There must be something in the water

[maskormods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Lake Tahoe, the Nevada side
WHEN: May 17 all day
WHAT: Swear-In
WARNINGS: Some violence

Welcome imPorts new and old to the lovely city of Jeopardy! For the five minutes the swear-in is here, anyway. See, there’s been some unusual activity at the (relatively) nearby Lake Tahoe. The Better Believe It Museum of Cryptozology has appealed to the government for help, and the powers that be generously volunteered this Swear-In as a chance for imPorts to be voluntold to help. Of course, you can always skip the swear-in or just decide to kick up your feet at a nice lakeside property in May, but the local natives would really appreciate the assistance. So much so that they’ve rented out a legion of party buses to transport you from Jeopardy to the museum in style. Yes, there’s a bar and snacks (though only juice for the kids). It’s about a three hour drive, try not to get too sloshed on the way over.

Just what is the issue? It seems that Nevada’s most famous cryptid, Tahoe Tessie has...well. Been seen. And, yes, of course, there is that whole museum you are going to at the edge of the lake dedicated to fuzzy, shaky-cam ‘sightings’ of Tessie and other cryptozoological marvels over the years, but this is different. Like, ‘oh no, we actually found her’ different. And by all appearances, Tessie’s pretty pissed at being found. Any boats that attempt to go out into the lake are sunk, divers have vanished to never be seen again (whole, anyway. A few parts have washed up), and police have noted a sharp increase in random, violent attacks around the lake shores.

That’s where you come in.

The museum has requested Tessie be captured and transferred into their crypto-aquarium where she can be studied (and rubbed in the faces of all those ‘real’ scientists that called them crazy over the years). There are other options, though. The police are just fine with you killing the creatures; let the scientists dissect the corpse. And a very well funded individual party is more than willing to pay an exorbitant amount to the imPorts that hand her over to them.

While you ponder about the ethics and money involved, here’s the lay of the land.



First there is the cryptid museum itself. Not the tidiest of places, the museum is three floors of winding narrow aisles between shelves heaped with curiosities and walls covered in fuzzy photographs with plaques explaining what cryptozoological marvel is depicted in them, or poster sized print outs of ‘testimonials’ of alien abductions, bigfoot sightings, etc, along with artists interpretations of events described. There is also, of course, quite an expansive gift shop. Get your BELIEVER t-shirt before supplies run out. Please no powers in the museum, the owner is quite forceful about how everything in there is one of a kind.



For those of you not into monster hunting, or hunters that need to recharge, the cryptid museum is right next to a resort that has thoughtfully opened its doors to imPorts. It’s lingering around 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit at the lake, not exactly swimming weather, but there’s charming outdoor seating, fire pits to gather around, and free drinks and finger foods abound for every one to mingle with. There’s plenty of nice walking paths around the lake, some low-key events like horse shoe tossing or croquet to pass the time with. Just a nice break by the lake to recharge after a rough month.



Then there’s the lake itself. The locals have provided you with canoes, small fishing boats with radar, diving suits and snorkels, fishing nets, pretty much anything they could think of that will help you catch dear old Tessie (if you have a specific request for an unusual item, ask here if it will be provided!). A certain eccentric (the one offering cash money for Tessie to be turned over to them) even provided a one person submarine for use- though it doesn’t have any arms to grab with or much in the way of catching power, the gesture was still nice?

But catching a cryptid isn’t that easy. See, turns out that surge in violent attacks isn’t just dear old Tessie. If you just pressed A and skipped to the lake itself, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Those that took time to view the museum first, or chatted with the hotel staff about local legends, will have some warning of what is waiting for them. They’ll learn that in addition to cryptids lake Tahoe has a very real monstrous history- it’s a known mob mass graveyard. Through the 1900s, possibly up to today, the lake served as a very convenient spot for mobsters to send people to ‘sleep with the fishes.’ No one knows how many bodies have ended up under those placid waters, but it’s an unpleasant number. Just an interesting historical tidbit until you actually enter the lake. There you’ll see these dead are, somehow, awake. And not that happy about it.



The lake is crawling with revenants. These angry undead will fight tooth and nail anyone that comes into the waters of the lake, trying to pull you down to meet the same watery fate as them. We’re literal on the tooth part, their bites are strong enough to rip out chunks of flesh. They will follow anyone that disturbs them out of the lake, focused on destroying the life they no longer have. These creatures will need to be destroyed or laid to rest for the lake to be safe again. This can be done through sheer physical assault, break enough of the bones or destroy the skull and the creatures will collapse into the muk. Or they can be put to rest one by one with rituals specifically made for putting the dead to rest (from any religion or philosophy). Those that can talk with the dead and have the dedication can talk the spirits into releasing their mortal coil and returning to the void. Just remember their first emotion is rage at the living, and their first instinct will always be to attack. Those going for a more peaceful route may need back-up to keep the creatures at bay until they start seeing results.

Finally, there’s Tessie.



While legends have reported, and the cryptid museum lead you to expect, a more serpentine creature, characters are once more in for a surprise. Those that finally get past the undead to Tessie herself will discover she is none other than a legendary lusca: half shark, half squid, all attitude. For those still trying to apply biology to this, Tessie’s front half looks like a bull shark, a species infamous for its ability to swim in both salt and fresh waters. There is a little good news: unlike the revenants, Tessie isn’t looking so hot. Some of her tentacles are rotting off and teeth are falling out. She is mostly working to avoid anyone that wants to bother her, darting to deeper waters and running away from close encounters. Anyone that does get too close will face a fight, but it’s that of an animal in its death throes. While an unlimited number of characters can see Tessie, the final decision of what happens to her will be decided by a poll.

After a long day at the lake, imPorts are bused back to Jeopardy in the same party buses. Hopefully still more or less in one piece.

OOC PLOTTING AND QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED HERE!

Comments

[the_horror]

He's so tired and he's emotionally dumped right now, but being around books and research is a comfort. Seated there, food long forgotten, drink too, he read through some things he found and frowned at it all.

Until there was something coming in across his sight. His hand lifted to swat it away and then frowned more. Mental Network. He really hated it. It felt like an invasion he didn't ask for. At least on his device he didn't feel like he had a over lay across his face. Maybe if it were just speech in his ear or something, it wouldn't be so bad, but this made him blink a lot, and distracted him from what he was reading.

It took a moment to realize who it was from. Head lifting (hand waving at his face a moment again) and looking towards Allison, who was smiling. The smile really did sit well on her features, and if Ben was feeling better, he might have smiled back.

"Hey, you. Couldn't resist the call to help either, huh?" He asked, sitting back and letting his book rest on his lap, ignored.

[numberthree]

The moment he raises a hand her face falters a little, because it can really only be one thing, and it takes him a second even after that to realize. To look up. Still in the middle of swatting the air even as his eyes found her not far away from him. There was a nod, about being at least in the roundabout ballpark of the reason that brought her here, even as she mouthed the word 'sorry' for the other part.

She could still pull out her notepad and marker. She always had them with her.

But she didn't usually use them as the go-to for her family.

[the_horror]

It's not that it bothers him so much as it's different. He's sleepy and a bit grumpy (and it might show with the lack of smile or emoting in general), and had himself thrown into research. The note pad wasn't needed.

The sorry just got a "Naw, you're fine." As he assumed she was apologizing for the sudden text. He took a breath, sitting up from where he had been leaned over and rubbed a hand over his face. "Take a seat?" He offered, his foot pushing a chair out for her.

He took a breath. Behave. Allison hasn't done anything. "I've been researching a bit of what I've heard about the lake."

[numberthree]

There's something wrong. She knows that, even if she hasn't seen Ben's face for an extended time in what feels like two decades. She still knows it. Even with all the time. Something is wrong, and she's pretty sure it's not their last conversation, about the house. Not when he goes out of his way to say she's fine, and offer her seat, and then to offer up even more explanation on what's happening.

All of its patently not her, but it's still there. Around the edges where he looks like he hasn't slept. Where it looks like something too heavy is hanging all over him, in a way that's familiar on all of them when they carry it, even though none of their two genetics in this family are alike. ....and yet.

Allison took a chair, with an air to concern and curiosity, but she at least started where he did.

I skipped the tour, but people seem to be talking about mobsters and aliens most? What has your research turned up?

[the_horror]

Something is wrong and his name is Klaus. Though at this point he doesn't figure any of them would understand. He's not really looking at her as she takes a seat, deciding to focus himself on the books before him. Its easier that way. The concerned look she gave him was enough for him not to look her in the face.

Instead he jumped into research.

"Not sure about aliens, but mobster dumping ground? Yes. They used to use this lake to dump bodies of people, alive or not, into the waters. It's deep enough in the middle that they wouldn't be seen in the clear waters, and it's cold enough that the chemical reactions to bloating wouldn't happen, so the bodies wouldn't float. Essentially leaving the bodies in tact, other than fish food."

He paused there, looking up at her now. "And if the locals are to be taken for their word, there might be more out there than just Tessie. What I can't figure out is why there is activity now of all times while it's been so silent for ages..."

[numberthree]

If Allison can't really dredge up horror for the image painted, she can at least appreciate the economy of how they picked the lake against the notion that it is so long ago, in someone else's world, that it isn't entirely worth a dramatic reaction. It does get interest, though, for the same reason that Ben displays it and it has her nodding. The why now is definitely the parts she pondered looking off the deck toward the calm of the contentious waters.

Has anything like this happened before here?

[the_horror]

He's read about this thing before. Bodies dumped in Tahoe isn't a new story, really. It's hit papers before. He liked stories about mobsters too, so it was up his field of interest in a way.

"I mean, I suppose there could be a lot of dumping grounds in lakes and things before this too, but Tahoe has that right mixture to keep bodies down and from resurfacing. As for the attacks reported, and the fact that a lot of boaters haven't returned? No clue. I haven't ran across anything about it else where yet. If it has happened, I'm missing it."

[numberthree]

The first part is easy enough to study the water while he talks, with a brief glance back to him in between staring at the water, that says she is paying attention to his voice, even if it's the water she's staring at, and the uncertain threat of it, that has all of the Swear-In on tiptoes. Either with excitement or nerves. Allison's more a wariness of it and a wonder how it is people choose to put the Swear-In's near what seems like a possible hotbed problem on purpose.

Bringing hundreds of people somewhere people went missing, while people are going missing all over again.

It sounds too convenient to be coincidence.

[the_horror]

Her staring at the water doesn't make him think she's not paying attention. He knows better. So he just talked through it, looking over his notes as he spoke. This was what he was good at. Research and study. Yet there wasn't a whole hell of a lot to go on.

"Sounds way too convenient, yeah. Somethings in the water and I don't think it's just one Loch Ness monster is going it on her own." He sat back at that, reaching for his forgotten drink to take a sip, cold now. He sat it aside and sighed, looking to his sister.

"What are your thoughts on it?"

[numberthree]

I don't know yet. But it's definitely ... strange they decided this was the place to hold the Swear-In. While it's happening. That doesn't make any sense. You'd think they'd send teams, or cops, to figure it out. Not how some big welcome to the madness party.

There's no real sharpness to her expression that comes with those words. Just the not-quite edge of a frown as she continued her academic survey of all that water. All shining ripples and waves in the sun. Innocuous, except for all its rumors, all its missing people.

[the_horror]

"I donno. In a way it makes sense to move the Swear-in here. I mean, it was originally meant to be in Jeopardy, but then this nonsense started up, so why not shuttle willing people off to Tahoe to see if they can handle things. I have a feeling they're flying as blind as we are, really. And it's a good way to show the people that we're willing to try and fix this worlds issues, right?"

He shrugged, looking off at the lake now as well. "The police might not be a match for what's out there, and the imPorts are, well, kind of a team? It's what we're here for, right? This world needed help, so it reached out and dragged all of us to it to help."

[numberthree]

There's a chill that slides her spine at his last words.

This world needed help, so it reached out and dragged all of us to it to help.

Ths world that decided it was more important than their world, dying and or dead already, that they were in the direct middle of trying to save when they were kidnapped to this place and locked into it with no vote. Because somehow this< world deemed itself the more important world.

Allison doesn't know if she agrees with much of the words Ben just said. Not if they've set up registering as a choice anyone could still say no to, the same with the fighting, whether you registered or not, and yet all of both sides of both were still here in the middle of it, regardless of their choice then.

But she did agree with one thing he'd said. That maybe she needed to think more on.

Maybe the government here really was far more blind about everything that she gave it credit for.

[the_horror]

Ben's going to start getting used to none of them agreeing with him. Just a fact of life here maybe. At one point they might have got along very well, but here? Not so much. he clings to life too much to allow them to get him down though.

The government gave them a choice. Help them when needed, or just live a life here as is. He chose to fight. It seemed fair. It was something he could do now that he was alive. It seems like thanks enough to him.

She said nothing, responded in no way to what he said, so he assumed she was in thought. Ben let her have her thoughts, deciding to turn back to his reading, sitting in silence with her as he made his plans. She may not want to be here or to fight for this world, but he was going to. It was his second chance and he intended to do all he could with it.