Call of Cthulhu - Down to New England ...

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Down to New England Town(CoC)
©1997
By Michael C. LaBossiere
Ontologist@aol.com
Call of Cthulhu
Legal Information
This adventure is copyright 1997 by Dr. Michael C. LaBossiere. It may be freely
distributed for personal use provided that it is not modified and no fee above the
normal cost of distribution is charged for it. Visit my web site at
www.opifex.cnchost.com.
Call of Cthulhu is Chaosium Inc's registered trademark for their game of horror and
wonder in the worlds of HP Lovecraft. For more information, contact Chaosium
Inc., 950-A 56th St, Oakland, CA 94608 -- or call us at 510-595-2440. Visit Chaosium's
web page at www.chaosium.com/cthulhu/.
Introduction
The investigators will be driving through a small New England town on their way to some other place
when they will encounter a police road block. There will be two police cars and four officers. They are
armed with 9mm pistols. They are stopping every car and are searching it carefully. When the
Investigators reach their turn, one of them will recognize Officer Jennifer Hansen (she went to high
school with the investigator and they were friends for a while). She will tell the investigator the
following: “It’s the oddest thing. Old Roger Colwin passed away recently. You know him, he’s the guy
that wrote those horror movies a while back. His funeral was set for the other day, but they found the
church broken into and his body gone. Roger was going to be buried with all his jewelry and it’s worth
quite a bit. The chief thinks someone stole the body. (insert the name of one of the investigators’
contacts) told me you were into this sort of weird stuff. You could pick a reward if you can help us
out.” If the investigators decline, she will check the car in a cursory manner and let them go. If they
accept, she will tell them to go see the chief.
Meeting the Chief
The police station is an old house that also serves as the city offices. In addition to Hansen and
Chipman, there are four other officers in the town. The chief, Dale Chipman, is a likable man in his mid
forties who speaks in a heavy New England accent. If the Investigators talk to him, he will tell them
some of what he knows. His story is the same as that of Officer Hansen, except the chief tells the
investigators that the body was probably stolen out of the town church, where it was kept before the
funeral. If the Investigators ask about what the police found, he will say that didn’t find any useful
clues. If an investigator with psychology skill makes an average roll, he or she will be aware that the
chief is holding something back. If the Investigators are able to persuade him into talking or he thinks he
can trust them, he will tell them that the footprints of large dogs or wolves were found around the
church. He will also tell them that this isn’t the first disappearance of a corpse. There have been six
other such disappearances from the church and the local funeral parlor. In most of the cases, the tracks
of large dogs or wolves were found in the dirt near the buildings.
Checking for Clues
If the Investigators decide to check out the church, they will find that there are numerous prints that
seem to be of large dogs or wolves. If an investigator with tracking skill checks the tracks carefully
(and makes his or her tracking skill roll) he or she will learn that while the tracks are dog like, they
were made by man sized creatures walking on two legs. The door to the church has been forced open. A
successful check using an investigator’s Spot Hidden skill will indicate that the investigator has spotted
a log in the nearby bushes. The log was apparently used as a battering ram. There are some hairs
caught on the log and if they are analyzed at the nearest hospital (about a twenty minute drive) they
will turn out to hairs from no known creature. If the Investigators try to follow the tracks, they will
lose them when they reach the tar road.
To Catch a Crook
If the players don’t come up with a plan, the chief will
say “Well, I guess we could always wait until somebody
dies and then hide in the church to catch the crook.” He
will then come up with a plan. Once he gets permission
from Harvey Carnnet, he will have the local paper post
that Harvey has died and that he will be buried with his
valuable collection of antique scrimshaw. Harvey will go
into hiding prior to the announcement. The Chief will
bring the Investigators in on it . The Investigators, the
chief, and one other officer will hide in the church and
wait for something to happen.
Slightly after midnight, those in the church will hear
something sniffing around outside, and then they will
hear scratching at the door. As they turn to watch the
door, a pack of ghouls will burst through the windows to
attack. If more than half the ghouls are wounded or a
quarter of them are killed, they will flee into the night.
If the Investigators pursue, they will see them head into
the graveyard. Since it has rained recently, the ghouls
will leave easy to follow tracks in the mud. These
tracks will lead up to a stone slab (it weighs 50 kg). If
the slab is removed, a narrow tunnel into the darkness
will be visible and a horrid stench of decay will waft forth. The ghouls will be waiting in ambush in their
warrens and will fight to the death.
If the Investigators do not go along with the chief’s plan, or they come up with one of their own, the
results are left up to the referee.
Ghoul Warren Map
The ghoul warrens consist of tunnels large enough for man sized creatures and larger chambers. The
warrens are unlit and smell like a well ripened grave.
1. Entrance:
The entrance consists of a tunnel shorn up with wood and slabs of stone.
2. Chamber 1:
This chamber, like the others, is shorn up with logs, stone slabs, and hunks of coffins.
There are animal bones strewn about in this chamber. The younger ghouls use this area. There are
initially four younger ghouls in this chamber.
3. Chamber 2:
This chamber is used by the older ghouls. There is a mix of animal and human bones
(all well gnawed) on the floor. There will initially be five older ghouls in the chamber.
4. Chamber 3:
This chamber is used by the ghoul leader. All the bones in the chamber are human.
Many of the bones have been pressed into the walls in patterns and Colwin’s jewelry has been inserted
among the bones. There are seven pieces of jewelry, ranging in value from $5,000-25,000. There is
only one leader.
Finish
If the investigators kill the ghouls, they should receive a 1D6 Sanity Point award. Further, the
chief will be extremely pleased and will become a useful contact for them. He has several good friends
in the FBI and will be sure to tell them how the investigators helped him out. In addition, if the
investigators return the jewelry, they will receive a reward of $15,000 from Colwin’s daughter who
came to town for her father’s funeral. She will also be grateful for their help. She has contacts in the
movie industry and has inherited her fathers wealth (it runs in the millions) . She may be willing to
become a patron for the investigators in their fight against the Dark Conspiracy. If the investigators
keep the jewelry, Colwin’s daughter will thank them for solving the mystery and may be willing to
become their patron, unless of course, she learns that they have stolen her father’s jewelry. In such a
situation, she will have them arrested. If the ghouls defeat the investigators, any survivors should lose
1D4 Sanity Points. In this case, more ghouls will come into the area and they may eventually become
bold enough to attack and kill the townspeople one night.
NPCs
Officer Jennifer Hansen
STR: 12 Con: 14 SIZ: 10 INT: 12 POW: 11 DEX: 13 APP: 13 EDU: 17 SAN: 55 HP: 12 DB: 0
Skills: Fast Talk 25%, First Aid 35%, Law 23%, Handgun 45%, Shotgun 41%, Nightstick 50%, Listen
39%, Drive Automobile 55%, Martial Arts 32%
Weapons: 9mm 45% Damage 1D10 Range 20 yards Shots/Rd 3 Shots 17 HP 8,
12 Gauge Shotgun 41% Damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 Range 10/20/50 Shots/Rd 1 Shots: 8 HP 10,
Nightstick 50% Damage 1D6 HP 15
Description: Hansen is a young woman who is in good shape. She has red hair, green eyes and a somber
lok. She was an officer in Boston for three years, but moved to Maine after her marriage fell apart
(her husband, whom she was putting through law school, was chetaing on her). She does not believe in
the supernatural, but is brave and will be willing to aid the investigators.
Chief Dale Chipman
STR: 14 Con: 13 SIZ: 14 INT: 13 POW: 13 DEX: 11 APP: 11 EDU: 18 SAN: 65 HP: 14 DB: +1D4
Skills: Fast Talk 35%, First Aid 42%, Law 43%, Handgun 55%, Shotgun 51%, Nightstick 41%, Listen
45%, Drive Automobile 65%, Ride 55%
Weapons: 9mm 55% Damage 1D10 Range 20 yards Shots/Rd 3 Shots 17 HP 8,
12 Gauge Shotgun 51% Damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 Range 10/20/50 Shots/Rd 1 Shots: 8 HP 10,
Nightstick 41 % Damage 1D6+1D4 HP 15
Description: Chipman is a large, quiet man in his mid 40s. He was an officer in New York city for
several years, but returned home to Maine after the violence and unending crime burned him out.
Chipman is very intelligent and prefers to think before acting. He does not really believe in the
supernatural, but his in the Big Apple taught him that just about anything can happen. If the
investigators are cooperative, he will be willing to work with them.
Typical Officer
STR: 12 Con: 12 SIZ: 11 INT: 12 POW: 11 DEX: 12 APP: 10 EDU: 16 SAN: 55 HP: 12 DB: 0
Skills: Fast Talk 22%, First Aid 30%, Law 15%, Handgun 35%, Shotgun 35%, Nightstick 35%, Listen
35%, Drive Automobile 40%, Martial Arts 15%
Weapons: 9mm 35% Damage 1D10 Range 20 yards Shots/Rd 3 Shots 17 HP 8,
12 Gauge Shotgun 35% Damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 Range 10/20/50 Shots/Rd 1 Shots: 8 HP 10,
Nightstick 35% Damage 1D6 HP 15
Description: The typical security officer is between 20 and 40 years of age, in fair physical condition,
and of average intelligence. Most of the officers do not really believe in the supernatural.
Mythos Creatures
New England Ghoul, Lesser Independent Race
Characteristics Rolls Averages 1
2
3
4
6
7
STR
3D6+8 18-19
23
21
19
18
20
15
CON
2D6+8 15
18
15
17
16
14
16
SIZ
2D6+8 15
19
14
18
20
17
18
INT
3D6
10-11
12
10
9
12
10
15
POW
3D6
10-11
14
11
7
9
12
13
DEX
3D6
10-11
12
10
14
12
13
11
Move 9
HP 15
19
15
18
18
15
17
Damage Bonus
+1D6
+2D6 +1D6 +1D6 +1D6 +1D6 +1D6
Average Damage Bonus: +1D6
Weapons: Claws 40%, damage 1d6+1+DB
Bite: 40%, damage 1D6+1+automatic worry.
Armor: Firearms and other piercing projectile weapons do half rolled damage.
Spells: None.
Skills: Burrow 80%, Climb 85%, Hide 60%, Jump 75%, Listen 70%, Scent Dead Body 65%, Sneak
80%, Spot Hidden 50%
Sanity Loss: 0/1D6 Sanity points to see a New England Ghoul.
Description
New England Ghouls are loathsome beings that are believed to be an even more degenerate and animal
like relative of the “common” ghoul. These ghouls are relatively new to the surface world, having
dwelt for untold centuries scavenging hideous corpses in the subterranean realm under the earth. Now
that they have come to the surface, they have found that they have a taste for dead humans. While they
generally prefer to gather already dead bodies, but they are not adverse to killing humans. They will,
however, let a corpse age a bit before feasting on it. Given their feeding habits, they are generally
found near graveyards, funeral homes, and hospitals.
New England Ghouls are intelligent, but they are not known to have their own technology. They will,
however use human tools and are skilled at constructing underground lairs. New England Ghouls have
been known to deal with some degenerate and wicked humans, primarily by exchanging valuables in
return for corpses.
In combat, New England Ghouls rip at their victims with their claws and rip with their wolf like fangs.
Thus, a ghoul can make up to three attacks each round. If a ghoul strikes with both paws and bites in a
round, it can hold the victim and rip at him with its teeth. Such attacks succeed automatically and
inflict 1D4 each round. To break away, the victim must match his STR against the ghoul’s STR.
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