The Fathomless Sleep Play Report Session #1
Due to a last-minute cancellation of our group session, I enticed one of the regular Traveller, Call of Cthulhu crew to try out Cthulhu Confidential (The Fathomless Sleep) by Robin D. Laws, Ruth Tillman, and Chris Spivey. It's another Gumshoe game, but it's a variant termed gumshoe one-2-one, an intense, high octane version of gumshoe for one GM and one Player.
The story opens in the office of Dexter "Dex" Raymond, PI. As we pan around the small, dingy space, we see an enormous stuffed bear, way too large for this office, it dominates the room. This curio is the one thing left by his father to Dex, Dex's father was an All-American sportsman but unfortunately met his end in a freak hunting accident. This has troubled Dex throughout his life and he's sought solace in various vices - women, liquor, the roulette tables even the odd opium pipe - but nothing he hasn't been able to put to bed and get on with the job when required.
Into the office edges Margaret Deakin, the door doesn't open fully due to the bear, but she manages to slip through the gap, Dex nods and shrugs in the direction of the oversized carnivore.
Margaret lays it out for Dex, her Sister, Helen, was found wandering the streets of downtown LA in a camisole, superficial bruises and scratches covered her, but since found she has barely said a word, almost catatonic. She's led a somewhat wild life, but how she got into that state remains a mystery.
Margaret needs Dex to find out what happened to her sister and make, whoever, pay. She leans in close, "will you take it to the bitter end?" Dex steels himself, he needs the money and can't avoid any complications with a prospective employer, "Yes Ma'am" he replies neutrally. Margaret mentions her sister's affiliation with "Argent Light" before emploring Dex to do whatever you can to help, she leaves.
Dex makes a few calls, he rings up Detective Gargan to find out more about the case, though there is not much to go over, Gargan does mention a boyfriend of Helen's, Marshall Daly, a screenwriter for Capitol Pictures, he's most likely to be found out at Typewriter Alley in Hollywood, a bit of a hothead but nothing conclusive linked him to the incident.
Deciding he needs a bit more help on this case, Dex contacts Madame Eva, a fortune teller/grifter, who has some useful contacts in the world of the occult, she takes on the role of finding out more about Argent Light, this will take some time, but she knows already that Clara Nebel heads up the organization.
Dex heads over to brace Marshall, things get spiky but he calms down Marshall and they talk about his relationship with Helen, after shooting the breeze it seems Marshall is a commie and someone is tailing him. Dex wins his trust though and Marshall agrees to help him out in whatever way he can.
Dex decides to tail Marshall and as evening falls, he follows him to a meeting of screenwriters in the Hollywood hills, he notes the address, but also sees that Marshall was right, someone is tailing him. Or are they? As Dex heads off it seems the tail is following him, after some cat and mouse, Dex turns the tables and boxes in the tailing car, pulling out an overweight, nervous German by the name of Franz Speelmans.
Franz is an amateur reporter, he says he's trying to uncover Commies in Hollywood and pass on the information to the LAPD's Red Squad, hence trailing Marshall but something doesn't fit right with Speelman's story, Dex doesn't know what but he thinks he's holding something back.
Franz thought Dex might be another commie so switched tails but up close he now sees Dex "...checks out as 100 percent all-American.".
One useful piece of information does come forth, Franz knows about Marshall, Helen and a crooked account and "real mean guy" called Phil Block, they regularly met up at a rug joint called The Alegria.
Dex has a certain amount of street smarts and knows that The Alegria is run by a small-time hoodlum, Whitey Alexander. Dex has had previous run-ins with Whitey and whilst not friends, they are on friendly terms.
On entering The Alegria, he bumps into Margaret and Helen's father Roscoe, he looks nervous and embarrassed, but Dex needs to get info out of Whitey and makes his excuses.
A few moments later Burl returns, they head to Whitey's office, passing an intense-looking dweeb with armfuls of paper. On entering Whitey's they shoot the breeze and then come to business, it turns out Whitey was smitten with Helen, truly in love, but had run-ins with the sister, Margaret, "a real witch". He also heard about the crazy cultists that Helen was mixed up with, Argent Light. Whitey quickly tires of the conversation, he looks preoccupied and jumpy. Just time for a last question from Dex about Phil Block, Whitey suggests he look for him in the back, Burl will show him.
Turns out Phil has left for the day, Burl and Dex head out the car park and at that moment a car explodes in a ball of fire, sending it cartwheeling into the sky to land yards from Dex, Dex throws himself over a nearby wall as debris rains down...
...Here Be Spoilers...
Los Angeles, 1937
A Dame Comes Into Your Office [Opener]
The story opens in the office of Dexter "Dex" Raymond, PI. As we pan around the small, dingy space, we see an enormous stuffed bear, way too large for this office, it dominates the room. This curio is the one thing left by his father to Dex, Dex's father was an All-American sportsman but unfortunately met his end in a freak hunting accident. This has troubled Dex throughout his life and he's sought solace in various vices - women, liquor, the roulette tables even the odd opium pipe - but nothing he hasn't been able to put to bed and get on with the job when required.
Into the office edges Margaret Deakin, the door doesn't open fully due to the bear, but she manages to slip through the gap, Dex nods and shrugs in the direction of the oversized carnivore.
 |
| Margaret Deakin |
Margaret lays it out for Dex, her Sister, Helen, was found wandering the streets of downtown LA in a camisole, superficial bruises and scratches covered her, but since found she has barely said a word, almost catatonic. She's led a somewhat wild life, but how she got into that state remains a mystery.
Margaret needs Dex to find out what happened to her sister and make, whoever, pay. She leans in close, "will you take it to the bitter end?" Dex steels himself, he needs the money and can't avoid any complications with a prospective employer, "Yes Ma'am" he replies neutrally. Margaret mentions her sister's affiliation with "Argent Light" before emploring Dex to do whatever you can to help, she leaves.
 |
| Helen Deakin |
Dex makes a few calls, he rings up Detective Gargan to find out more about the case, though there is not much to go over, Gargan does mention a boyfriend of Helen's, Marshall Daly, a screenwriter for Capitol Pictures, he's most likely to be found out at Typewriter Alley in Hollywood, a bit of a hothead but nothing conclusive linked him to the incident.
 |
| Dex Raymond |
Deciding he needs a bit more help on this case, Dex contacts Madame Eva, a fortune teller/grifter, who has some useful contacts in the world of the occult, she takes on the role of finding out more about Argent Light, this will take some time, but she knows already that Clara Nebel heads up the organization.
Typewriter Alley [Core Scene]
Dex heads over to brace Marshall, things get spiky but he calms down Marshall and they talk about his relationship with Helen, after shooting the breeze it seems Marshall is a commie and someone is tailing him. Dex wins his trust though and Marshall agrees to help him out in whatever way he can.
 |
| Marshall Daly |
Dex decides to tail Marshall and as evening falls, he follows him to a meeting of screenwriters in the Hollywood hills, he notes the address, but also sees that Marshall was right, someone is tailing him. Or are they? As Dex heads off it seems the tail is following him, after some cat and mouse, Dex turns the tables and boxes in the tailing car, pulling out an overweight, nervous German by the name of Franz Speelmans.
Franz's Spiel [Alternative Scene]
Franz is an amateur reporter, he says he's trying to uncover Commies in Hollywood and pass on the information to the LAPD's Red Squad, hence trailing Marshall but something doesn't fit right with Speelman's story, Dex doesn't know what but he thinks he's holding something back.
Franz thought Dex might be another commie so switched tails but up close he now sees Dex "...checks out as 100 percent all-American.".
 |
| Franz Speelmans |
One useful piece of information does come forth, Franz knows about Marshall, Helen and a crooked account and "real mean guy" called Phil Block, they regularly met up at a rug joint called The Alegria.
After Franz is let go, Dex successfully tails him to an out of town guest house, he notes down the address.
The Alegria [Core Scene]
Dex has a certain amount of street smarts and knows that The Alegria is run by a small-time hoodlum, Whitey Alexander. Dex has had previous run-ins with Whitey and whilst not friends, they are on friendly terms.
After getting back from Franz's guest house in the early hours, Dex hits the sack and then is up late in the afternoon to head over to shake down Whitey with this accountant business.
Bumping into Roscoe [Alternative Scene]
On entering The Alegria, he bumps into Margaret and Helen's father Roscoe, he looks nervous and embarrassed, but Dex needs to get info out of Whitey and makes his excuses.
As he heads through the club he spots Chico Marx, Bing Crosby, and finally, a less well-known denizen of Hollywood - Burl Treehorn - one of Whitey's right-hand men. Burl agrees to ask if Whitey has time for him, Dex eyes the roulette tables as he waits, but decides it is best to stick to the task at hand.
 |
| The Alegria |
A few moments later Burl returns, they head to Whitey's office, passing an intense-looking dweeb with armfuls of paper. On entering Whitey's they shoot the breeze and then come to business, it turns out Whitey was smitten with Helen, truly in love, but had run-ins with the sister, Margaret, "a real witch". He also heard about the crazy cultists that Helen was mixed up with, Argent Light. Whitey quickly tires of the conversation, he looks preoccupied and jumpy. Just time for a last question from Dex about Phil Block, Whitey suggests he look for him in the back, Burl will show him.
 |
| Whitey Alexander |
Turns out Phil has left for the day, Burl and Dex head out the car park and at that moment a car explodes in a ball of fire, sending it cartwheeling into the sky to land yards from Dex, Dex throws himself over a nearby wall as debris rains down...
 |
| ...fiery debris came flying at him... |
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