split up. They find a locked side exit door. Hildy tries and fails to pick the lock. The door is wrenched open from the other side and the group comes face to face with the casting director's assistant, Carrie Fischer. Meryl insists that he get a chance to audition, but she tells them that the casting director has already left. Because of Meryl's status, she allows them into the room and tells Meryl that he'll have to do a truly phenomenal job to get the part.

As they enter the audition room, the group sees a giant camera hooked up to the observatory telescope. The camera seems to be pulling in starlight and moonlight from the telescope and embedding it into the film.

Carrie tells Meryl to go up to the camera, put his eye up to the lens, and deliver the line. Meryl tries to avoid this, but she insists that this is the only way to ensure that the actor connects with the film's meaning. Stud asks her to explain what, exactly, the meaning is; she says that it's about how the natural chaos in the universe is both terrible and beautiful at the same time.

Robert calls for a huddle, which the group dubs a "crew huddle". Robert advises Meryl not to put his eye into the lens. Hildy poses a theory that the actors in the lobby are acting strangely because of what they saw when they looked through the lens in their own auditions.

Meryl marches up to the camera and puts his eye up to the lens. He tries to keep it closed, but the dust and hair on the film reaches out from the camera and pries his eyelids open. The hairs hook into his left eye and keep him trapped at the camera. As Meryl watches the film, which features the leading actress delivering a monologue, something about the scene makes Meryl believe that it is the best piece of film he's ever seen. As this happens, the rest of the crew watches Meryl turn completely monochrome.

Meryl delivers the line in a fantastic performance. As the lens releases his eye, Carrie walks out from the shadows and slow-claps. She pulls out a handful of tickets and instructs them to hurry to the train station. She tells them that they'll be going to Tennessee to film the finale.

Robert asks why no one has notified Father's Own Studio of any of these events and location changes. Carrie tells him that the director didn't want bureaucracy to get in the way of his creative liberty.

Meryl introduces Stud as his understudy, Hildy as his makeup girl, and Robert as his PA. He insists that all four of them get tickets, and Carrie agrees. Hildy tells the rest of the group to go on ahead while she stays back to talk to Carrie. Stud listens in on the conversation while Robert and Meryl smoke outside next to the car.

Hildy tells Carrie about her secret identity as a journalist and asks if Carrie would be willing to give her any quotes. Carrie tells Hildy that she can't reveal anything, as the director demands complete confidentiality until the film's release. Carrie wipes the back of her hand across her forehead and reveals that the color on her skin is, in fact, makeup; She is also a monochrome person. She wraps her hands around Hildy's neck and starts to strangle her.

As Stud runs to get help from Robert and Meryl, he reveals Hildy's secret identity. Despite this betrayal, the group runs to help her. Hildy, who is really good at judo, breaks out of Carrie's grip and flips her onto the ground.

When Carrie hits the floor, she rips the sides of her mouth apart. More black blood - like what the group saw in Gertrude's editing suite - pours out. Carrie screams for the actors to come in and apprehend Hildy. They burst through the doors and take off after her.

Hildy takes a picture of the horrific scene and just barely runs fast enough to get away from the actors. Stud holds the door open for Hildy; once she's outside, he slams the door shut and momentarily traps the actors inside. Hildy guides Stud toward the car as they run through the parking lot. Robert starts the car, the rest of them hop in, and the crew speeds off toward the train station.

Hildy tries to get another picture, but it's really terrible. After she takes the photo, the group confronts Hildy about her secret identity. She sighs and says, "Alright, boys. Settle down. I've got a story to tell you."