The Adventures of Dr. Allen Stark

....and the Key of Aegis

Hey folks today I was little bored, and I decided to crack out the dice, using the Masterbook EZ System (its free!) and do an action pulp Indiana Jones Style adventure today. I’ll give you the character sheet, and then you can see the Journals I wrote up, with rolls for you.

Journal of Dr. Allen Stark

March 2, 1938 – Afternoon
A letter arrived today, postmarked two weeks ago from Istanbul. It was from Dr. Everett Langston, my old mentor and one of the few men I trust in this field. But something was off. The letter was hurried—his handwriting uneven, as if written in a rush or under duress. He mentioned 'the Key of Aegis', 'hidden maps in the Sultan’s archives', and worst of all, 'shadows watching my every move.'

I haven't heard from him since.

The envelope bore the stamp of the Grand Pera Post Office, a major hub in the European district of the city. But the return address? Not Cairo, where Langston had been stationed studying Ptolemaic artifacts. No, he listed a hotel instead—The Pera Palas, Beyoğlu.

That raised an immediate alarm. The Pera Palas is no ordinary hotel. It has long been a meeting place for spies, diplomats, and travelers with secrets. If Langston had sent this letter from there, he wasn’t just passing through. He was hiding.

And if he was hiding, that meant someone was after him.

I spent the afternoon gathering what I needed for the journey—my notebook, my pistol, and what little research I could pull together on Alexander the Great’s lost relics. If Langston was right, this Aegis Key was tied to something greater. Something worth chasing him down for.

I leave for Istanbul tomorrow.

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March 5, 1938 – Evening
The humid air of Istanbul clings to my skin as I step out of the taxi, the warm glow of lanterns casting flickering shadows along the streets. I arrived at the Pera Palas Hotel in search of Langston, my old mentor, but something is wrong. The concierge, a man named Mehmet, hesitated when I showed him Langston’s picture. He claimed guest privacy, but I could tell he recognized him.

I attempted to charm him into talking—

Dice Roll: 2d10 = 15
Dice Chart Result: 4
Attribute (No Skill): 8
Final Total: 12 (Success)

With a bit of charm, I managed to pry the truth from him. Langston was staying in Room 303—until he vanished three nights ago. His belongings were cleared out yesterday. The police inquired, but they didn’t seem too concerned. Then Mehmet slid a brass key, numbered 112, across the counter. He didn’t say much, but his nervous glance told me everything I needed to know.

A vault key.

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March 5, 1938 – Night
I went to Langston’s room and it was unlocked. Either someone left it that way on purpose, or someone else has already been here. I searched for signs of foul play, but the only clues I found were a jacket in the wardrobe, a desk with partially opened drawers, and something that glinted beneath the bed. But what really caught my eye was the window—unlatched.

I checked the window first for signs of forced entry or escape—

Q: Signs of forced entry (50/50): No

The ledge outside is just wide enough for someone nimble to use as a walkway. Scuff marks on the stone suggest someone climbed up or down recently. Above, Room 403’s window is also ajar. If Langston wasn’t alone in this, he may have had company—or an intruder.

Next, I checked the jacket for anything useful—

Dice Roll: 2d10 = 9
Dice Chart Result: 0
Attribute (No Skill): 8
Final Total: 8 (Fail)

Nothing. Just dust and the faint scent of pipe tobacco. Frustrating. But then, when I searched again more carefully—

Dice Roll: 2d10 = 11
Dice Chart Result: 1
Attribute (No Skill): 10
Final Total: 11 (Success)

I found a note from Langston tucked in the inner lining:

“They know. I hear them outside the door at night. If I disappear, find the vault. The key is only half the puzzle. Trust no one. The Eye watches.”

The Eye. Whoever they are, they were hunting Langston. I needed more answers.

I reached under the bed and retrieved the object—a brass hotel key labeled 403.

If Langston had access to that room, then maybe there was more to find upstairs.

---

March 5, 1938 – Late Night
Room 403 was locked, but with the key in hand, I let myself in. Unlike Langston’s room, this one looked untouched, almost abandoned. But someone had been here. The bed was unmade, the window unlatched, and on the desk sat a leather case. Inside, I found ancient documents written in Greek and Ottoman Turkish. One phrase stood out:

“The Aegis Key.”

Langston was after something valuable. And he wasn’t the only one. Tucked into the case was a small, ominous note:

“The vault is compromised. The Eye has it now. Find H.”

Then, under the pillow, I found a playing card—the King of Diamonds—marked with a drawn eye over the king’s face. A warning? A calling card? Either way, Langston wasn’t safe here, and neither was I.

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March 6, 1938 – Early Morning - 1 am
The vault at the Pera Palas was my next stop. The Master Key was in the manager’s office, locked behind a door.

Q: Was anyone in the hotel lobby? (unlikely) - Result: No

I tried to pick the lock—

Dice Roll: 2d10 = 9
Dice Chart Result: 0
Attribute (No Skill): 8
Final Total: 8 (Fail)

The lock held firm. Frustrating, but I wasn’t giving up. I spent a Life Point and tried again.

Re-roll: 2d10 = 14
Dice Chart Result: 3
Attribute (No Skill): 8
Final Total: 11 (Success)

Success. I slipped inside, grabbed the Vault Master Key, and made it out just as someone entered behind me, but I wasn’t sticking around to see who, I needed to get to the vault room.

Q: Is the Vault Room Door Locked? (Very Likely) Extreme No! -- Not only was it not locked, it was slightly ajar. What luck?

I quietly slipped into the room, with both keys in hand, I opened Box 112 inside the hotel vault. Inside, I found:

• A rolled parchment covered in Greek script and symbols.

• A small golden medallion with an engraved eye at its center.

• A letter from Langston.

His letter confirmed my worst fears:

“Allen—If you are reading this, then I have failed. The Aegis Key is real. The medallion in this box is only part of it. The rest is hidden beneath the Sultan’s Archives in Topkapi Palace. The Eye is watching me—watching all of us. They took the vault before I could retrieve this. Now they hunt for the rest. Find the remaining half. Do not trust anyone. The fate of this relic cannot fall into their hands.”

I carefully unrolled the parchment and studied it under the dim vault light.

Linguistics Check
Dice Roll: 2d10 = 10
Dice Chart Result: 0
Attribute (Linguistics): 10(8)
Final Total: 18 (Success)

The parchment confirmed Langston’s claim. The Aegis Key was divided into two parts—one piece was hidden beneath Topkapi Palace, while the other was entrusted to "The Order of the Eye." When combined, the key would reveal the location of a war chest tied to Alexander the Great.

I don’t know what’s in that war chest, but I do know one thing—someone doesn’t want me to find it.

For now, I need a safe place to work. I’m heading to an old friend’s bookshop, away from prying eyes. If I’m going to figure out the truth behind this medallion and The Eye, I’ll need all the knowledge I can find.

End.

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