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

[irwins]

"Just one." He holds up the handgun and half wincing. "Only one extra clip. I wasn't prepared to wind up out in the field. I didn't think there was a field here." But there is. He apparently can't escape it. Since his ammunition is limited, Shaun also snagged a canoe paddle in his travels.

And since it seems like a good idea, he adds, "I'm Shaun."

[112ounces]

"I didn't bring a gun at all," Carl admits. His first Swear-In was a case of being in space, but this time? Total mistake. He'll never go to a Swear-In unarmed ever again. To hell to what people might think of a kid being armed. It's not like he can defend himself with his Porter powers.

In that moment, another revenant comes out of nowhere, shrieking toward them. "Carl," he said, glad to know to of someone who might know what Carl is experiencing. He braces himself

[irwins]

"We'll make do with what we've got." Because hey, that's the only choice available to them. Shaun has been in the habit of going armed at all times, and he gets the sense that's a habit he should continue here -- given that this is his first main shindig since arriving, and it's gone straight to hell.

He hears the revenant about the same time, stepping two quick steps to the right to keep Carl out of his firing line and squeezing the trigger. The shot strikes, but hits too low, center mass instead of the head. "Shit." A second shot rings out and this one strikes true, a clean head shot that drops the revenant.

Of course, the sound has attracted more attention from the thing's pals, if the vaguely splashy movement in the distance is any indication. This doesn't seem to bother Shaun too much at least, since he's not missing a beat in turning in that direction or continuing the conversation, "Good to meet you, Carl. If we both get out of this still among the living, let's compare notes." He gets the feeling the worlds they come from have a thing or two in common, and he's very curious.

[112ounces]

"Yeah. You too." And that was the most Carl can say, because more revenants are rushing toward them. Carl kept his distance a little away from Shaun's firing range.

Carl raises his tire iron, waiting for one to slip past Shaun so Carl can bash its brains in.

[irwins]

They're making enough noise that they're attracting attention. So Carl will undoubtedly have the opportunity, given that they're unlucky enough that the newest stragglers are flanking in from the left, a different direction entirely from where Shaun's gun is trained.

"On your eight," Shaun mentions casually enough, trusting the kid and his tire iron.

[112ounces]

"On it," Carl said, coiling himself up like a spring. When the revenant finally got close enough, Carl swing down on its head. Crack! He hits it again. He flips the tire iron so the straight end is at the revenant's face -

- and Carl plunges that end into the revenant's eye.

[irwins]

Another quickly grouped burst of gun shots, another thud as a revenant hits the ground. Shaun scans the way it came, ejecting his now-empty clip and popping his replacement out from his pocket, tucking it in with an efficient familiarity.

He turns to check on how Carl is doing just in time to see the kid slam the iron through the undead thing's eye.

Shaun whistles lowly. "Efficient." And then, voice quieter. "I wonder how many of these things there are. If they aren't turning anyone else, we might be able to contain this."