1. read sign by hole.
2. read poster on shelves.
3. talk to the prof.
Check his television. after... speaking to him, of course. You should also probably ask about that before you do it.
The sign simply says "Do not feed. It lies."
The pit itself is too dark to see the bottom of. You can't hear anything moving down there but there's... this smell. Like wet dirt and copper.
It's a clipboard. Some kind of medical thing. You can't really make heads or tails of it. There's pie charts, bar graphs, an- ew. Dissection drawings. Whatever the Professor was working on, it looked vaguely bipedal. And it'd certainly be feeling a lot worse about itself after all this was done to it. There's pages and pages of notes here - ramblings about shock therapy, blood transfusions, organs aligning to the black star, Neruxithas. A lot of it goes over your head.
"Have fun rooting around down there while those of us who had better things to do waited around?" snaps the Professor. You'd say you've angered him, but you're pretty sure existing in the first place is cause enough for the Professor to take issue with you.
"Well, you're here now. Welcome to the end of you life, Johnny. I won't like to you. I won't mollycoddle you like other Professors do. It's my job to make sure that you last more than two minutes out there, and I won't do it by lying to you.
The world is dangerous. It is more than dangerous - it is malicious. It will not sit by and idly watch and you achieve and live. It will actively attempt to harm, maim, kill, disappoint, and frighten you. It does not care about your dreams. It has an agenda, and that agenda doesn't involve you in any positive way. It will use you, drain you, and spit your body out to rot in the wilderness somewhere. Most people out there die afraid and miserable.
As a Pokethulhu Cultist, you've chosen a path that many hope will offer escape. To prove yourself by taming the elements that threaten our existence. Some will look to you with hope. Others will look to you with fear. You will be loved and hated. This is your path. This is who you are now. To prove yourself the mightiest, you must face a series of physical, mental, and spiritual challenges posed to you by the local
POKETHULHU TEMPLES, each dedicated to a different aspect and nature of these creatures. They will not be easy.
There is a good chance you will die trying. Or, if not die, then something worse.
On this table here you see three pokeseals. They are innocuous round stones, each marked with seemingly simple sigils. Within each are bound
POKETHULHUS. This creatures will be your tools with which you shall shape the land. Do not love them. Do not trust them. They have an animalistic mind - simple, savage, but full of hate. Do not let your guard down when using them. While you are their master, they will obey you, if begrudgingly. But as they grow in power, so will they grow strong enough to challenge their binding seals.
One of these will be your weapon. Choose wisely."
He motions to the table beside him.
"The first seal contains
ZOTH-SAUR. This is a vile mass of vegetation and flesh. The tangled mess of vines that grow from it's back can be used to attack or manipulate opponents and objects."
"The second seal contains
CHARITHOOM. This creature sweats a flammable jelly that aids it in delivering powerful heat-based attacks."
"The third and last seal contains
CHTHONITOISE. It has many spiral shells that allow for a formidable defence."
EDIT: When you talk to him, ask how he's managed to stay alive so long despite researching such deadly creatures.
"By questioning everything. By trusting no-one. In all things, to try and see beyond what is there. I suspect the only reason that I have lived so long is that the Powers have some special hell reserved for me yet in this life. But I will not meet it silently."
Your mind races. Which Pokethulhu do you choose? Are you ready for this?
And so ends the active play portion for now. Have fun deciding which Pokethulhu to choose.