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THE OUTER ONES
BYJUSTIN FARQUHAR
Where an investigation into a sinister Vermont sect reveals connections that run deep into the dark history of the region
ABOUT THIS SCENARIOThe Outer Onestakes place in Vermont sometime between
1920 and 1926 and is closely-related to the two Lovecraft
stories The Haunter of the Dark and The Whisperer in
Darkness, both of which it predates. Reading these
stories before running the scenario is highly
recommended.
RUNNING THIS SCENARIOThis scenario is non-linear: there are many clues leading
to different locations and lines of enquiry, not all of whichare essential.
This scenario can be run as a stand-alone adventure or
can be treated as a sequel to The Haunting. There are
clues relating to this scenario which can be placed in the
records of the Chapel of Contemplation. If used in this
way it can be run immediately after that scenario or after
an interval of few months or even years.
KEEPER'S INFORMATION
THE STARRY WISDOM CHURCH AND THE MILLION
FAVORED ONESFrom time immemorial, the Mi-Go or Outer Oneshave
fulfilled their pact with Nyarlathotep, The Haunter of the
Dark, making sacrifices in return for knowledge. The
name for their cult can be translated as The Million
Favored Ones.
Since man has walked in the Americas, a few individuals
mostly eccentrics and outcasts have served the Outer
Ones in Vermont, helping them to spy on mankind whilekeeping their outposts secret, in return for their promises
of power and wisdom, fulfilled and otherwise. There are
two major outposts of the Outer Ones near the village of
West Townshend, one at Round Hill, a domed mountain to
the east of Townshend. And one at Dark Mountain to the
south.
In 1862, guided by insights gleaned from their
communications with Nyarlathotep in his form of the
Haunter of the Dark in the steeple of the Freewill Church
in providence, Professor Enoch Bowen, leader of the
Starry Wisdom sect, his daughter Aseneth Bowen and Dr
Raymond Flagg, travelled to Dark Mountain in a remote
region of Vermont. There on the mountain-top they
performed an arcane rite that brought forth the Outer
Ones from the warren of caves that hollow the domedhills and a secret pact was formed.
The following year, the charismatic Raymond Flagg
bought a second home in the village of West Townshend,
close to Dark Mountain and secretly began to spread the
doctrines of the Starry Wisdom sect. The young Abednego
Akeley, the son of a Congregational minister was one of
those he came to influence. When his father died,
Abednego took his place at the Church as expected. He
then travelled in southern New England, to Boston and
Providence, for several months. This was, in fact, the
completion of Abednegos training as a minister, not in
Protestantism but in the Starry Wisdom sect. On his
return, to great controversy, he began to preach the
Starry Wisdom doctrines and transferred his own church
the West River Valley Church from the Protestant
parent body to the Starry Wisdom sect.
The Church was condemned and attacked regularly, and
over half of the congregation deserted it, but a core of
devotees remained, and grew steadily, bolstered by a
trickle of new converts. The sect appeared to offer
communion with The Divine, directly or through a race of
mysterious beings referred to by Akeley and Flagg as The
Malakhim, a communion that granted knowledge of the
secrets of cosmos. A select few were even offered
transcendence of the physical body as a reward for their
devotion and Abednego Akeley and Raymond Flagg could
seemingly summon these disembodied spirits and make
them speak to the congregation from a special curtained
box.
After three years, the Starry Wisdom Church at West
River Valley closed down after a series of vigilante actionsculminated in the Akeleys death. The church was
restored to Congregational Protestantism. Most of the
congregation fled to join the Freewill Church in
Providence, but a few stayed, some of them passing the
secret doctrines onto their children.
A few years later, Rev, Baker, the new Protestant minister,
beat a woman to death with a Bible and injured several
other congregants before being restrained. He was
hanged at the State Prison and House of Correction in
Windsor, Vermont in 1908.
Baker was superseded by Rev. Aster, a minister who had
once been part of Akeleys congregation and secretly
ordained in the Starry Wisdom Church. The sect known as
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The Million Favored Ones based on Starry Wisdom
beliefs and alliance with the Outer Ones continued in
secret for two generations.
Another branch of the Starry Wisdom sect The Chapel of
Contemplation was based in the North End of Boston.
Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy industrialist, at 18,
was the last minister to be ordained there. The Chapel
was raided and closed down in 1912 and the Pastor,
Michael Thomas, was imprisoned. Five years later, with
the aid of sorcery and his allies, he escaped and fled the
state. Taking the pseudonym Malachi Sethom (an
anagram of Michael Thomas), he travelled to West
Townshend where he was a lay preacher, staying with
Rev. Aster until Aster and Noyes help him to purchase a
small house in Townshend. When Aster retired, Noyes
became the minister at West River Valley Church,
however increasingly he allowed Malachi Sethom to
preach and hold services at his church (even though
Sethom is not an ordained minister of the Congregational
Church). Meanwhile Noyes focused his evangelism on the
remaining congregation that meets at his house in Boston
and on the refurbishment of the old Bayfriars Church in
Arkham.
Rites of the Million Favored Ones
The cult holds rites with the Outer Ones on certain nights.
Rites dedicated to Shub-Niggurath are not open to
humans and tend to take place at the circles of standing
stones that crown the hilltops, with May Eve being the
most important date. Rites to Nyarlathotep are held at thesame sites on Samhain (Halloween) with a select few
attending rites deep in an abyss in Dark Mountain called
The Temple of the Black Gulf. Both Outer Ones and human
beings are offered in sacrifice at these ceremonies
human victims being stray children or vagrants and
prostitutes from around New England, particularly
Boston. Through its political connections, the sect has
some influence in the area, an influence that is steadily
growing. The cult has a network of spies and agents
some of whom have sorcerous powers of mind-control
that exerts its influence as far as Newfane.
The cult has a superficial appearance of being an ordinary
church which, like some other rural churches, has some
queer customs. The sect has a hierarchical structure a
public congregation and an inner circle who see
themselves as among The Million Favored Ones and who
are granted esoteric secrets from theirLord.
They are also in the process of perfecting techniques for
prolonging life beyond its natural end based on methods
developed by Orin B Eddy, Rev. Michael Thomas andothers in Boston and Providence. This is a sort of
mummification process which actually more resembles a
living death. Other initiates are occasionally rewarded for
their life of service with The Celestial Rapture or joining
the stars. This involves being taken away by the Outer
Ones to have their brains removed and placed in metal
canisters which keep the brain alive more-or-less
indefinitely and which can survive the journey through
space to the planet Yuggoth or the Outer Ones colony on
the moon. In fact, unknown to most cult members, the
Outer Ones are quite indifferent to humanity, and are
quite neglectful and the majority of these Chosen Ones
are either incinerated or after being placed in brain
canisters are abandoned in storage rooms in the colony.
But enough Celestial Voyagers return with stories of their
travels to inspire the faithful.
The Pastor appears to have miraculous powers. Among
other things, during Spiritualist-style ceremonies, he
summons the spirits of people who have supposedly
'ascended to the Heavens' and has them speak with
strange voices from within a curtained box. These voices
seem to have knowledge of personal things, seemingly
confirming their authenticity and they relate incredible
tales of being carried by Outer Ones to a fantastical city
hidden in the mountains. And from there, travelling
through the void to other worlds.
Action Against the Cult
Rev. Bill Walsh, a feisty Baptist minister, has come to
conclude that there is something sinister about the
practices of another church in the village of West
Townshend the West River Valley Church. He observes
their sermons and services and some of their suspicious
activities. He sees the sermons of a preacher known asMalachi Sethom as especially dangerous. He has heard
rumours of strange cries coming from the church in the
middle of the night and connects them to the
disappearances that have occurred in Massachusetts over
the past few years. After reporting some of these concerns
to the Baptist church-body, a second minister Rev.
Bradford Duganne is sent to assist him.
Both ministers have heard local folklore of ceremonies in
the hills and devilish creatures consorting with humans.
Walsh begins to preach against the church, declaring thatit is in league with Satan.
A newspaper story appears claiming that the church is
heretical or even Satanic. The Congregational Church
eventually launches an investigation but finds nothing
untoward. And from this point on the Congregational
Church views these attacks on West River Valley Church
as attacks on Congregationalism itself by a crazy, rural
Baptist bigot.
Duganne begins to find out deeper secrets of the history
of the Chapel and the Starry Wisdom sect. It isnt long
before he runs into trouble.
The Brothers of the Yellow Sign
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In the meantime, these events have gathered the attention
of an organization other than the Church. Another cult,
the Brothers of the Yellow Sign, is engaged in a long war
with the Mi-Go, for reasons that predate the modern era.
They see the Mi-Go and their collaborators as opponents
that obstruct the influence and power of the Living God
Hastur.
INVOLVING THE INVESTIGATORSOne of the investigators is contacted by Uberto
Guidicianni. [create handout] Guidicciani may have
heard of some of their previous investigations. Over a
year ago, his son Leonardo (who was 22 at the time) was
visiting him from his home in Rome and went travelling
around New England. He went missing in a remote area of
Vermont. Since then Guidicciani has uncovered evidence
of some sort of devil-worshipping cult in the hills west of
Brattleboro. Offering to pay them generously for their
time, Guidicciani invites them to visit him at The
Herculaneum Spa Hotel, the luxury hotel he owns in
Saratoga Springs, New York State.
CHAPTER ONE:IN SEARCH OF THE
UNFINDABLEThe Herculaneum Spa Hotelis an impressive Tuscan-style
villa with an enclosed garden courtyard and sprawling
grounds including a lake, an outdoor amphitheatre and a
large spa and bathhouse. The hotel is famous for itsprivate theatrical performances and is popular among
well-to-do New York artistic types. The investigators may
meet the theatrical dilettante, Anthony Carmichael here
(see Tatterdemalion) or the Texan playwright Talbot
Astus, working on his latest drama before he moves to
London (see Tatters of the King).
Guidicianni himself, he tells them, is involved with the
arts himself and owns a small theatre, Theater Regale, in
Manhattan which he likes to get directly involved with
when he can. This is all true. What he does not tell theinvestigators is that he is a member of an Italian secret
Society, Il Fratelli Del Signo Giallo(Brothers of the Yellow
Sign). Nor, of course, does he tell them that his son
Leonardo is alive and well and living in Rome. Another
fact that is unlikely to be revealed at this stage is that
Guidicianni occasionally holds wild orgies here, for his
most special guests.
He immigrated to the United States five years ago he
had a deep love of the country and he wished to help
bring the best of European arts to the United States.
Guidicianni wants the investigators to find out what
happened to Leonardo. He has found allegations of some
kind of Satanic sect in the area where he disappeared and
he is sure there is a connection. A church in a remote
village in Vermont has been accused of practicing and
preaching diabolical things and he doesnt believe that
this is pure superstition or inter-denominational
bickering. He gives the investigators a newspaper article
about this[han dout]. He has been corresponding with
the minister who wrote the letters and made the sermons
that the newspaper stories are based on. Reverend Walsh
of South Windham Baptist Church and has offered to send
what help he can. Walsh, in return has offered to
accommodate the investigators and give them any help
that he can, to find Guidiciannis son. The minister has
claimed to fear for his life. Guidicianni would like them to
investigate as soon as possible; to find his son and to
expose the diabolical cult. He offers the investigators
$500 for finding his son and another $500 for exposing
the cult. He insists on a full debriefing of what they find
and a promise that they will not release any information
to the public until he has approved it. The cult should be
exposed to the local population so that they turn against
it, he says, but its essential that the wider world does not
become alarmed. They are to make their way to meet Rev.
Walsh at the church.
Guidiciannis Private Rooms
Guidicianni has an impressive collection of artworks In
his private rooms he has a collection of works, mostly
paintings, with a subtly disquieting quality, for example, a
scene in Paris, showing a woman who has a look in her
eyes that reveals that she will never find what she wants
in Paris. Viewing these, succeeding on psychology, art or
an idea roll (whichever is higher) results in a SAN loss of
0/1.
Guidicianni owns a library of occult texts, some of them
quite rare. This includes a copy of The King in Yellowand
several other texts relating to Hastur.
Uberto Guidicianni, luxury hotel owner,
patron of the arts and Brother of the
Yellow Sign
Guidicianni looks good for his age a lean, athletically-built Italian. He is sophisticated, well-educated andcharming. His amorality and nihilism are concealedbeneath a polished veneer.Age 51STR 11 CON 10 SIZ 14 INT 16 POW 18DEX 10 APP 15 EDU 20 SAN 0 HP 12Damage Bonus: +1D4Weapons:PistolFistRapier
Skills: Accounting , Art: Acting 40, Art: Music 40, ArtAppreciation 50, Bargain 30, Credit Rating 75, Cthulhu
Mythos 15, Hastur Lore 45, History 40, Library Use 40,
Listen 40, Occult 50, Other Language: English 60, Other
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Language: French 40, Other Language: Latin 40, Own
Language: Italian 100, Persuade 50, Psychology 50, Spot
Hidden 40
Cults of Roman Britain: A Study of the Book
of Gaius Antoninus,
in English, translated and annotated by Joseph Barker
from 12th Century Latin copy of original Romanmanuscript, c. 1590-94.
Sanity loss l/ld6;
Cthulhu Mythos +8%;
spell multiplier x2.
Spells: Contact Hastur, Crystal Call, Enchant Knife,
Enchant Whistle, Summon King in Yellow, Summon/Bind
Byakhee.
Bound in plain brown leather with the title printed in gold
on the spine. The text is in English with footnotes
describing rites and ceremonies and historical references.
It is 100 pages long and again omits the first 23 pages ofGaius Antoninus book.
Under the Yellow Sign,
in English, by Joseph Barker, 1602. Published by William
Turner, Blackfriars, London.
Sanity loss l/ld6;
Cthulhu Mythos +5%;
spell multiplier x2. Spells:
Contact Hastur, Contact King in Yellow, Crystal Call (new
spell), Enchant Knife, Grasp of Cthulhu, Summon/Bind
ByakheeThe book is slim folio sized, bound in black leather, with
title and author stamped on the front. Contents are left to
the Keepers discretion except for the first poem in the
book, a long rambling piece, Beyond the Crystal Veil,
detailing the Crystal Call spell and conversations with
Hastur, and the last, The Mask of the King, which details
a visitation by the King in Yellow.
Der Wanderer durch den See
English and German. (See Tatters of the Kingp49 for
details)
IL FRATELLI DEL SIGNO GIALLO (THE BROTHERS
OF THE YELLOW SIGN)An artistic and mystical circle based in Rome with cells in
Paris and Berlin, and by the late 20s, another in Milan.
Most of the membership has an artistic and middle or
upper-middle class Italian background. They meet once a
year for a private performance of 'The King in Yellow'.
Admission for others is by invitation only. Some of them
work to hasten the arrival of Hastur on the Earth
There are legends that some of the elite members are
immortals coming from . Some members do indeed have
magical or psychic abilities.
Decadent, hedonistic, nihilistic, absurdist, anti-rationalist,
anti-science. They generally criticise traditional and
classical art. Rationalism has led to The Great War.
The leaders of the Brotherhood seek to return Hastur to
the Earth in order to sweep it clean.
According to legend the founders and possibly current
secret leaders of the Brotherhood are immortal sagesfrom caverns under the earth.
They are engaged in an age-old war with the Mi-Go and a
more recent conflict with the Starry Wisdom Church.
There is no true cell of The Brotherhood here in New
York, but Guidicianni has introduced some of his guests
and social set to ideas, excerpts and performances of The
King in Yellow. He may be responsible for introducing
Anthony Carmichael and Talbot Astus with copies of the
play. See Tatters of the Kingfor more details.
CHAPTER TWO:ACRUSADEInvestigators can travel by train to Brattleboro from
Boston or[Arkham how?]. In Brattleboro it is possible
to hire a car or catch a bus.
The road journey from Arkham or Boston, takes travelers
through Brattleboro, then up into the mountains through
Newfane, the hamlet of Harmonyville, Townshend then
West Townshend. The roads are poor and the journey willtake about five hours in total.
TOWNSHEND
TOWNSHEND CHURCHCommon Road
The minister of this church is partially under the
influence of the cult via the Freemasons, but it is a regular
Christian church and there is no direct connection to the
story.
MASONIC LODGEThere is a Freemasons Hall called Blazing Star Lodge #23
on the road into Townshend. Several key members of the
Spiritualist Church of Astral Wisdom and the [Church of
the Outer Ways] are here and freemasonry is one of the
key ways in which they can influence local authorities and
individuals. The Freemasons have no formal allegiance
however and the majority of the members know nothing
about it. There is no special evidence to be found at the
lodge.
SCOTT COVERED BRIDGE
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En route to West Townshend is a large covered wooden
bridge, the Scott Bridge, spanning the West River on the
investigators left.
WEST TOWNSHENDFour or five miles from Townshend heading north-west
up the road and with the West River flowing on the left
hand side, is the village of West Townshend, which has apost-office/general store and a church (West River Valley
Church). Windham Hill Road, leading towards South
Windham Baptist Church, branches off to the north,
heading up through forest to higher ground. South
Windham Baptist Church is about three miles up the road.
SOUTH WINDHAM CHURCHThis is a quiet, rural white-painted Baptist church, built in
1850 with an extensive yard and a separate parsonage
where the minister lives. The church serves the scattered
hamlet of South Windham and surrounding small farms.Nearby is a small post office and a general store.
THE REVERENDS STORYReverend Walsh greets the investigators warmly. He is a
tall, fair-haired and friendly, middle-aged man. And
perhaps not the harsh firebrand they might have
expected. Walsh relates his own story
Duganne has gone to meet someone, but has not
returned yet
When Walsh discovers hes not returned the
following morn ing he begins to get worried.
Duganne has been to meet (for possibly the 2 nd
tim), a local Indian man. This strange loner (who
sees himself as a sort of guardian) has told him
that there are Red Spirits that protect certain
mountains. And that these spirits possess some
men in order to serve them. The West River Valley
Church has been possessed by Red Spirits. He
shows him a cave with paintings of humans and
winged Red Spirits. He also shows him a circle of
monoliths where he says the Red Spirits come up
from the earth to dance to the Great Mother.
When they are there, they are attacked, Duganne
is captured and the native American man
escapes.
INCIDENTS AND INVESTIGATIONS
INITIAL LEADStbd
LIBRARIES,AND NEWSPAPERS
RESEARCHING WEST RIVER VALLEY CHURCHBuilt as a Congregational church and remains that way
until Abednego Akeley transfers it to the Starry Wisdom
Church.
1868-1871: The West River Valley Church is a branch ofthe Starry Wisdom Church until Akeleys death.
1871-1880: It is restored as a Congregational
denomination church, Akeleys replacement is Rev.
Walter W. Baker who is from elsewhere in Vermont.
In 1880 Rev. Baker apparently goes insane during a
service, rabidly accusing members of the congregation of
being sinners. He beats one woman to death with a Bible
and injures several other congregants before being
restrained. He is hanged at the State Prison and House of
Correction in Windsor, Vermont in 1908.
1880 - 1920: The new minister is a local man, Rev. Samuel
Aster.
1912: Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy Boston
industrialist is ordained as a minister by Rev. Michael
Thomas at the Chapel of Contemplation at the age of 18.
1914: Noyes is ordained as a minister of the
Congregational Protestant Church at the age of 20.
1917: Malachi Sethom arrives in Townshend and Asterallows him to stay with him. Sethom is a lay preacher
1920: Aster retires. His replacement is Rev. Charles
Noyes, a young minister from Boston. Meanwhile Sethom
continues his lay preaching. Increasingly Noyes allows
Sethom to preach in the church while he is away
apparently in Boston.
RESEARCHING REVEREND SETHOMNo record of his history can be found.
RESEARCHING THE STARRY WISDOM CHURCHAt a clipping agency or library in a major town or city,
Library Use will reveal each of the following points:
1. The Starry Wisdom was started by a ProfessorEnoch Bowen in 1844. The main sect was located
at the Free-Will Church, Federal Hill, Providence.
2. Looking up Enoch Bowen uncovers an 1844article by a rival archaeologist. This
archaeologist claimed that the study of
archaeology had to be maintained as a science,and should not be used as a cover for
opportunists and adventurers to exploit the
population. He cited Enoch Bowen as a prime
example of the latter sort of archaeologist.
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3. He said Bowen was an occultist who was moreinterested in starting a cult than serving science.
He detailed how Bowen claimed to have found
the ancient tomb of a forgotten pharaoh, and
brought forth a crystal that shines in the dark. A
successful Cthulhu Mythos roll suggests that the
reference might be to the fabled Shining
Trapezohedron of Nephren-Ka. The skill user also
recalls that the crystal could supposedly summon
a demon of darkness that enjoyed blood
sacrifices of children.
4. With successful Luck and Library Use rolls, aninteresting book is uncovered. Mystical Sects,
published in 1857, lists numerous cults across
the United States, including a small entry for the
Starry Wisdom Sect. They owned a crystal found
in Egypt. They held this object sacred, and by
gazing upon it, the members believed they could
call up a being known as the Haunter of the Dark,
who shared dread secrets with the faithful. This
being could be summoned only in absolute
darkness, and if it was exposed to light for any
period of time, it would be banished.
5. July 1844 The Providence Bulletin mentions thepurchase of the Free-Will Church on Federal hill
by Professor Bowen. The Italian community is
outraged due to the cults location. A priest
named OMalley of Spirito Santo Church claims
the cult worships the Devil himself.
6. August 1853 The Providence Bulletin mentionsan investigation into the Starry Wisdom sect. The
investigators find no connection to the
disappearances of numerous children in the area.
7. October 1865 The Providence Bulletin notes thedeath of Professor Enoch Bowen from natural
causes. A surviving daughter, Aseneth Bowen, is
mentioned.
8. March 1872 The Providence Bulletin publishes astory concerning witch cult rumors among the
Italian populace of Federal Hill. The article hints
at blood sacrifices by an unnamed cult in the
region, but no arrests or indictments have been
made.
9. April 1877 The Providence Bulletin includes asmall item on the forced break-up of the Starry
Wisdom by the authorities. It refers to public
pressure on the authorities to enforce this
closure.
10. June 1878 A book written by Father OMalley isfound, The Coming of the Beast. It details
numerous theories regarding the prophecies of
the Antichrist. It lists the cult of the Starry
Wisdom as modern day Satan worshippers who
desire the Beast to rule the earth. Much of the
information found in the Antichrist Themes
sidebar on pages 160 161 is contained within,
except of course for information dated after the
books publication.
11. Investigators going to Providence to search forthe Free-Will Church will find the place much as
Blake finds it in the story Haunter of the Dark
go to the Providence chapter for more details.
12. Investigators may want to check out the churchrecords of Spirito Santo in Providence. Father
Angelo is the present priest of Spirito Santo. He
will allow investigators to see the records with a
Persuade roll. He himself has heard only rumors
of the evil cult. Reputedly, they worshipped the
Devil. He helps investigators find Father
OMalleys writings of the 1850s: The Starry
Wisdom - the stars of Hell - summoning from
those stars a shade from Hell itself, but feared the
power of God as manifested in Light.
13. Investigators who possess books pertaining tothe Cthulhu Mythos can search them for
information on the Haunter. To find it, a player
must roll D100 equal to or less than the books
Cthulhu Mythos points x3. The information is
this: the Haunter was spoken of as holding all
knowledge. The Haunter demanded monstrous
sacrifices, its favorite being human children.
Light could banish it back to its dark realm. With
a special success roll, the book calls the Haunter
The Bringer of the End Times, the Avatar of
Nyarlathotep. (At the keepers discretion,
investigators can roll separately to find the
Ancient History information on pages 129 130;
such information ends at Nitocriss death or the
books date of publication, whichever comes
first.)
LOCAL RUMOURS &FOLKLOREFrom asking around, the investigators hear various
rumours:
1. There have been witches/Satanists in the area forgenerations
2. There have been a number of disappearances inthis part of the state over the past few years:
mostly runaways and vagrants
3. There are devils living in the hills4. During the 19th century, the Old Church in West
Townshend was taken over by a Satanic cult. The
Satanic minister was killed and the cult was
driven away.
5. There are strange standing stones in the hills. Noone knows where they came from
6. Devils living in caves in the wooded hills7. According to their grandparents, in remote places
there are devils that speak to people in strange
voices. They sometimes possess people,
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especially people who live alone on the higher
hills
8. The Old Church at West River Valley is cursed.Bad things happen there due to blasphemous
things that have happened there in the past
DUGANNE DISAPPEARS
Duganne simply disappears one day. A policeinvestigation finds nothing. According to Rev. Walsh,
Duganne was meeting someone who said there were
things in the hills he could show him. Apparently the
person wanted to meet at the Scott Covered Bridge.
In fact he met[name]there who took him to a circle of
standing stones at the top of Round Hill. Duganne asked
to be left there alone and he was captured by cult
members who turned him over to the Outer Ones.
[name]didnt want to contact the police as he/she is
fearful of being punished by the cult.
If the investigators ask enough people, they will find
[Name]who claims to have seen Duganne and this other
person meet there. If the person is traced, she will
initially deny all knowledge, then later contact them,
admitting it was her. Duganne was investigating the
Satanists in the area. The contact knew about certain
standing stones in the hills that they used for their unholy
practices and she took them. Once they arrived, Duganne
thanked her and offered some money which she declined.
Duganne said he wanted to look around some more and
asked the contact to go back. That was the last she heard.She did not contact anyone about it as she was afraid. The
Satanists have many eyes and ears she says. And she was
afraid something bad would happen to her. She is not so
scared of the investigators as they are from outside.
Psychology to notice that she is nervous or not telling the
whole story. If requested, she will agree to show the
investigators what she showed Duganne, but she will
stress the need for utmost discretion.[Walsh wont
come]It is actually a trap. She is a member of the Starry
Wisdom cult. The story is almost true. But her story to
Duganne lured him discretely into the woods where hewas captured by the cult. She has told her fellow cultists
about the situation and they have set up an ambush. She
will lead the investigators into the forested hills, their
cars following a rough track. She will lead them to a real
set of standing stones. There are off footprints around if
they look. Their car(s) will be disabled and the cultists
will attempt to surround and capture them. They can
probably manage four armed men at short notice.
[Does it matter if this comes before or after the incident
at the priory?]
AFEELING OF BEING WATCHED
They soon realize they are being followed, spied upon,their correspondence etc is intercepted etc. If one or twocharacters explore the woods or hills by themselves theyhear buzzing voices tempting them with secret power andknowledge. Meanwhile sect members are trying to temptthe minister with strange promises.
[Detail events]
INVESTIGATING DUGANNES DISAPPEARANCETBD
If the site of Dugannes abduction can be traced,
there is a notepad there which includes
information about his last lead as well as contact
details for Henry Akeley and other matters.
THE MONOLITH ON ROUND HILLTBD
DUGANNES NOTEBOOKThis is a simple notepad containing a few notes and
contacts. Notes include details of Dugannes Contact, Rev
Sethoms home address, the address of the spiritualist
church and a local folklorist called Henry Akeley (The
Akeley House, Townshend).
TBD
HENRY AKELEYHenry Akeley is retired folklorist who has collected many
local legends especially about the Outer Ones. He has a
wax cylinder recording that he made near a cave entrance
blocked by a boulder near the base of Dark Mountain. He
has photographs of the cave entrance, of a ring of
standing stones on the top of a remote hill and of a
strange footprint. He also knows about strange rites that
occur around these stones on certain nights.
Akeley will offer none of this evidence unless he is both
impressed with the sincerity of the investigators (eg.
Credit Rating) and sees clear relevance of it to their
investigation.
Akeley is not a man of action and likes to keep a low
profile but he will share what he knows with those he
trusts. By speaking with Henry Akeley, the characters will
learn the old stories about creatures in the hills. If they
earn his trust he will play them the recording he made a
few years earlier near the mouth of the cave. He can give
them directions to find the mouth of the cave. It is closed
with a 20 ton boulder. He will also tell them he has heard
of standing stones in the hills.
TBD
INVESTIGATING THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCHThey may manage to infiltrate the Chapel at least
superficially and witness its ceremonies. They may
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witness (or at least speak to witnesses) people going out
onto the hills on certain nights. Perhaps they are able to
break in. Inside they find records, religious texts, artwork
and equipment hinting at the churches strange
affiliations. They are preferably unable to access the
hidden parts of the basement (hidden, locked,
interrupted?)
THE SIEGE OF SOUTH WYNDHAM CHURCHThe Reverend requests their help. The remote church
compound (South Windham church) is cut off by snow
(its January)[or thick fog?]. Investigators may have to
walk there, or if they drive their cars are disabled. It is
surrounded by something. The phone line is cut. The
heating system breaks down. They receive phone calls
tempting them to help then threatening them, then
tempting them again to hand over the minister.
The temperature continues to drop. Anyone going outside
faces gunfire and spotlights as well as freezing air. The
minister suggests that it may be warmer/safer in the
basement. They go down some steps and through a door.
Looking for something heavy to block the door, someone
moves an ancient bookcase revealing a hidden door. They
pass through into a cave with remains of an ancient
Indian site dedicated to the Outer Ones, and possibly also
Nyarlathotep and/or Shub Niggurath. Pictographs show
red spirits with wings and many arms bearing fire,
thunderbolts, wind or totems of power. They are shown
living in the sky and in caves and worshipping Coyote,
Atahensic (Sky Woman), Ya-o-gah (the North Wind in the
form of a Bear) (and possibly Hahgwehdaetgan, the Evil
One). Buried in the rubble are ancient human bones.
Some skulls have a perfectly circular hole cut in the top.
There is a third door leading to the church building itself,
from which they can make their escape. They can also
simply shelter in the chamber.
Later they find strange footprints in the snow and how
oddly localized the extreme weather was.
If not already captured, there will be another attempt tocapture (or failing that kill the minister). He disappears
and reappears again apparently having had some sort of
stroke and/or religious experience. Now confined to a
wheelchair, he says that the sect in fact speaks the word
of God. He is flanked by a local nurse called Nurse Brown
and at times by a Bostonian friend called Charles Noyes.
He attempts to persuade the investigators to join him and
the Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion. If they
refuse he speaks against them. If confronted about the
Outer Ones, he says that they are real but want to share
their wisdom. He invites them to travel the stars with theOuter Ones. He has brain cylinder (who? Abednego
Akeley or someone else?) who claims to have witnessed
all sorts of wonders in space. If they still refuse, his
friends appear and they try to overcome the investigators.
The investigators may find strange standing stones in the
hills with odd markings on them. They may see strange
footprints around them or on certain nights even witness
strange ceremonies of the Outer Ones there. They are also
used by the Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion for
special initiation ceremonies and festivals at which one or
more Outer One may make an appearance (perhaps
wrapped in robes much like an angel?).
THE CONVERSION OF REVEREND WALSHIf Walsh is not protected, the minister disappears and
then reappears a changed man.
He relates a profound religious experience that
transformed his life. He makes comparisons with Paul on
the road to Damascus. An angel appeared to him and
revealed the truth. Saying that there was a place in theHeavens for him if he stopped preaching against the new
sect. He is now preaching the benign or benevolent nature
of the new sect and wishes to hand the church to the new
sect. He invites Rev. Braswell to Townshend for a great
revelation.
In actual fact Walsh , seen as too much of an ongoing
threat to the new sect, was kidnapped (from his house?
His car?) and has been replaced by an Outer One.
Rev. Walsh is now confined to darkness and pushed
around in a wheelchair by a somewhat sinister doctor
from Boston called Doctor Clarence Haynes who claims
to have saved Walsh s life and who never leaves his side.
His speech and movement appear to be affected. There
are other rural and urban characters including a farmer
called Walter Brown and a well-bred Bostonian called
Mr. Noyes who seem to linger around the house. At
Walsh s house, Braswell is told that Walsh willsurely be
ascending to the Heavens and he is made an offer to join
the sect. He refuses and tries to leave. The Outer-One
posing as Walsh kills him.
CONFRONTING THE CULTApproached that the investigators could use include:
infiltrating Church services Searching the Church Searching Sethoms house Presenting collected evidence to the local
authorities
Presenting collected evidence to localsCONFRONTING THE OUTER ONESSee The Colony in Dark Mountain
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LOCATIONS
REV.SETHOMS HOUSEThe investigators may wish to confront Michael Thomas
or investigate his house. His possessions include keys to
open the gate to Dark Mountain in the cellar of the Church
and a key that opens the Boulder Entrance and the
Spring Entrance.
Rev Sethom lives in a medium-sized wooden house not
far from his Church.
The basement of his house has a nearly complete, walled-
off area with a laboratory containing surgical equipment,
desiccating chemicals, and preserving balms and notes on
Egyptian funerary practices. Also here is a copy of Enoch
Bowens On Resurrection.
The centre of the room has a stone sarcophagus on araised platform. The sarcophagus has maps of the
Otherworld painted on it.
[There may also be a brain cylinder here with
sensory-vocal apparatus.]
THE BOOK OF THE DEADSanity loss: None; Occult +3;
Spells: None
MICHAEL THOMAS NOTEBOOKSin English.
Masquerading as copies of the Proceedings of the Society
of Scholars of Biblical Rectitude, these three volumesdescribed Thomas magical techniques and experiments.
Sanity loss 1D4/1D8; Cthulhu Mythos +4 percentiles;
Occult skill check; 10 weeks to study and comprehend/20
hours to skim. Spells: Hardness of Flesh (Flesh Ward),
various hypnotic techniques (Dominate), Contact He Who
Waits in the Dark (Nyarlathotep), Ectoplasmic
Manifestation.
ON RESURRECTIONin English. Enoch Bowens notes on
mummification and the preservation of the soul allowed
the cult to preserve many of its more powerful membersin secret underground chambers, awaiting the return of
the Old Ones. The techniques inside have been lost for
millennia; if the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh ever
found this book, it is likely that they could reconstruct the
ceremonies used for their most potent mummifications.
The cult leader keeps these in a safe-deposit box at a local
bank. Sanity loss 1D3/1D6; grants an Egyptian
Hieroglyphs skill check; Cthulhu Mythos +3 percentiles; 8
weeks to study and comprehend/16 hours to skim. Spells:
Apportion Ka, Hardness of Flesh (Flesh Ward).
REV.MALACHI SETHOMRev. Sethom is a white haired old man with a Bostonian
accent. He says that he was born in Vermont, in
Claremont to the north. He used to run a Spiritualist
church in Boston. He wanted to go somewhere quieter
and return to his roots before he died. [No record of this
man can be found]. In fact he has returned in order to
continue the practices of Starry Wisdom and in order to
find a way to avoid true death altogether. He has
established a church here, associated with the existing
cult, and they have captured many people here, taking
them to the Temple of the Gulf to be sacrificed to The
Haunter of the Dark in exchange for secrets of preserving
human life. Combined with his notes, he believes he has
perfected the method. He has built himself a tomb under
his house. And Dr Hayes and Mr Noyes have been trained
in the processes. [If he dies during the course of the
investigation this process will kick in] . Who is going to
succeed him?
Anyone seeing his handwriting, who has seen his Michael
Thomas handwriting at the Chapel of Contemplation can
make an INTx3 roll to recognize its familiarity (special
success means they recognize it at Thomass
immediately).
Rev Malachi Sethom (Michael Thomas)
Sorcerer and friend of the late Walter Corbitt.
Age 79 in 1923STR 12 CON 14 SIZ 15 INT 17 POW 18DEX 15 APP 17 EDU 14 SAN 0 HP 15Damage Bonus: +1D4Weapons: Sacrificial Knife 60%, damage
1D4+2+db.Derringer 45%, damage 1D6.Skills: Bargain 45%, Cthulhu Mythos 15%, Fast Talk 70%,Occult 50%, Persuade 75%, Psychology 65%, Sleight ofHand 55%Armor: Thomas has usually put five magic points intoFlesh Ward for the day. Seeing him shrug off a cut or stabcosts 0/1 Sanity.Spells: Contact Deity/Nyarlathotep, Contact Mi-Go,Dominate, Ectoplasmic Manifestation, Flesh Ward,Summon/Bind Dimensional Shambler, Telekinesis.
THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF ASTRAL
COMMUNIONThe West River Valley Church (aka The Old Church)is on
the main West River Road from Townshend, backing onto
the river. It dates from 1817. This was originally the main
church in Townshend. Next door is a building that
includes a small store and a post office.
At first glance this appears to be an ordinary village
church. The Chapel has a bad reputation and people avoid
it. Close inspection reveals that the cross above the altar
on the stained glass windows is a shining star, those
windows also bear a curious three-lobed eye symbol andimages of people being borne away by unusual, many-
limbed angels.
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Behind the church, beyond some trees, and a swampy
area, is an island in a bend in the West River. There are a
number of boulders in the river on either side of the
island, making it possible to ford here and cross over to
the area of Dark Mountain.
The basement contains a number of mythos texts
including Latin and several copies of the new English
versions of The Book of Eibon and De Vermis Mysteriis,
Unaussprechlichen Kulten, plus Aleister Crowley's
(flawed) English translation of the Black Book of the Skull,
all published by Starry Wisdom Press (registered office in
Romania).
THE GATE IN THE BASEMENTAlso in the basement, next to a curtained wooden box, are
two brain cylinders containing the immortal souls of
initiates who have returned from the Heavens (names
and details). On certain occasions they are brought up to
the altar and attached to the Speaking Device which
allows them to tell tales of their wonderful journeys and
the sights they have seen (the Mi-Go colony in Vermont,
the Moon, Outer Space and Yuggoth). These minds are
now quite unhinged. They also suffer from a profound
longing to return to the stars. (What will they say if
re-attached ?). These minds also possess a significant
degree of Cthulhu Mythos knowledge. Detail
There are also symbols of the Tri-Lobed Eye and artwork
of people being taken by multi-armed angels whose faces
are a mass of coloured light and of people travellingamong the stars. A church record describes Aseneth
Bowen commanded by Our Lord Granter of Secrets to
protect the Free-Will Church (i.e. the Trapezohedron)
until the time is right. There is also correspondence with
Rev. Robert Gills branch of the sect which he is
establishing in the old Bayfriars Church (540 E Church St,
Arkham, location #714).
A locked door leads to a room[describe it ]. An alcove in
the room has a pitch black archway. Its not clear whether
it is a archway or a mirror nothing can be seen beyond itand it reflect no light. In fact, it is a gate created by the
Outer Ones. Stepping through it at a cost of 1 magic point,
an investigator will find themselves in an almost
completely unlit tunnel in the depths of Dark Mountain
near to the Temple of the Gulf.
THE DOCTRINES OF THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF
ASTRAL COMMUNIONMost of these can be understood by listening to services:
When the Tower of Babel fell and the people started tospeak many different languages, contact with the Divine
Principle was lost. A small group of Magi who had resisted
the building of the Tower could speak the Divine Tongue.
They distilled their celestial wisdom before dispersing
around the world especially to Egypt. The Spiritualist
Church of Astral Communion is a successor to that
tradition. Their services include Egyptian Psalms as well
as Christian ones and Bible readings. They have the
power to commune with the Divine Principle directly
using Dark Mirrors. During these ceremonies, participants
speak spontaneously in the Divine Tongue. The Dark
Principle shares secret wisdom with them. A new
Covenant had been formed with the Divine. The time had
come for ancient secrets to be revealed to those who are
ready, in preparation for a time when the Primal Unity
would be restored. The Church can also contact the
Malakhim or Angels of the Divine Principle who share
wisdom with them. A select number of the faithful are
taken up by the Malakhim into the heavens where they
learn the secrets of the universe and exist forever.
DARK MOUNTAIN COLONYThere are three main entrances by which theinvestigators might conceivably gain access to the colony:
the Boulder Gate, the Waterfall Gate and the Church Gate
(detailed below).
The colony in Dark Mountain should be experienced by
the investigators as a profoundly dangerous place to be.
This is the second largest colony of the planet, of this
secret highly intelligent and technologically advanced
race. The Outer Ones do not seek to control the planet, but
wish to maintain their operations without human
interference.
Security
If they realize that their defenses have been breached, the
Outer Ones will act intelligently and decisively. If the
Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion also know that
the investigators have entered the colony they will
attempt to follow them and cut off their retreat. If the
investigators enter through the Church Gate, for example,
Sethom will send someone (overland) to warn the Outer
Ones (this will take almost half an hour), he will likely
then enter the gate himself with a group of four men
armed with rifles and shotguns[TBD]the cultists could
then deactivate the gate or ambush returning
investigators as they exit through it back into the
basement.
The section of the colony that the investigators enter is
relatively quiet, but they may be detected by a sentry, a
priest or a scientist. Gunfire in this sector will attract 1-3
Outer Ones in 1-4 minutes. They will seek reinforcements
if necessary: 10 soldier caste outer ones will arrive in 7
10 (1D4+6) minutes.
Architecture
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Entry tunnels appear as natural caves and then change to
artificial and geometric tunnels typically of a triangular
cross-section and lined with black stone with occasional
shapes or glyphs carved into them. Some of the tunnels
are dimly lit by lights embedded in the walls.
The tunnels are curved in almost organic ways and they
become wider in major thoroughfares. Some have a
hexagonal, or circular cross-section.
Chambers are formed of geometric shapes ranging from
simple cuboids to elaborately interconnected patterns of
angles and curves.
Every so often there are small openings that seem to
exhale cool, fresh air. These are supplied by a series of
cooling ducts, most of which are too small to be traversed
by anything larger than a scuttler.
ScuttlersIf the strange architecture was not enough, one of the firstindications the investigators will have of the alien nature
of where they are is an exploring scuttler. About a
hundred yards down the entry tunnel (no matter where
they entered from) a Listen roll will detect a strange
sound. The sound approaches closer and within a couple
of rounds will be heard clearly. A dim glow from the
things head can be spotted bobbing in the darkness. Dim
or indirect light (a lit match or weak flashlight perhaps)
will reveal the shape of something insect or arachnid-like
approaching them not unlike a lobster or crayfish in sizeand general appearance. It will flee gunfire or bright light,
otherwise it will approach within about six feet and stop
for a couple of seconds before fleeing. Gunshots will
attract attention as described in Security above.
This scuttler is just one of many that are roaming around
the colony. Normally they cling to the underside of the
adult Mi-Go that spawn them, but sometimes they roam
freely.
[To be finished: see N ew Tales of the Miskatonic
Valley P75 for more details.]
BOULDER GATETBD
WATERFALL GATEIn the woods, about a mile to the north, near the east bank
of Tannery Brook is the mouth of a cave. This cave leads
to the western sector of Dark Mountain Colony, a sector
which historically has been used primarily for human
agents of the Outer Ones.
Water normally pours from the cave and into Tannery
Brook. Pastor Malachi and some other agents (who?)
have a key that causes the flow of water to reduce to a
trickle within a few seconds. The cave can then be
entered, initially by crawling - it is only3 feet high at the
entrance, rising to 5 feet after 10 feet distance and 6 feet
after another 30 feet distance.
THE CHURCH GATEThere is an active gate (with a key possessed by Rev
Michael Thomas) between the cellar of the West RiverValley Church and a chamber in Dark Mountain. This
chamber has a library of brain cylinders, speaking
equipment etc. However, the main route is across a small
island in the river behind the church and up into the hills
to the south. A different key stops the flow of water to a
small spring/waterfall, which becomes a passage leading
into Dark Mountain.
The gate appears simply as a semicircular blackness, a
mirror perhaps except that it leaves no reflection. On
closer inspection it appears to be an archway into a black
space. There is silence. If the investigators make any
significant sound about 30 seconds later they will hear a
scuttling sound (See Scuttlers above).
APARTMENTThis series of chambers appears as a near-perfect
facsimile of a human dwelling. It is used for human guests
primarily senior agents such as Charles Noyes and
Malachi Sethom. There is even running hot and cold
water, electricity and a working radio. The windows
appear to have a view of the ocean. On closer inspection
this turns out to be a moving hologram with sound
projected just outside the window.
SENTRYA lone soldier caste Mi-Go. TBD
The sentry could be a controlled by a human
brain it may fire a cone of cold or a cloud of
drugs. Would it have the power to communicate
instantly?
TEMPLE OF THE GULFThe Nyarlathotep cult associated with the Outer Ones is
called The Million Favored Ones.
A gate and physical entrance both lead to this Temple to
Nyarlathotep deep in the darkest bowels of Round Hill.
There are also some chambers nearby associated with
human cultists and there is a library of brain cylinders.
Carelessness or bad luck here will result in the
investigators being captured. The ceiling is dotted with
star-like points of light and a dim phosphorescence with
can be controlled by a control panel. The huge black spaceis surrounded by a viewing area and a priests platform.
The high ceiling is a fractal series of concave domes
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dotted with star-like points, rising higher and higher as it
approached the Dark Gulf.
HUMAN BIO-RESOURCESThere is a bank of scores of human subjects suspended in
fluid here as well as the equipment for reviving them and
putting them in this condition.
LIBRARYThis area has a series of chambers containing Mi-Go
books[refer]. There is also a pair of chambers for
accessing brain cylinders from various species.
BIO-RESEARCH FACILITYThe investigators come across a series of chambers where
bizarre experiments are conducted on humans.:
Human beings with their brains removed Human beings with their brains artificially re-
attached
Human brains controlling various kinds ofmachines:
o Walking robotso Doorso A helicopter-like hovering machineo Mining equipmento A sentry gun
Humans with modified organs Humans controlled by implants Humans alive and conscious and opened up
suspended in fluid
A Human controlled by box with alien braintissue in it
Humans in pain, opened up or with electrodesattached perhaps they beg for death
Masks and body-suits of human form made out ofsome kind of plastic
There is also a series of rooms where Mi-Go sometimes
receive modifications such as limb removal
SCIENTIFIC STORAGE
CITY OF THE OUTER ONESThis vast, domed cavern contains a city constructed of
towers of black Yuggoth stone. Thousands of Mi-Go live
here and the entire city emits a thrumming sound. A
series of major tunnels branch off leading to other sectors
of the city mostly mining areas, farms, food storage and
processing plants and other entrances.
Entering this area, the investigators will be attacked by
2D6 Mi-Go workers (unarmed) within 1D6 rounds. 2D6armed and armoured Mi-Go Soldiers will arrive in 3D6
rounds.
Details TBD
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BOSTONRev Charles Noyes runs a Spiritualist Church in Boston
called the Church of Astral Communion. He is also a Son
of Yog-Sothoth at the Hermetic Order of the Silver
Twilight and a close friend of Carl Sanford. The doctor'
likewise is the vice-leader and a Knight of the Outer Void.
Leads at the Church of Astral Communion might includethe location and significance of the Free-Will Church and
some secret that is kept there. Rev. Noyes will also have a
key that gives access to Round Hill/Dark Mountain.
THESPIRITUALISTCHURCHOFASTRAL
COMMUNION,BOSTONTBD
PROVIDENCEThe investigators enter the Free-Will Church[andretrieve an item that gives them access to Round Hill].
THE FREE-WILL CHURCH OF STARRY WISDOM352 Atwells Avenue
Access: Cellar door
Steeple: windowless
From Lillibridge's notes:
"Prof. Enoch Bowen home from Egypt May 1844buys
old Free-Will Church in Julyhis archaeological work &
studies in occult well known.
Dr. Drowne of 4th Baptist warns against Starry Wisdom
in sermon Dec. 29, 1844.
Congregation 97 by end of 45.
18463 disappearancesfirst mention of Shining
Trapezohedron.
7 disappearances 1848stories of blood sacrifice
begin.
Investigation 1853 comes to nothingstories of
sounds.
Fr. OMalley tells of devil-worship with box found in
great Egyptian ruinssays they call up something that
cant exist in light. Flees a little light, and banished by
strong light. Then has to be summoned again. Probably
got this from deathbed confession of Francis X. Feeney,
who had joined Starry Wisdom in 49. These people say
the Shining Trapezohedron shews them heaven & other
worlds, & that the Haunter of the Dark tells them secrets
in some way.
Story of Orrin B. Eddy 1857. They call it up by gazing at
the crystal, & have a secret language of their own."
Images:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cthulhuwho1/38108300
18/in/photostream/
If the Shining Trapezohedron is removed from the
Church, Nyarlathotep will if possible command his
human and Outer One servants to return it. [According to
another source the steeple is defended from sect
members by an Elder Sign.]
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CONCLUDING THE SCENARIO
SANITY AWARDS Killing Malachi or otherwise disrupting the sect.
Sanity reward = ?
Closing off the tunnel in the old church
Destroying the old church
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CAST OF CHARACTERSRev. Walsh
AgeSTR 11 CON 14 SIZ 13 INT 12 POW 14DEX 11 APP 9 EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:
Skills:Armor:
Rev. DuganneAgeSTR CON SIZ INT POWDEX APP EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:Skills:Armor:
Dr. HaynesMiddle-class Bostonian cultist and sorcerer.
AgeSTR CON SIZ INT POWDEX APP EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:Skills:
Walter Brown
Rural cultist and sorcerer. Lives in a rundown hillside
place near the deep woods. Aseneth Bowens son
AgeSTR CON SIZ INT POWDEX APP EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:Skills:
Unnamed sorcerorSandy hair?
Suicide cultist
Reverend Charles Noyes
Middle-class Bostonian cultist and sorcerer.
AgeSTR CON SIZ INT POWDEX APP EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:Skills:
Henry Akeley
To the south of Townshend is Henry Akeleys farm. Atrim, white house with two storeys and an attic, built
around 1800. The lawn is well-kept with a stone borderedpath leading to a Georgian doorway.At this time he has a housekeeper.
A retired anthropologist from the University of Vermont.
The folklorist is present in his house on the side of the hill
and is already gathering information about the strange
creatures of the area. He has a recording made in 1915
near the mouth of a cave of buzzing and human voices.Akeley cannot be persuaded to join the characters
investigation but he is willing to show them where the
cave is. There are indeed footprints there.
He also has photographs of a footprint of an Outer One,
the mouth of a woodland cave blocked by a round boulder
with similar tracks in front of it and another of a circle of
standing stones on the summit of a wild hill
AgeSTR CON SIZ INT POW
DEX APP EDU SAN HPDamage Bonus:Weapons:Skills:
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1:ABOUT THE OUTER ONES
THEIR BUSINESS ON EARTHTBD
THEIR OPERATION IN VERMONTTBD
CASTESTBD
Worker Soldier Priest Scientist Thinker
SENSITIVITY TO LIGHTIn H.P. Lovecrafts The Whisperer in Darkness, the Outer
Ones are described as travelling abroad only in darkness.
The Outer One that disguises itself as Henry Akeley is
sitting in a darkened room. The planet Yuggoth (Pluto)
itself is almost lightless. All this strongly implies that the
Outer Ones not only can navigate without light, but that
they are sensitive to even moderate light. Prolonged
exposure damages their visual tissues and in the short
term they experience pain and impaired vision.
Light conditions Effect
Dim light (twilight or a brightly lit room) Skills at -10Moderate to bright light (daylight) Skills at
APPENDIX TWO:TIMELINE1832: Abednego Mesach Akeley is born in Windham
County, Vermont
1835: a prosperous merchant builds the 'Corbitt' house,
but immediately falls ill and sells it to a Mr. Walter
Corbitt, esquire, the owner of a successful, local furnitureshop.
1843, Egypt: Professor Enoch Bowen, archaeologist and
student of the occult, found the Shining Trapezohedron in
the Labyrinth of Kish.
1844: May Professor Enoch Bowen ceases his excavations
of Nephren-Ka's tomb upon finding the Shining
Trapezohedron, and returns to Providence. Bowen
founds the Starry Wisdom sect, buying the old Free-Will
Church for its headquarters. This cult used the crystal to
summon the Haunter, to whom they made blood
sacrifices of infants and children.
1846: Disappearances begin in Providence that rumors
link to the Starry Wisdom Church. The Haunter had
decided to allow its links to this realm to grow through
these rituals, so that it might find the most suitable host
for its essence. It told its followers it awaited the proper
time and place to come forth in the shape of man.
1851: A minor schism within the Starry Wisdom Church
results in Rev. Orin B. Eddy setting up in an abandoned
church in the North End of Boston with financial and
practical aid from Walter Corbitt and with part of the
Starry Wisdom Churchs collection of artifacts, occult
texts, especially their collection of Egyptian funerary
texts. It is called Chapel of Contemplation & Church of
Our Lord Granter of Secrets. The practices of the Chapel
are in the style of a Spiritualist Church with sances,
sometimes aided by sorcery such as Telekinesis or by
information gathered from the Haunter of the Dark in
Providence, but mostly through various forms of fakery.
With the aid of certain ancient funerary texts, Orin B.
Eddy makes progress rediscovering Ancient Egyptian
techniques for everlasting life.
1852: Walter Corbitt is sued by neighbors, who petition
to force him to leave the area "in consequence of his
surious [sic] habits an unauspicious demeanor."
The Starry Wisdoms power grew as Bowen received
direct guidance from the Haunter. In return for the blood
sacrifices, the Haunter gave the cultists information by
means of which they obtained various artifacts and
numerous dread tomes. They collected copies of the
Necronomicon, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Liber Ivonis,
Cultes de Goules, De Vermis Mysteriis, Pnakotic
Manuscripts, and the Book of Dzyan.
1858: A growing feud between Orin B Eddy and the main
body of the Starry Wisdom Church ends in the death of
Eddy. His body is cremated and buried in the crypt. Rev.
Elisha Bishop is placed in charge of the Chapel of
Contemplation. He discovers and continues Eddys
Afterlife work.
The Chapel becomes quite influential in Boston due to the
patronage of powerful people as well as access to
potentially damaging information on certain influential
people.
1863: A branch of Starry Wisdom opens in Townshend,
Vermont, based at a vacation home owned by Dr.
Raymond Flagg. Flagg comes to influence the young
minister Abednego Akeley, who initially challenges him
but is impressed by the power that Flagg can invoke.
At this point, the Starry Wisdom Cult in Providence had
over 200 members.
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1865: Enoch Bowen dies. Dr Flagg takes over the central
sect. Bowens daughter Aseneth is vice-leader and pastor
of the Providence branch. Enoch Bowen is mummified
and entombed in the crypts of the Freewill Church.
Whether the rituals designed to maintain life after death
were successful or not is not entirely clear.
1866Evidently Corbitt wins the lawsuit. His obituary in
1866 states that he still lived in the same place. It also
states that a second lawsuit was being waged to prevent
Corbitt from being buried in his basement, as provided by
his will. Executor of Walter Corbitt's will was Reverend
Michael Thomas (age 22), pastor of the Chapel of
Contemplation & Church of Our Lord Granter of Secrets.
1868: The Reverend Samuel Shadrach Solomon Akeley,
father of Abednego Akeley, dies. Abednego succeeds him
as reverend, but immediately after the funeral he left
Vermont and travelled in southern New England. On his
return, he begins preaching the doctrines of StarryWisdom to his flock and converts his church affiliation to
the Church of Starry Wisdom. In fact he was already a
convert and was simply awaiting his fathers death to
complete his training in Providence and Boston. The
church is renamed as West River Valley Church of Starry
Wisdom. Controversy and scandal follow.
1869: A group of Irish vandalize the Starry Wisdom
Church in Providence, apparently in retaliation for their
perceived involvement in kidnapping a fellow.
1871: Abednego Akeley dies at the age of 39 and his
church closes. Rev. Akeley was killed by an unknown
assailant. And seriously wounded, he asked to have his
brain removed that he might explore the mysteries of the
cosmos. He leaves behind a son, Henry Wentworth
Akeley, conceived hours before his death. The mother is
Sarah Elizabeth Phillips, a servant in the Akeleys
household. After Rev. Akeleys death most of the
congregation move to Providence, others remain,
continuing to consort with the Outer Ones and passing
their secret doctrines from parent to child. Meanwhile,
some community leaders are gradually brought under the
influence of the Outer Ones or replaced with those who
are already.
A branch of the Starry Wisdom sect in Chicago known as
the Celestial Providence sect is disbanded by the Great
Chicago Fire.
1872:West River Valley Church is restored as a
Congregational denomination church, Akeleys
replacement is Rev. Walter W. Baker who is from
elsewhere in Vermont. Meanwhile, the Starry Wisdomdoctrine survives to some extent among former members
of the congregation.
1876: Policemen showed up at the Chapel of
Contemplations doorstep in search of a sacred golden
box (once the property of Nephren-Ka) from Egypt which
had vanished from the British Museum shortly after
Bishop made an unsuccessful bid to purchase it. (This box
would eventually show up in the hands of Rupert
Merriweather, with whom it will be found at the start of
the rulebooks The Edge of Darkness scenario.) The
authorities, upon searching the Chapel, found the false
panels and secret doors used to stage sances and trick
congregants.
1877May: The Starry Wisdom cult in Providence is
disbanded after threats from the locals. The cultists leave
town by year's end. Aseneth Bowen was commanded by
the Haunter to leave the Shining Trapezohedron in the
church for safekeeping. Empowered by the Haunter, Dr.
Flagg and Aseneth Bowen wove a spell casting an aura of
dread and fear over the building. The crystal was left in
the church, along with some of the sects library of occult
texts. No one in the neighborhood dared to explore the
church. [Alternatively, Elder Signs left on the doorways
prevent their re-entry?]
The Townshend and Boston sects are reinforced by
refugees from Providence. The Townshend sect is now
about 40 strong, but is forced to practice in secret.
Others migrate to Boston, where they swell the
attendance at the Chapel of Contemplation. Many others
head west, to California, where a branch is established inLos Angeles.
Meanwhile, remnants of the sect continue secretly in
Providence under the leadership of Aseneth Bowen.
Elisha Bishop dies. While a coffin went into a plot in
Mount Auburn, his body rested in a small, secret chamber
beneath the Chapel of Contemplation. Spiritualist
manifestations within the chapel picked up considerably,
as Bishops spirit made itself manifest. Thomas revives
the sect with the aid of Elisha Bishops spirit.
1880:Rev. Baker of the West River Valley Church
apparently goes insane during a service, rabidly accusing
members of the congregation of being sinners. He beats
one woman to death with a Bible and injures several
other congregants before being restrained. He is hanged
at the State Prison and House of Correction in Windsor,
Vermont in 1908.
The new minister is a local man, Rev. Samuel Aster. Aster
was once a member of Rev. Akeleys congregation,
initiated into the Starry Wisdom doctrine. After hisProtestant ordination, he was secretly ordained in the
Starry Wisdom Church at the Chapel of Contemplation
(the Free-Will Church has been closed). He incorporates
Starry Wisdom doctrine into some of his sermons and has
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a secret inner circle of initiates known as The Million
Favored Ones who continue to consort with the Outer
Ones.
c. 1880: Ghost stories centering around the former Starry
Wisdom Church begin around this time. A Yorkshire
branch of the cult arises, possibly founded by Dr.
Raymond Flagg. It is active until around 1890.
Winter 1881: Marrion Allen, an amateur occultist from
Arkham, and leader of a group calling themselves The
Dark Brotherhood joins The Chapel of Contemplation in
Boston.
Feb. 1882:Marrion Allen steals two items from the
Chapel, both artifacts from the tomb of Nephren-Ka: a
miniature sarcophagus and an ancient Egyptian trumpet.
August 1883:Marion Allen flees from members of Starry
Wisdom to New Orleans where he sells the Trumpet of
Ptah at a curio shop in an attempt to raise funds to flee
the country. Soon after, he is killed by agents of Starry
Wisdom on the docks.
1890:By this time, the Yorkshire Starry Wisdom cult has
fallen apart. Dr. Flagg seems to have disappeared after
this.
1892:Aseneth Bowen dies. Her body is mummified in a
chamber beneath her house in Providence by Rev.
Michael Thomas.
1893:The spell around the original church prevented
anyone from entering the building until a reporter from
the Providence Telegram, Edwin M. Lillibridge, possessed
of great force of will, made his way into the building to
investigate stories of the church being haunted. He found
the crystal and accidentally summoned the Haunter. The
Haunter killed Lillibridge in a failed attempt to merge
with the hapless human.
1895: An edition of De Vermis Mysteriis is supposedly
published by Starry Wisdom Press, (registered office in
Boston) but no copies have been found.
1909: Starry Wisdom Press allegedly releases a version of
Unaussprechlichen Kulten as well, but no copies are ever
found.
1911: A New Orleans jazz musician and trumpet-maker
called Lightning Billy Watkins spots the Trumpet of Ptah
in a curio shop and noting its unusual tones, converts it
into a modern trumpet.
1912:Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy Bostonindustrialist is ordained as a minister by Rev. Michael
Thomas at the Chapel of Contemplation at the age of 18.
Secret raid on the Chapel of Contemplation & Church of
Our Lord Granter of Secrets occasioned by affidavits
swearing that members of the church were responsible
for the disappearances of neighborhood children. Chapel
is closed. During the raid, three policemen and seventeen
cult members were killed by gunplay or fire. Autopsy
reports are singularly undetailed and uninformative, as
though the coroner had not actually performed
examinations. Though 54 members of the church were
arrested, all but eight were released. The records hint of
illegal intervention in the proceedings by important local
official, offering an explanation of shy stories of the battle
- the biggest criminal action in the city's history - never
appeared in print (the existence of the cult, the details of
what was found and the bloodbath that ensued were so
embarrassing that the whole thing was covered up).
Pastor Michael Thomas (age 71) was arrested and
sentenced to 40 years in prison on five counts of second-
degree murder.
Rev. Charles Noyes (who later also becomes a member of
the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight) takes nominal
charge of the remnants of the Starry Wisdom sect in
Boston.
1914:Noyes is ordained as a minister of the
Congregational Protestant Church at the age of 20.
1917:Thomas, aged 73 vanishes from his cell one night,
leaving two guards torn apart and five prisoners insane.
He uses sorcery stealing copper pipes he making acopper dagger and uses it in a ritual to summon and then
bind a dimensional shambler. Charles Noyes and Samuel
Aster help Thomas slip away to Vermont without a trace.
He begins to preach thinly-veiled Starry Wisdom doctrine
in the Townshend area under the pseudonym, Rev.
Malachi Sethom. Aster allows him to stay in his house and
then with Noyes help assists him to buy a small house of
his own. Knowing that his end is near, Michael Thomas
works determinedly to restore the now-endangered art of
perpetual life.
1919: Lightning Billy Watkins is committed to a mental
hospital after mysterious events during a New Orleans
funeral march.
1920:Aster retires. His replacement is Rev. Charles
Noyes. Meanwhile Sethom continues his lay preaching.
Increasingly Noyes allows Sethom to preach at the
church, while he looks after business interests in Boston
and begins to establish a new church at the old Bayfriars
Church, 540 E Church St, Arkham.
Aleister Crowley's (flawed) English translation of theBlack Book of the Skull is published by Starry Wisdom
Press, with offices in Los Angeles.
People have begun to disappear in Vermont.
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1921:Rev. Walsh arrives, hears rumours of strange
practices in the area
1920s:A Los Angeles-area branch of the Starry Wisdom
Cult reaches the peak of its popularity, lasting through the
1930s
New York jazz musician Leroy Turner buys Lightning
Billy Watkins unusual trumpet from a curio shop in NewOrleans.
May Eve 1922:Rev. Duganne witnesses ceremonies in
the hills
Walsh and Duganne believe there is a survival of
witchcraft in the area
Walsh begins to preach against the Spiritualist Church of
Astral Communion and to publish sermons and letters in
the press about it
A correspondence possibly begins with one of the
investigators. Walsh starts to be spied on and
intimidated. He is not sure who to trust any more.
Walsh asks the investigators to help.
APPENDIX THREE:TRANSCRIPT OF HENRY
AKELEYS RECORDING(Indistinguishable Sounds)(A Cultivated Male Human Voice)
is the Lord of the Wood, even to and the gifts of themen of Leng so from the wells of night to the gulfs ofspace, and from the gulfs of space to the wells of night,ever the praises of Great Cthulhu, of Tsathoggua, and ofHim Who is not to be Named. Ever Their praises, andabundance to the Black Goat of the Woods. Ia! Shub-Niggurath! The Goat with a Thousand Young!(A Buzzing Imitation of Human Speech)Ia! Shub-Niggurath! The Black Goat of the Woods with aThousand Young!(Human Voice)And it has come to pass that the Lord of the Woods,being seven and nine, down the onyx steps (tri)butes
to Him in the Gulf, Azathoth, He of Whom Thou has taughtus marv(els) on the wings of night out beyond space,
out beyond th to That whereof Yuggoth is the youngestchild, rolling alone in black aether at the rim(Buzzing Voice) go out among men and find the ways thereof, that He inthe Gulf may know. To Nyarlathotep, Mighty Messenger,must all things be told.And He shall put on the semblance of men, the waxenmask and the robe that hides, and come down from theworld of Seven Suns to mock(Human Voice)
(Nyarl)athotep, Great Messenger, bringer of strange joy toYuggoth through the void, Father of the Million FavouredOnes, Stalker among(Speech Cut Off by End of Record)
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APPENDIX FOUR:THE CHAPEL OF
CONTEMPLATIONSeveral clues relating to this scenario can be found in The
Haunting. These are as follows:
The Corbitt Diary
Found in the old Corbitt Mansion, Boston. The three
volumes are in plain English, though sometimes strangely
phrased. Accounts of his occult experiments, morbid
sacrifices of children, magic rites and summonings, his
ambition to surpass the boundaries of mortality, reports
of law suits waged against him (protectors in high places).
Corbitt sees himself as a servant of He Who Waitsin the Dark.
Details of involvement with Chapel ofContemplation.
Mentions Starry Wisdom in Providence. Mentions summoning of Walker Between the
Worlds
'Shining crystal' and describes communing with'He Who Waits in the Dark' who grants his
followers profound secrets in return for sacrifices
(especially children).
Mentions names Prof Bowen and Dr Flagg. Box found in Egyptian ruins. Haunter summoned up in darkness, can't tolerate
light.
Mentions rivalry or split between Eddy and Flagg,and death of Eddy.
Mentions On Resurrection by Enoch Bowen.Also discusses his work with Rev Orin B. Eddy,
Rev Elisha Bishop and Rev Michael Thomas on
Ancient Egyptian methods for establishing
eternal life.
Sanity loss 1/1D8; Cthulhu Mythos +4 percentiles; Occult
skill check; 10 weeks to study and comprehend/20 hours
to skim. Spells: "Summon Walker Between the Worlds"
(Summon/Bind Dimensional Shambler). There's no
further elaboration on the nature of this entity. This spelltakes 2D6 weeks to learn after the diaries are read, likely
too long to be useful in this adventure.
THE CHAPEL OF CONTEMPLATIONHere follows a more detailed treatment of the Chapel of
Contemplation than found in The Haunting. Note also the
mythos tome in the original version is Liber Ivonis,
whereas here this has been substituted with De Vermis
Mysteriis.
BROTHERS OF THE YELLOW SIGNIf the investigators enter the Chapel then leave it for at
least two days before returning, the break-in will have
been noted by The Brothers of the Yellow Sign. Two
agents are dispatched to investigate. They enter the
basement, a couple of days after the investigators,
possibly taking photos of evidence and removing
anything readily portable. They then take turns to watch
the place from an old Model-T Ford parked nearby.
The agents are out-of-work actors whove worked on
Guidiciannis productions in the past. They don overalls
when they enter the basement and try to pass themselves
off as City of New York workmen conducting a safety
inspection. If an investigator is alone, the actors may try
to apprehend and interrogate him or her. They may also
tail the investigators. If they are able to gather enough
information about the investigators, where they live etc
they may be able to spy on them for a few weeks or
months. There could be break-ins attempting to locate
evidence from the basement. They could even be followed
on their next investigation.
Dan Sherritt, unemployed actor and agentof the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign
Sherritt is intelligent and overweight. He gave up medicalschool to become and actor and is now unemployed. Afterattending a read-through of The King in Yellow he hasbecome a drug-addict, haunted by strange dreams andmanipulated byAge 28STR 10 CON 12 SIZ 15 INT 15 POW 8DEX 14 APP 14 EDU 18 SAN 25 HP 14Damage Bonus: +1D4Weapons:
StickFistGrappleSkills: Acting 70%, Singing 50, Bargain 25%, Disguise61%, Drive Auto 30, Electrical Repair 20, Fast Talk 65,Jump 35, Listen 35, Mechanical Repair 40, French 26,English 100, Persuade 55, Psychology 50, Sneak 20, SpotHidden 35
Sandy Barthelemy Frost, unemployed
actor and agent of the Brotherhood of the
Yellow Sign
Frost is fairly handsome, but sickly and down on his luck.He attended the reading of the play with Sherritt and isobsessed with it. He is desperate to get hold of a copy.Age 27STR 11 CON 7 SIZ 12 INT 12 POW 12DEX 14 APP 14 EDU 18 SAN 45 HP 10Damage Bonus: 0Weapons:Skills: Acting 60%, Dancing 40, Bargain 50%, Disguise66%, Fast Talk 65, French 31, English 80, Psychology 15,Sneak 20, Spot Hidden 35
THE CHAPEL SITE
Ground Floor:
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This floor is almost completely destroyed. Fire and time
have reduced it to a scattering of bricks, a few remnants
of charred walls and blackened timbers. Most of the roof
is completely absent or lying collapsed on the ground.
There are no doors remaining. Grasses and weeds grow
up through the ground, hiding the decayed floorboards
beneath.
1. An empty doorway leads to the first open area. Over a
low wall lies the remains of a washbasin and a toilet
2. The largest space here. Under a collapsed section of
roofing is the remains of a central pedestal and the
remains of black paint that once covered it.
On the wall on the left is painted a symbol a stylized
representation of the Three Lobed Eye. It was created
quite recently by Charles Noyes and Dr Hayes with white
paint. It is intended to show that the sect survives.
Spot Hidden reveals the remains of some words on the
walls of no known language (and now unintelligible).
At some point they become aware that the earth they
stand on is covering weakened floorboards: call for D100
rolls equal to or less than DEX x4. Those who get failing
rolls are unable to grab something secure when they feel
the floor give way. They fall ten feet into the basement.
Each falling investigator loses 1D6 hit points. They end up
in area 10.
If the floor is excavated, Spot Hidden reveals a decayed
trap door which would have to be dug through leading to
the passage below.
3. This passage once led from beneath the central stage in
Area 2 to the secret stage effects in Room 5. The passage
is partially filled with earth and water. Some of the
controls leading to Area 5 are here.
4. The wall on the right hand side has collapsed revealing
Room 5. Spot Hidden and Mechanical Repair reveal that
this wall once opened with an unusual pivot system.
5. This room contains the rusted remains of several
machines of unknown function. Mechanical Repair and an
Idea Roll may reveal that they included various special
effects machines. Well buried under these remains is a
trapdoor are the stairs to the inner circle meeting room
(Room 8). Again, the floor would need to be excavated in
order to find this.
6. Empty. Excavating the floor turns up a trapdoor to
areas 9 and 10.
7. Empty. A stairway completely choked with debris at
one end leads down into area 8.
8. Basement: Sealed off from the rest of the underground
areas, this area contains a furnace, a bookshelf and a few
pieces of broken furniture.
Secret Basement
This part of the basement was sealed off from the rest,
reached by separate stairs now buried under tons of
rubble.
10. Prison: In front of where the investigators land is a
locked cell with rusted floor-to-ceiling bars. The cell-door
is ajar and iron. Scratches on the walls remain. The doors
at either end are made of iron. Spot hidden reveals traces
of bone, which forensic examination will reveal to be
human.
9. Chained to a pedestal at one side of this area is a large
book. Examination proves it to be a Latin work, De Vermis
Mysteriis. It is the prize of those who can break the chain
(STR 30) or carry the pedestal out of the building(characters STR versus 36 on the resistance table to lift
up through to the outside world,