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  BRUTAL MURDER
  IN SCOTLAND
  Accused blames haunted house
  Inverness Police are continuing their
  investigations into the brutal murder ofMr
  Donald McColl, a distillery workerfrom
  the small Highland village ofStrathmorn .
  The officer in charge ofthe investigation,
  Inspector Charles Sinclair, toldour
  reporter that Mr McColl's horriblyslashed
  andmutilated body wasfound on the
  outskirts ofthe isolatedvillage late last
  Saturday night, as the villagers made their
  way homefrom a party at the local hotel.
  The only othermemberofthe village
  community notpresent at theparty,
  shepherd boyJamieMcLeod, is helping
  Police with enquiries. Apparently, he claims
  to have been exploring thedesertedmanor
  ofthe MacMornfamily, once lairds ofthe
  manor, whodied out 100years ago. Locals
  hold that the manor is haunted, and
  McLeod is reported to have claimedthat the
  murder musthave been committedby one of
  the ghosts thathad become disturbed by his
  investigations .
  Inspector Sinclair is refusing to considerthe
  possibility ofa supernatural explanationfor
  the crime, butdoes admit that certain
  aspects ofthe mystery, including theferocity
  ofthe murderandthe apparentlack of
  motive, defy rational explanation . The
  National LaboratoryforPsychical Research
  has offered tofund an investigation into the
  haunting ofStrathmorn Manor. Applicants
  forposts on the investigative committee are
  invited to contact the Director, Mr Harry
  Price; at 19Buckingham Place, London .
  Introduction
  The Sunday Review
  This scenario is set in the 1920s or 1930s,
  and is designed for a group ofplayer
  characters who are used to investigating
  strange occurences and can present some
  authority for doing so - they will need this
  in order to be able to co-operate with the
  Police and the suspicious, and potentially
  hostile, villagers . The introductory article
  from the Sunday Review given above
  provides a suitable lead-in to the adventure
  and dates it as some time in the late 1930s,
  which is when Harry Price operated out of
  Buckingham Place . More information on
  Price can be found earlier in this book in the
  section on the Occult .
  Obviously, enterprising Keepers will be
  able to devise alternative introductions for
  their players where necessary to fit the
  scenario into their campaigns . Little in the
  scenario other than the introduction implies
  a specific date. Likewise, the scenario is not
  set during any particular time ofyear, but it
  should not be set in winter, as Strathmorn
  would be snowbound - making the invest-
  igators' task unduly difficult . During the
  summer, the area is likely tobe full of
  tourists, the railways having made
  exploration ofthe remote parts of Britain
  much easier. This is also likely to hamper
  investigations, as accommodation will be
  difficult to come by. However, having the
  investigators in the area on holiday might be
  a suitable alternative introduction
  The following text describes the plot of the
  adventure as it is most likely to unfold .
  However, the players may well choose to
  deviate from the expected course ofevents,
  and will probably spend agood deal of time
  interviewing various villagers . With this in
  mind, personality profiles ofall the major
  non-player characters are given in the
  sections of the booklet dealing with
  Strathmorn village . As always, it is import-
  ant to have a thorough grasp of the whole of
  the scenario before starting to run it .
  Getting there
  Ifthe players choose to contact Price, he
  will need to consider whether they are
  suitable . It is up to the Keeper whether or
  not Price is impressed with theircred-
  entials. The scenario will not be unduly
  spoilt ifhe is not, as the location ofthe
  manor is easily obtainable, but the
  investigators will find that references from
  the famous Harry Price impress well-read
  locals, and ifthey are not working for Price,
  the Keeper may like to introduce a rival
  group which is .
  In accordance with his usual policy, Price
  will not offer any payment to his invest-
  igators save for transport to Scotland,
  though he will be prepared to supply
  scientific equipment . In return, he asks that
  the investigators make no statements to the
  press except through him, and that the
  results oftheir work become the property of
  the National Laboratory for Psychical
  Research .
  The easiest way to get to Strathmorn is for
  the investigators to take the train to
  Inverness and get to the village either by cab
  or by hiring a car. Regular railway services
  run from London Euston to Perth and
  Inverness, though passengers may have to
  change trains en route. The Station Hotel is
  a convenient and reputable place to stay
  whilst in the city, prices starting at 6/- a
  night for a single room, with meals from 3/-
  upwards . Investigators looking for a cheaper
  establishment are warned that the
  
  Temperance Movement is very strong in
  Scotland, and many hotels do not serve
  alcohol .
  The map of central Inverness shows the
  location ofthe station, museum and public
  library. The police are housed in the County
  Offices . Cabs are generally available from
  The Exchange (the open area in front ofthe
  Town Hall) and the cost ofa trip to
  Strathmorn is 4/6.
  ThePolice Case
  By the time the Sunday Review story
  appeared, the case was already a week old,
  and a further few days will have elapsed
  before the investigators get to Scotland . In
  the intervening time, Inspector Sinclair has
  been unable to discover any otherpossible
  culprit and has therefore charged McLeod
  with murder. The first thing that the
  investigators are likely to do is approachthe
  police and ask for their help. The Inspector,
  assuming the players have suitable
  references, will provide the following
  information :
  Inspector Sinclair still has doubts about
  McLeod's guilt, but can find no other
  explanation for the mystery, and - being
  under considerable pressure to bring
  charges against someone - he has chosen the
  only possible candidate . Although he has
  only circumstantial evidence for McLeod's
  guilt, Sinclair does have character witnesses
  fromthe village who are prepared to testify
  that they believe McLeod could have
  commited the murder. As these include the
  Minister and the local doctor, he is fairly
  sure that McLeod will be convicted. If
  asked to provide further details of the crime,
  he willbecome irritable and unhelpful, as
  heknows he doesn't have any firm proof and
  doesn't want the investigators throwing up
  doubts . However, he is happy for them to
  have a look at the manor. Being a sceptical
  man, he is convinced that they will find
  nothing interesting, and if they are working
  on that, they can't be trying to clear
  McLeod . He will warn them that many of
  thevillagers are convinced thatthe manor is
  haunted and will be very unhappy at the
  thought of anyone risking disturbing the
  ghosts .
  This is as much as the investigators will get
  fromInspector Sinclair, but ifthey choose
  to ask to see McLeod they will pick up more
  interesting information .
  First, they will note that McLeod is a
  slightly built young man in his early
  twenties . He seems fairly bright and very
  much afraid of what is happening to him .
  All he has to say is that he didn't do it, it
  must have been the ghosts, and he's sorry he
  ever wentto thatawful house. Ifthe
  investigators try to question him about the
  house, he will say that he went there hoping
  to find treasure and that he fell asleep . All
  he can remember about that night is a
  particularly ferocious wind that built up
  whilst he was inside the manor. He is now
  convinced that the place is haunted, because
  he knows he didn't commit the murder, and
  he wishes he had listened to Reverend
  McCallan's advice and left the Devil's work
  well alone. He will not discuss the house
  further, nor say why he thought there might
  be treasure there, and will do his best to
  dissuade the investigators from entering it .
  The police officer in charge ofthe cells
  where McLeod is held is Sergeant Lorimer.
  If questioned, he will be reluctantto talk at
  first, as he is fairly superstitious, but if
  pressed and bought a few whiskys he will
  reveal that he is very sorry for the young
  man :
  "I saw the body they found, and believe me,
  there's no way the wee laddie couldhave
  done so much damage to a man. His arms
  were ripped from their sockets, his head
  was halftwisted off and hisbody covered
  with such awful cuts you'd think someone
  had been at him with a claymore . Still, the
  rest ofthe village were all at the hotel with
  Mrs McPherson when it happened, so I can
  only believe that the laddie must have been
  possessedby the Devil, like the Reverend
  says . From the way he cries out in his sleep,
  he's certainly troubled by some spirit or
  other."
  Sergeant Lorimer is not sure exactly what it
  is that McLeod says in his sleep, but - if
  further lubricated with whisky - will allow
  the investigators to stay the night at the
  police station to listen to him for them-
  THE HORROR OF THE GLEN
  selves . If the investigators follow this
  course, they will discover that McLeod
  dreams several times during the night, each
  time thrashing his arms and legs wildly and
  crying out. Many ofhis cries are
  incoherent, especially to someone
  unfamiliar with the local accent, but the
  investigators can make out a number of
  sentences such as :
  "No, no, don'tgo in there! No, it can'tbe,
  it's moving!Aargh! Don't let it get me! "
  On waking, McLeod can remember nothing
  of his dreams.
  If asked about the details of the crime,
  Sergeant Lorimer will say that the Inspector
  has forbidden anyone to discuss ituntil after
  the trial, at which all will be explained . No
  amount of bribery will get anything more
  out ofhim .
  This is all the information the investigators
  can get out ofthe police and McLeod . At
  this stage, they will probably wish to go to
  Strathmom to interview the villagers and
  explore the manor. However, they may
  decide to make use of the museum and
  public library while they are in Inverness in
  order to look for references to the manor
  .
  and the MacMorn family. From the point of
  view of the flow ofthe scenario itis
  probably best to encourage them towards
  Strathmorn straight away, but if they do
  come up with the idea of going to the
  library, referto the section on documentary
  evidence later in the booklet. Obviously,
  -,
  la
  A SIMPLIFIED MAP OF
  INVERNESS TOWN CENTRE
  . %\ Li
  45
  
  theywill not know of the existence of
  Archie McPhee's diary at this stage, and
  will need to make exceptionally good
  library rolls in order to find it .
  Ifthe investigators do make their way
  directly to Strathmorn, they will need
  somewhere to stay. The natural, indeed
  only, place to stay is the Strathmorn Hotel .
  Stathmorn Hotel
  Scottish hotels are often nothing more than
  the equivalent of English coaching inns .
  This is certainly true ofthe one in
  Strathmorn, which has only three guest
  rooms - one double and two twins . The
  investigators will probably have to share
  rooms . The double room is 5/- per night and
  the twins 3/6 per person per night . Meals
  are from 2/6. If the scenario has been set
  during the summer, there is a good chance
  that one or more of the rooms will be
  occupied by tourists . Keepers with a weak
  party might like to use this as an excuse to
  introduce an NPC. Ofcourse, ifthe
  investigators are not working for Price, they
  may find that people who are have already
  snapped up the rooms . Ifthere is not
  enough room for all the investigators, some
  ofthem will have to commute from
  Inverness .
  The hotel is run by Mrs Maureen
  MacPherson, a kindly widow. She is quite
  happy to talk to the investigators, and
  indeed does so at length as they struggle
  through the heavy porridge breakfast that
  she provides . Unfortunately, most ofher
  gossip is about local affairs and her
  children, rather that anything ofinterest .
  Mrs MacPherson's children are lain and
  Douglas . Like most other young Highland-
  ers, they found few opportunities for work
  at home and so got as much education as
  possible and emigrated . lain is a doctor in
  Melbourne, and Douglas an engineer in
  Toronto. Like many other Scots, Mrs
  MacPherson is worried about the number of
  young people leaving the Highlands for big
  cities or the colonies. The population of
  Strathmorn is now 20% less than it was 100
  years ago.
  Local matters that she is likely to mention
  include the large number of English tourists
  who now seem to flock to the area in
  summer; how wicked it is that all ofthat
  good land that Earl Cawdor has is given
  over to deer and grouse rather than provid-
  ing work for farmers like itdid in her
  grandfather's time ; and how slothsome the
  men in the village are on account oftheir
  drinking halfof the distillery's outputbefore
  it ever gets bottled (a slight exaggeration) . If
  the investigators can get a word in edgeways
  and ask the appropriate leading questions
  they can glean the following additional
  information :
  The party at the hotel on the night ofthe
  murder was in honour of Mrs MacPherson's
  46
  50th birthday. With the hotel being the only
  legal, convenient source ofalcohol, and as
  such the social centre ofthe village, every-
  one was invited and everyone came, even
  Rev McCallan who officially frowns on the
  consumption ofthe Devil's Brew. The only
  absentee was McLeod who, in theory, was
  supposed to be looking after a flock of
  sheep belonging to Mr McIntyre, a local
  farmer.
  Donald McColl left the party early for some
  reason, and that was the last anyone saw of
  him until his body was found the following
  morning by a group of villagers on their way
  to church to repent the nights debauchery
  (the Sunday Review got this detail wrong,
  which may confuse the investigators
  somewhat) .
  some sort, but what happened to it she
  doesn't know - it was probably burnt on
  account ofit telling ofthe evil doings ofthe
  MacMorn family. Not that she knows the
  evil the MacMorns might have done, except
  that it concerned Africa, but they must have
  been evil-ifthey have come back from the
  grave to haunt the manor.
  Mrs MacPherson can also supply the invest-
  igators with any information they require
  about who lives in the village, where to find
  them and so on . She will wam them to be
  particularly careful about who they talk to,
  as many people in Strathmorn do not like
  foreigners, and the Rev McCallan is likely
  to be firmly against them doing anything
  that might disturb the ghosts in the manor.
  MacMorn Manor has been deserted for over
  100 years since the last laird died without
  heirs . Rumour has it that it is haunted by
  ghosts ofthe family who protect the family
  treasure . No one in the village dares to go
  anywhere near it, and besides Rev
  McCallan has forbidden them to do so lest
  they become possessed by demons .
  As far as Mrs MacPherson is concerned,
  possession by the Devil is the only possible
  explanation for McLeod having commited
  the murder. She says he has always been a
  nice, polite boy, ifa little unreliable on
  account of his being given to daydreaming .
  Also, he was "foreverpoking his nose into
  places where noses didn't ought to be
  poked".
  The village is obviously a very close
  community, the only real outsider being Dr
  McBride, who - although Scots by ancestry
  - was born and educated in England . Mrs
  MacPherson's family have lived in the
  village for as long as she can remember.
  Her grandfather, Archie McPhee, was the
  minister at the time the manor was last
  occupied . She believes he wrote a diary of
  The next stage for the investigators will
  presumably be to talk to more ofthe
  villagers and try to get some more
  information, both about the manor and the
  murder mystery. The map ofStrathmorn
  shows the location of the houses ofthe
  principal characters, the manor and the spot
  where Donald McColl's body was found .
  The People
  of Strathmorn
  As has already been noted, Strathmorn is a
  closed and isolated community . For the
  most part - Mrs MacPherson, the McPhees
  and Dr McBride excepted - the villagers are
  reluctant to talk to strangers . A fair number
  of tourists do come through Strathmorn
  during the summer, but the McColl murder
  caused a fewjournalists to descend upon the
  village and has opened old sores . The
  villagers will be tight-lipped about anything
  remotely scandalous ; they will become very
  edgy and unfriendly if anyone mentions the
  MacMorn house, poaching, stealing from
  the distillery or anything to do with sex .
  They will be exceptionally hostile to anyone
  they suspect ofbeing from an English
  newspaper .
  
  Poaching is something ofa local pastime .
  Much ofthe area surrounding the village is
  owned by Lord Cawdor and is well stocked
  with deer, grouse and salmon . The distil-
  lery is very small, and has little market for
  its ware outside ofInverness and the
  surrounding villages. Most of the output is
  sold to blending companies . It does,
  however, provide the only local industry and
  stealing whisky from it is an accepted
  supplement to the meagre wages .
  Ifasked about the night ofthe murder, most
  people will confirm both Mrs MacPherson's
  version ofevents and McLeod's mention of
  a particularly high wind blowing that night .
  The rest were too drunk to remember
  anything .
  Donald McColl - the murdered man was
  well liked amongst the villagers . Other than
  poaching, stealing whisky and beating his
  wife he had no particular vices, and none of
  these were counted greatly heinous . His
  ability at caber-tossing had made him a
  local hero. Few ofthe villagers will admit to
  any reason why he might have been killed,
  or how anyone could have managed it .
  Rev McCallan - the local minister is
  exceedingly strict in his beliefs and duties,
  even for a Presbyterian . Woe betide anyone
  in the village who fails to turn up at the kirk
  (Scottish for church) on a Sunday. The
  Reverend regards the MacMorn house as an
  abode ofSatan and has forbidden anyone in
  the village to enter it, or even go beyond the
  protecting ring oftrees . As soon as the
  investigators express any interest in the
  house, McCallan will do all he can to drive
  them away from the village lestthey wake
  whatever demons Satan might have billeted
  there .
  McCallan is convinced ofMcLeod's guilt .
  As soon as he heard the lad had spent the
  night in the manor, he knew that he must
  have been possessed by a demon and could
  thus have been capable ofanything .
  Willie Stewart - Donald McColl's best
  friend is a slow, suspicious man with a deep
  mistrust of foreigners (by which he means
  anyone from more than 5 miles away) . He is
  also very strong and easily provoked to
  violence. He and McColl did a lot ofwork
  for Dr McBride, both poaching and work of
  a more clandestine nature . As a skilled
  poacher, he is an expert with a shotgun . He
  is happy to believe McLeod guilty, as both
  the minister and the doctor have said he is .
  Stewart feels somewhat guilty about the
  death ofhis friend as they were supposed to
  go offtogether that night, but he had got too
  drunk and so McColl went on his own .
  Dr McBride - The doctor is the only well-
  educated man in the village . He is suave and
  civilised, and will be kind and courteous to
  the investigators, saying how nice it is to
  have well-read visitors . He is happy to talk
  about the manor, but does his best not to
  impart any information . If anyone mentions
  the subject ofhis association with Stewart
  and McColl, he will admit to a passion for
  salmon and say that the two were proficient
  poachers . He explains that poaching is an
  accepted part oflife in the area and is
  nothing to be concerned about .
  McBride also claims to be convinced of
  McLeod's guilt . Ifchallenged on the
  medical impossibility of McLeod inflicting
  the wounds that werereported, he will fetch
  several books from his library and point to a
  number ofcase histories where mentally
  disturbed people were capable of feats of
  unusual strength and violence . He adds that
  McLeod was much much given to day-
  dreaming and other signs of maladjustment .
  A Spot Hidden roll will reveal an unusually
  large number ofbooks on geneology on the
  doctor's shelves . If anyone comments on
  this, he will say that he was born in England
  ofScots descent and is hoping to trace his
  ancestors, whom he believes to have lived
  near St Andrews . However, this is only
  partly true . In fact, McBride believes him-
  selfto be a direct descendant of the
  MacMorns, and is hoping to inherit the
  house and what he believes to be the family
  fortune. To this end, he has been paying
  McColl and Stewart to investigate the
  Manor for him, he being somewhat
  frightened ofit himself. When McColl was
  killed, he became convinced that he and
  McLeod had discovered something very
  valuable and had quarrelled over it .
  Knowing he cannot trust McLeod, he wants
  him hung as soon as possible.
  McBride has told no one, not even McColl
  and Stewart, ofhis theories about his
  ancestry. Also, no one in the village is aware
  that McColl and Stewart have been visiting
  the manor.
  Jean McColl - Ifanyone was relieved to see
  the back of McColl, it was probably his
  wife. To start with, he beat her when drunk .
  Also, because he spent many of his nights
  away poaching or investigating the manor,
  he was often having his wages docked for
  falling asleep at work . Being a bold and
  independent-minded woman, Mrs McColl
  has recently taken advantage ofher
  husband's nightly absences to start an affair
  with a neighbour, Duncan Brodie. As is
  usual with such matters, none of the male
  members of the community are aware of
  this, and all the females know, but are far
  too prudish to mention it explicitly to
  outsiders . Understandably, Mrs McColl is
  very wary ofanyone prying into her
  husband's death .
  Annie Stewart - Willie Stewart's wife is an
  exceedingly religious woman and even more
  THE HORROR OF THE GLEN
  suspicious offoreigners than her husband .
  This presents her with two problems . First,
  she greatly disapproves ofher husband's
  association with Dr McBride, and second,
  she is even more disapproving ofJean
  McColl's adultery. However, much as she
  would like to make trouble for McBride and
  Mrs McColl, she is too wary to say anything
  direct . The investigators will thus find her
  in the habit of shrilly sending them packing,
  dropping some cryptic comment as they are
  leaving, and then slamming the door so that
  they cannot follow it up.
  Farmer McIntyre - McLeod's employer,
  and a solid, down-to-earth fellow. He is one
  ofthe villagers not convinced ofMacLeod's
  guilt . He will speak ofthe shepherd as a
  nice enough lad, but prone to day-dreaming .
  Shepherding suited him ideally, as it gave
  him plenty oftime away in the hills where
  he could dream to his heart's content, and
  there were no distractions to tempt him
  from his work . McIntyre believes he was far
  too dreamy and placid to have killed anyone .
  If anyone thinks to ask about the sheep
  McLeod was supposed to be guarding on
  the night ofthe murder, McIntyre will relate
  that two ofthem were never found, and the
  rest were scattered everywhere . Also,
  splashes of blood were found in the area
  where they had been grazing . Though he
  accepts it is odd, the farmer supposes that a
  wolf must have attacked the flock, though
  he had thought them extinct in Scotland .
  Perhaps an eagle . . . .
  Really smart investigators may think to ask
  the farmer about any implements he may
  have had about the farm that McLeod could
  have used to kill McColl . McIntyre will
  explain that the police have already thought
  ofthis and have checked all ofhis tools and
  McLeod's knife for traces ofbloodstains .
  Nothing ofinterest was found .
  Angus McCallan - the owner of the
  distillery is the brother of the minister. This
  is not quite so incongruous as it sounds ;
  being somewhat better offthan most ofthe
  47
  
  village, the McCallans could afford to send
  a son to be trained as a clergyman . Being
  loyal to his brother, Angus will side with the
  minister in all things . The only useful
  information he has to impart is that McColl
  and Stewart were not his most reliable
  employees, often being late and falling
  asleep at work .
  The McPhhes - Gordon McPhee, who runs
  the village store and Post Office, is a
  relative ofMrs MacPherson . Also, he is a
  grandchild of the former minister, Archie
  McPhee, and can confirm what Mrs
  MacPherson said about him. He, however,
  thinks he knows what happened to to the old
  man's diary. Apparently some of Archie
  McPhee's books were given away to
  Inverness library as the result ofa clause in
  his will . Gordon McPhee believes that the
  diary may have been amongst these.
  Mrs McPhee is the local schoolmistress and
  is therefore fairly well educated . She knows
  48
  little about the Manor herself, but does
  know that the MacMorns were wealthy and
  successful up until their sudden demise . She
  and herhusband are both doubtful of
  MacLeod's guilt . They are a lot better
  disposed towards foreigners because, like
  Mrs MacPherson, they do quite well out of
  tourists in the summer.
  The Brodies - Ifthe investigators start
  following clues about the affair between
  Jean McColl and Duncan Brodie, they may
  wish to interview the latter. They will find
  him a fairly wet, inspired fellow prone to
  being dominated by women in general, and
  Jean McColl and his mother with whom he
  lives in particular. His stock response to
  questions is : "Well . . . I'm not sure that
  Mother would like me to tell you anything
  about that".
  It is more likely, however, that the invest-
  igators will find the Brodies by reference to
  Old Mother Brodie who, at 65, is the oldest
  STRATHMORN VILLAGE
  person in the village. Duncan is the
  youngest of five sons, but all the others died
  in childhood, which explains why she has
  been so protective of him. She actually
  approves of his affair with Jean McColl, as
  she is sure she will die soon and is therefore
  hoping to find a wife for her beloved son .
  Really paranoid investigators will note that
  her long fingernails are among the few
  implements in the village capable of causing
  the lacerations found on Donald McColl's
  body.
  Mother Brodie is far too young to remember
  the MacMorns herself, but she does
  remember her grandmother telling her that
  the cause oftheir downfall was that the
  laird's son went to travel the world and
  brought back devils from Africa which
  killed the family. She also knows that it was
  this younger MacMorn who planted the ring
  of strange, black trees which surround the
  house .
  Children - Small children are often good
  sources of information about things that
  their parents do not want to talk about . Ifthe
  investigators try talking to the village
  children, they will find that mothers often
  use the manor as a source ofbogeymen .
  Children who misbehave are threatened
  with being caught by the ghosts ofthe evil
  MacMorns and the devils they brought back
  from Africa .
  Documentary Sources
  By now, the investigators will probably be
  thinking oflooking for any documents
  concerning the MacMom family . Un-
  fortunately, the village has no more than the
  register for births, marriages and deaths in
  the church . These record the births of
  Gordon, Moira and Alex MacMorn, and
  the marriage and death ofGordon
  MacMorn, as given in the timeline . There
  are no records of the deaths of Moira or
  Alex MacMorn . Gordon MacMorn was
  buried in a family vault at the Manor, so his
  grave cannot be found in the churchyard.
  The evidence that the investigators need is
  available, but they will probably need to
  know what they are looking for in order to
  find it . Mrs McPherson's grandfather,
  Archie McPhee, who was minister in the
  village at the time ofthe fall ofthe
  MacMorns, kept a diary which is now in
  Inverness library. Mrs MacPherson's gossip
  and information from the shopkeeper,
  Gordon McPhee, should lead the invest-
  igators there eventually, if they don't think
  ofdropping in whilst visiting the police .
  After McPhee left his diary and several
  other books to the library, they were filed
  away and forgotten . Because of this, anyone
  unawareofthe diary's existence will have a
  modifier of-50 on any Library Use roll to
  discover it . Once the library authorities are
  reminded of the will, they will be able to
  find the books without much trouble.
  
  Several passages in the diary are of interest,
  the most significant being the following :
  'June 2nd, 1810 - Great Rejoicing. Young
  MasterAlex hath at last returnedfrom his
  travels toforeignparts . Widely indeed hath
  he sailed, even asfar as the Dark Continent
  ofAfrica, whence he hath bought back a
  realBlack Man . Most Devilish thefellow
  looks too, all the more sofor his barbarous
  tongue, which can butmake gross travesty
  ofourlanguage. MasterAlex hath also
  bought with him many treasures ofthat
  forbidden land, and a large number of
  trees, which he intends toplant around the
  manor. He is accompanied by one Douglas,
  a sailor who has been his servantfor much
  ofhis travels' :
  `June 14th 1810- Am deeply worried
  concerning the young MacMorn . Since of
  his return, the young MasterAlex hath
  refusedsteadfast to enter the kirk, and this
  despite the constant urgings ofthe Laird
  and ofmyself. Master Gordon is as good a
  Godfearing man as everwalked this Earth,
  and theLord knows we did ourbest to rear
  the boy inthe knowledge ofGod.' Yet his
  sojourns inforeignpartsfair seem to have
  tainted his mind such that the very sight of
  the House ofGodfills him with a deep
  loathing andfear. There will be no good of
  this ere long':
  `August 3rd 1810 - Alas! Our Laird hath
  passed his way to the Bosom ofChrist, and
  in a manner most queertoo. Brodie, the
  Master's manservant, did summon mefrom
  myslumberat 4 o' the clock this morning
  and bidmehasten to the manor, andmake
  all speed lest the Devil catch me. Then he
  hasted back hi 'selfwithout waiting,
  stopping only topeer back at mepuffing
  along behindandyell "the Master is dying "
  as ifthe words themselves could lendyouth
  to my ageing legs. Well, in troth, I ranfaster
  than Iam able, andhave wheezed mightily
  allday therefrom, but alas 'twas allfor
  noughtfor, by the time 1had arrived,
  Master Gordon was already beyond the
  mortal sod and in the arms ofhis Maker. "
  Ofthe manner ofhis passing there is great
  mystery as he was infinefettle the night
  before, as Isawmyself. Yetin early
  morning, as Brodie reports, screaming,
  coughing blood and saying thatthe very
  Devil were in his stomach andburning his
  way out. 1 have no reason to doubt this, as
  the maids were still clearing ofhis noxious
  spew when Iarrived, andhispoorface was
  contorted in the most awfulfashion, so he
  clearly died in the most dreadfulpain . None
  other in the house was affected, nor any
  otherwho had eaten ofthe Laird's table the
  nightpast, and Iam at a loss to explain
  whatstrange ague could have taken a man
  soft so sudden':
  `August 4th 1810 - Great Consternation. The
  Young Laird -for MasterAlex hath now
  assumed the title - behaves in a manner e en
  more strange than before. He bathfor-
  bidden a public ceremony ofburialfor his
  father, insisting thatI bury the late Lairdat
  the manor direct into the vault, and refusing
  to attende'en this simple ceremony himself,
  so great is his hatred ofthe Works ofGod.
  Yetnot content with this affront to the
  village, andpresumably refusing to lead
  them in worship, forhe has ne'r once set
  foot inside the kirksince his returnfrom the
  Dark Land, he has summarily ordered all of
  the late Master's servants and workmen out
  ofthe manorforthwith, leaving only the
  dour-looking sailor, Douglas, and the Black
  Man, both ofwhom returned with himfrom
  his travels. It is already a common whisper
  in the village that MasterAlex haspoisoned
  hisfather, yet Icannot understandwhy a
  man should killfor an inheritance and then
  straightaway sacrifice all respectand
  prestige that it brings by such callous and
  improperacts' :
  "Christmas Day 1810 - OLord, whatpoison
  is it that affects ouryoung Laird's mind so?
  Have Inotprayed, day and night, that on
  this Great Day You might send some miracle
  that might cause him to repent his past
  deeds and return to the Bosom ofYour
  Church? And yet there is still no sign ofhim .
  He hides away in the manorallday, seeing
  naught ofhisfellow men, and only in-
  frequently sending the sour Douglas to the
  village or to Inverness to buyfoodand wine.
  Some ofthe village hath a rumour that the
  _
  Master is killed, mostprobableat the hand
  ofthe Black Devil, yet Angus McCallan and
  five strong men paid call at the manor today
  to delivergifts andsaw the Laird,for all
  ,~
  that he sent thempacking withfoul words
  and curses . Perhaps, Lord, I am old and
  foolish toprayfor his soul, for 'tisplain he
  hath lost it already. "
  "May 23rd 1811- A strange event. Two men
  came all the wayfrom Edinburgh with a
  carriage containing strange parcelsfor the
  Laird. Staying the nightat MacPherson's
  hostel, they drank greedily, saying they
  knew not what was in thepackages but that
  it smeltfoul andgave them such awfulfears
  they haddriven the horses nearto death to
  be the quicker rid ofit. Iasked them after
  the Laird, and they reported himpale and
  haggard butasfoul mouthed as ever."
  Further references to strange deliveries
  from Edinburgh occur regularly for the next
  year or so . Then all references to Alex
  MacMorn cease until :
  "November 15th 1815 - Angus McCallan
  came to me today with a strange thought.
  "Is't not"; he asked, "by two weekspast
  now that is made the large deliveryoffoul
  parcelsfrom Edinburgh sufficient to tide the
  evil Lairdand his Devilish crew over
  winter? In troth, I think there may be doings
  afoot at the manor, fort'is hard to mindme
  ofwhen I lastsaw lights burning there oer
  night as they used": Nor couldImake
  quarrel with this . Angus sayth he will take a
  group ofmen and keep watch to see ifaught
  stirs':
  THE HQa
  OF THE GLEN
  "November20th 1815 - Five days nowAngus
  McCallan andhis men have kept watch on
  the manor and naught have they seen of
  MasterAlexand his companions . Village
  talk has it that they are all dead orfled the
  region, yetno man is brave enough to
  venture beyond those treesforfearofwhat
  evil things may lurk there. Were 1more
  mindful ofmy duties, I shouldperhaps send
  to Inverness to seek wordofMasterAlex's
  Aunt Moira, yet since she sinfiilly eloped
  with the merchantfrom Aberdeen, not one
  word has she sent to anyone ofthe village ;
  nor her brotheror nephew, these12 years
  long . Besides, Imindme ofwhat eer
  misfortune hasfallen on the house of
  MacMorn be best left undisturbed lest that
  same evil thatpossessedMaster Alex be
  loosed upon other men":
  This last paragraph has been ringed in
  pencil, fairly recently by the look ofit. As
  the diary only begins in 1808, there is no
  other mention ofthe elopement of Moira
  MacMorn . Enquiries at the library
  concerning other readers ofthe diary will
  reveal that Dr McBride visited there a few
  months back and requested to see certain
  old collections. He seemed to know exactly
  what he wanted, and the library staff didn't
  even know what books he looked at . If
  McBride is confronted with this fact, he
  will admit an interest in village history, but
  will reject any suggestion that he is related
  to the MacMorns, claiming again that his
  family originated from Fife.
  The only other entries of any interest are a
  few odd mentions of sheep being taken by
  wolves . The diary ends early in 1816.
  There is little else in the way of document-
  ary evidence that can be found . A copy of
  Archie McPhee's will exists in the records
  at the County Offices . This may lead the
  investigators to the diary, ifthey think it
  destroyed .
  The investigators may decide to try to
  confirm suspicions that McBride is related
  to the MacMorns . This is possible, but will
  take a very long time - Moira MacMorn
  49
  
  changed her name when sheeloped with
  McBride's ancestor. It is only through
  family tradition that the doctor knows of the
  connection . In order to prove anything, the
  investigators would need to go to London or
  Aberdeen and trace McBride's ancestry
  back to one John McBride ofAberdeenwho
  married a "Moira Gordon", supposedly of
  Inverness, of whom no further records
  exist . This would obviously take a very long
  time, and the investigators should be
  discouraged from following such a path .
  Distractions andLead-ins
  The area around Inverness has a number of
  interesting connections which may provide
  red herrings for enterprising Keepers to use
  to confuse the investigators . They could also
  be used to form the basis for further
  scenarios following on from this one,
  keeping the characters in the area.
  Inverness stands on the mouth of the River
  Ness, and it is amere seven miles up river
  to Bona Ferryat the north-eastern end of the
  famous loch . The first modern sighting of
  the Loch Ness Monster was in April 1933,
  though sightings ofthe creature date back to
  Anglo-Saxon times. The monster was front
  page news throughout the latter halfof 1933,
  so if the scenario is set after this time, the
  investigators are bound to be aware of it .
  50
  Mention ofthe creature canbe found both
  in the library and in Inverness museum, and
  there may be monster hunters staying near
  the loch .
  The major exhibits in the museum,
  however, are those dealing with the battle of
  Culloden which put an end to Bonny Prince
  Charlie's Rebellion in 1745. Culloden
  battlefield is about four miles east ofthe
  city, and is such a well knowntourist
  attraction thatthe Perth-Inverness railway
  line has a station at Culloden Moor. It is a
  well known fact that ancient battlegrounds
  are amongst the very best places to find
  ghosts.
  Seven miles down the river from Culloden
  stands Cawdor Castle, one time home of the
  villainous MacBeth, and site ofhis murder
  'of King Duncan and usurption ofthe
  Scottish throne . The castle is still inhabited
  by the current Earl Cawdor. As with most
  Scots noblemen, he is often away from
  home, the best chances of finding him in
  being Hogmanay and in the grouse shooting
  season .
  The Manor House
  The home ofthe MacMoms was built in its
  present form in the mid 17th century. At this
  time, Scotland was politically unstable, and
  warfare between clans was common . The
  manor has something of the appearance ofa
  castle and is designed with defence very
  much in mind . The main door is flanked by
  a tower to cover the approach, and the
  ground floor is given over to utility rooms,
  so that the attackers must fight their way up
  the spiral staircases in order to get at the
  family quarters . The plans of the various
  floors of the house show the layout ofthe
  rooms .
  The first thing that investigators are likely to
  notice on approaching the manor is that it is
  completely encircled by tall, blacktrees, the
  like of which they have never seen before
  (even with 100 % Botany skills) . No villager
  will dare to venture beyond these (not even
  Stewart, who has refused to go near the
  place after McColl's death) .
  The grounds ofthe house are overgrown
  with weeds . The only things that the
  investigators will be able to identify will be
  the stables and the family crypt . The former
  contains the bones of two horses which have
  apparently been eaten by some wild animal .
  The latter is open and completely empty.
  Both the main door and the kitchen door
  have been battered down, apparently some
  time ago . The kitchen isderelict, but shows
  signs ofhaving been searched recently.
  Alex McMom's Study
  (Wrecked books & Podonej
  AleX MCMOrt75 Bones.
  
  Footsteps can be found in the dust ofthe
  ground floor rooms. Investigators with
  appropiate skills will be able to identify the
  tracks oftwo largish men and one smaller
  :man . In the ground floor store rooms, there
  are a number ofold, empty coffins, all of
  which have been smashed open fairly
  recently. There is no sign ofany entrance to
  a cellar.
  The footprints of the larger men continue up
  the main spiral staircase, but stop at the top
  and come back down again . Anyone
  ascending the stairs at night will understand
  why ; against the far wall ofthe hall,
  immediately opposite the exit from the
  staircase, stands a most hideous statue . It
  depicts a humanoid creature some 7 feet in
  height but thin and lanky with a long
  pointed head . The creature has hugh claws
  at the ends ofits fingers, and prominent,
  sharply pointed teeth . Anyone ascending
  the stairs at night would see this statue in the
  distance as they reached the top . At that
  range, and in that light, it could easily be
  taken for real . Anyone seeing the statue in
  such conditions, therefore, should roll for
  SAN as ifthey had seen the actual Horror.
  The rest ofthe house has been undisturbed
  since 1815 and investigators with historical
  leanings may be interested to study it . The
  only unusual thing about its furnishings and
  decoration is that a number oftribal masks
  ofobviously African origin (somewhere on
  the Gold Coast, ifthe investigators make
  Anthropology rolls) are hung about the
  walls of all rooms save the upper store room
  and Douglas's room . Although most of the
  furnishings are undisturbed, some of the
  upper rooms show signs ofconsiderable
  violence .
  The third floor bedroom on the smaller
  staircase iaobviously the room that was
  used by Alex MacMorn's black servant as it
  contains a large amount of African material
  and clothing . Human bones can be found
  scattered in this room, and in a trail down
  the smaller staircase to the drawing room .
  As with the horses in the stables, the larger
  bones have all been cracked to give access
  to the marrow, and show signs ofhaving
  been heavily gnawed . All the bones are
  completely clean of any fleshy remnants .
  Investigators making Anthropology rolls
  will be able to identify the skull (found in
  the drawing room) as that ofa native ofWest
  Africa .
  The door to the other third floor bedroom is
  shut and heavily barred, though the barrier
  has weakened somewhat over the years
  (STR 25) . Ifthe investigators manage to
  breakin (roll on the Resistance Table), they
  will find thebody ofthe sailor, Douglas,
  who apparently barricaded himself in by
  dismantling his bed and using the wood to
  bar the door. He probably died of
  starvation, as there areno bloodstains on
  the floor.
  The investigators' main interest, however, is
  likely to be focused on Alex MacMorn's
  study on the second floor. This has been
  well and truly wrecked, and many old, and
  possibly interesting books have beentorn to
  pieces, and a large number ofphials of
  potions and powders have been smashed
  (sadistic keepers may like to include apage
  ofthe Revelations ofGlaaki as the only
  surving, readable text) . Alex MacMorn's
  bones are scattered around the room,
  gnawed, cracked and picked as clean as the
  bones ofthe African .
  Having checked out the house for monsters,
  the investigators are likely to turn next to a
  detailed search for clues and/ortreasure .
  The ground floor has already been gone
  over by McColl and Stewart and most of the
  rest ofthe house yields material ofhistorical
  interest only. The statue, however, hides a
  secret . A Spot Hidden roll will reveal a
  panel in the plinth which opens to yield a
  small hand-written book : the note-book of
  Alex MacMorn .
  The Notebook
  Alex MacMorn was not particularly tidy or
  thorough . Much ofhis writing is
  indecipherable, and none ofit is dated, but
  it can be assumed to be in chronological
  order. The book makes several cryptic
  references to MacMorn's "pets", which it
  would appear he bought back from Africa
  with him . There are also a number of
  mentions ofa place called "T'gaorl", a city
  deep in the African jungles which
  MacMorn discovered on his travels . The
  more interesting ofthe legible entries, in
  order of appearance, are given below.
  `All is going well. The commonfolknow
  hate andfear me sufficientlyto shun the
  house entirely. Douglas and Yuba have
  finishedplanting the trees. My great
  experiment is about to begin . "
  "Iamfeeding them as the Witch Doctor told
  me. They are growing strong, and their
  hunger increases . All is well."
  THE HORROR OF THE GLEN
  "The idiots in the village came bringing
  Christmas gifts as they sayis customary.
  T'wasfortunate there was nothing hanging
  in the store room . "
  "No one in Edinburgh seems to have
  knowledge ofthe tomes I seek. Iam loath to
  seekfurther afield as I need much gold to
  buyfoodformypets, yet Pwould be as well
  to have more knowledge before they arefully
  grown. What shall Ido, I wonder?"
  "That scum Lennox sought to cheat me. The
  corpses werefresh and un-hung. Good
  fortune that Ihad the sense to keep back
  some ofthe contents ofthe crypt. Mypets
  seem particularlyfond ofMother. Perhaps
  they can somehow tell who it is they eat."
  "Iam running short ofgold and the things
  arestill notfullgrown . Ihave tried to get
  them to sleep as1saw in the city ofTgaorl
  but they hunger still. Soon I will have no
  choice but tofeed them sheep. "
  "Today they tasted bloodfor thefirst time. 1
  mustnow trust to God, butIhaveforgotten
  how. At least ifI die, thefoolish villagers
  will not come hereformany years and the
  hings will as likeperish ofhunger. Yet they
  should befull grown by now. Why will they
  not sleep? Why? Why?"
  In the front ofthe book is a small, dirty
  scrap ofpaper on which is scribbled - in
  MacMorn's hand but in careful, capital
  letters - an incantation :
  "NIHAR CTHOR HAG NAATHI IST'HE
  GHLAN GHEIHNT'HOR".
  The Manor at Night
  Any investigator reading the notebook must
  make a Sanity Roll, losing 1D4 of SAN if
  this is failed .
  The investigators, assuming they are
  cautious, sensible fellows, are most likely to
  visit the manor during daylight . However,
  their failure to find any trace ofa monster
  this way will eventually lead to their
  attempting to repeat McLeod's experiences
  and going there at night . Investigators who
  are very wary ofthe Reverend McCallan
  will do this first anyway. At night the manor
  is a very different place .
  The physical layout is the same at all times,
  though remember that first sight ofthe
  statue is likely to alarm anyone with a poor
  light source, but the building seems to
  exude an aura ofevil which, will make the
  hairs on the backs ofthe inestigators' necks
  tingle and shiver. As soon as anyone enters
  the house at night, a strong wind will begin
  to blow, and the trees will sway crazily as if
  dancing around the manor.
  .
  51
  
  After the investigators have been in the
  manor a few minutes, the Keeper must
  make a roll against POW for each of them in
  secret, using a D20 with a modifier of +10.
  Only if the resulting score is the same as or
  lower than the investigator's POW will each
  of the PCs save against the spell . Anyone
  failing their saving roll will soon fall into a
  deep sleep . The Keeper should try to catch
  the victims when they are out ofsight of
  their colleagues (fairly easy in a darkhouse)
  to tell the players privately that their
  characters have succumbed, rather than
  have them fall over in front oftheir
  colleagues . A much better atmosphere is
  achieved ifinvestigators "disappear" and
  people trip over sleeping bodies, than ifthe
  characters are seen to succumb to a spell .
  Some ofthe investigators will probably
  make the saving roll and can have a little
  while to wander about and fall over their
  sleeping colleagues . They will find that
  none ofthe sleepers can be woken and will
  probably sit down to keep watch . The
  Keeper should check them again at this
  point . Ifthey save a second time, they can
  stay awake all night - they probably won't
  see anything of interest anyway. The spell
  victims revert to normal sleep patterns at
  dawn and can be woken by any suitable
  method .
  The investigators will probably think their
  night was somewhat boring, but for the
  villagers it was nothing ofthe sort . The
  Horror was indeed about, but none ofthe
  investigators will have seen it, unless they
  leftthe house to return to the village or
  search the grounds . Even so, the Horror
  only attacks lone prey and is adept at hiding
  in the darkness . If any investigator is so
  foolish as to wander the grounds or village
  alone, the Horror will jump him as soon as
  he leaves the ring oftrees, but run offif
  anyone approaches before it has finished its
  meal . The Horror will have the advantage of
  surprise in its attack .
  Very thorough investigators may try to
  ensure that they spot the Horror. If they are
  the type who come armed with a generator
  and massive arc lamps, the Keeper should
  think up some excuse to have these fail, as
  such technical overkill spoils the fun for
  `leveryone .
  52
  Assuming, then, that the investigators do
  not get a glimpse of the Horror, the next
  they will hear ofit is on their return to the
  village in the morning . No-one there was
  eaten, indeed they all stayed safely indoors,
  but one ofFarmer McIntyre's sheep vanish-
  ed and many people report hearing an
  unearthly howling in the village streets
  during the night (this will not have carried
  to the manor on account ofthe high winds) .
  Reverend McCallan will be in no doubt as
  to what was abroad and who was
  responsible . Other villagers will be more or
  less convinced, depending upon their
  personalities .
  Trapping the Horror
  The investigators will now presumably try
  to think up some plan to catch the Horror
  and destroy it . Unless they come up with
  this sort ofplan, or something better, the
  Keeper should have Farmer McIntyre
  suggest a baited trap . He will be willing to
  sacrifice an old sheep as the bait . It can be
  tethered in the village, and everyone else
  can lie in wait in nearby houses . The only
  other thing that must be done is that some
  brave souls will have to go to the manor to
  cause the Horror to wake in the first place .
  Iftheir plan is simply to go there, stay a few
  minutes with matchsticks propping their
  eyes open, and then hare back to the village,
  the Keeper should let them succeed (after a
  few nerve-wracking die rolls) . If they intend
  to stay in the safety ofthe manor then they
  must roll for sleep as before .
  The villagers will be in something of a
  quandry as to what to do about this trap.
  Braver souls like Farmer McIntye will be
  ready to help, but others will be put offby
  the rantings ofthe Reverend McCallan . Dr
  McBride, as a scientist, will offer his
  services, and Willie Stewart will also
  volunteer, both because McBride told him
  to go and out of a genuine desire to avenge
  his friend's death . The Keeper may add a
  few more male villagers to the party ifhe
  wishes, but they will have no great effect on
  the outcome of events .
  The Horror might be'a cunning hunter, but
  it is not up to combating a wily human . It
  will fall for the trap, and everyone will get a
  good view of it . In form it resembles the
  statue in the manorvery closely. This may
  confuse the investigators, as anyone who
  stayed awake in the manor all night will
  know that the statue did not move.
  Sanity rolls will of course be required .
  As soon as the Horror is within reasonable
  range, Farmer McIntyre and-Willie Stewart
  will loose shotgun blasts (McIntyre doesn't
  want to lose his sheep unless absolutely
  neccessary, and Stewart is simply hot-
  headed) . Some ofthe investigators may fire
  as well . The Keeper should ensure that at
  least one shot hits - fiddle Stewart's roll if
  neccessary. As it will have adopted its thick
  skin before leaving hiding, it is extremely
  unlikely that the Horror will be killed by a
  single volley, especially as the Keeper will
  have the opportunity to fix McIntyre and
  Stewart's rolls to miss ifneed be . Assuming
  it is not dead (and the Keeper can always let
  it survive a few minutes with mortal wounds
  on the strength of its terrible, inhuman
  willpower), it will flee back to the manor at
  great speed, leaving a trail of sticky ichor
  from a wounded arm.
  The investigators now have little choice but
  to follow the thing to it's lair. McBride,
  Stewart and McIntyre will agree to accom-
  pany them (indeed Stewart will be the first
  to suggest it), but any other villagers present
  will have been too shaken to do anything
  other than head for a wee tipple .
  Dr
  . McBride's Plan
  As the party makes its way to the manor,
  McBride and Stewart will contrive to lag
  towards the back ofthe group . If for some
  reason the investigators manage to lay their
  trap without involving anyone in the village,
  the Keeper can assume that McBride got
  wind ofwhat they were up to and kept watch
  with Stewart, following them at a safe
  distance once they set off for the house .
  Once the group reaches the ring oftrees
  McBride will spring his trap and order them
  all to stop. He and Stewart will have the
  whole party covered with their shotguns .
  Given the short range and the fact that
  Stewart is known to be a crack shot, it is
  unlikely that any ofthe investigators will be
  
  foolish enough to try anything. Farmer
  McIntyre will remind them ofthis ifthey
  seemjumpy, and will urge them to try to
  reason with the doctor. It is, after all, very
  bad form not to let the villian have his final
  rant .
  With McIntyre and the investigators at his
  mercy, McBride will reveal all concerning
  his ancestry. He will go on to say that he
  now intends to kill everyone, follow the
  monster to the treasure himself, and tell the
  village that his unfortunate victims were
  eaten . Again, McIntyre will try to keep the
  investigators from trying anything rash -
  they don't need to die and a wounded
  investigator will be easy prey for the
  Horror.
  As McBride is revealing his plans, Stewart
  has been glancing around nervously,
  looking for the Horror. Once McBride has
  got to the end of his speech, or when the
  investigators are about to do something
  rash, Stewart notices something .
  "Good God Doctor! Look at that tree over
  there . It's got a branch hanging halfoffand
  drippingjust like the arm o' the thing we
  shot!"
  Give the players a momentor two to realise
  the awful truth themselves, but if they do
  not, Stewart can add:
  "If that tree were a monster all along, what
  are the rest o' them!?"
  At this point everyone with any sense will
  run as fast as they can back to the village.
  Anyone who stops to see what happens will
  see all ofAlex MacMom's "pets" take on
  their waking form . The trees do not become
  monsters, but rather the creatures emerge
  from them after the manner ofmythological
  tree spirits . Thus no one would ever notice a
  tree missing when a creature was out
  hunting .
  Dr McBride remains where he is, transfixed
  by the sight, and the creatures proceed to
  tear him to shreds and eat him, quarrelling
  THE HORROR OF THE GLEN
  noisily over the pieces, as anyone foolish
  enough to watch will observe. Investigators
  witnessing this sight shouldmake another
  Sanity roll (note the greater penalty for
  seeing the creatures emerge from the trees) .
  Anyone lingering behind for more than a
  moment will also be caught by the trees, but
  the rest ofthose present will have a
  fortunate escape - the creatures need very
  little food when fully grown, and they will
  not chase the party back to the village .
  Loose Ends
  Once the investigators have established
  where the creatures come from, it will be a
  simple matter to dispose ofthem. Theyjust
  have to bum the trees . The villagers will be
  only too happy to assist .
  Provided that Farmer McIntyre was present
  at the final encounter, there should be no
  embarrassing questions to be faced . How-
  ever, ifWillie Stewart was the only witness
  to survive he could make life fairly difficult
  
  for the investigators, especially ifthey
  attempt to accuse him ofany crimes (in fact,
  threatening behaviour is about as much as
  he could be charged with) .
  Inspector Sinclair will be none too pleased
  at any proof of supernatural agency, but will
  be quite relieved at being spared a potential-
  ly embarrassing court case . He will drop all
  charges against McLeod on the grounds of
  insufficient evidence and leave the matter
  "unsolved". As no one in the village will
  wish to press the matter, it is quite safe for
  himto do this . He will not be in the slightest
  bit interested in any tales ofpoaching,
  whisky-stealing or adultery, unless anyone
  in the village wishes to make a complaint .
  Reverend McCallar, will be absolutely
  delighted . It is not often that a minister can
  describe a place as a haunt ofdemons and
  be proved right in such a spectacular
  manner. Of course, he will give no thanks to
  the investigators for their help, and he will
  do his best to steal all the glory by
  ostentatiously reciting scriptures at the trees
  as they are burnt .
  There is no treasure in the manor. As the
  investigators are aware, Alex MacMom
  spent every penny he had on buying food for
  his "pets".
  Ifthe investigators are working for Harry
  Price, they will be expected to produce a
  full report oftheir findings for Price to
  54
  distribute to the newspapers . The case could
  provide extremely valuable publicity for his
  organisation and the cause of Psychical
  Research in general . Ifthe scenario is run as
  part of a continuing campaign, the invest-
  igators may have to think very carefully
  about exactly what information they want
  Price and the general public to have . Ifit
  becomes known in the village that the
  investigators will be producing a report for
  the newspapers, Gordon McPhee will
  approach them with a view to doing a deal
  about arrangements for tourists to visit the
  famous haunted manor.
  With this in mind, the question ofpossible
  surviving MacMorns must be considered .
  The investigators will be able to repeat Dr
  McBride's researches and establish the,
  albeit tenuous, link with Moira MacMorn .
  McBride has no immediately traceable
  living relatives, but there are records of an
  aunt, Elizabeth McBride, who married a
  Mr Carrington and emigrated to the USA .
  Their last known address was in Washington
  Street, Arkham, Massachusetts .
  As a final thought, the investigators are
  presumably now in possession of Alex
  MacMorn's notebook . Although the text is
  exceedingly fragmentary, there are entries
  dating back to MacMorn's time in Africa .
  These, together with identification ofthe
  tribal artifacts in the manor, should give the
  investigators a good start on the way to
  finding the Lost City of T'gaorl .
  Timelinefor
  the MacMorn Family
  April 1807 - Alex MacMorn sets out to
  further his education byforeign travel. Due
  to the wars in Europe he elects to travel
  more widely than is customary.
  October 1808 - MoiraMacMorn elopes with
  John McBride, a merchantfromAberdeen.
  March 1809 - Alex MacMorn discovers the
  lost City ofTgaorl in West Africa and
  determines to learn the secrets ofthe
  Gh'icht' Tyaachtfrom the Ikambi
  tribesmen.
  June 1810 - Alex MacMorn returns home
  with a collection ofyoung Gn'icht' Tyaacht.
  He is accompaniedby Douglas, a sailor,
  and Yuba, an Ikambi tribesman.
  August 1810 - Alex MacMorn murders his
  father, Gordon, andassumes the Lairdship.
  He expells all servants save Douglas and
  Yubafrom the manor and becomes a
  recluse.
  May 1811- Alex MacMorn begins ordering
  corpsesfrom aMr Lennox in Edinburgh.
  October1815 - Alex MacMorn and Yuba
  killedby the Gn'icht' Tyaacht. Douglas dies
  ofstarvation barricaded in his room.
  Acknowledgements
  Background information on Scotland inthe
  1930s came from The Heart ofScotland by
  George Blake, Batsford, 1934
  Information on prices and accomodation
  was based on the 1923 edition of Ward,
  Lock & Co's Tourist Guide to the Highlands
  Both ofthese books could have been
  available to the investigators, depending on
  the year in which the scenario is run .
  MacMorn Manor is based on Claypotts
  Castle near Dundee, and the maps are based
  on those in Scotland's Historic Buildings by
  Hubert Fenwick, Robert Hale, 1974
  Thanks also due to Marc Gascoigne and
  Marcus L Rowland for their help and
  advice, and to the many people who have
  provided inspiration for this scenario.
  Playtesters : Kathryn & Logan Tamlyn, Paul
  and Sue Cowling, Ian Marsh, Paul Mason .
  This scenario is dedicated to Steve Bailey,
  whose fantasy campaign, Talgor, is the most
  frightening roleplaying game I have ever
  experienced .
  Pete Tamlyn - November 1985
  
  Character Statistics
  The following list includes details of all
  non-player characters in the scenario . The
  skills listed are only those with unusual
  values. All characters can be expected to
  have the usual base level starting skills as
  well . Further information on the personality
  ofthe characters can be found in the body of
  the text, particularly inthe section on the
  inhabitants of Strathmorn .
  Inspector Sinclair
  Senior Police Officer at Inverness . In
  charge ofthe murder investigation .
  STR 11 CON 14
  SIZ 16
  INT 14
  POW 9
  DEX 10 APP 11
  SAN 45
  EDU 15 Hit Pts 15
  Age 45
  Skills : Fist 50% ; Nightstick Attack 60% ;
  Nightstick Parry 70% ; First Aid 25 % ;
  Law 60 % ; Psychology 20 % ; Spot Hidden
  30% ; Drive Automobile 55 %', Credit
  Rating 40% .
  Equipment : Truncheon (Nightstick), car.
  Sergeant Lorimer
  Station Sergeant at Inverness.
  STR 16 CON 13
  SIZ 15
  INT 8
  POW 5
  DEX 6
  APP 8
  SAN 25
  EDU 9 Hit Pts 14
  Age 52
  Skills: Fist 70% ; Nightstick Attack 75 % ;
  Nightstick Parry 80% ; Shotgun 45 % ; Law
  30 % ; FirstAid 30% ; Spot Hidden 45% ;
  Mechanical Repair 30% ; Drive Automobile
  40% ; Singing (drunken ballads) 40% .
  Equipment : Truncheon (Nightstick),
  bicycle .
  Jamie McLeod
  Shepherd Boy. Prime suspect in murder
  enquiry.
  STR 8
  CON 7
  SIZ 7
  INT 14
  POW 12
  DEX 9
  APP 15
  SAN 60
  EDU 7
  Hit Pts 7
  Age 17
  Skills: Zoology 10% ; Botany 10% ;
  Listening 40% ; Tracking 30% ; Fast Talk
  50% ; Climb 40% ; Swim 35 % ; Throw
  50% ; Hide 30% ; Sneak 45 % ; Pick Pockets
  25% .
  Mrs Maureen MacPherson
  Proprietress ofthe Strathmorn Hotel .
  STR 12 CON 13
  SIZ 7
  INT 10
  POW 14
  DEX 14
  APP 8
  SAN '0
  EDU 9 Hit Pts 10
  Age 42
  Skills : Accounting 30% ; Bargaining 20 % ;
  First Aid 50 % ; Oratory 20% .
  Reverend McCallan
  Presbyterian Minister of Strathmorn .
  STR 15
  CON 9
  SIZ 12
  INT 12
  POW 6
  DEX 12 APP 10
  SAN 30
  EDU 13 Hit Pts 11
  Age 34
  Skills : Read/Write Latin 20% ;
  Accounting 20% ; History 35 % ;
  Library Use 20 % ; Theology 80% ;
  Psychology 25 % ; Debate 40 % ; Oratory
  65% .
  Equipment : Bible .
  Willie Stewart
  Villager. Best friend of murdered man .
  STR 18 CON 13 'SIZ 16
  INT 8
  POW 10
  DEX 14 APP 10
  SAN 46
  EDU 5
  Hit Pts 15
  Age 28
  Skills : Fist 70 % ; Head Butt 40 % ; Kick
  35 % ; Knife Attack 60% ; Shotgun 80% ;
  Nightstick Attack 40% ; Tracking 65% ;
  Camouflage 55 % ; Hide 75 % ; Sneak 80% ;
  Climb 45% ; Jump 60% ; Swim 65 % ; Listen
  50% ; Spot Hidden 60% ; Throw 65 % .
  Equipment: Knife, 12-gauge shotgun .
  Dr McBride
  The village doctor.
  STR 6
  CON 12
  SIZ 10
  INT 17
  POW 9
  DEX 13
  APP 8
  SAN 45
  EDU 16 Hit Pts 11
  Age 38
  Skills : First Aid 80% ; History 40% ;
  Library Use 75 % ; Pharmacy 60% ;
  Treat Disease 55 % ; Treat Poison 75 % ;
  Diagnose Disease 80% ; Drive Automobile
  60% ; Debate 30% ; Oratory 40% ;
  Psychoanalysis 20% ; Psychology 40% .
  Equipment: .22 revolver, 20-gauge
  shotgun, bicycle .
  Jean McColl
  THE HORROR OF THE GLEN
  Widow ofthe murdered man .
  STR 11
  CON 9
  SIZ 11
  INT 14
  POW 14
  DEX 11 APP 14 SAN 70
  EDU 6 Hit Pts 10
  Age 24
  Skills : First Aid 25 % ; Hide 30% ; Sneak
  40% ; Fast Talk 55 % ; Singing 60% ; Dodge
  75% .
  Amiie Stewart
  Wife ofWillie Stewart .
  STR 11
  CON 9
  SIZ 6
  INT 7
  POW 10
  DEX 8
  APP 8
  SAN 50
  EDU 3
  Hit Pts 8
  Age 25
  Skills : Theology 35 % ; Debate 20% .
  Equipment: Rolling Pin .
  Farmer McIntyre
  Employer ofJamie McLeod .
  STR 13 CON 13
  SIZ 14
  INT 12
  POW 15
  DEX 9
  APP 15
  SAN75
  EDU 8 Hit Pts 14
  Age 34
  Skills : Fist 65% ; Kick 30 % ; Shotgun 50
  Rifle 60 % ; Zoology 75 % ; Accounting
  30 % ; Tracking 45% ; Carpentry 45 % ;
  Bargaining 60% ; Climb 45 % ; Swim 60 % .
  Equipment: 0-gauge shotgun, .22 rifle,
  knife.
  55
  
  Distillery owner. Brother ofReverend
  McCallan .
  STR 11
  CON 6
  SIZ 12
  INT 9
  POW 6
  DEX 3
  APP ll
  SAN 30
  EDU 11
  Hit pts 9
  Age 36
  Skills : Accounting 45 % ; Chemistry 20% ;
  Mechanical Repair 45% ; Bargaining 60 % ;
  Credit Rating 40% .
  Gordon McPhee
  Village shopkeeper and postmaster. Cousin
  of Mrs MacPherson .
  STR 9
  CON 11
  SIZ 9
  INT 13
  POW 12
  DEX 8
  APP 9
  SAN 60
  EDU 7 Hit Pts 10
  Age 37
  Skills : Accounting 40 % ; Psychology 20% ;
  Bargaining 80% ; Fast Talk 45 % .
  Village schoolmistress . Wife ofGordon
  McFee.
  STR 7
  CON 5
  SIZ 8
  INT 12
  POW 13
  DEX 14
  APP 7
  SAN 65
  EDU 9
  Hit Pts 7
  Age 34
  Skills : Botany 10% ; History 15 % ;
  First Aid 45 % ; Library Use 20% ;
  Zoology 20 % ; Fast Talk 35% ; Oratory
  40% ; Singing 40 % ; Accounting 20% .
  The oldest woman in the village . Age 65
  STR 8
  CON 15
  SIZ 8
  INT 10
  POW 16
  DEX 10 APP 10 SAN 80
  EDU 4 Hit Pts 12
  56
  Skills : Debate25% ; Botany 20% ; Occult 15% ;
  Diagnose Disease 30% ; Treat Disease 20% ;
  Treat Poison 25 % .
  Duncan Brodie
  Mother Brodie's son .
  STR 12
  CON-13
  SIZ 10
  INT 6
  POW 7
  DEX 13 APP 15
  SAN 35
  EDU 6
  Hit Pts 1
  Age 25
  Skills : Hide 40% ; Sneak 55 % .
  The Horror
  The Gn'icht' Tyaacht are a race oftree
  spirits native to the jungles ofWest Africa .
  They live in a form of symbiosis with a tall
  black-leaved tree called Nuwanda by the
  natives . Although the creatures are flesh-
  eaters when manifesting themselves
  separate from their trees, tribal witch
  doctors have found that they can be tamed
  by means of magical spells - provided that
  they are fed solely on human flesh which
  has been hung until completely dry .ofblood
  until they reach maturity at approximately
  five years old .
  Before maturity the Gn'icht' Tyaacht are
  fairly active, and voraciously greedy, but
  can be controlled by sophisticated magics .
  Once they have matured, their appetite
  reduces dramatically, and they spend most
  oftheir time asleep within their trees .
  Gn'icht' Tyaacht are only able to leave their
  trees during the hours ofdarkness.
  Although a single Gn'icht' Tyaacht has no
  magical powers, a grove ofcreatures (10 or
  more) is able to link minds psychically and
  performlimited magics . The grove becomes
  aware ofeverything that happens within it,
  and within a distance of about 10 yards from
  the perimeter ofthe grove . In addition, the
  grove is able to cast a powerful sleep spell .
  Persons caught within the grove when the
  spell is cast must save twice against falling
  to sleep, rolling 11320 +10 and needing to
  score below their POW to save.
  It is taboo amongst the Gn'icht' Tyaacht to
  attack anyone within a grove, unless that
  person breaks the rules ofhospitalityby
  first attacking one of them . This
  information was not known to Alex
  McMorn .
  Certain African tribes - including the
  Ikambi, who were visited by McMorn - are
  known to worship the Gn'icht' Tyaacht, and
  it is the Witch Doctors ofthese who
  developed the techniques for controlling the
  creatures . The tribes were heavily
  decimated by slave traders, and it may be.,
  that the knowledge ofwhich they were
  guardians is now lost to mankind .
  The Gn'icht' Tyaacht do not worship any
  other mythos deities, but were once
  enslaved by Cthugha when he was
  summoned to Earth by an overly ambitious
  wizard in thelong lost African city of
  T'gaorl . The Gn'icht' Tyaacht were
  powerless against Fire Vampiresand nurse
  an age long hatred for Cthugha and all ofhis
  allies .
  Characteristics
  Average
  STR 2136 +10
  17
  CON 3136 +12
  22-23
  SIZ 2136 +14
  21
  INT2136-2
  5
  POW 2136
  7
  DEX 3136 + 5
  15-16
  Hit Points
  22
  Move
  12
  Weapon
  Attack
  Damage
  Claw
  40%
  2136 +4
  The Gn'icht' Tyaacht can use both claws at
  once.
  Armour. The Gn'icht' 7jyacht are able to
  change the texture oftheir skinsfrom almost
  intangible when entering their trees to a
  thick, woodyformforfighting . 7his latter
  acts as 5pointarmour. 7hey always adopt
  their thick skinnedform when out of
  concealment, and thus can onlybe caught
  withoutarmour ifsurprised when leaving or
  entering their trees, or when hidden.
  Spells: None individually. See abovefor
  grove spells .
  SAN. Anyone seeing a single Gn'icht'
  7~aacht must make a Sanity roll, losing ID6
  ifthe roll isfailed. Seeing a Gn icht'
  Tyaacht emergefrom its tree has a greater
  penalty ofID10for afailed roll, or 1point
  ofSANifthe character makes the roll.
  Gn'icht' 7jvacht have the same sort ofskill
  at stealth and trackingas rivaljungle
  hunters such as leopards.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu/Trail of Cthulhu/Misc/Adventure Conversion - The Horror of the Glen/Call of Cthulhu - The Horror of the Glen.pdf