Game Run September 2003 – 4th May 1922
The House on Stratford LanePlease send cards and flowers to Merideth Sinclair c/o Ward 13 Boston
General.
Make sure all gifts can be opened with one hand (The left one).
Mission Objective Report Form
Will the reporting player please check the list to indicate that the item(s) was/were completed:
Solved Case x
Burned Down at least one building x
One or more PCs were seriously/fatally injured x
One or more NPCs were seriously/fatally injured x
Were involved with weapons discharge/general violence x
OK here's my take on things seeing as P&C are away on holiday it's down to me for the PC side of things (PM will have to supply missing names)
We were contacted by Father Philip McBride. (from the theatre adventure). A friend of his (James Burbridge?) had reported that a very unsocialable guy in his neighbourhood was involved with "physics experiments" that was creating a cause for concern. It was also known that he was receiving funding from the Allen Foundation (dodgy org inc). Dr. Philip knowing our background asked us to help, as he had other matters which required his immediate attention (convenient).
We headed of to Hertford, Connecticut. On route we also found out that the day previous an 8 yr old girl had gone missing in the same area and had not been found following a search of the sewers and surrounding areas. Putting 2 and 2 together and coming up with 5 we immediately assumed that the guy, Charles Edwards (CE) was involved/continuing the work which we found in the sleep research centre and had possibly abducted the girl. The police apparently had at the request of the locals searched CE's house for the girl and not found anything.
Anyway, after a little research we found out that he was conducting experiments which may involve magnetism and possibly occult related things (CE was highly regarded in the field of magnetism and had not continued with his studies as a PhD at his University which was a little surprising, and had become involved/interested in occult/ancient tribal ritual studies back at college). There was also a link to another ex-mad scientist Alvin .... who had his theories on Time/Space/Field Effects pooh-poohed some years earlier (ex - as he blew himself up during an experiment about 4 years earlier). The whereabouts of his notes were unknown (but we suspected). (Can't quite remember where this link came from)
Without much more to go on, and putting our 5 from earlier together with 2 and coming up with 10, and no better plan we decided to do a spot of breaking and entering.
During the break-in we found some dodgy books, and a gun (woman's technical assessment). In the basement (where else!) we found a "device". PR had also noted that the lock to the coal chute had been tampered with before his tampering.
After mulling over the facts we were starting to come to the conclusion that CE was indeed mad/sad/and very unsociable, but it was looking less likely that he took the girl. She may have possibly have been disappeared as a freak accident of CE's experiment (and also about being stuck on Astral planes and such what). Knowing that time was ticking on and the girl had been missing for nearly 4 days by this time we decided it was time to act.
We decided to go confront CE with the nature of the Allen Foundation and the possible by-products of his experiment. We headed over to his place again, only to get no reply at the door. One lock pick later we let ourselves in. While searching his place the power failed (including our torches - was overloaded by the experiment) and upon making our way downstairs were met by an angry mob of locals coming in from the street, intent on disembowelling CE (they still thought he was behind the girls disappearance)
We trouped down to the basement to find CE and his experiment "active". The mob set about CE. Our group set about trying to destroy the experiment. While I hung back with on of the old codgers we noticed a blue piece of material in the pile of coal (the girl had been wearing a blue dress). This only made things worse for CE, however I was unconvinced as the police had searched the house earlier that week (and also PR's tampering observation). Things got a bit weird here. Carole ran off after seeing something in the experiments disc that had been generated and also a cylinder in the corner of the room talked to her?
PR set about destroying the experiment as we moved CE upstairs for some more interrogation
. At that point there was an explosion in the basement which eventually lead to CE's residence being burned to the ground (Huzzah!
) and PR unconscious on his back in the basement. A brief scramble later and we got out with PR and the talking cylinder who claims to be Alvin
? I opted to leave the blue dress in the coal pile as I was now convinced that CE was being setup and was being used as a good scape goat because of his poor social skills.
Realising that CE was likely to be blamed for the girls disappearance and that we were not even close to uncovering the real identity of the abductor I came up with a cunning plan
While all the residence were milling around in the street and the police were taking statements I pronounced that blue dress we had seen in the coal pile was not a blue dress but just a piece of blue material, and of course the police would have easily seen this if it had been there when they searched the house. Claiming loudly that I had some thoughts on the subject but wanted to talk to the Winfields (parents) about some things, I let everyone know in the street that the case was not closed and even possibly coming to a conclusion. In reality it was an attempt to flush the real abductor out, trying to make them think the game was up and their attempt at placing blame had failed.
Hoping to make myself a target that night we filled my bed (at James Burbridge's house) with pillows and took turns on watch. Fortunately we were also watching the outside world as at about 3am the guy 3 doors up with the huge Rotwilier (can't remember his name - dog man) carried a "bundle" out to his car and drove out of town.
Anyway, one mad scramble and one fence later we piled into Burbridge's car and pursued. After some daring (OK - cr*p) no-lights driving we lost him. A quick double back and we found that he had turned into his wood yard. We entered, parked up and pursed on foot. Carole went off to the office to phone the police. Me and PR (me with the commandeered pistol from earlier, and PR with baseball bat) entered the wood shed. We were confronted by "Fluffy" his faithfully hound (now an ex-flat headed hound!).
We could see/hear him in the distance through the doorway guarded by Fluffy. I fired, and missed (not surprisingly - this was the first time I had ever handled a firearm) the dog jumped and bit, and hit not surprisingly. PR also was batter up and connected squarely with one pooch skull. I lost all my hit points and passed out. I assume PR finished the dog as he didn't finish us. What followed I don't really remember, suffice it to say that one gun jam, some stalking around and weapons fire exchange we got the man, and the 8 yr old alive.
I remember coming to, trying to make a run for the car, only to be tackled by PR to the ground again. I was dazed, but apparently PR's tackle saved my life (no smutty jokes please!). I am now in hospital after undergoing surgery on my wrist and will be somewhat incapacitated for a while. (PR can fill you in on the combat details when he gets back)
Excellent adventure - details probably very inaccurate but hopefully enough to give the gist.
Dave
