Galápagos Islands: The Lowell Expedition Day 2

11) The Lowell Expedition: Day 2
Albemarle Island, June 27, 1845

A) Day 2: Looming Skies and Rumbling Earth
The sailors wake to unusual weather: overcast skies and a brisk wind from the north. Flashes of lightning illuminate the clouds, and the air is charged with static electricity. Experienced hands understand that late June is the “dry season” in the islands, and even in the rainy March, storms are less common than tropical showers. It’s unusual—most unusual indeed.

Just as Pynchon is giving the orders to prepare breakfast, lightning strikes the summit of Volcán Wolf. This is followed by a deep rumbling in the earth, a minor quake that scares up birds and sets the lean-to quivering. Everyone trades anxious glances—didn’t that same thing happen at Narborough? Right before the volcano erupted? Remembering certain misfortunes from his past—let alone the meteor strike!—Mr. Pynchon decides to “wait it out” at camp. If the professor or any other player character protests, Pynchon curtly reminds them of Narborough Island—“Would you rather be at the summit if the volcano erupts, or down here, where we can escape?” His words are given weight by a second tremor, one that visibly shakes the trees.

Lowell’s Reaction
There’s something familiar about this strange weather to Professor Lowell, a certain taste in the air, a tingling across his exposed skin. Shortly after breakfast, Lowell must make a Sanity roll. If he succeeds, he finds himself emerging from a brief fugue state. He’s sitting cross-legged on the ground, apparently assembling some astronomical pattern from sticks and stones. What is it? Naggingly familiar, like a puzzle he just can’t solve—something about the zodiac? If Lowell fails the Sanity roll, he emerges from his fugue state only when prodded by others. Frustrated by his inability to understand his own actions, Lowell suffers from a –1D10 penalty die applied to all mental and spiritual rolls for the next 24 hours.

B) The Electrical Storm
Three minutes after 11 am, the heavens flood the island with rain. Falling from the ashy skies, the rain is black as soot, mixing with the ashen ground to form a disgusting black paste. Arcs of lightning slam into the top of the volcano, then begin rolling down its sides. A Science (Meteorology) roll or a Hard Spot Hidden roll observes a pattern to the strikes—they travel from the rim of the summit down the northwest flank, then across the island into the sea. Thankfully the volcano remains silent, but the storm continues for 2D4 hours, soaking the earth and delivering the expedition to a state of perfect misery. The tremors continue until 4:30 PM, after which they stop abruptly and completely. By sunset, the day returns to normal, the electricity discharged and the ground slick with unaccustomed rain. The men are drenched and fearful; but at least the rain finally washed the cinders away! Pynchon sets watches and orders everyone to get whatever sleep they can—“Tomorrow we make the ascent.”

The Psychic Drain
It’s difficult to explain, but there’s something enervating about the bizarre weather. Each member of the Lowell Expedition feels curiously drained by the storm, a kind of psychic exhaustion. The feeling persists for the remainder of the expedition, occasionally accompanied by a mild headache and a general feeling of crabbiness. The cause of this distress is the opening of the Gate—it has drained everyone’s magic points to zero! This “psychic drain” is so pervasive that a character’s magic points cannot regenerate until they’ve left Albemarle Island.

What About Quakaloo?
Because Quakaloo’s magic stems from shamanism rather than sorcery, and because Quakaloo is a player character, the Keeper may decide that Quakaloo is immune from the “psychic drain.” Or she may reduce his magic points by half, or allow him to cast spells by converting hit points to magic points.

C) Night 2: The Reunion
Sometime around 12:15 AM, Rafael Castro attempts to reunite with his former master. His goal is to slip past the guards and awaken Lowell, pleading with el maestro to return to the cave and “make him whole again.” Castro enters the camp stealthily, approaching from whichever angle takes him most directly to Lowell’s hammock or bedroll. He must attempt two opposed rolls. The first pits Castro’s Stealth skill against the watchman with the highest Spot Hidden skill; the second opposes Castro’s Stealth to the watchman with the highest Listen skill. (If both rolls are against the same watchman, that’s fine!)

Two Successes
If Castro is successful, he slithers up to the Professor and wakes him gently, whispering in broken English, “Maestro, come with me, ayúdame. So many years, maestro, please, por favor!” He tears the canvas sack off his head and stares imploringly into Lowell’s eyes. Seeing Castro’s scarred face and hearing his once-familiar voice triggers a Sanity roll for a 1/1D4 loss. If he passes the roll or loses fewer than 3 Sanity points, the Lacuna protects Lowell from remembering that he’s the cause of Castro’s debased condition. However, if Lowell loses 3 or more Sanity points, he instantly remembers carrying out grim experiments on his former assistant. As this terrible memory falls into place, Lowell must pass another Sanity roll to retain his wits. A failure tears a scream from his throat, thus alerting the entire camp. In any event, Lowell may interact with Castro in whatever way the player finds appropriate, but any actions that “betray” Castro risk awakening el monstruo. (Lowell is unfamiliar with el monstruo, as this development in Castro’s personality occurred after Lowell abandoned him in the oubliette.)

One Success
If Castro is only partially successful, he’s been spotted or has made some kind of noise. He immediately abandons stealth and runs away. Castro may be chased by any alert character, who must win an opposed Dexterity roll to catch up with the spy. If physical force is used to apprehend Castro, the Spaniard must pass a Power roll or el monstruo comes out to play. If Castro suffers a Major Wound, the emergence el monstruo is automatic. A frenzied Castro lashes out with his wooden scepter, El cetro, and fights until killed or incapacitated.

Zero Successes
If Castro fails both opposed rolls, he’s caught red-handed and cannot make his escape. In this scenario, Castro may be grappled or detained without awakening el monstruo. Although there’s still an attendant loss of Sanity when pulling off Castro’s hood, he’s not violent, and spends most of his time fawning over the Professor—“¡Maestro! Usted ha regresado… ¡Maestro, hazme completo de nuevo, por favor!” (Master, you have returned! Master, make me whole again, please!”)

Lowell and Castro
No matter the outcome, Lowell recognizes the ruined face as belonging to his former assistant, Rafael Castro. He recalls befriending the Spaniard in Callao and relying on his artistic skills to sketch plants and animals. But something…happened after the shipwreck, didn’t it? The Professor recalls hiking to the caldera with Castro, but everything after that is hazy. Didn’t the man help him in some way? On the other hand, if Lowell lost 3 Sanity points as described under “Two Successes,” he recalls betraying his assistant and carrying out the surgeries himself. But why? Why did he do that? (Sarah whispers: to be closer to me, love…you’re almost home…) How Professor Lowell handles this unexpected reunion is entirely up to the player. He may share whatever knowledge he recalls about his former assistant, or he may conceal it. He may own up to his suspicions about being the author of Castro’s misfortunes, or he may misdirect his shipmates with falsehoods. This involves some delicate roleplaying, but by this point in the campaign, the characters should be skilled at handling complex situations!

D) Interrogating Castro
Castro’s fate likely depends on whether el monstruo was unleashed. This transforms him from pathetic wretch to violent maniac, which forces the expedition members to defend themselves. But whether killed or not, there’s the terrible question of Castro’s appearance—what happened to him, and why? A dead Castro offers no answers, but a living Castro suggests an origin story connected to the Professor. While he’s incapable of stringing together a coherent narrative, he recognizes Lowell as “el maestro.” Any questions about his mutilations are met with hysterical laughter, the same phrase repeated each time—“¡La belleza y el terror de la esposa del maestro!” or “The beauty and terror of the master’s wife!” If asked in Spanish whether or not Lowell is responsible for his appearance, Castro shakes his head, “¡El maestro es amable!” (“The master is kind!”) Any pressing questions about “la esposa del maestro” provoke panic, raising Castro’s “psychic pressure” and forcing him to open his trepanning port. Castro is eager to go up the mountain, but enquiries about what the caldera contains are answered with incoherent outbursts, the only intelligible phrases being “la iglesia mala” and “Padre Próspero”—“The bad church” and “Father Prospero.” If asked about Tarnmoor’s Lagoon, he admits to having stalked the hermit—“Sí, está loco, pero me gustan sus pimientos.” (“Yes, he’s crazy, but I like his peppers.”)

…and meaner creatures kings
If the player characters found the wooden crown near Tarnmoor’s Lagoon, they recognize Castro’s club—El cetro—as part of the same costume. Restoring the crown to Castro earns his immediate good will. Not only does this increase his “Relieve Psychic Pressure” skill to 80%, the character who returned the priceless relic becomes Castro’s best friend, second only to el maestro himself. Castro will fawn over him, forage for food, and defend him against insults and physical attacks. He may even sketch his portrait!

E) Castro as Traveling Companion
Pynchon is inclined to keep Castro with the party—he’s clearly connected to Lowell’s mysterious past, and may double as a useful guide. Additionally, Pynchon suspects that Lowell is responsible for the man’s condition, and depending on Lowell’s reactions, may retain Castro as a witness to the doctor’s possible mendacity. However, Castro’s utility is balanced by the horror of his appearance, and Pynchon’s decision to keep “the freak” may displease other members of the expedition. Again, some delicate roleplaying is called for, and the Keeper should remain sensitive to how the other player characters might treat Lowell if they discover the full extent of his atrocities. If assigned to the party, Castro remains by Lowell’s side, eager to resume his old role. He insists on carrying the Professor’s gear, tries to engage Lowell in deranged, half-Spanish conversations, and pauses to sketch interesting animals and landmarks. If asked about “la esposa del maestro,” Prospero, or his deformities, he lapses into agitated babble. And of course, too much prodding invites el monstruo!

White Leviathan, Chapter 4—Galápagos Islands
[Back to Encounter 10, Lowell Expedition Day 1 | White Leviathan TOC | Forward to Encounter 12, Lowell Expedition Day 3]

Author: A. Buell Ruch
Last Modified: 26 August 2023
Email: quail (at) shipwrecklibrary (dot) com
White Leviathan PDF: [TBD]