Here’s a write-up of our session playing a conversion of the Peru Prologue to Masks of Nyarlathotep.

This served as the first real test-run of the game, and it went really well. The overall gameplay was essentially that of a typical tabletop RPG, but as you can see there are a lot of additional components. The most obvious of these is the array of cards containing clues, which was really effective in helping the players keep track of what they learned during the course of the scenario.

This was originally posted on Yog-Sothoth:  Experiences in Peru – MoN 2018

Needless to say, spoilers lie ahead.

Clues and other cards out during our first playthrough of MoN Peru.

Quick background: I’m not as experienced a keeper/GM as many others, especially when it comes to CoC.  Used to run games when I was in my teens and 20s, but I’ve only run one game in the last decade or so.  That was the first half of Haunting (using ToC rules) for my family as well.  I’m more experienced from a game design standpoint, and right now I’m working on tailoring my RPG/tabletop system for a mythos game – actually used Peru as a first test of that system.  My players are even less experienced – actually my two kids and my mother – we play lots of board games, but the Haunting was the first time they played an RPG and we didn’t quite finish it.

Anyway, on with Peru…

I didn’t tell the players much to start – they were going to Peru in 1921 and there was a lost pyramid.  Told them it was a mystery game and their goal was to gather clues, figure out what was going on and what to do about it.  Showed them the newspaper clipping about the expedition and handed them a stack of character sheets for the pre-gens with the background stories on the back.  My daughter picked Jennifer Smallwood, my son chose Arthur Dibden, and my mother surprisingly chose Archibald Washington.  I gave them the telegram from Larkin, gave them a 5-minute rundown of the system, and they were off to Lima – a dilettante, a doctor, and a boxer turned engineer.

The investigators met up with Larkin, Mendoza, and Elias (as Hughes) at Bar Cordano, and by the end of the conversation with Larkin they were already very suspicious.  They weren’t sure about Hughes either when he asked them to join him for a drink, but once he indicated he didn’t trust Larkin and revealed his true identity they were at least willing to listen to him.  Hearing about the legend of the kharisiri and Elias’ theories about a cult only reinforced their suspicions and paranoia.  They made plans to meet Elias in the morning and head to the museum, but first they asked Elias if he could point them to where they might be able to purchase some weapons before heading out on the expedition.  He gave them some names and directions before parting for the evening.  The investigators still didn’t trust Elias, so they made plans to get up early, get some weapons, and then meet him.  Jennifer also suggested she telegram some of her family contacts to see what she could find out about Larkin, but she didn’t want to go alone so they all went to the telegraph office before returning to their hotel.  They still didn’t feel too safe, so Washington slept on a chair in the hall to keep watch overnight.

After an uneventful night, the group headed out to buy some guns.  They wanted pistols, knives, and rifles – plus Jennifer wanted a Derringer she could hide in her boot.  With Elias’ suggestions and Jennifer’s money, they had no problem finding what they wanted – but there was some debate on how to proceed.  The investigators clearly didn’t trust anyone at this point, and they didn’t want anyone knowing what weapons they had.  They talked about trying to hide the guns along the route or maybe bribe the truck drivers.  In the end, they decided to take the pistols and knives with them and have the rifles delivered to the trucks in front of Hotel España on Monday morning.  They wanted the delivery to take place in front of everyone, that way no one would suspect they also had the pistols.

Examples of two cards from our Peru session.

Day 2

After securing their weapons and making delivery arrangements, the investigators met up with Elias and headed for the museum.  Elias introduced them to Sánchez, who explained what he knew about the pyramid and that his grad assistant was working on the details.  Washington was surprised that Sánchez didn’t know anything about the cult that Elias was investigating.  The investigators got tired of waiting for Rizo and decided to head downstairs to talk to her, but not before debating about whether or not they wanted Elias to accompany them.  The discussion almost escalated to an argument – in hushed whispers since they were still in Sánchez’s office – but they finally agreed to have Elias stay with Sánchez while they went to the storeroom.

The investigators headed downstairs into the dim basement corridor and easily located the storeroom.  Already on edge in the low lighting, the discovery of Rizo’s nearly mummified body weakened the resolve of the group – especially Dibden – but all managed to keep it together.  Dibden examined the body and was able to conclude a caustic substance dissolved some of the tissue and fat appeared to have been sucked through the gaping wound in the chest.  He also noticed a notebook tucked in her pocket.  Washington noticed the glint of the Golden Ward in the debris around the body – and then saw the bloody footprints leading to another door in back of the storeroom.  Jennifer wanted to leave, and Washington and Dibden argued about whether or not they should follow the footprints.  Hearing an echo of screams from somewhere upstairs brought the situation to a head.  Dibden and Washington grabbed the notebook and the Golden Ward before heading back up the way they came.  Jennifer had no interest in going towards the source of the screaming, but after an exclamation of, “I’m not staying down here alone!” she promptly followed them upstairs.

As they reached the ground floor, the group heard screams and commotion coming from outside – as well as sounds of scuffling from inside Sánchez’s office.  The investigators quickly split up, with Dibden heading outside to see if he could provide medical assistance and Washington and Jennifer entering the office.

Dibden quickly located the source of the screaming as a crowd standing around Elias, who appeared to be crouched over someone else lying in the street.  Rushing up to the scene, Dibden found Elias trying to stop the blood coming from a wound in an elderly woman’s stomach.  Wasting no time to render what aid he could, Dibden asked Elias what happened while he started working to save the woman.  “Not sure.  I heard screams and came outside.  Found her like this.  They’re saying something about a man with a sword,” indicating the gathering crowd.

Washington and Jennifer entered Sánchez’s office to find someone standing with his back to them next to the desk, and they could just make out the professor’s struggling body on the other side.  Washington rushed forward to restrain the attacker and was shocked with how easily he was flung backward.  His shock was compounded when the attacker turned – Mendoza in full kharisiri form.  Jennifer quickly drew her Derringer and fired, striking Mendoza in the chest.  Mendoza just snarled (courtesy of Syrinscape), which immediately triggered a, “Oh hellll no!”  Washington, lying on his back, also drew and fired a volley of shots from his pistol, which felled Mendoza.

Hearing the shots, Dibden and Elias instructed the onlookers to get help for the now-stabilized woman and began running back to the museum.  Elias asked what was going on, to which Dibden replied, “We found Rizo dead downstairs and heard noises coming from the office.”  Elias drew his pistol and sped up, with Dibden barely keeping pace.

Dibden and Elias enter the officer to find Washington checking on Sánchez and Jennifer keeping her distance from Mendoza’s body.  “We should probably see if he’s alive or dead… but I’m not going to check to see if he’s dead!”  With Sánchez writhing on the floor in obvious pain and moaning about being kissed, Dibden immediately checks him over.  Upon discovering something moving in his abdomen, the team comes up with a plan of action.  Jennifer pins her boot on Mendoza’s neck and cover him with her Derringer, while Washington covers both Sánchez and Mendoza with his pistol.  Elias holds Sánchez down while Dibden performs an impromptu surgery to remove whatever is inside him.  They manage to remove a large larva-like creature and promptly kill it – and of course everyone’s grossed out.

Example clues from our Peru session.

With Sánchez stabilized, Dibden turns his attention to Mendoza.  He confirms Mendoza appears to be dead and inspects the odd structure of the mouth.  Verifying this is the likely cause of Rizo’s injuries, the doc also determines that Mendoza was at least once human.  The investigators start discussing what to do next, when Elias points out that Sánchez needs medical care and two dead bodies – one riddled with bullets – will require some explanation to the authorities.  Elias goes outside to grab any medical personnel that may be assisting the woman on the street.  He brings two men back, whispers to them for a couple of minutes and pays them, and then informs the investigators that these men will see Sánchez safely to the hospital.  He suggests the investigators head back to the hotel – he will talk to the police when they arrive and ensure Rizo’s body is properly cared for while questions regarding Mendoza are kept to a minimum.  He asks one of the investigators to leave their pistol behind so he can provide it as evidence.  Everyone agrees and the group heads out.

Washington, Dibden, and Jennifer return to their hotel and review Rizo’s notes.  The group quickly concludes that the gold from the pyramid must be cursed and that they should return it in order to bring the curse to an end.  Elias arrives and tells everyone that he has handled the police, but that Mendoza’s body disappeared while they were downstairs with Rizo.  The group is unnerved by the news, but not surprised.  Elias also checked on Sánchez and verified he will recover.  After some debate about whether or not they should trust Elias, Washington shows him the notes and the gold.  Elias points out there is something on the Golden Ward, which Dibden identifies as skin – suspecting that the gold somehow harmed Mendoza.  The group reviews their options to see what else they might learn before the expedition departs on Monday morning and decides to check out Larkin and Mendoza’s hotel.

Rather than accompany the others directly to the hotel, Jennifer and Washington first stop to sends some additional telegrams to Jennifer’s family contacts to see what they can confirm about Elias.

Elias and Dibden head to Hotel España and gain access to Mendoza and Larkin’s rooms after confirming that neither is there.  They find Mendoza’s room largely unused, but discover and take the Golden Mirror.  They find heroin in Larkin’s room, confirming Dibden’s suspicions about his condition.  They rendezvous with the others in the lobby and are still there when Larkin returns to the hotel.  They follow him to his room to find him high and only marginally coherent.  Following a brief discussion with Larkin, Elias finally confronts him with the truth about Mendoza.  Eventually Nyarlathotep briefly assumes control of Larkin to make a few vague threats, followed by Larkin collapsing long enough for Dibden to examine him – discovering the strange tattoo on his chest, the failing state of his physical body, and the fact that he does not appear to be a kharisiri or host to a larva.

Larkin’s Tattoo

Leaving Larkin in his room and returning to Hotel Maury, the group decides to spend Sunday trying to find out what they can about Larkin’s tattoo and anything else they can learn. They also decide that they will meet Monday morning to continue with the expedition as planned, but if they don’t like what they see they still want to go to the pyramid. Elias says that with what they know now, he believes he knows someone in Puno who could direct them to the pyramid’s location. The group asks Elias to make alternative travel arrangements to get to Puno, and Elias agrees on the condition that the investigators can cover the costs of the trip. Jennifer assures him that won’t be a problem.

Day 3

Sunday morning, Washington and Jennifer head to the telegraph office where they receive some telegrams from Jennifer’s contacts. Most cannot offer much on such short notice, but they are able to confirm Elias’ story and reputation. They also confirm Larkin comes from money but is something of a black sheep – and that he has travelled a great deal in the last couple of years.

Meanwhile, Dibden and Elias hit a couple of libraries trying to learn about the tattoo. Finally, Elias points out that without some point of reference, finding information in a library or museum related to a description of an unknown tattoo will be difficult. He offers to contact some of his associates knowledgeable in the occult, but doubts any information will be forthcoming before they have to leave for the pyramid. The team also learns that Larkin left his hotel first thing Sunday morning and that neither he nor Mendoza have returned since. Elias arranges travel for the group.

Day 4

Monday morning, everyone meets in front of Hotel España, where the trucks and drivers are waiting for Larkin, who is evidently a no-show. The investigators take delivery of their rifles and ammunition, grow tired of waiting, and head into the hotel to find Larkin’s room cleared out. With that, they decide to take advantage of Elias’ arrangements. The group takes a steamer up the coast and then catches the train north to Puno, all on Jennifer’s dime. She seems unaffected by the high altitude, with Dibden and Washington’s military and boxing backgrounds serving them well as they easily make the adjustment to the elevation.

Once in Puno, Elias asks around until he learns that his friend, Nayra, is hiding from suspected kharisiri on one of the islands on Lake Titicaca. The groups heads to the docks, where they notice a couple of people watching them, then take a small boat to the island. Nayra greets Elias and tells them about the legend of the pyramid – the Tiwanaku built it to contain a ravenous god that fell from the sky using “spells worked in gold”. Two kharisiri arrive on a boat and attack, but are quickly felled by the group with rifles. As it dies, one of the kharisiri threatens the team in Spanish that Elias translates as, “You too will serve the Father of Maggots.”  Hearing this in contexts with other stories she has heard, Nayra concludes that this may be another name for the god dwelling inside the pyramid. She expresses concern that the recent stories of the kharisiri have including attackers of native descent as well as white men. She thanks the group for their help and assists with getting them supplies before seeing them off with directions to the pyramid.

The investigators are anxious to reach the pyramid before Mendoza or Larkin and remain convinced that they must return the gold – including the Golden Ward, the Golden Mirror, and the pendant and cup last seen in the possession of Larkin – in order to break the curse of the kharisiri. Washington keeps watch the first night in camp on the way into the highlands. Hearing strange noises, he rouses everyone else and the group finds one of their pack animals dead, its wounds matching those found on Rizo’s body.

Day 5 & 6

The following day, the investigators continue their trek into the highlands. When they hear gunshots ring out, they dive for cover behind the rise of a hill. They have stumbled upon two farmers – a man and his son – who were recently attacked by kharisiri. After convincing the father they are not kharisiri themselves and mean him no harm (depending on Elias to translate), Dibden treats the son’s wounds before the group sets off after the attackers. They finally catch up with two kharisiri the following day and follow them to the ruins and the pyramid.

The group surveys the ruins from a nearby overlook and watches as the two kharisiri each ascend the pyramid and vomit into a large crack on its flat peak. When the kharisiri disappear on the far side of the pyramid, the team descends and locates a section of wall buried enough to allow them easy access to the ruins. The entire site smells retched and is buzzing with flies. The group first ascends the pyramid, where they discover vile remnants of fat around a crack in the roof, and an odd bubbling sound from deep within. The team decides they want to try and fill the crack in, so they begin searching the ruins for loose stone or anything else they can use. As they explore, Washington falls into an exposed chimney. He is a little banged up but otherwise okay, and discovers and angled shaft that leads deeper underground. Consulting Rizo’s notes, the group reluctantly decides they need to go into the tunnels and this shaft will probably get them there. After briefly considering lowering a lama into the hole to use as some sort of bait/sacrifice/canary, the investigators and Elias all climb down into the tunnels.

Finding themselves in dark, squat tunnels, the investigators quickly reappropriate part of Jennifer’s wardrobe – specifically her scarves – to cover their faces so they can tolerate the nauseating stench that only strengthens as they continue on. The shaft dropped them into the tunnels at a T, so the investigators have three possible directions to travel. After orienting themselves with the ruins above, the group decides to head south. Slowly following a band of worked gold set into the walls on one side of the tunnels, the twisting tunnels eventually lead to a large pool of rancid fat that extends across the entire tunnel. A ragged but narrow crack lies in the wall, evidently the source of the fat, and the group watches in disgust as a larva like the one they removed from Sánchez wriggles through the crack and drops into the pool.

With the band of gold broken around the crack, the investigators quickly conclude they need to fit the Golden Ward into the gap, but the bubbling and constantly shifting pool is so large that there is no way to easily reach the break. After some discussion, Washington manages to use his engineering know-how and some of their supplies to rig a small floating raft. Dibden volunteers to precariously use the raft to secure the Golden Ward in place. As he does so, a low rumble shakes the ruins, and the fat in the pool begins to dissolve. The group hears sounds coming from the tunnel back from the direction they came.

The investigators continue to follow the golden band around the base of the pyramid, looking for any other gaps where they might place the Golden Mirror. They come across a decayed skeletal corpse and the remains of another larva, but find no other breaks in the gold around the pyramid. Finding themselves back at the chimney where they entered the tunnels, the group continues to explore the remaining passageway, which they discover also branches in two directions.

Again heading south, the investigators eventually discover an opening surrounded by very old human remains. Passing through, they find themselves in a large open pit in the ruins amidst piles of corpses in varying states of decay. Quickly deciding they would rather be elsewhere, the group returns to exploring the tunnels. Following the only remaining path, the group reaches a final chamber containing the remains of the two kharisiri they saw earlier, along with thousands of dollars’ worth of valuables and artifacts dating back centuries. Hearing noises from the chimney, the group fears they may have company. They decide to climb up and face whoever (or whatever) has arrived for them, only to discover several kharisiri stumbling towards the pyramid. One by one, the kharisiri collapse and die. The investigators are unsure what to do with the Golden Mirror, but are hopeful that they have succeeded in ending the kharisiri threat.

Finally, the group discusses what to do with the valuables discovered in the tunnels. Washington refuses to remove anything, asserting that it does not belong to him – and possibly fearing another curse. After Elias states his intentions to bring Sanchez in to inspect the artifacts and work with Nayra to try and locate the owners of any of the more recent valuables, he points out that they would be fools to not take a little something for themselves after all they’ve been through. Dibden and Jennifer agree and decide to take a small sum for themselves.

With that matter settled, the group discusses the need to seal up the tunnels to protect anyone else who might stumble across site. Elias agrees that after Sanchez has had the chance to remove any artifacts from the chamber in the tunnels, they will enlist a few trusted souls to seal up whatever the can. Satisfied and eager to be rid of the place, the four set off to return to Puno.

Fade to black…