TEXT: The Terrel & Squib sourcebook
  is a fan produced product 
  not meant for sale or profit. 
  The production of the
  Terrel & Squib sourcebook
  is not a challenge to 
  White Wolf Publishing, Inc.’s
  trademark or any copyrights concerned.
  For more fan-produced resources
  based on the Orpheus
  TM game setting,
  please go to www.projectflatline.com
  
  This Is Not An Ofﬁcial
  White Wolf™ Product
  This Book Is Not
  For Sale or Proﬁt
  
  By Rob Engen, Adam Wells Davis, Steven MacLauchlan, David Plank,
   Jason Wallace, Tuukka Hurmeranta, and Tome Wilson
  World of Darkness created by Mark Rein•Hagen.
  This is not an official White Wolf Product.
  The Terrel & Squib sourcebook is not for sale or profit.
  
   Credits
      Authors: Adam Wells Davis, Rob “Ravil” Engen, 
  Tuukka Hurmeranta, Steven MacLauchlan, David 
  Plank, Jason “Leach” Wallace
      Additional Writing: Tome Wilson
      Storyteller Game System Design: Mark 
  Rein•Hagen
      T&S Developer: Rob “Ravil” Engen
      Editor: Adam Wells Davis & Jason 
  “Leach” Wallace
      Art Director: Tome Wilson
      Layout and Typesetting: Tome Wilson
      Interior Art: Tome Wilson and Rob 
  “Ravil” Engen 
      Front Cover Design: Tome Wilson
      Special Thanks: Allan "Lucas" Hansen, Tragick 
  Arthouse (Tragick.net) and Donnovan “Van” 
  Douglas Knight
      Orpheus and Terrel & Squib Created By: Lucien 
  Soulban and White Wolf Game Publishing, Inc.
  Dedication
      To the man whose golden heart and creative 
  genius brought the classic ghost story back to life 
  again.   
      You gave us new dreams & nightmares to share 
  with our friends and for that we thank you, Lucien 
  Soulban.
      - The T&S Sourcebook Staff & 
         Orpheus™ fans everywhere.
  © 1990-2004 White Wolf Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Terrel & Squib, Inc. 
  Orpheus™, and NextWorld are trademarks of White Wolf Publishing, Inc. 
  The Terrel & Squib e-book is a fan produced product not meant for sale or 
  profit.  The production of the Terrel & Squib e-book is not a challenge to 
  White Wolf Publishing, Inc.’s trademark or any copyrights concerned. 
  The mention of or reference to any company or product in these pages is not a 
  challenge to the trademark or copyright concerned. 
      This book uses the supernatural for settings, characters and themes. All mystical and supernatural 
  elements are fiction and intended for entertainment purposes only. This book contains mature content.  
  Reader discretion is advised. 
      
      For a free White Wolf catalog call 1-800-454-WOLF.
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      For more Orpheus™ based fan productions, check out Project: Flatline at http://www.projectflatline.com
  TERREL & SQUIB
  
  Prologue: Ladies First 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   6
   
  Introduction 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  18
  Chapter One: History of Terrel & Squib, Inc.  
   
  21
  Chapter Two: The Unearthed Player’s Guide 
   
   
  38
  Chapter Three: Storytelling the Dead  
   
   
   
  61
  Chapter Four: Agents of Note  
   
   
   
   
     103
  Chapter Five: Terrel & Squib Operations  
   
     125
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  Prologue:
  Ladies First
  Alright ramblers, let’s get rambling.
  — Reservoir Dogs
  
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2053h
   
  This time, they were going to nail the fucker to the 
  wall.  That’s all there was to it.  Nail it to the wall and 
  watch it bleed sin, watch it struggle like a knifed rat 
  before they finally blew it back to hell.  Best yet, they 
  were going to get paid for doing a job that any of them 
  would have given an arm for.
   
  The lights inside the Mobile Command Unit (lovingly 
  referred to as “slicks” by the Terrel & Squib agents that 
  rode inside of them) had been dimmed twenty minutes 
  ago, leaving Jarrod Dunlap and his five companions in 
  near-darkness save for the light shed by nearby computer 
  monitors.  There was plenty of breathing room inside the 
  slick, despite the walls of surveillance gear and paratech, 
  but the nagging claustrophobia refused to settle itself 
  inside of Jarrod’s gut.  The unsightly contraption may 
  have been huge, but he couldn’t help but dwell on the 
  fact that the living were sharing it with at least ten other 
  people, unseen, unfelt, but there nonetheless.
   
  He always laughed when saw himself in the mirror 
  before launching an operation.  Jarrod had been to his 
  share of student protests 
  back in the day.  He 
  had 
  been 
  clubbed 
  in 
  Washington, gassed in 
  Seattle, and shot in Philly, 
  all by the riot police that 
  he now resembled.  Jarrod 
  and his fellow operatives 
  wore nigh-identical black 
  riot gear, complete with 
  bulletproof vests, knee-
  high combat boots, and 
  teal helmets with the T&S 
  logo emblazoned onto 
  the sides.  Some days, 
  he felt like this was all a 
  bad joke.  Right now, he 
  wished it was. 
   
  The 
  small 
  subma-
  chine gun he clutched and 
  the steeled look in his eye 
  told the truth.  Beneath 
  the bells and trinkets, this was a vicious job.
   
  “Prep yourselves, people,” the speaker next to 
  Jarrod’s ear blared, “We’ve got five minutes.” 
   
  “Is this thing working?  Why isn’t this goddamn thing 
  working?” said Deshaun, a skinny black man in identical 
  riot gear.  The expensive looking goggles strapped to his 
  head flopped up and down with each bump in the road, 
  a loose latch and power supply obviously overlooked by 
  R&D after another budget meeting.
   
  Slap.  Slap.  Slap.  Click.  With an annoyed snap of 
  his head into the wall of the slick, the googles latched 
  into place and started to warm up.
   
  Jarrod snorted. “Yeah, keep smacking it.  I hear that 
  helps your wife put out, too.”
   
  “Fuck you and die,” Deshaun muttered, finally 
  getting the set of Kirlian-feed goggles down over his 
  eyes properly.  Miraculously, the indicator lights started 
  blinking and backlight in the display finally powered up. 
  “Jesus.  ‘Bout time.”
   
  Jarrod hated those Kirlian goggles.  It was like 
  looking at the world through a set of cardboard tubes, 
  and when they started to break down, the first thing to go 
  was always the real-time imaging.  This left the goggles 
  lagging behind what you were actually seeing by one 
  or two seconds... he’d even seen three seond lag in the 
  earlier models.  If you weren’t tripping over yourself, 
  that shit could get you killed, even on a good day.  
   
  About that time, Jarrod decided he wouldn’t rely 
  on the Kirlians anymore, not for any amount of money. 
  He reached into one of 
  the several pockets in 
  his bulletproof vest and 
  produced a fistful of 
  lumpy fabric cuts that 
  looked 
  like 
  oversized 
  band-aids.  Slap-patches 
  were his modus operandi. 
  The patches themselves 
  contained a good shot of 
  the Eidolon drug, enough 
  to get the blood pumping 
  and his dead-eyes warmed 
  up.  He peeled off the 
  sticky tape on the back 
  and gingerly applied the 
  slap-patch to a section of 
  his neck just beneath his 
  armor, where the strong 
  adhesive 
  immediately 
  clung to his flesh.  
   Jarrod 
  took 
  a 
  deep 
  breath and closed his 
  eyes.  “By the time that door opens, I’ll be rolling and 
  we’ll be in business,” he thought.  The thumping in his 
  chest slowed to a lull, followed by his muscles growing 
  slack under the heavy shell of his armor.  Almost in 
  rhythm, the world beyond his flesh started pulsing with 
  his heart; the waves of air around him growing thick and 
  fluid-like.  When, just as suddenly as it began, the fluid 
  TERREL & SQUIB
  Jarrod took a deep 
  breath and closed his 
  eyes.  “By the time 
  that door opens, I’ll 
  be rolling and we’ll 
  be in business...”
  7
  
  PROLOGUE
  air was pulled from Jarrod’s thoughts.  The oily caul 
  forming around his face slothed off into the nothingness, 
  and everything was clear again.  The Eidolon patch was 
  working.
   
  “Don’t know how you keep doing that shit to 
  yourself, man.”  The deep voice almost echoed for 
  a second in Jarrod’s head.  It belonged to his friend 
  Matthias sitting beside him, a big Greek fellow with a 
  thin moustache and an omnipresent glean of sweat on his 
  brow.  He already had his goggles in place like Deshaun 
  and was double-checking the extra magazines pocketed 
  in his vest.
   
  Jarrod waved one of his spare slap-patches at 
  Matthias. “All the action, none of the technical bullshit. 
  Give’em a chance, Matt.  You’ll never look back.”
   
  Matthias just shook his head resolutely.  The way he 
  always did when it was offered to him.  “Been down that 
  road.”
   
  “Whatever,” Jarrod said, slipping the extra patch 
  back into his pocket and checking the clip on his faithful 
  SAF 9mm. “Whatever floats your boat, my friend.  This 
  is our night.  It’s gonna be a feast for the fuckin’ crows... 
  bring whatever fork you want.”
   
  He looked up.  Not surprising, the patch was kicking 
  in fairly quick today.  The Eidolon cooked your system 
  faster when your blood pressure was high, and Jarrod’s 
  heart was starting to pound 
  with anticipation right now 
  — and already he could see 
  blurred, 
  indistinct 
  human 
  shapes moving among them 
  like strands of silk in the wind. 
  It always gave him a rush to 
  see the ghosts for the first 
  time after patching.  Beautiful, 
  fragile, their glassy eyes filled 
  with a silent suffering, their 
  every movement marked with 
  grace and pain.  They were 
  like unfinished works of art, 
  wasted on this world because 
  only he could see them.
   
  “That goes for you poor 
  sons of bitches too,” he said to them, momentarily 
  attracting the attention of several.  They could hear him, 
  even if their world was forever closed off to his senses, 
  save through what sight the patches lent his eyes.
   
  Then the slick ground to a squealing halt.  The 
  overhead lighting turned red and the cargo door at the 
  back of the motor home opened with the grating whine 
  of grinding, under-oiled servos.
   
  “Deploy.  All agents, deploy,” the harsh loudspeaker 
  crackled in his ear, this time with the headset in his 
  helmet playing backup against his right eardrum.
   
  He turned to the rest of his five-man unit, and 
  beckoned wildly. “All right, Ghostbusters!  Let’s nail 
  this fucker and go home!”  He led them on out the back 
  of the slick, and they followed him into Hell.
  *   *   *   *   *
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2100h
   
  “Advent.”
   
  The concrete room was at least fifty feet below 
  ground, perhaps part of an old Cold War bunker, perhaps 
  not.  The floors and walls were a mess of wires and 
  open circuitry crudely slapped together, and listening to 
  the hum of electricity coursing through them was like 
  listening to a choir of dead monks.  The air was cold 
  and moist despite the portable heater that had been set 
  up, though the overwhelming chill had less to do with 
  the underground room than it did with the room’s current 
  guests. 
   
  “Welcome back to Heaven, Advent.”
   
  A young man named Robert stood in the center of 
  the concrete room, his hands 
  thrust deep into the pockets 
  of his jeans, a sports jacket 
  draped loosely around his 
  large frame concealing a gray 
  T-shirt underneath.   His voice 
  was slow and deliberate, 
  thick with an accent that an 
  untrained ear would hear as 
  a London native, but could 
  be traced more accurately 
  to Johannesburg.  His eyes 
  were fixed patiently on the 
  far side of the room, into an 
  area cordoned off by thick 
  horizontal bars sliced with 
  diagonal ones that created a 
  grid work of Stars of David between the bars.
   
  “This is a waste of time.”  There was a woman there 
  too, standing further away, over by the door.  She was 
  young, and could have been hugging either side of thirty. 
  Her short black hair was neatly styled, and her face 
  couldn’t escape being defined by its high cheekbones 
  and dark-rimmed glasses.  She wore a corporate blazer 
  and matching short manila skirt.  Her voice was as sharp 
  and icy as a cold blade. “It won’t listen to you, Robert. 
  “Welcome back to 
  Heaven, Advent.”
  8
  
  We’ve had the breakers at it twice now...”
   
  “Oh, she’ll listen to me, Katherine, trust me.”  
   
  “It’s not like it matters, the operation’s already 
  underway.  If we were going to get anything useful out 
  of it, it would have to had 
  been hours ago.”
   
  Robert kept his eyes 
  fixed on the cage... or, 
  properly, what lay on the 
  other side of those bars. 
  “Advent.  I know you can 
  hear me.”
   
  Something stirred in the 
  cage.  Katherine, couldn’t 
  see it, of course.  She might 
  make an excellent corporate 
  bitch, but she didn’t have 
  the gift, not the one that 
  Robert did.  There weren’t 
  really any shadows in the 
  little concrete room, except 
  the ones cast by the cage’s 
  bars. 
   
  Those 
  shadows, 
  however, didn’t fall upon 
  the creature that was curled 
  up in the cage, knees pulled 
  up against her young chest, hateful little eyes peering out 
  at him.  The bars didn’t end where the walls begin; they 
  wrapped themselves across the concrete on all sides of 
  that corner of the room, creating a full enclosure.  The 
  concrete alone wouldn’t have been able to hold her... but 
  as it was, she was trapped.
   
  Someone, probably a late 60’s radical, had once 
  spray-painted a peace symbol on the concrete wall 
  behind the cage, before Terrel & Squib had acquired the 
  old facility and put the bars in.  It lurked there, criss-
  crossed by the bars, as a smoldering red stain.
   
  “Fuck.”  Katherine spat the word out with matter-
  of-fact impatience. “Robert, when was the last time 
  you even broke a ghost?  You’re not qualified for this 
  anymore.”
   
  “It’s been a while,” he said. “But I remember the last 
  time I did it.  Advent does too, don’t you, darling?”
   
  He watched her body — no, her gauze — flinch, and 
  he let his mind wander backward in time.  It had been 
  too long since he’d broken a ghost.  He’d been one of 
  the pioneers of the practice at Terrel & Squib, taking 
  half-baked, low-Vitality ghosts and breaking whatever 
  was left of their spirit, turning them into conscripts to 
  back up T&S investigative operations, willing or no.  It 
  wasn’t a hard procedure; ghosts were walking passions, 
  pure emotion left over after all the flesh had rotted or 
  burned.  That made them, psychologically speaking, 
  easy to crack once you got good at it... and Robert had 
  been very good.
   
  “Advent” had been his greatest accomplishment. 
  She 
  was 
  stronger 
  than 
  others, with more power 
  and self-consciousness than 
  most ghosts.  It had taken 
  him over a month to finally 
  break her, and he still 
  remembered every detail. 
  He had loved her enough to 
  give her a name rather than 
  just a mundane designation 
  like all the others he had 
  broken.
   
  That hadn’t been enough, 
  however.  She’d relapsed 
  somehow, managed to shake 
  off her careful, thorough 
  conditioning.  She had run 
  off.
   
  “Can you get on with 
  this?  I thought I’d be home 
  an hour ago...”
   
  “Yeah, yeah,” Robert 
  said, studying the lithe little ghost in the cage carefully. 
  You look like hell, Advent.  What did you do to yourself?
   
  He produced a handheld tape recorder from his jacket 
  pocket and pushed down on the Record button.  Standard 
  operating procedure for T&S ghostbreakers was to 
  tape everything.  Every moment, every procedure.  The 
  machine couldn’t hear the ghosts unless they manifested, 
  but Robert knew there was probably some middle-
  management dickweed who got a hard-on listening to 
  descriptions of what he and the other ghostbreakers did 
  to the ghosts in order to break them.
   
  Hell, even he got a hard-on about it sometimes, but 
  that was the way of it.  If you were going to stay in his 
  line of work for long, you had to learn to take some 
  pleasure in it.
   
  Robert glanced at his watch, cleared his throat, and 
  then began. “Interrogation session commencing twenty-
  one-oh hours, Field Coordinator Robert Mashego 
  recording.  Subject is female, deceased at... oh... 
  approximately age twenty, likely wild Spirit-class entity, 
  though how she overcame the previous conditioning is 
  anyone’s guess.  Also known as specimen F-037 from 
  the company files.  Answers to the name of Advent.”  He 
  took a few steps closer to the cage.  “It should be noted 
  that this is not my first interaction with this ghost.”
   
  He stepped right up to the icy bars of the Labyrinth 
  TERREL & SQUIB
  Subject is female, 
  deceased at... oh... 
  approximately 
  age 
  twenty, likely wild 
  Spirit-class entity, 
  though 
  how 
  she 
  overcame the previous 
  conditioning 
  is 
  anyone’s guess.
  9
  
  Cage but didn’t quite touch it.
   
  “It was nice of you to let yourself get caught, Advent. 
  Because of that, I’m going to give you the chance to do 
  this the easy way.  But whatever you choose, we’re going 
  to have us a nice long chit-chat.  So be a good girl and 
  get ready to tell us everything about this Charnel thing 
  that we want to know.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2120h
   
  It was a bug hunt.  Find the Spectre, kill the Spectre, 
  go home, fuck your S.O., have a cigarette, try to go to 
  sleep without having nightmares about the face you 
  just splattered all over some CEO’s expensive interior 
  design.  All part of a day’s work at Terrel & Squib.
   
  But this Spectre had killed before, and we knew it 
  was going to do it again.  The shadow critters didn’t 
  have to kill too many operatives before T&S blacklisted 
  them and sent in the wetwork teams as a contribution to 
  the “public good.”
   
  Yeah, that had been how the first team had been sent 
  in.  Enough of them hadn’t come back to make Jarrod 
  unsure of whether he should be raging or frightened. 
  And now they had the son-of-a-bitch Spectre holed up 
  in an old Bell Atlantic telecom building, a squat, three-
  story tall brick structure sitting on ten acres of pristine 
  inner-city greenery.
   
  The Spectre that called itself Charnel.
   
  Jarrod’s blueleg team 
  had crept in through the 
  back of the building after 
  setting up the surveillance 
  packages while the long 
  knives and shatterbrains 
  — the T&S projectors and 
  broken ghosts respectively 
  — went in through the 
  walls.  The wing of the first 
  floor was an uninspiring 
  office complex, the spaces 
  between the cubicles like 
  trenches 
  dug 
  between 
  collapsible fabric divider-
  walls, as claustrophobic as 
  they were cluttered.
   
  Jarrod was taking the point-man position.  He 
  quickly wove through the office cubicles on the first 
  floor, Matthias right behind him and the others following 
  suit, letting the barrel his gun lead him like a guide 
  through the forest.  His earpiece receiver fed him with 
  a steady stream of garble and noise, instructions being 
  relayed from the Field Coordinator to the Terrel & Squib 
  operatives on-site, with liberal unintelligible interference 
  cutting through.
   
  “Bra... <static>... come around to the central... 
  <static>... roger, nothing to repor... <static> ...continue 
  your sweep, watch those stair... <static>...”
   
  “Fucking equipment,” he thought, not for the first 
  time or the fortieth.  The safety switch on his submachine 
  gun — in the “on” position now — was an uncomfort-
  ably heavy weight in his mind, even if the greaser bullets 
  (“ghostshot” to those who made the shit) made him feel 
  less vulnerable.
   
  “Can’t make out what they’re saying, man,” Matthias 
  rumbled from a few feet behind him, tapping his own 
  earpiece with a thick sweaty finger.
   
  “Too much goddamn interference in this place,” he 
  said. “Keep moving.  We’ll meet up with the other units 
  in the lobby.  See if we can get a better signal there.”
   
  “I don’t like this, Dunce.  The transmitter is right 
  outside the fucking building.”
   
  A pair of T&S ghosts passed through the cubicle 
  hallway in front of them in a dim parody of their own 
  patrol, phasing through one fabric wall and out the other 
  one, barely glancing at the group of bluelegs.  They were 
  as silent as the goddamn grave.  It did Jarrod’s heart 
  some good, knowing that the dead were fighting with 
  them.  Well, most of the dead.
   
  “Jesus...”
   
  Jarrod turned around, 
  looking back at Matthias. 
  The big Greek man stood 
  in the doorway to a cubicle, 
  pointing.  As he poked his 
  head in, he suddenly saw 
  what he had overlooked in 
  the dim light.  The framed 
  pictures in the cubicle were 
  defaced.
   
  No, not all the pictures. 
  The 
  faces 
  had 
  been 
  violently 
  scribbled 
  out 
  behind the intact glass of 
  the photos, leaving sick 
  white blemishes over what 
  had once been the heads of 
  wives, daughters, sisters and mothers.  Just the women.  
  The scribbles seemed to contort the faces in pained 
  expressions, if one looked at them hard enough.  The 
  T&S agents exchanged nervous glances with one another 
  and then backtracked a few steps to a previous cubicle.  
  PROLOGUE
  It 
  did 
  Jarrod’s 
  heart some good, 
  knowing that the 
  dead were fighting 
  with them.  Well, 
  most of the dead.
  10
  
   
  “S’all of them,” one of the others growled from 
  further back. “Just the women.”
   
  Jarrod felt the rage building in him anew.  Usually 
  he could keep it under control, but with his pounding 
  heart and the Eidolon drug cocktail still reasonably fresh 
  in his blood, he didn’t feel like wrestling with his own 
  feelings.  Better to let them 
  guide him.  He slipped the 
  safety catch off on the side 
  of his gun.
   
  “Keep going,” he said 
  quietly, then spoke down 
  into his headset. “Field-
  C, this is Dunlap, are you 
  reading?  We got minor 
  ghostsigns in the east wing, 
  first floor, repeat, minor 
  ghostsigns.”
   
  “...Go... 
  <static> 
  ...zone and swee... <static> 
  ... lobby ... <static> ...”
   
  “This 
  ain’t 
  minor, 
  Dunce.  You know it kills women.  You know it got 
  Amy...”
   
  “And when I find some chick nailed to the ceiling, 
  I’ll start panicking.”  He gave his headset a futile whack. 
  “They ain’t receiving.  Let’s get out to the lobby.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2125h
   
  He had to project, and despite Katherine’s objections 
  about how creepy it was, he had to leave his body lying 
  on a cot that the boys who had built this place had so 
  thoughtfully provided.  As with all projectors, Robert 
  could see ghosts in the flesh, but his was a hands-on line 
  of work.  A rubber hose, a syringe of Eidolon, and a few 
  happy thoughts later he stood up from the cot, leaving 
  his meat behind and becoming a ghost himself, at least 
  for a while.  Pure thought, pure emotion.
   
  Advent was already close to death... death, dissipa-
  tion, transcendence, whatever the hell happened when 
  the dead kicked the bucket again.  Now that he had 
  stepped out of his body, Robert could see just by looking 
  at her that her vitality was painfully low.  The Terrel & 
  Squib spooks that had brought her in couldn’t have been 
  gentle.
   
  “Not that they should have been gentle with you,” he 
  said, striding back over to the Labyrinth Cage. “Giving 
  you any quarter is just a way to get your throat slit, isn’t 
  it?”
   
  Or maybe this was just how she always looked 
  now.  Different.  Alien.  He had seen her Stains before; 
  he’d been the one to teach her how to use them to her 
  advantage.  That didn’t stop him from wincing, seeing 
  them 
  entirely 
  masking 
  her once-delicate ethereal 
  features.  Her body was 
  coated with a green-gold 
  sheen that he knew to be 
  snake scales, punctuated by 
  gaping pustules that oozed 
  an unwholesome black bile 
  that gradually collected and 
  dissipated on the floor.  Her 
  fingertips had become a 
  fistful of six-inch long black 
  nails — the kind of nails 
  that looked like they’d been 
  hammered 
  into 
  Christ’s 
  wrists on the Cross.
   
  She looked like a nightmare.  One of his nightmares, 
  escaped from his sleep and curled up in that cage.
   
  Robert stood there studying her, dimly aware of the 
  phantom currents of the Stormwall whispering around 
  him and even more dimly aware of the painfully slow 
  heartbeat of his body on the other side of the room. 
  Katherine was gone now, off to amuse herself elsewhere. 
  For now, it was just going to be him and Advent.
   
  “I’ll be honest with you, Advent.  Management’s 
  furious.  You ran away from us, and you were dallying 
  with a Spectre who kills company agents for shits and 
  giggles.  They’d sooner slate you for termination than 
  waste energy holding you here.”
   
  Advent didn’t speak, but her eyes said everything 
  they had to.  Inky black ichor pooled on the ground 
  beneath her.
   
  “Tell us about Charnel and it doesn’t have to be like 
  this.”
   
  Her entire body convulsed slightly, as though 
  wracked with pain.  The ghost’s glare intensified and 
  focused as her lips moved to form words, but no sound 
  came from her.
   
  Katherine said that other ghostbreakers had already 
  been “over” her twice.  He had to hope that there was 
  something left to work with.
   
  There were many ways to break a ghost.  Some 
  worked quickly and haphazardly, some took far too 
  much time but were tremendously thorough.  This time, 
  however, he wasn’t trying to break a ghost, he was trying 
  to get information out of her.  Maybe an easier proposi-
  TERREL & SQUIB
  She looked like a 
  nightmare.  One 
  of his nightmares, 
  escaped from his 
  sleep and curled 
  up in that cage.
  11
  
  tion, maybe not.  It had been a very long time since he’d 
  worked the apartheid government jailhouses of South 
  Africa, but he remembered how to get information out of 
  the unwilling.  You didn’t forget shit like that.
   
  The other ghostbreakers hadn’t been able to get 
  anything from her, but Robert was the one who broke 
  her, and he knew things that they didn’t.  Little tricks of 
  the trade, so to speak.  Redundancies and failsafes that 
  others never bothered with, but which came in handy in 
  situations like this.
   
  Breaking Advent the first time had been one of the 
  hardest things he’d 
  ever done.  It had 
  taken him a long 
  time — most of a 
  December — since 
  she, unlike most 
  broken ghosts, was 
  high 
  in 
  Vitality 
  before 
  he 
  ever 
  got to her.  More 
  self-aware, 
  more 
  conscious and sure 
  of who and what 
  she was.  He had 
  made 
  sure 
  that 
  there was a psycho-
  logical backdoor to 
  go through so that 
  he would always be 
  able to pierce her 
  mind, no matter the situation.  Robert had loved her too 
  much to let Terrel & Squib have all of her.
   
  But now there were lives at stake.  The team was 
  already deployed, hunting for the Spectre that had killed 
  four female agents last week.  He had to find out what 
  Advent knew, even if it meant shredding her fragile mind 
  like paper.  All he needed to do was speak the trigger. 
  “Swarms spring in December, Advent.  Open your eyes 
  for me.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2130h
   
  They found it at the top of the wide lobby stairwell 
  on the second floor.  It looked like Hell had beaten them 
  there and set up camp.
   
  Terrel & Squib ghosts, long knives and shatterbrains 
  alike, were tripping over themselves to get at the Spectre, 
  an umbral blur of movement, shadows and darkness 
  looming above them.  The air was suddenly charged with 
  Horrors, spiritual flames and ghostly Wails centered on 
  the creature called Charnel.
   
  The Spectre had something in its claws, though: a 
  T&S ghost.  An arc-light.  A woman.  Her name was 
  Samantha, Jarrod dimly recalled, a hot little package in 
  the flesh, now squirming and shrieking as the Spectre’s 
  iron grip pulled the life out of her with all the relish of 
  someone popping the cork off a bottle of fine champagne. 
  The irony in watching a ghost die was somehow lost on 
  him.
   
  “Field-C, where 
  the fuck are you?” 
  he was shouting into 
  his headset, trying 
  to train his SMG 
  on the blurry, inco-
  herent image of the 
  Spectre at the same 
  time. “The scene is 
  hot, repeat hot!  Is 
  anyone getting this? 
  Anyone?”
   
  “What the hell 
  are you all waitin’ 
  for?” 
   
  It 
  was 
  Deshaun yelling to 
  the other bluelegs, 
  who were hanging 
  back 
  while 
  the 
  spooks 
  tried 
  to 
  nail the thing. “Start that goddamn shootin’ or I’ll put 
  you in the ground mah’self!  Someone try to grab her!” 
  He pulled off a few rounds, the greaser bullets tearing 
  through air and gauze with noisy 9mm sonic booms. 
  “Come on, you crazy fucker!  Come ON!”
   
  And then Samantha’s projected body vanished into 
  the folds of darkness that either composed the Spectre’s 
  body or constantly swirled around it, one of her 
  desperate, grasping hands the last thing to disappear into 
  the shadows.  Then the Spectre’s bright red eyes flared, 
  looking directly at Jarrod, and...
  *   *   *   *   *
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2135h
   
  “The ladies always go first.”
   
  Advent was standing inside the cage now, watching 
  him with beady, hating eyes and rubbing the serrated 
  PROLOGUE
  Terrel & Squib ghosts, long 
  knives and shatterbrains 
  alike, were tripping over 
  themselves to get at the 
  Spectre, an umbral blur 
  of movement, shadows and 
  darkness looming above 
  them.
  12
  
  iron claws on her fingertips together.  It was the sound of 
  ruin and decay, captured in her broken hands.  Her voice 
  was fragmented and scratchy, not the melodic whisper 
  that Robert remembered so well.
   
  It had worked, though.  The other ‘breakers hadn’t 
  gotten as deep as he’d feared.  They’d left enough for 
  him to work with, enough of her mind for him to delve 
  into.  It was a good thing, too: he hadn’t fancied the idea 
  of diving into the shallow end.  It wasn’t working like 
  he had remembered; there wasn’t that same degree of 
  control he was used to exerting over broken ghosts.  But 
  at least she was more responsive now.
   
  Robert was pacing in front of the Labyrinth Cage 
  now. “We know it goes after 
  the women, Advent.  But 
  what is it?”
   
  “The darkness.”
   
  “Yeah, we know he’s a 
  Spectre.  Figured that part 
  out right quick.  Why were 
  you with him?”
   
  “Because I never left 
  it.”
   
  “Never left what?”
   
  “The darkness.”  She 
  started to walk as she 
  repeated herself, matching 
  his pacing inside the cage, 
  running her claws along the 
  thick Labyrinth bars.  “The 
  eventide.  The shadow.  You can’t leave it behind.  All 
  you can do is lose it for a while, but it will find you.  It 
  loves you, after all, and that what loves you finds you 
  out.” Her gaze fixed meaningfully on Robert.  
   
  “Time to back up,” he heard himself think.  Her 
  mind was scattered - probably shattered.  He needed to 
  take things carefully. “Advent, tell me why this Spectre’s 
  haunting Terrel & Squib.  Tell me why it’s hurting the 
  women.”
   
  “Why...?”
   
  “Yeah, why.”
   
  “Because, Robert... I wanted it to.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2137h
   
  The transmitter was dead.  Either that or the receiver 
  in the slick was shot to hell, because now there wasn’t 
  even static coming in over the radio.  Only whispers... 
  small, tinny voices creeping out of the headset like 
  parasites, sometimes whispering things that Jarrod could 
  understand, sometimes not.  What he could understand 
  he wished he hadn’t.
   
  They were on the third and uppermost floor now, in 
  the west wing of the cubicle farm.  Matthias and Jarrod 
  were dragging Deshaun’s screeching body away from 
  the Spectre while a long knife hammered it with Wail. 
  Deshaun was now missing his left leg below the kneecap, 
  and the spraying wound gaped as though his leg had 
  been bitten off.  The little black man wasn’t screaming 
  as much now as he had been a few minutes ago.  
   
  Jarrod knew some First Aid, but fuck, this was 
  Fourth or Fifth Aid, the 
  kind of thing they teach a 
  trauma surgeon, not a guy 
  with an outdated students’ 
  certificate... there was blood 
  everywhere, bone poking 
  out, the smell of scorched 
  flesh...
   
  There were still screams 
  coming from other parts of 
  the building.  And things 
  that 
  were 
  worse 
  than 
  screams.  He couldn’t tell if 
  the clamor was from any of 
  his men.
   
  “You’re gonna be all 
  right, buddy, just hold your ass together!” he was telling 
  his teammate, trying to keep his voice down as much as 
  possible, and trying his best to bandage the stump with 
  one hand while keeping his SMG clutched in the other. 
  No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t bring himself 
  to put the goddamn gun down. “You keep up with that 
  fucking noise and you’ll bring it back down on us!”
   
  Matthias wasn’t much help.  He was sitting on one of 
  the cubicle swivel-chairs, holding his head in his hands, 
  muttering to himself.  “Been down that road... been down 
  that road... been down that road...”
   
  And then Jarrod became aware of a new sensation, a 
  surge of cold that suddenly filled the room accompanied 
  by the quiet into which the rest of the building abruptly 
  fell.  It took him a minute to spot the Spectre called 
  Charnel.  It wasn’t moving, it wasn’t doing anything, it 
  was just clinging to the ceiling upside-down, watching 
  him.
   
  “...Shit!”  He brought up the SMG just as the ghost 
  surged forward
  TERREL & SQUIB
  It wasn’t moving, 
  it 
  wasn’t 
  doing 
  anything, 
  it 
  was 
  just clinging to the 
  ceiling upside-down, 
  watching him.
  13
  
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2138h
   
  Robert manifested long enough to key the controls 
  for the Labyrinth cage.  A flood of electricity stimulated 
  the energy of the ferroanimus matter that kept the bars 
  solid to ghosts.  The result was pain for the trapped 
  subject... wracking, debilitating pain on command. 
  Robert hadn’t actually felt 
  it himself, but he had been 
  told that it burned the soul 
  something fierce.
   
  “She deserves it,” he 
  thought inwardly without 
  enthusiasm.
   
  Advent shrieked and 
  collapsed to one knee as 
  her lithe, snarled little 
  gauze body convulsed with 
  pain.
   
  “You’re in league with 
  that 
  goddamn 
  Charnel 
  thing, and you’re going 
  to tell me why, or you’re going to suffer more!”  He 
  lowered his voice a little. “It’s killing Terrel & Squib 
  agents, Advent.  The people you knew.  The people who 
  loved you.”
   
  There was hate in her eyes again.  “...What am I...
  to them...?  Just another... pet to mind-fuck, Robert... the 
  part you always loved so much...”
   
  “I did what I had to.  For your own good.”
   
  She slowly clawed her way back up onto her feet. 
  “That’s what dad always said.”
   
  His heart skipped a beat.  Shit.  She was starting to 
  remember her old life.  That wasn’t supposed to happen, 
  even with ghosts that shook off the programming. 
  “What’s that, Advent?” he asked carefully.
   
  “Dad said he did it for my own good.”  She started 
  slowly pacing in the cage again, watching him expec-
  tantly. “When he beat me senseless.  When he chained 
  me to the boiler that weekend.  When he fucked me.  It 
  was always to keep me safe from myself, because I was a 
  woman and I was something to be scared of.”
   
  Jesus.  She’s remembering.  If Robert had been in his 
  meat, there would have been a cold sweat on his brow. 
  She shouldn’t be able to remember.
   
  “But you know what, Robert?” she looked straight at 
  him... no, straight through him. “He was right.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2140h
   
  This was it.  Game over.
   
  Jarrod limped through the hallway.  He’d dropped 
  the gun somewhere in the cubicle farm, his last clip 
  of greaser ammo burned up blindly punching holes in 
  cubicle walls.  He was hurting in every conceivable 
  way.  There was blood smeared all over the blue stripe 
  on his trousers; he wasn’t 
  sure if it was his own or 
  Deshaun’s.  He didn’t care. 
  It was over, all a wasted 
  effort.  It seemed like he 
  was running on automatic 
  now, scarcely aware of 
  where his feet were taking 
  him...
   There 
  was 
  more 
  screaming from up ahead. 
  When 
  that 
  screaming 
  was suddenly choked off 
  with a gurgled cough, he made for the nearest door on 
  instinct.  The handle was locked, but T&S had possessed 
  some shred of foresight and had issued master keys for 
  the facility to the Norms before launching the operation. 
  Struggling with the keys even as he felt the familiar 
  chills cutting their way down his spine, he pushed open 
  the door and, as quietly as he could, closed it behind 
  him.
   
  It was the central mechanical room for the telecom 
  building, insufferably hot and humid beneath his armor. 
   
  That didn’t matter, though.  He wasn’t alone.
   
  Jarrod couldn’t believe his eyes, first thinking it was 
  an Eidolon-induced hallucination, then thinking that he 
  might have just totally lost it given his unbelievably 
  fucked up situation.  He saw a woman on the other side 
  of the room chained to a hot water boiler, stripped and 
  sobbing quietly.  The tatters of a business suit lay in 
  shreds around her.  Control had said that not all of the 
  telecom employees were accounted for... that some of 
  them might still be in the building...
   
  Jarrod hadn’t even realized that he was holding his 
  combat knife until the woman started screaming.
  *   *   *   *   *
  PROLOGUE
  When that screaming 
  was suddenly choked 
  off with a gurgled 
  cough, he made for 
  the nearest door on 
  instinct.
  14
  
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2143h
   
  “I thought it was men that I hated, for the longest 
  time,” Advent was saying from inside the cage, the pain 
  forgotten, now prowling back and forth like a predator. 
  Her claws were still fully extended, completing the 
  vicious look. “Dad and Uncle Mike... then you, trying to 
  make me forget what they had done by turning my mind 
  into shit, hoping I wouldn’t notice.”
   
  Robert kept his composure. “It’s not me who hurt 
  you, Advent.”
   
  “No, you just tried to fix me like your fucking pet.”
   
  “Fuck you.  I’ve seen wild ghosts, and you have too. 
  They can’t control themselves or their passions.  They 
  create and re-create their own hells over and over again 
  on an infinite loop.  I saved you from that.  And you 
  betrayed me by running off with goddamn Spectres.”
   
  She responded with... of all things... a giggle. “You 
  never asked me why I did it, 
  Robert.  Why I killed myself with 
  that rope on the stairway.”
   
  “I don’t care.  Tell me about 
  Charnel.”
   
  “I told myself that I was 
  in pain. Even after the hurting 
  stopped and I was still here 
  watching them take my body 
  away to the charnel house.  I 
  thought I did it because I hated 
  men and wanted to escape from 
  them.  I just wanted to curl up in 
  grandmom’s arms and never have 
  to be hurt again.”  She smiled 
  grotesquely. “But the darkness 
  told me a different story, and I 
  like that one better now.”
   
  “People are dying out there, Advent, don’t waste 
  time bullshitting me!”
   
  “I didn’t kill myself because I’d been hurt, Robert.  I 
  killed myself because I hated what I was.  I hated being 
  weak and violated, and being too cowardly and whipped 
  to say anything or scream out when they hurt me.  They 
  were right, I was weak because I was a woman.  I hated 
  myself too much to just slip off into Oblivion and be done 
  with this world.  That would have been too easy.  And so 
  I stayed.  That’s what the darkness told me.”
   
  “Tell me about the goddamn...!” He was half a second 
  away from manifesting again and flooding Advent’s 
  small world with pain when he stopped dead, dread real-
  ization welling up in his chest.  The pieces were falling 
  into place, and dear God... Robert was starting to see.   
   
  “The... darkness... you mean Charnel?  It told you 
  this?”
   
  “The darkness loves me, Robert, loves me as much as 
  it hates me.”  Her smile broadened with unsettling joy. 
  “And it loves you, too, because you know the truth.”
   
  It was something in her face, the alien look of vulgar 
  pleasure that finally gave it away.  Robert took a step 
  towards the Labyrinth Cage’s bars, his gauze body 
  trembling almost imperceptibly. “Charnel isn’t just 
  another Spectre, is it?”
   
  Her haunting smile persisted. “The ladies always go 
  first, Robert.”
  *   *   *   *   *
  Operation: Plague-Sever
  2145h
   
  Jarrod knew for sure that the blood smeared and 
  splattered all over him wasn’t his this time.
    
  He 
  slumped 
  to 
  the 
  ground in the hot boiler room, 
  sweat mingling with blood, 
  the wet knife clattering its way 
  across the floor behind him.  His 
  mind was as numb as his body, 
  staring at the hacked and bloody 
  mess that was still chained to the 
  boiler in front of him.
    
  The Spectre was there 
  too, 
  standing 
  beside 
  him, 
  watching in silence from the 
  folds of darkness.
    
  The T&S agent found it 
  was a struggle to breathe.  Was 
  it the Spectre who had brought 
  the knife down again and again 
  on the shrieking, or was it him? 
  Was it the Spectre’s surge of satisfaction he had felt, or 
  his own?  Did it matter?  It all blurred together in his 
  mind until the answer was no.
   
  Charnel reached out towards him, and Jarrod didn’t 
  flinch away.  He felt a coldness throughout his body as 
  the Spectre lay an inky hand upon his head, and thanks 
  to the Eidolon still pumping through his blood he could 
  see — but not feel — an inky trail of black ichor running 
  down his face.
   
  “Come to me,” the voice was deep and scratchy, but 
  feminine. “I’ll find you.”
   
  When he looked back up, the Spectre was gone.
  Jarrod looked around with dim comprehension, at the 
  TERREL & SQUIB
  I didn’t kill 
  myself because 
  I’d been hurt, 
  Robert.  I killed 
  myself because 
  I hated what I 
  was.
  15
  
  blood sprays and at the torn body of the woman he had 
  murdered, or had watched something controlling his 
  body murder, it didn’t matter which.  He stared at it 
  all for a long time before slowly removing his familiar 
  kevlar-lined gloves and reaching down to his belt to 
  unhook the handgun from his holster.  It was standard-
  issue for emergencies, and was loaded with plain ammo, 
  not ghostshot.  That was good.  T&S wouldn’t have to be 
  upset over the loss of one more greaser bullet to top off 
  the evening.
   
  Without another thought, Jarrod wrapped his curling 
  lips around the end of the weapon and pulled the trigger.
  *   *   *   *   *
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2146h
   
  Robert knew it.  Knew it even as he spent the energy 
  to manifest and slam his hand down on the Labyrinth 
  Cage’s controls, sending a fresh surge of voltage into 
  Advent.  She was turning into a Spectre, fast, and was 
  most of the way there, 
  but 
  Charnel 
  wasn’t 
  just some accomplice 
  or mentor on her path 
  toward Spectrehood.  
   
  Charnel 
  was 
  Advent.  Charnel was 
  her doppleganger.
   
  Chills 
  suddenly 
  ran down his gauze, a 
  lancing cold that Robert 
  had grown accustomed 
  enough to feeling in 
  the field, but which felt 
  screamingly 
  out-of-
  place in the safety of the 
  Terrel & Squib facility. 
  Spectres.  He swung 
  around, only to see a 
  blur of movement and darkness behind him, and burning 
  red eyes gazing into his.  And the face behind those eyes 
  was Advent’s, twisted into the same happy smile that the 
  broken ghost writhing in the cage had worn.
   
  Charnel.  The name appeared in his mind before he 
  had a chance to articulate it.  But it was impossible, the 
  Spectre should have been on the other side of the city...
   
  “Fuck...!” Robert lashed out, pushing Vitality into 
  his gauze to lend strength to his ghostly muscles, but the 
  dark blur of a Spectre was too fast and too strong.  He felt 
  claws rake across his midsection, stabbing into his very 
  essence, blades forged of pure misery and suffering.   
   
  He landed a blow with one of his fists, but if Charnel 
  felt it no indication was given.  A powerful, clawed hand 
  grabbed Robert by the arm and tossed him aside, letting 
  his ghostly form crumple against the hard concrete wall.
   
  What happened next would haunt his dreams and his 
  nightmares.
   
  The Spectre advanced, not toward him but toward the 
  cage that held Advent, the blur of shadows that consti-
  tuted its body slowly taking substance and congealing 
  into the shape of a teenage girl.  Darker, colder, the very 
  sight of it filling him with the same revulsion that he felt 
  toward the most horrid of Spectres, but unmistakably 
  beautiful, and unmistakably Advent.  It was her standing 
  there, but it was also her in the cage.  There was a blur 
  of motion then, and the heavy bars of the Labyrinth 
  Cage tore like paper, the electricity arcing through them 
  showering out in a billion sparks.
   
  Advent stepped out...
   
  ...and Advent stepped forward.
   
  The two beings, their Stained gauze identical in most 
  ways but fundamentally different in others, regarded 
  one another for a long 
  minute.  Then they 
  reached forward and 
  embraced, their twin 
  gauzes 
  melting 
  into 
  one another like hot 
  droplets of water until 
  light merged with dark 
  and 
  was 
  subsumed 
  entirely by both.
   
  When 
  they 
  looked back at him, 
  there was only one. 
  Charnel... 
  Advent... 
  looked at him with a 
  stare 
  that 
  entwined 
  malice with affection. 
  She 
  whispered 
  something 
  that 
  he 
  would try to remember for the rest of his life, but would 
  never be able to.  Then the darkness took him.
  *   *   *   *   *
  “Heaven” Interrogation Facility,
  Terrel & Squib Re-Education Center #3
  2152h
   
  Robert awoke, back in his body, though he couldn’t 
  remember returning or ripcording.  There was a dull 
  The Spectre advanced, not 
  toward him but toward the 
  cage that held Advent, 
  the blur of shadows that 
  constituted 
  its 
  body 
  slowly taking substance 
  and congealing into the 
  shape of a teenage girl.
  PROLOGUE
  16
  
  ache across his chest, which he touched gingerly, only 
  to wince from the pain.  Fuck it all.  His ribs were 
  probably broken; one of the unfortunate side-effects of 
  projecting being the damage that translated back to the 
  body when...
   
  When...
   
  He blinked and realized that he was lying down, not 
  on the cot across the room, but inside the locked Labyrinth 
  Cage.  The intact Labyrinth Cage.  He had watched it 
  be torn open by the Spectre, but the metal mesh that he 
  wrapped his fingers around was unbroken...
   
  Then his eyes fixed on a slight movement outside of 
  the Cage.
   
  Katherine was hanging from the ceiling, an elec-
  trical cord from the overhead light fixture dangling her 
  body — still jerking spasmodically — a few feet off of 
  the ground.  A swollen tongue lolled out of her mouth, 
  her sharp features glossed with the pallid, sickly blue of 
  strangulation.  Her hair, matted with blood, was pulled 
  down over her glassy eyes.  Robert knew death.  Hers 
  hadn’t been a fast one.  She must have been there bucking 
  and kicking in the air, her cruel eyes watching him sleep 
  away her death barely an arm’s length away...
   
  “Jesus...” Robert murmured, slowly pulling himself 
  up to his feet in spite of the pain. “Jesus fucking Christ, 
  Advent...”
   
  Click.
   
  It should have been barely audible, but the sound of 
  someone playing with the controls to the Labyrinth Cage 
  was thunder in his ears.  He looked around frantically, 
  and saw the controls being manipulated without anyone 
  standing near them, an invisible hand working them with 
  the same skill and patience of someone who had watched 
  it being done a hundred times before.
  TERREL & SQUIB
  17
  
  Introduction
  Remember to close the door
  behind you when you leave.
  — Red Night
  
  INTRODUCTION
  An Overview Of 
  Terrel and Squib, Inc.
   
  The great majority of those working for Terrel & 
  Squib’s paranormal investigations division get to sleep 
  at night by telling themselves that what they do is not 
  pleasant, is not fun, and is certainly not right, but is 
  nonetheless deeply necessary.
   
  This is an organization that routinely enslaves 
  and mentally rapes the restless dead. It encourages its 
  personnel to pursue rampant drug abuse, telling them that 
  it’s the only way.  It sells its services to those who can 
  pay for it, not those who need it.  Any shred of benevo-
  lence that may once have existed within this corporate 
  pyramid has long since been worn down against the 
  amoral whetstone of big business. And through it all 
  struggle the field agents, the operatives, and the associ-
  ates, the ones who will never see the company’s immense 
  profit margins, but have to deal with death, horror, and 
  the hereafter every day.
   
  This is the World of Darkness™, and it is a world that 
  Terrel & Squib has been designed from the ground up to 
  thrive in.
  How To Use This Book
   
  We’ll get something straight right from the start: 
  the Terrel & Squib Sourcebook does not conflict with 
  the Orpheus™ metaplot. This is a supplement, and as 
  such it deals exclusively with the workings of Terrel & 
  Squib, Inc.  Leafing (or scrolling) through it, you won’t 
  find any new, overarching plotline, though that’s not to 
  say that you can’t make your own, and it certainly isn’t 
  to say that there isn’t anything going on in this book. 
  Our assumption, however, is that you’ll use this book to 
  supplement your own Orpheus™ game using the estab-
  lished Orpheus™ metaplot.
   
  So what will you find in this book?  Well, Terrel & 
  Squib serve as one of the primary antagonists for the 
  Orpheus Group from the very start, and since it was never 
  thoroughly investigated in the Orpheus™ corebook or 
  Shades of Gray, we’re giving you information on how 
  to bring this sinister organization to life in your game. 
  You’ll find stuff to add color, texture, and vibrancy to 
  what has the potential to be a very scary group of unprin-
  cipled entrepreneurs indeed.
   
  A Storyteller can use the information in this book 
  to run a chronicle from the perspective of T&S agents, 
  or use it to round the company out as an antagonist in 
  a more orthodox Orpheus™ chronicle. There’s plenty of 
  room for middle ground, of course. You want to use the 
  company as an ally for the players? Swell. Or perhaps 
  you don’t want to use Terrel & Squib at all... that’s fine, 
  perhaps there are some new rules (Backgrounds, Merits/
  Flaws, Laments, etc.) that you can find a use for in your 
  own game.  What you do with what we’re presenting 
  here is entirely up to you.
   
  The T&S Sourcebook is primarily aimed at ST’s, as 
  it is first and foremost a chronicle supplement.  There is, 
  however, no small amount of information for players too. 
  Storytellers should be judicious about how much infor-
  mation they give out: Terrel & Squib, Inc. is a company 
  built upon many, many layers of secrets...
  Chapter By Chapter
   
  The Prelude grants a glimpse into a dangerous 
  Terrel & Squib operation and the fruits created by the 
  company’s dark side.
   
  The Introduction is the part you’re reading right 
  now.
   
  Chapter One: History of Terrel & Squib, Inc. takes 
  a look at where T&S has come from, where it is now, 
  and where it may be going in the future.
   
  Chapter Two: The Unearthed Player’s Guide is 
  the part you hand over to the players, presenting new 
  “crunchy bits” including new laments, roles, merits 
  and flaws, and backgrounds common to Terrel & Squib 
  operatives.
   
  Chapter Three: Storytelling the Dead is for the 
  eyes of the Storyteller alone. This includes information 
  on how to run a T&S chronicle.  It also has informa-
  tion on some of the company’s more sinister research 
  programs, as well as new antagonists, Spectres, and four 
  scenarios that can lead up to the destruction of T&S in 
  your chronicle.
   
  Chapter Four: Agents of Note gives players and 
  Storytellers a look at some of the signature characters and 
  NPCs of note that they may encounter, whether working 
  with or against Terrel & Squib, Inc.  It also includes the 
  Executive Dossier, giving the dirty details on the upper 
  echelons of the company’s corporate elite.
   
  Chapter Five: Terrel & Squib Operations gives 
  several sample T&S operations and operation templates.
  Terrel and Squib Lexicon
   
  Terrel & Squib Inc. has developed its own lexicon 
  of slang and technical information unique from anything 
  19
  
  INTRODUCTION
  else in the world, including the Orpheus Group.  Here’s 
  a quick primer to bring everyone up to speed on some of 
  the most common terms encountered:
   
  Bluelegs: Slang term for T&S Operations security 
  personnel who arrive on the scene in the flesh rather than 
  projected.  Refers to the blue stripe running up the leg of 
  their uniform pants.
   
  Body-Class: T&S technical term for Lament.
   
  Break Squelch: To send a “click-hiss” signal on 
  a portable radio by depressing the push-to-talk button 
  without speaking; used when speaking might reveal your 
  position.  Also refers to a spook deliberately flaring their 
  Vitality as a signal when verbal communication might be 
  inappropriate.
   
  Broken Ghost: Any spirit or hue that has been 
  psychologically “broken” by T&S parapsychologists and 
  is now kept in a state of subservient, forced compliance 
  with the company.
   
  Eidolon: A pigment-derivative drug that has most of 
  the same properties as the street drug, but is non-halluci-
  nogenic.  A favorite of T&S field teams.
   
  Ferroanimus: Scientific term for the spectre ichor 
  commonly found in Terrel & Squib paratechnology.
   
  Ghostshot: A type of ammunition laced with 
  ferroanimus during forging.  Can affect both the living 
  and the dead equally.  Most ghostshot ammunition is 
  9mm made for the sub-machine gun.
   
  Ghostsigns: Evidence of supernatural activity at a 
  location.
   
  Greaser Bullets: Slang term for ghostshot.
   
  Grunts: See “Bluelegs”
   
  Light Up: Slang term, meaning to open fire on an 
  enemy or enemy position.
   
  Long Knife: Slang term for projectors.
   
  Metagnome: A living person (non-projector or 
  spook) gifted with the ability to view spirits.
   
  Paratechnology: 
  Technological 
  devices 
  with 
  features that relate to the identification, capture, extermi-
  nation, or protection of the supernatural.  Most paratech 
  typically includes ferroanimus.
   
  Slick: Slang term for one of the T&S Mobile 
  Command Units (MCUs).
   
  Spirit-Class: T&S technical term for “Shade.”
   
  Team: T&S favored term for “crucible.”
   
  Wild Ghost: Any spirit or hue that has not undergone 
  psychological breaking by T&S professionals.
   
  Zulu: Casualty report.
  20
  
  Chapter : 01
  History of
  Terrel & Squib
  Incorporated
  The difference between you and me
  is that I make this look good.
  — Men in Black
  
   
  “Don’t worry, Miss DeLacey.  This won’t hurt at all.”  The young 
  woman in one of the indeterminate white coats said as she bent to fasten 
  a metal collar with multiple blinking LEDs attached to it around her 
  neck. The girl (allegedly a victim of possession, assuredly a young bitch 
  with a bad attitude) just breathed a trifle harder as she tried to get 
  used to the slightly choking feeling the collar was giving her.
   
  The team leader, Murray, nodded.  He started digging around his 
  pockets for his cell phone while the rest of the team took position 
  around the girl. The security personnel in their ridiculously futuristic 
  riot armor fanned out a few yards behind her with their large, composite 
  shields held at ready, while the men and women in white coats turned to 
  man the equipment scattered around the expansive living room.
   
  “Is all this really necessary?” the lady of the house asked Murray 
  in an unusually timorous tone of voice.  Her husband just clutched her 
  hand, muttering something about “letting experts do what they’re paid 
  for” while Murray turned to her with a comforting smile.
   
  “Not to worry, ma’am: it looks a lot scarier than it actually is. 
  To people, that is. We didn’t worry all that much about being gentle 
  with the thing that did this to your daughter.”  The parents receded 
  gratefully, reassured by the honest expression and the sheer anger 
  the mustached specialist had demonstrated when he’d been told of the 
  specifics of the case.  It did wonders for Mr. and Mrs. Enrique DeLacey’s 
  peace of mind that the spook-hunters at Terrel & Squib Investigations 
  trusted them to know their own daughter well enough to recognize that 
  the horrible things she’d been getting into were anything but normal.
   
  “Dave, get ready to turn it on.”  Murray spoke to his cell in calm, 
  unflappable tones.  “We’ll have set the house by 0900 hours.”  Around 
  him the rest of the modern-day exorcists were setting curious meters 
  within arms’ reach and taking last-minute readings from the walls.  Two 
  of the helmeted security personnel were opening the lookout windows and 
  back door to grant uninhibited access to the black van looming in the 
  back yard.  Everyone in the team knew their place, setting the place up 
  expertly for the conclusion of Operation: Bright Light.  Their purpose: 
  to save young Mayfair DeLacey from whatever was possessing her, forcing 
  her to actions that would have landed the offspring of a less affluent 
  family in juvenile hall without much dissembling.
   
  The clients’ mighty faith in their saviors might have been a bit 
  shaken if they’d known that at the moment Lucas Murray was calling one 
  of a multitude of dummy phones in T&S headquarters, installed solely 
  for cases when calling in a non-existent expert might serve to impress 
  clientele.
  
   
  Murray looked tensely the laptop offered for his consideration by 
  one of the lab-coated assistants.  The lights in Mayfair’s collar were 
  flickering in random patterns while she herself reclined in a lounge 
  chair, looking bored and doing her best to obey the investigator’s 
  suggestion that she make herself as comfortable as possible.
   
  An almost invisible nod from one of the guards broke Murray’s 
  tension. A gasp from Mrs. DeLacey assured him that their attention was 
  fully drawn by the suddenly uniform, Morse-code-like blinking lights at 
  their daughter’s neck... and the curious flickering of her expression, as 
  if she had just tried to remember something.
   
  “Ladies and gentlemen, the chase is on!”
   
  Unseen except in the dull red lights of the guards’ visors, two 
  shapes came tumbling out of nowhere — or out of Mayfair — at the same 
  moment as the painfully expensive domestic light-show came underway.  
  The two figures of men came to rest in the open space thoughtfully 
  cleared of furniture by the T&S agents, accompanied by a liberal chorus 
  of cursing and yelling.
   
  One of them was a balding man in his late thirties, dressed in 
  a checkered shirt that didn’t do much for his paunch.  He was still 
  wearing his glasses out of the same habit that had garbed the other 
  man in the memory of a varsity jacket he had earned — and discarded 
  — long ago.  Both men swayed a little as they regarded each other in a 
  fighting crouch, looking tired unto death.  Even so, all the odds seemed 
  to favor the younger man.  He was more visibly fit than the other, and 
  tall enough to probably weigh as much as his opponent (though such 
  considerations mattered less than they once would have).  To add insult to 
  injury, he was armed, limbering a black baton that wouldn’t have looked 
  out of place in the gear of the heavily armored security guards standing 
  just a few feet from the two shades.
   
  “Where am I?” the shorter man asked with a tremble in his voice.  He 
  had the cross-eyed glare of a man going into seizure from information 
  overload, or perhaps just the look of someone who’s had the rug pulled 
  from underneath him and found that he landed in a strange land.
   
  The younger man didn’t answer.  He just breathed heavily — yet 
  another habit that was proving hard to forget — and cast a darting 
  glance around.  His hair stood out like he hadn’t taken a shower in a 
  while and then had gone out to stand in a storm, while his hands clutched 
  the baton’s strangely viscous, coarse surface.
   
  “Who are you, anyway?  Joseph Wellington, the disgraced teacher?  
  Drew Reynolds, the electrician who got accused of pedophilia and was 
  killed in jail for it?  You don’t look like the junior who was hit by a 
  
  car while he and young Miss Mayfair were stoned out of their wits.”
   
  “I’m, I’m... I am Wellington.  Yes, that’s my name...” the other man 
  spoke as if far, far away, looking lost.  Lost, that is, until his eyes 
  caught Mayfair DeLacey behind the young assailant, being embraced by her 
  incoherently crying mother, once again getting away with murder.  All 
  confusion slipped Joseph Wellington’s mind as his world switched back 
  to familiar gears, anchored by the hatred for the girl that defined his 
  post-mortem existence. He took a step towards her...
   
  ...And was sent reeling back by a blow that would have seen him 
  spitting teeth had he been on the same plane as the people standing 
  obliviously around the showdown.  The young man spun his nightstick 
  back into a fighting stance, barked an order to open the doors at the 
  expressionless helmets worn by the guards and flew at Wellington’s ghost.
   
  “Shomaker’s Drill! Hut-hut-hut-hut...!” one of the guards yelled 
  out as Mayfair was still protesting that she was all right.  Murray’s 
  parascientists seized the curious hybrids of flashlight and pocket 
  calculator they had painstakingly calibrated beforehand and rushed to 
  fill the cracks between the guards cordoning a section of the living 
  room with their riot shields.
   
  Red beams of light crisscrossed the rooms as a strange, keening 
  whine that made teeth ache emitted from the same devices.  “We have 
  them!” one of the scientists cried as a few stray flickers disrupted the 
  rays at one point over the carpet.
   
  “Lockstep!  Force it through the door!” Murray screamed as the 
  scientists crossed their lasers over the flickering anomaly on the 
  floor.  One of the guards grinned inside his helmet. Theirs was usually 
  the shitty part of the job, but this time all they’d had to do was stand 
  around sweating in their gear and watch the amateur wrestling.
   
  “What’s going on?” Wellington groaned in a subdued voice.  If 
  he’d looked tired before, he now looked like he was literally ready to 
  come apart, having been assiduously pounded by the ghost circumspectly 
  addressed as Dave.
   
  “I don’t think you ever did lay a hand on your students in life,” 
  Dave commented as the doors to the van opened like the maw of some black 
  cave. “That didn’t keep you from raping Mayfair DeLacey’s life after your 
  demise. For the choices you made,” he said as he shoved Wellington off his 
  feet, “you can rot in Heaven for all I care!” he yelled after Wellington 
  as he pushed him squarely into the van.  A smoked-glass-and-steel door 
  was slammed shut by one of the guards the minute Wellington’s shade went 
  tumbling in.
  
   
  “Don’t try to break out.”  Dave called after him.  “It takes a 
  miracle to hurt one of those things, and they’ll just recover by taking 
  compensation straight out of you.”  He wasn’t sure if Wellington got 
  a chance to hear him as the van rumbled to life and rolled out to the 
  streets again.
   
  “EC levels going down.”
   
  “Field returning to normal.”
   
  “Permission to unhook and call it a home run, chief?”
   
  Murray nodded magnanimously, releasing his team to shut down the 
  various gadgets they’d brought in and start removing them from the 
  property.  Mr. DeLacey insisted on shaking hands with each and every 
  agent present while his wife cried out of sheer relief.  Mayfair looked 
  around dubiously, still only half-comprehending the strangers’ presence 
  in the living room (her memory blacked out shortly after Murray’s initial 
  questioning had caused her to fall silent except for a few choice insults 
  that actually sounded too cultured to possibly come from her).
   
  Murray accepted Enrique DeLacey’s gratitude almost as smoothly as 
  the grateful father produced the check that was to pay for their night’s 
  work. The team gathered around for a photograph.  Even the guards doffed 
  off their helmets to get a big smile at a job well done eternalized by 
  Mrs. DeLacey.  The centerpiece of the photo was her husband holding up 
  the check together with Team Leader Lucas Murray.  The absence of a 
  certain unrecorded co-worker named Dave was easy to disregard in the 
  festive atmosphere.
  
  The official history of Terrel & Squib 
  Pharmaceuticals and its founders is a 
  matter of public record. Sorting through 
  it all, the only sordid thing that the 
  company can be found obviously guilty 
  of is branching into the questionable 
  “projecting” industry, as well as being 
  the topic of considerable speculation 
  when assessing just how many skeletons 
  a financial rainmaker like John Terrel 
  has in his closets. Or so it seems at first 
  glance.
  The wheels upon which the company’s 
  inner mechanisms spin are a more ques-
  tionable matter. The entire projecting 
  industry occupies a gray area when it 
  comes to the law, an advantage that the 
  leading lights of the industry are pleased 
  to exploit.  They perform services that 
  can’t be considered criminal only because 
  no legislative body to date has consid-
  ered enacting statutes regarding ghosts 
  and supernatural exploitation.  Orpheus 
  Group, NextWorld and T&S maneuver 
  around each other like cats fighting over 
  territory, each seeking to simultane-
  ously expose its rivals’ illegal activities 
  while masking their own involvement in 
  the very same dubious enterprises. It is 
  this mutually assured secrecy shared by 
  each (yet originating from completely 
  unrelated reasons) that ensures that, 
  to date, no one has been able to effec-
  tively police the “Three Greats” of the 
  projecting industry.
  26
  
  Asst. Dir. Scott 
   
   
   
   
  Re:    Terrel & Squib Investigations
  P.O. Box 897 
   
   
   
   
            RLH : DAH : NSD
  Oakland, CA 94604
  Dear Asst. Dir. Scott:
   
  As per orders, I’ve prepared this report in cooperation with Special Agent Osorio’s matching work 
  regarding the Orpheus Group. Cross-referencing our work into two of America’s leading paranormal 
  investigations companies has been about as harrowing as Agent Osorio has been saying since the Forest 
  incident. 
   
  I hope you’ll agree that the enclosed information is grounds for the kind of paranoia Jesse has been 
  drumming around the office.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Sincerely,
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Sp. Agt. Kurtzveil
  MAY  12  2003
  27
  
  Phone conversation overheard at the office of 
  John Terrel, CEO of T&S Pharmaceuticals
  MAY  12  2001
  “Hello Charles, John Terrel here.”
   
  “Fine, thank you. And how’s the lovely new wife?”
   
  (Nervous laughter)
   
  “Yes, I know what you mean. Listen, our doctor friend tells me he’s on to something new.”
   
  “Wish I could tell you, but he’s being quiet about it. Just showed up from unexpected sick leave 
  — apparently the man works even when the rest of us would be lying comatose under the covers 
  — and told me he got some sort of inspiration out there by the waters. Yes, he’s got a place up in 
  Michigan...”
   
  “All he’s willing to say is that it could change the course of the whole company, if not the face of 
  the earth itself.”
   
  “I know he doesn’t! He’s not at all like himself in other ways, either. God, I’ve never had to 
  upbraid him about being slack with his job till now. After the way he took it, I don’t ever want to 
  do it again.”
   
  “Hmm? Oh no, no, everything’s fine. It’s just one of those things, you know? Shocks always come 
  from the people you least expect. Who’d have thought jolly old Doc Squib had it in him, eh?” 
  (More shaken laughter)
  “Yes, well. He tells me this could require a lot of capital once he’s got the necessary tests done. 
  Oh, it’ll float. He’s dead certain this new formula will work and I’m not about to question a man 
  talking about his 114th or something drug patent.”
  “Yes, I know how much we can conjure up as needed. I called you because that may not be 
  enough.”
   
  (Momentary Silence)
  “Then sell the fucking plants! We’re not going to pussy-foot around this one!”
  “…”
  “God, I’m sorry, Charlie. Don’t know what’s got into me. Look, just play ball, would you? You 
  do your share of the work and I’ll handle the rest of whatever Squib’s new master plan demands, 
  alright?”
  “Great. You know, we ought to have lunch again one of these days...”
  28
  
  FOREST HILL MURDERER
  STRIKES AGAIN!!!
   
  Queens, NY — Yesterday morning 
  the police discovered yet another transient 
  who fell victim to the serial killer of NYC’s 
  Parkdale district. According to eyewit-
  nesses, the body had been savaged with 
  signatory violence attributed to the missing 
  real estate developer, Arthur McAlester.
   
  McAlester has been classified as armed, 
  extremely dangerous and criminally insane. 
  Police psychologists have gone on a limb 
  in making their verdict regardless of a lack 
  of study of McAlester himself, citing that 
  “the circumstantial evidence proves without 
  a shadow of doubt that Mr. McAlester 
  should be considered a violent sociopath. 
  He cannot be held responsible for his 
  actions any more than it can be considered 
  safe to approach him.” McAlester’s mental 
  degeneration can be traced back several 
  months, beginning with his frantic insis-
  tence that his home was being haunted by 
  invisible demons. The tragic delusion came 
  to a head last Christmas as Mr. McAlester’s 
  breakdown was caught on videotape by 
  consultants 
  from 
  T&S 
  Investigations, 
  whom he had hired to rid the 
  domicile of the nonexistent 
  assailants. The parapsycholo-
  gists’ extensive framework of 
  cameras captured McAlester’s 
  brutal killing spree on live 
  feed, recording a battle that 
  claimed the lives of seventeen 
  people and resulted in the 
  entire mansion burning to 
  the 
  ground. 
  Miraculously, 
  McAlester was able to escape 
  in spite of having been shot repeatedly. He 
  managed to vanish into the forested areas 
  emblematic of the region while rescue 
  crews and police were still preoccupied 
  with containing the fire.
   
  McAlester’s unnatural fortitude, as 
  well as the abnormally sudden breakdown 
  suffered by the formerly lucid family man, 
  is attributed in large part to his subsequently 
  uncovered black heroin addiction. Medical 
  experts consulted by the police have posited 
  that any number of dangerous additives 
  might have been present in McAlester’s 
  dosage of the illegal narcotics, leading to 
  his mental breakdown and the outbreak of 
  violence evinced on the Forest Hills tape.
   
  Curfew continues in all residential areas 
  adjacent to McAlester’s presumed location, 
  but thankfully the numerous neighborhood 
  watches and police volunteers’ vigilance has 
  not yet been needed. Citizens are cautioned 
  from entering the Parkdale woods alone or 
  from venturing beyond hearing range under 
  any circumstances.
  How Will Shareholders React?
  By Richard Brodski 
  Terrel 
  & 
  Squib 
  Pharmaceutical 
  announced today in an unforeseeable 
  move that they will be selling much 
  of their recent expansions in their 
  production capability. Two manufac-
  turing plants in Penn County, Ohio and 
  Kesselbach, Germany were decommis-
  sioned, the former having barely gone 
  online before the surprise announce-
  ment. Municipal authorities in both 
  locales have appealed the company 
  to reconsider their decision, but to no 
  avail.
   
  CEO John Terrel was unavailable for  
  comment, but company Marketing 
  Director Neil Ellingwood stated that 
  “new business plans have been drawn 
  that drastically alter company require-
  ments in the near future. We acknowl-
  edge the hardship our sudden change 
  of heart imposes on the people who 
  had committed themselves to employ-
  ment at our factories, but our decision 
  was made at the highest executive level 
  and cannot be changed, not even by our 
  sense of civic duty to our employees.”
  Company investors have also voiced 
  disgruntlement at the decision to sell, 
  suggesting that the reasons behind the 
  change of heart have not trickled down 
  from the highest levels they were made 
  at. One of the few shareholders to 
  express continued faith in Mr. Terrel’s 
  leadership, Charles Lindé, went on 
  record saying, “The company was 
  founded on John’s and Lionel’s [Squib, 
  head of Research & Development] 
  vision and skills. I have every confi-
  dence that they will continue to buck 
  the odds with no less success than they 
  demonstrated in the early days.”
  Company spokespersons refused to 
  comment on how the hastily re-gained 
  capital is going to be invested. Rumors 
  abound of new groundbreaking research 
  headed in utmost secrecy by Dr. Squib, 
  a famous pharmaceutical inventor. 
  However, the nature of any new break-
  throughs remains purely conjectural.
  *   *   *   *   *
  Terrel & Squib Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 
  To Liquidate Hard-Won Capital
  Hollywood 
  Producer To Face
  Charges For 
  Domestic Abuse 
  Robert Engen • Staff Writer
   
  Movie 
  producer 
  Barry 
  Copeland 
  was 
  arrested 
  on 
  charges of domestic violence last 
  Friday. Police were alerted to the 
  Copeland residence for the third 
  time within two weeks, at each 
  occasion answering to reports 
  of screaming and the sounds of 
  breaking furniture and utilities. 
  The officers on scene reported 
  the latest visit as “unbelievably 
  violent” and “like a war zone”. 
  Copeland’s wife was found in 
  critical condition and transported 
  to a hospital at once.
   
  Mr. Copeland loudly protested 
  his innocence even after being 
  advised of his rights, screaming 
  incoherently 
  about 
  how 
  the 
  mayhem in mansion was the work 
  of “some invisible force” and even 
  moved on to allude to the horror 
  movie classic “Poltergeist” before 
  being taken away in a borderline 
  hysteric state. Police are investi-
  gating the possibility of drug use 
  to explain the violent destruc-
  tion the residence underwent 
                           (Continued on D5)
  LA TIMES
  29
  
  Conversation overheard in La Coupole - Paris, France
  Translated from German
  NOV  03  2001
  “...these are the final schematics, then?”
  “Barring some adjustments to the immediate terrain? Yes.”
  “And you said you have the land parceled out already?”
  “Yes, I do. Choosing the locale was the easiest part of the operation. Spoiled for choice, really; people in the 
  eastern regions are so ecstatic at the profits offered by this new run of cash crops that they’ll forsake taxes, 
  barley harvest and legal niceties all at once.”
  “Hmm. And the authorities?”
  “All of them either caught up in toadying to the EU or chasing Islamic extremists who find their way in from 
  Syria or Iran.”
  “So far, so good, but what about when international pressure starts pointing the national agencies to crack 
  down on operations like ours?”
  “I plan to recruit mainly from the local Worker’s Part. The PKK has enough subversive irons of their own in 
  the fire that a few bribes will bury the last inclination they might have had to turn informant on me.”
  “Have you planned contingencies against the... Colombian incidents?”
  “The Colombian massacre, you mean? No. How would I? Why should I? I thought this... KS-4?... was 
  supposed to be no more dangerous than the common poppy!”
  “I can’t really say. All I know is that the chemical side of our operations has advanced a warning to all planta-
  tion managers to take contingencies against such accidents.”
  “So now I should start worrying about my overseers suddenly going berserk while they’re toting Kalashnikovs 
  and everyone else for miles around is not?”
  “Not worrying as such, but... just look at the devastation this Alvaro left in his wake. Surely some strategic 
  planning could minimize the impact any kind of disturbances could have?”
  “I’m a plant manager, not a tactician!”
  “Slight correction, if I may?
  You were offered a position as an extremely well-paid associate in this venture, Herr Krohn, because last I 
  heard, you were sick and tired of being a plant manager. We’re not offering you a job where lunatics crop up 
  like mushrooms. We’re just forwarding a warning about a similar operation where something went wrong, 
  so that you would not be caught by surprise if — Heaven forbid — it turns out to have something to do with 
  KS-4.”
  “And getting cold feet at this point would be detrimental to my health?”
  “I know it wouldn’t be in your power to keep us from dragging you down with us. No, it’s far better if this 
  was just some Latino who’d been sniffing his fertilizers for too long. Let’s just proceed with our plans.”
  “Fair enough. Now, the Kesselbach equipment shall be installed somewhere along the road between Tarsus 
  and Sivas?”
  “As you requested. Do you mind if I ask why?”
  “What? You expect us to smuggle gallons of pure extract past Antwerp, every gram of it stinking to the high 
  heavens? The customs dogs would be pointing at our ship like weathervanes before they even docked.”
  END TRANSCRIPTION
  30
  
   
  The Beverly Hills mansion 
  of the movie millionaire 
  Barry Copeland continues to 
  be haunted for the third week 
  in a row. The police thought 
  they had solved the problem 
  of the unearthly cataclysms 
  when they put the owner, 
  Barry Copeland, behind bars 
  and his wife into St. Luke’s 
  Hospital, but the Man was as 
  wrong as ever!
   
  The 
  horrible 
  violence 
  wrought by unseen assail-
  ants on the Copeland couple 
  continues 
  in 
  the 
  empty 
  palace on Beverly, where 
  horrified 
  neighbors 
  have 
  repeatedly alerted the police 
  due to eerie screaming and 
  sounds of breaking glass 
  from the supposedly empty 
  building. All the police have 
  been able to do to quell the 
  haunting 
  disturbances 
  is 
  to replace the torn plastic 
  reading Police Line: Do Not 
  Cross. Obviously ghosts see 
  no need to obey lawmakers 
  who can’t enforce their will 
  on the unnatural and the 
  abnormal!
   
  Released of all charges 
  due to obvious uninvolve-
  ment with the diabolic terror, 
  Mr. Copeland told our inves-
  tigative reporters that he 
  will turn to the very best in 
  trying to resolve the dramatic 
  horror that has gripped his 
  family. And he’s not talking 
  those spatzes at Orpheus 
  Group, either! Determined to 
  answer in kind to the major 
  firepower 
  these 
  invisible 
  fiends have turned against 
  him, Mr. Copeland told the 
  L.A. 
  Enquirer 
  that 
  he’s 
  called in T&S Investigations, 
  the people to call when 
  your house is in need of an 
  exterminator. And we’re not 
  talking roaches here, dear 
  readers.
   
  Terrel & Squib Incorporated (previ-
  ously known solely as Terrel & Squib 
  Pharmaceuticals) latest quarterly release 
  reveals that the profits of the upstanding 
  pharmaceuticals firm have taken second 
  seat to those received from the company’s 
  pioneering work into the field of the para-
  normal.
   
  The 
  much-lampooned 
  Orpheus 
  Group’s 
  most 
  serious 
  competitor’s 
  outstanding success record has, combined 
  with its highly priced services, been well 
  received by the well-to-do with problems 
  that in prior years would have neces-
  sitated relocating, or perhaps calling the 
  Catholic Church to see if a certain Father 
  Merrick was available. Since Terrel 
  & Squib Investigations’ entry into the 
  picture, however, Hollywood’s brightest 
  stars and other members of high society 
  throughout the contiguous United States 
  and the business sector worldwide have 
  been beset by an epidemic of what, 
  for lack of a better term, can be called 
  “hauntings.”  The speed at which the new 
  “afterlife industries” have released them 
  from their predicament has led some to 
  cry fraud, but Terrel & Squib  at least 
  stands above reproach.
   
  “I can’t say I understand half of 
  what they’re up to on their case scenes, 
  or believe half the contingencies they 
  seem to be taking,” said John Malcolm, 
  Ph.D., of Duke University, “but visiting a 
  locale that Terrel & Squib’s Investigative 
  branch termed ‘violent PLE infestation’ 
  sure convinced me that these people are 
  up to no humbug.” Despite inconclusive 
  subpoenas from some of their clients, 
  Terrel & Squib’s own experts’ testimonies 
  and that of impartial authorities such as 
  Dr. Malcolm forced the courts to concede 
  that Terrel & Squib Investigations 
  provides a legitimate service.
   
  Terrel 
  & 
  Squib’s 
  chief 
  rival, 
  the Orpheus Group, has not been so 
  convincing in their efforts, as seen from 
  the recent audit by the IRS into the 
  accounts of the solely paranormally-
  oriented company. Company spokesper-
  sons were unwilling to comment on the 
  possible repercussions if irregularities are 
  discovered during the audit, but it’s clear 
  that criminal charges leveled against their 
  largest competitors could spur Terrel 
  & Squib  Investigations to even greater 
  successes.
  Paranormal Investigations Eclipsing T&S’ Pharmaceuticals Profits
  31
  
  Internal correspondence, 
  T&S Incorporated
   
  The 
  first 
  parasynthetic 
  implants have gone online and 
  are producing consistent results in 
  laboratory environments. License 
  for field testing pending: Director 
  S. has forwarded this general 
  order to all research personnel 
  involved.
   
  The P-S Implant test subjects 
  are to be watched for the 
  following conditions: antisocial 
  behavior and mental aberrations 
  most likely including paranoia, 
  hallucinations, mania or depres-
  sion. This applies to every subject 
  who has received an implant, not 
  only the field-testers of retinal 
  or ‘telepathic’ implants as previ-
  ously assumed. Any subjects 
  who at any point demonstrate 
  autism, 
  unforeseen 
  sensory 
  overload or behavior reminiscent 
  of multiple or alternate personali-
  ties are to be withdrawn from the 
  program at once and diagnosed 
  by medical staff associated with 
  Internal Security at once. Director 
  S. predicts a remote possibility 
  of violent altercations following 
  such behavior.  There also exists 
  evidence of massive physiolog-
  ical trauma as a side effect under 
  conditions of intense stress, but 
  this has occurred in a statistically 
  negligible number of subjects.
   
  Furthermore, 
  physiological 
  degeneration is to be presumed 
  as a common risk to all subjects 
  not sufficiently acclimated to the 
  implants: rejection stress and side 
  effects are predicted to resemble 
  afflictions 
  including 
  measles, 
  kuru, various forms of cancer, 
  chronic 
  blood 
  poisoning 
  and 
  cerebral palsy. As per the statutes 
  of the volunteer form all subjects 
  knowingly signed at the onset of 
  the project, we are not compelled 
  by law to inform our field testers 
  of the new results. 
   
  Human 
  Resources 
  has 
  forwarded a memo to all associ-
  ated personnel to withhold any 
  and all additional information on 
  the possible side effects from test 
  subjects. Any cases of acute phys-
  iological or mental side effects are 
  to be withdrawn from the program 
  and forwarded to Dr. Abdon’s 
  department. Research personnel 
  are not to remove implants under 
  any circumstances: Dr. Abdon 
  reports that he’s confident any 
  side effects noted at a sufficiently 
  early juncture can be contained 
  without interrupting their partici-
  pation in Project: Suffrage.
  Edward,
  I thought we were doing ground-
  breaking research when somebody 
  brought the hatchet job from brain-
  storming to reality: so how come Dr. 
  Squib is sending us alphabetical lists 
  of what to expect, complete with 
  contingency plans for when it all goes 
  south? I swear, I’m getting worried 
  about what they must be up to at 
  Harvard these days…
                                    ~ Matt
  LA TIMES
  Pirate Producer Uncovered, 
  Found Dead in Household Fire 
  Robert Engen • Staff Writer
   
   
  Warwick, OH- The outbreak of a house fire on 4 
  A Neibolt Street yesterday evening concluded the hunt 
  for an illegal broadcasting enterprise that the authorities 
  had been tracking in vain for months. Philip Finlay, 24, 
  died in the fire before the fire department could bring 
  it under control, but swift action by of the rescue crew 
  left the domicile itself largely intact. Police arrived on 
  the scene shortly afterwards, spurred not by suspicions 
  of arson but a distinctly separate investigation into Mr. 
  Finlay’s questionable means of earning his living.
   
  Evidence left intact due to their basement location 
  proved Mr. Finlay to be the one-man producer and 
  distributor of Bad Egg Productions, a pirate network 
  outlet specializing in underground culture, conspiracy 
  theories and pornography. He has been subsequently 
  identified as a dropout from Cal Tech who was wanted 
  by the state of Nevada on several charges relating to 
  illegal materials that he alternately sold or broadcast 
  under his trademark. He had fled the state several 
  months earlier.
   
  Police are looking into the curious circumstances 
  of his death, as the coroner’s report revealed that Mr. 
  Finlay died of asphyxiation but not smoke poisoning. 
  A gas main in the house kitchen was found severed, 
  suggesting arson turned to manslaughter if not outright 
  murder. Police continue to question eyewitnesses, but 
  no one has reported seeing anything unusual in the 
  general vicinity of Neibolt Street.
   
  Several of Mr. Finlay’s friends have filed demands 
  that the case be investigated as pre-meditated murder, 
  having offered testimonies that, ironically enough, only 
  incriminate their late acquaintance further. Following a 
  claim that Mr Finlay was assassinated by the owners 
  of an electronics plant in Smithville, Ohio served only 
  to uncover security camera footage that identified him 
  as the previously unknown interloper on the property 
  thirteen days earlier. Spokesmen of Terrel & Squib 
  Incorporated, owners of the Smithville factory, had 
  scant sympathy for Mr. Finlay’s tragic demise: “He 
  would have been uncovered eventually. Even if he had 
  made it out of his house in time, he would have found 
  he survived a close brush with death only to be charged 
  to the fullest extent of the law for trespassing and indus-
  trial espionage.”
   
  The late Mr. Finlay’s friends’ replies to the statement 
  by T&S could unfortunately not be printed due to 
  some moral standards we at the Herald hold dear to 
  our hearts. To quote Chief Bauer of the Warwick PD, 
  “wanting justice for a dead friend is all fine and well, 
  but all these hippies have had to offer is libel against 
  upstanding corporate enterprises and conspiracy 
  theories that would embarrass Chris Carter.”
  32
  
  Transcript of Pirate Internet-Video Broadcast
  OCT  13  2002
  “Quiet now, everybody: your favorite independent news reporter is going deep into enemy territory in Spookville, Ohio…”
  (Footage of maintenance door, largely sterile corridors filtered through night vision lenses. Hoarse, excited voice reporting:)
  “Rumor mill has it that all manner of weird shit has hit the fan all across the country lately. Yours truly did some digging, dating it all exactly 
  seventeen days after this diabolical facility opened its doors here in the middle of sweet Ohio nowhere. Seventeen, guys and gals, the new 
  Mark of the Beast as demonstrated by the ever-cuddly HaxxorRat at CFortesFortress.com just this week.”
  (Camera entering larger hallway, veering quickly downwards and to the left. Voice continues hoarse, now out of breath: broken by occasional 
  static)
  “Notice the security blips, dear viewers? Your modern-day muckraker has his work cut out for him like Upton Sinclair never would’ve dreamed 
  of. All I can say is, thank God for underground tech like our unpatented, unpaid for and probably illegal voice recognition hardware that brings 
  you live commentary right from where the action’s at.”
  (Camera darting through double doors, entering large assembly hall of some sorts)
  “Wheee-ooo-weee! It looks like Doc Frankenstein’s lab was unfaithful with an operating room and had quadruplets!”
  (Camera scrolling around unsteadily, making strange dashes, occasionally rising towards security camers)
  “I may be only a humble Ph.D. from MIT with a FFD given me by the great CHE, so I don’t have a problem saying I don’t know what half this 
  stuff is for.”
  (Camera turning in various directions)
  “It don’t look like no microchip factory I was ever in. Ooh, now that’s interesting…”
  (Closing in at bounding run towards large, white machine roughly the size of loading truck)
  “What’s with those big, black glass cubes at the ends, I hear you wonder? Well, would that I could tell you, but on first glance yours truly is as 
  stumped as you, dear audience. Whatever are lovebirds John and Leo Squid getting up to here?”
  (Camera zooming closer, focusing on small, rectangular boxes and moving on towards the end of the aperture)
  “Well well well, did anybody tell the good Bible-thumpers of Smithville that they’re living next to an arms factory? That’s right, gents: as I 
  live and breathe, those little black things are gun cartridges. All set for next day’s work, right next to a big mechanical elephant that looks like 
  it came out of Star Trek -or a dentists’- and… lookie lookie, old Mecha-Dumbo’s sporting high voltage signs.”
  (Camera continues to scroll past white expanse of the machinery as narrative continues, comes to halt by the black cube; zooms closer)
  “Well, like even my bimbo of a little sister could tell you, this contraption has two functions; Arc and Welding. Rest easy, ye solid burghers of 
  the Midwest, at least nobody’s making biological weapons next to your back yard. What are they making, though? I spy with my little third eye 
  a guy in a lab suit standing here all day, fusing something to the rounds for that extra bang for your buck… something that seems to be loaded 
  from this -man, it’s cold!- container that enters old Babar through the back door…”
  “YHEAA <Violent burst of static>”
   
  (Camera flies backwards, comes rolling down, stays at rest looking at ceiling.)
  “Whathefuckwasthatwhathefuc…”
  (Camera rising to vertical position again, scrolls around almost full 360 degrees)
  “Man, if that didn’t register on tape I’m cutting this part before I go on the air. Guys wouldn’t ever let me live it down if they get to record me 
  squealing like a little bitch…”
  “Fuck. Big Brother might’ve registered that yell.”
  (Camera bounding towards double doors, exiting to hallway and continues running)
  “This is the Bad Eggs Broadcast signing off for the day, everybody: I better be out of here before Cerberus’ college buddies gone corporate 
  come sniffing at my ass and decide they want a tenderloin out of my heel…”
  END OF TRANSCRIPTION
  33
  
  The Big Picture
   
  Note: This is a Storyteller-only chapter with spoilers 
  about the history of Terrel & Squib Investigations. 
  Please do not read any further if you are ever planing 
  to play in a T&S game or in an Orpheus™ game where 
  T&S will be used.
  In the Beginning
   
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. is what Orpheus Group should 
  have been.
   
  When JDG Cryogenics became Orpheus Group in 
  1994, they embarked on a search for a recipe that would 
  enable them to capitalize on Jane Kennedy’s incidental 
  discovery. The company’s limited resources meant 
  that when a branch of their research operations finally 
  showed consistent promise, the whole company landed 
  on it like a starved vulture swooping in on a kill.
   
  Their new secret weapon was of course the break-
  through of Dr. Amours Katilian, a botanist who had 
  been studying the infinite varieties of South American 
  plant life and discovered an answer to Orpheus Group’s 
  frantic questions. Dr. Katilian presented the Group 
  with a privately grown cache of plants called Kakos 
  stromithicarum, from which Orpheus Group was able 
  to extract a reliable serum that facilitated projecting 
  human souls from their bodies. But, as revealed in other 
  sources, Katilian was lying when he claimed credit 
  for the discovery.  In truth he was just the mouthpiece 
  of the creature that would both create the drug called 
  pigment and turn T&S Pharmaceuticals into the high-
  priced ghost-hunting company it is today.
   
  Heaven (and the Spectral hive-mind) alone know 
  what roads led Katilian into the Spectre’s path. Had it 
  tagged this very plant as the ideal tool for its creation, 
  only seizing Katilian when he so very conveniently 
  gave it an avenue to transfer K. stromithicarum to 
  more civilized climes? Or were the Spectres watching 
  the emergent Orpheus Group from the very beginning, 
  silently working to build a bridge to the living world 
  even as Orpheus’ scientists were trying to bridge the 
  same gap from their side of the grave? No one can say 
  for certain.
   
  However, something went wrong from the Spectres’ 
  point of view. Orpheus Group was as blind and naked as 
  a newborn puppy, but one whose trashing could be used 
  to break open a barrier that had stood in the Spectres’ 
  way for a long, long time... but entities from literally 
  out of their world got in their way. It is ironic that 
  however impotent Orpheus Group’s mysterious backers 
  were in spiritual matters, they were able to stymie 
  the Spectres by the very influence and affluence that 
  made Orpheus Group so receptive to their clandestine 
  support. Malevoy and its kind had no options as these 
  mysterious backers closed their stranglehold on the 
  nascent projecting company. The Marion penitentiary 
  fire, set to bury all evidence of the disastrous Project: 
  Flatline, was the ultimate noose they could tighten 
  around Orpheus’ neck. After that debacle they could 
  force the company to toe whatever line they wanted lest 
  their funding vanish, their past sins be brought out into 
  the open and their influential friends leave them to the 
  wolves.
   
  The Spectres are creatures of nightmare. They could 
  have toyed with Orpheus Group’s ignorant members 
  for as long as they pleased without fear of retribution. 
  Reapers could have manifested to deliver commands in 
  grating voices, backed by the full horror of relatives and 
  co-workers dying in dozens of unnatural ways. They 
  could have made the walls bleed and windows scream 
  in agony until their shouts shattered themselves... and 
  all it would have earned them was a ship that sunk 
  because something (or some things) sent both the rats 
  and crew fleeing in terror.
   
  Malevoy was a creature of cold, alien intelligence 
  no less keen than that of any of the monsters graced 
  with the title of Reaper. It could decipher the antics 
  of the humans it observed from behind Katilian’s eyes 
  and recognized the point when Orpheus Group became 
  hopelessly mired in earthly obligations. Its strategy was 
  simple: acknowledge failure and start anew somewhere 
  else. It withdrew from Katilian and killed him, leaving 
  behind the harmless scientific notes he had made during 
  his research and even the warehouse full of anything-
  but-harmless samples of tainted Kakos stromithicarum.  
   
  The plants might not be pigment in the same sense 
  as the future street drug, but they were nonetheless the 
  desired poison for the soul that had been Malevoy’s aim 
  all along. If anything, leaving them in Orpheus Group’s 
  hands only ensured that they would be shot down 
  the veins of a delightfully large number of humans, 
  chaining all their souls on Earth when their bungling 
  intrusion into the Underworld inevitably killed them.
   
  The only good to come out of the Flatline fiasco 
  was a test run for the creation of pigment and a useful 
  ally in the reliably twisted ghost, Uriah Bishop, and the 
  more weak-minded compatriots whom he was able to 
  turn into his personal following. Or so Malevoy thought, 
  until both turned out to be possibly fatal oversights.
  CHAPTER ONE
  HISTORY OF TERREL & SQUIB, INC.
  34
  
  Switching Tracks
   
  Following on a respectful suggestion of Bishop’s, 
  Malevoy did not merely seek a replacement for Amours 
  Katilian. It turned its attentions to cornering a chemist 
  who not only had enough credibility so that people 
  wouldn’t be asking “how could that guy come up with 
  the drug of the century?” This person also needed the 
  right connections to begin distribution...  and fast.  
   
  That person was Lionel Squib.
   
  Squib’s possession began and was solidified within 
  a matter of days. The doctor went to have a weekend off 
  at his vacation home by Lake Huron; he didn’t return 
  until the following Wednesday, explaining a case of the 
  flu that had left him in no fit state to get right back to 
  work. John Terrel (the only one who was in any position 
  to interrogate the company vice-president about his 
  thoughtless handling of a bout of illness) backed off as 
  soon as Squib’s suddenly reptilian smile turned his way. 
  Squib made some arrangements that very day to take a 
  temporary retreat from his normal duties: he’d had an 
  idea that he wished to pursue.
   
  Copying most of Katilian’s work by rote memory, 
  Malevoy took a back seat for long enough to allow 
  Squib to scribble up the rest of the research notes 
  needed to present a viable plan for a laboratory to begin 
  work from. Though Squib was making groundbreaking 
  discoveries thanks to his diabolical source of inspiration, 
  Malevoy seethed with the forced inactivity this period 
  of its plan forced on it. When the plans were made and a 
  few samples had been readied, “Squib” contacted Terrel 
  again, enticing and intimidating him into becoming one 
  of the greatest drug barons of the dawning century. The 
  battle of wills that ensued between “Squib” and Terrel 
  over the new direction of the company was finished 
  before it ever began. It took almost no time for the 
  famous, admired, successful John Terrel to become 
  acclimated to his status as a second fiddle to his eerily 
  ruthless partner.
   
  Literally under new management, Terrel & Squib 
  Pharmaceuticals began to change. Their entire holdings 
  and capital were summed up in a surprise spring audit: a 
  few of the more prominent shareholders were contacted 
  by a strangely haggard Terrel about how “our miracle-
  worker” had come up with a radical new business plan. 
  The subtext of Terrel’s communiqué was that there had 
  better be no dissenting voices in the new scheme: it was 
  a message that was surprisingly easy to impart after 
  having had to plan high-stakes finance with a Spectre. 
  By hook and the occasional crook, T&S shareholders 
  CHAPTER ONE
  HISTORY OF TERREL & SQUIB, INC.
  35
  
  were made to stand by and watch as the leading duo put 
  their money to unknown uses.
   
  Behind the scenes, Squib was busy dismembering 
  select T&S facilities at home and abroad to lay the 
  foundation for worldwide pigment distribution. The 
  U.S. sales were made in order to raise capital for real 
  estate, wages, extensive bribes and other necessities 
  of beginning an international collection of narcotics 
  plantations. The European factory was merely decom-
  missioned and its equipment put in storage, there to be 
  conveniently “lost,” sold on to non-existent partners or 
  “scrapped” due to some patently false malfunctions. 
  This equipment would become the tools in the pigment 
  manufacturing plants where the harvested Kakos stro-
  mithicarum (and other plants that fit the bill) would be 
  turned into ready-to-use, easily transported black heroin. 
  Processing facilities and outright farms were founded 
  in Asia and the Near East. Various local magnates were 
  recruited to perform the work and reap the profits of 
  producing pigment, while selling it on was where Terrel 
  & Squib’s closer associates entered the picture.  While 
  Malevoy’s tentative ally Uriah Bishop commanded the 
  supply of pigment to the newly founded pigment cults, 
  T&S entered the market of street drugs, with a growing 
  niche that was guaranteed to remain 100% theirs.  They 
  alone would be providing the huge majority of pigment 
  to the demanding black market, and no other source 
  save Bishop could replicate the production process. 
  Once the framework was in place, Malevoy could 
  simply open the floodgates and let greed infect as many 
  souls as possible with black heroin.
   
  As “Squib” was busy building a narcotic empire, he 
  was also drawing plans to open the projecting division of 
  the company.  The purpose behind T&S Investigations 
  was simple: Orpheus Group had escaped Malevoy’s 
  control, but they had managed to stay afloat for long 
  enough to come up with a substitute for the Kakos stro-
  mithicarum plants.  Examining the veritable archives 
  of biological and scientific knowledge in Squib’s head 
  alone (let alone the research libraries available to 
  people with the will to plumb them), Malevoy knew 
  that methods existed to access the Underworld even 
  without the help of the Spectre ichor infused into the 
  plants.  Knowing that they might well survive enough 
  trials and even their own errors to become a viable 
  force opposing the Spectres’ great work, Malevoy 
  decided that it could do with a weapon custom-made 
  to distract the Orpheus Group.  A company that was too 
  busy whoring itself to wealthy clientele (if only to get 
  a leg up from its competition) was a company that was 
  much farther from some very crucial discoveries about 
  the true nature of pigment.  Besides, having mortal 
  agents who were hooked on pigment would cut down 
  too many souls with a single stroke for the Spectre not 
  to commission them.
  Terrel and Squib, Inc. 
  Takes Shape
   
  T&S Investigations, a sister company that quickly 
  eclipsed its parent enterprise in the public eye, opened 
  with all the flash and pomp typical of their later opera-
  tions.  To be sure, T&S Pharmaceuticals’ extensive PR 
  division beat the new projecting firm’s drum for all 
  they were worth, trying to upstage the amateurish or 
  merely non-credible competition (that consisted mostly 
  of Orpheus Group trying to introduce itself over gales 
  of laughter).  But with the purportedly more stable 
  “company version” of pigment (called Eidolon) still 
  experiencing some experimental glitches, and a severely 
  deficient work force, T&S was in no shape to contend 
  with Orpheus Group right from the onset. Still, massive 
  capital earned from unrequited promises to investors, 
  the old-established T&S Pharmaceuticals and above 
  all the growing pigment subculture kept the company 
  marching strong in spite of any and all mishaps.
   
  The projecting division was easily funded, but not 
  so easily brought to reality.  A lack of experience in 
  skimming that Terrel & Squib’s draconian management 
  practices all but ensured would never go away forced 
  the company to look in other directions for their opera-
  tives. They found strength in technology instead.   
   
  Burning money on engineering projects landed 
  T&S with functional Kirlian technology that was 
  quickly adopted to portable field units for scientists and 
  ghostbusters alike. Ghostshot ammo was a necessity in 
  the absence of portable nuclear reactors: their invention 
  became a defining turn in T&S’ methodology.
   
  Ghostshot itself is one of the few articles of 
  paratechonology produced by paid members of the 
  T&S Paranormal Research division. A simple process 
  featuring unorthodox electronic equipment working at 
  high power is sufficient to lace ichor onto the individual 
  bullets during the manufacturing process; Spectres are 
  hardly needed for anything but ripping one of their own 
  apart and leaving them bleeding in the right corner of 
  the machine. However, everything from Labyrinth cages 
  CHAPTER ONE
  HISTORY OF TERREL & SQUIB, INC.
  36
  
  onwards tends to be more complicated, requiring direct 
  otherworldly assistance.  Many of the Spectral artificers 
  on earth have been drafted to Malevoy’s designs, most 
  of them lurking near Headquarters and showing up from 
  time to time in order to keep T&S armed to the teeth. 
  Concern over the ramifications of a single Spectre who 
  remembers soul-forging becoming an Orphan-Grinder 
  forces Malevoy to keep a close eye on the various 
  research projects.  Not surprisingly, then, Lionel Squib 
  remains the titular head of Paranormal Research.  
   
  Malevoy has had to delegate the various financial, 
  management and tactical duties to sufficiently cowed 
  and talented mortal henchmen such as Terrel, Barclay 
  and others.  The end result is that T&S is run compe-
  tently until Dr. Squib emerges from the labs, delivering 
  new business plans or agendas that the rest of upper 
  management must scramble to implement without delay. 
  This terror-driven leadership scheme partially explains 
  Terrel & Squib’s shoddy management practices.  The 
  rest of the blame is easy to lay at the door of people 
  who willingly orchestrate global drug trafficking, order 
  troublesome employees to be quietly assassinated and 
  who don’t put a gun to their mouth rather than work 
  with something like “Lionel Squib.”
   
  The invention of Labyrinth cages led to a second 
  angle T&S Investigations has adopted to make up for 
  its lack of a competent pool of projectors. Timeless 
  methods of imprisonment and breaking captives’ wills 
  were put to the test against ghosts locked in the cages, 
  resulting in a growing number of spirits and hues doing 
  what T&S tells them to and the building of facilities to 
  make the process more efficient.  
   
  Several new top-secret “Re-Education Centers” 
  joined Terrel & Squib’s list of drug plantations 
  and Spectral workshops with the completion of the 
  ghostly prison called Heaven.  Several more were to 
  be built shortly thereafter in run-down warehouses 
  and abandoned apartment complexes.  The company’s 
  specialized employees known as “ghostbreakers” use the 
  controlled environment to force captured souls through 
  a variety of psychological hoops and re-programming 
  sessions until they can be trusted to enter field environ-
  ments and swing the course of operations through sheer 
  force of numbers.
   
  Using these advantages in addition to many the 
  same methods as Orpheus Group is what has put Terrel 
  & Squib Investigations on the map, not to mention the 
  effect of their extensive PR campaigns and tendency to 
  toady to anyone willing to pay their outrageous fees. As 
  the field of paranormal investigations begins to build a 
  history of its own, a showdown of some sort between 
  the competing “dead firms” is slowly coalescing out of 
  the woodwork.
  The Nature of the 
  Beast
   
  T&S Investigations can only be understood when 
  considering that the entire company is a tool.  T&S is not 
  in the business of exploring the Afterlife. Why would 
  it be?  The entities ultimately pulling its strings know 
  the place intimately.  Terrel & Squib Incorporated is the 
  tool that Orpheus Group should have been, a collec-
  tion of humans who can be set to whatever agendas the 
  Spectres desire and weeded every so often for liabilities 
  and potential assistants.  The former are individuals 
  like Grace Ishida and David Stevens: kept for as long 
  as they perform a useful (preferably hazardous) service 
  and slated for termination the minute their usefulness 
  is eclipsed by the danger they present.  The latter are 
  those like Dr. Abdon, Security Chief Barclay or many 
  of the Re-Education Centers’ staple of ghostbreakers. 
  They police the actions of their fellow humans so that 
  the Spectres won’t need to, serving as grunts who can 
  do the work of harvesting the world’s ghosts until the 
  hives become fully entrenched.  They draw the world’s 
  attention to anywhere but where it should be, and in the 
  end the average operative at Terrel & Squib has no idea 
  what they’re doing. 
   
  However, as Project: Covenant proves, occa-
  sionally the monkeys come up with ideas that are so 
  far-fetched that no Spectre would have bothered... and 
  so tempting that they just have to be indulged. The para-
  synthetic implants are a good example. Malevoy never 
  considered that humans would expedite the ancient and 
  (in the hive-mind at least) well-documented changes 
  wrought on humans by Spectral empowerment, nor that 
  technology and the changes that befell the Underworld 
  since the rising of the Stormwall might have made them 
  more potent than before.  Terrel & Squib is, if anything, 
  more dangerous now than it was ever intended to be.
   
  If Terrel & Squib Incorporated isn’t brought to a 
  halt, there is no telling what other dark surprises await 
  within the Pandora’s Box, the one that its employees 
  are unwittingly forcing further ajar every day...
  CHAPTER ONE
  HISTORY OF TERREL & SQUIB, INC.
  37
  
  Chapter : 02
  Unearthed
  Player’s Guide
  24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
  No job is too big.  No fee is too big.
  — Ghostbusters
  
   
  You want to know what being a spook’s like?  Fine.  Just don’t blame me 
  if you never sleep easy again.
   
  A month ago we went out on an operation.  We got the usual amount of 
  intel beforehand-meaning you could fit it all on a 3x5 card with room to spare 
  — but this operation was a little different because our client was Terrel & 
  Squib itself.  Seems that one of their research labs had developed a little 
  ghost problem and we were sent in to get rid of it.  A cakewalk, they told us.
   
  That was my first clue we were in for a load of trouble.
   
  First off, the place was creepy as hell.  Long, narrow hallways, small 
  rooms, and tons of equipment whose purpose I couldn’t even guess at.  They 
  had Kirlian bluelegs checking out the upper floors, while we spooks went 
  down below.  I was in a team with Chico — that’s Javier to you, until he says 
  otherwise — and a Broken Blip called Ophelia. Anyway, Chico and I took point, 
  since Ophelia wasn’t much good for anything except “Attack that!”  We came 
  to the second sub-basement, and all of a sudden I started feeling chills on 
  my neck.  You’ve heard of “someone walking on your grave?”  Double that and 
  you’ll get an idea of what I felt.  You can bet I had my eyes peeled the whole 
  time we were down there.
   
  Javier made some crack about how he scared a reporter half to death by 
  going incorporeal right in front of her, I think to lighten the mood.  It 
  didn’t work.  After a couple yards I noticed something funny with the walls.  
  A thin, slimy gray ooze coated them, and when I touched them it came off on 
  my fingers.  It felt like motor oil, but besides that I didn’t have a clue what 
  it was.  If I’d known then what I know now, I’d have turned tail and run 
  right then.  But I didn’t know, so I just got a little more cautious and kept 
  creeping forward.
   
  That’s when the clicking started.  It sounded like thousands of marbles 
  hitting the floor, one after another, and it was getting louder.  We froze; 
  there was nothing in the hallway all the way to the end, but when you’re a 
  spook that doesn’t mean much.  Anything can just reach right through and get 
  you.  My old Bowie knife formed in my hand, a comforting — but nigh-unto-
  useless — reassurance.
   
  That’s when they swarmed out of the stairwell.  Rats, hundreds of them, 
  their skin bloated and festering, their eyes glowing red with pure spite. They 
  swarmed over the floor, the walls, the ceiling... gravity didn’t mean anything 
  to them.  It was like a flood, and they were coming straight for us.
   
  Now, I’ve never been too keen on my own death, and I wasn’t about to 
  take it lying down.  I breathed deep, and then I wailed at them.  That scream 
  was distilled frustration, frustration at seeing my friends die, at watching 
  Ivanovich turn into a Spectre, at Management for sending us down without 
  even a Kirlian crew for backup... I put everything I could into that scream, 
  and it shredded the rats like razor blades.  It flayed the skin and muscle 
  
  from their bones, and then blasted the rest to dust.  I must’ve shredded two or 
  three dozen of them, but there were more.
   
  I kept it up as long as I could, but finally I reached my limit and 
  collapsed.  Chico grabbed me, the only thing that kept my face from hitting 
  the concrete.  “Get us out of here!” I gasped.  “Ophelia!”  I reached my hand 
  out to her, but she just looked down at me. And then, just barely, she shook her 
  head no.
   
  The rats swarmed around us, biting and clawing our gauze apart.  I 
  reached for her one last time, and then everything flashed ice-cold.  We were 
  up on the main floor.  Javier manifested to get a blueleg to call for backup, 
  while I leaned against a table to get my breath back.  Ophelia’s face looked at 
  me every time I closed my eyes.  You see, right before we left, when the rats 
  were swarming up her body and ripping her gauze apart, she looked down at me 
  and she... damn it, she smiled!
  
  introduction
   
  So, you want to join Terrel & Squib’s paranormal 
  division, do you? I guess if you’ve gotten this far, it 
  means Management thinks you might have what it takes. 
  We’ll see how eager you are after I give you the low-
  down on everything that goes on around here. Death’s 
  the name of the game here, and you’ve got to be quick or 
  it’ll catch up with you real fast.
   
  First off, forget all that cheesy Orpheus Group jargon 
  you probably studied up on. “Lament,” “Crucible,” 
  “Shade...” Management thought it all sounded too corny 
  (and, for once, I agree with them), so we have our own 
  jargon for what we do. Some of them are still the same, 
  but if you start calling your team a “crucible” you’ll look 
  like a freak.
   
  Also, get it out of your head that this is some sort of 
  cushy celebrity lifestyle where all you do is go in, get rid 
  of the ghosts, and live a life of ease while Management 
  keeps the paychecks coming. This is down and dirty 
  work, and for every operation with a little girl ghost who 
  just wants to say goodbye to her parents, there are five 
  where the ghost doesn’t want to leave, and ten where it’s 
  some Spectre wants to see you deader than you already 
  are.
   
  As if that weren’t enough, Management doesn’t 
  even tell us what’s going on before we go.  We’re on our 
  own past the usual “stop the haunting at such-and-such 
  address.” And if there isn’t a haunting — if it’s just the 
  boiler making noise, for example — you’d better make 
  damn sure that it looks like a ghost was there, and that 
  T&S was the reason it went away.
   
  I hope you’ve got a strong stomach too, ’cause 
  you’re gonna see things that’ll make you wish you never 
  set foot through that door. I’ve seen some sights that 
  make me want to puke just thinking about them, and I 
  still get nightmares from Operation: Silent Flame. 
  Say goodbye to your sweet dreams, kid; you won’t be 
  having many more of them.
   
  So... you still interested? Well, you can’t say I didn’t 
  warn you.  Just don’t come crying to me when you 
  see your best friend eaten by a Spectre. Onto the real 
  training...
  Roles
   
  Terrel & Squib may have a small team of projectors, 
  but our support staff is huge. For every true projector, 
  there are literally dozens of normal humans providing 
  support, some of them a lot more visibly than others. 
  You might even come from one of these departments, for 
  all I know. Heaven knows that the field operatives get 
  enough NDEs to make a whole company of projectors. 
  So, let’s see if you’re any one of these guys...
  These Roles are provided to give an idea of what goes 
  on behind the scenes of Terrel & Squib, and to give 
  the Storyteller a quick reference for creating NPCs. 
  However, there’s no rule saying that a player can’t play 
  one of the Roles listed below.
  Role: Cameraman
   
  Description: Everybody loves a good show. You’re 
  the one that gives it to them. Whether it’s by still, video, 
  or Kirlian camera, your job is to get the best shots 
  possible on every operation. Not only does it make 
  the customer happy and gather useful information, but 
  you can beat any reality TV series out there. World 
  War II, Korea, Viet Nam, Desert Storm, 9/11... it’s the 
  cameramen that made the scenes that stick in people’s 
  memories. Unfortunately, some of the pictures from the 
  “War on Ghosts” that stick in your memory are much 
  more vivid than you would like.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Mental, Social, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Talents, Knowledges, Skills
   
  Talents: Alertness, Expression, Intuition
   
  Skills: Technology
   
  Knowledges: Computer, Investigation
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Camera Crew Leader (Add +1 to 
  Attributes, +4 to Abilities, and +2 to Backgrounds)
   
  High - T&S Film Chief (Add +2 to Attributes, +6 to 
  Abilities, +5 to Backgrounds, and +1 to Willpower)
  Role: Ghostbreaker
   
  Description: You were always fascinated with 
  psychology. Not that Freudian bullcrap they fed you 
  in the university, but real, practical psychology, the 
  psychology that makes other people do what you want 
  them to. You molded people like clay your whole life 
  — your parents, your friends, your teachers, anyone 
  — but eventually it all started getting bland. 
   
  People are so shallow, so predictable. You were 
  seriously considering going into law, but then Orpheus 
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  Since most of this section is presented in 
  the “voice” of Lance Shomaker, any comments 
  dealing with mechanics or aspects of the 
  game that he wouldn’t know about are 
  presented in italicized parenthesis. Some 
  things, like the advantages/disadvantages 
  for Stains, are not, but we trust you to be 
  able to figure it out.                 
                                                 - The Management
  41
  
  Group came along. How hard would it be to convince 
  a ghost to be your friend? Or your lover? Your mind 
  burned with new possibilities, but unfortunately, 
  Orpheus Group wasn’t hiring. They only wanted people 
  that were halfway dead already. Terrel & Squib, on the 
  other hand, needed someone with just your set of skills. 
  Now you work with ghosts like a clockmaker: you take 
  them apart, see what makes them tick, and put them back 
  together however you want.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Social, Mental, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Talents/Knowledges/Skills
   
  Talents: 
  Empathy, 
  Expression, 
  Intimidation, 
  Intuition, Subterfuge
   
  Skills: Performance
   
  Knowledges: Academics, Enigmas
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Experienced Ghostbreaker (Add  +1 to 
  Attributes, +3 to Abilities, +1 to Backgrounds, and +1 to 
  Willpower)
   
  High - Ghostbreaking Department Head (Add +2 to 
  Attributes, +6 to Abilities, +2 to Backgrounds, and +2 to 
  Willpower)
  Role: Marketer
   
  Description: You knew you had a knack for selling 
  things. Whenever you did those door-to-door fundraisers 
  for school activities, you always won the prize for best 
  salesman. You paid your way through college by selling 
  cutlery one summer. And then you hit the university and 
  realized that there was more to selling than a charming 
  smile and a quick tongue: there was art. You took every 
  design class you could, studied commercials with a 
  scientist’s eye, and even took a few psychology courses, 
  because what harm could they do?
   
  You hoped to make it big with one of the national 
  companies, or maybe freelance yourself out to the 
  highest bidder. But then you saw Terrel & Squib at the 
  Career Fair, and the idea of selling ghosts was just too 
  good to pass up. You made up a spiel on the spot and 
  tried it on the rep manning the booth. She took your 
  name and number, and a week later you got a call. You 
  finished school in no time flat, and now you rake in the 
  big bucks selling what most people don’t believe exists.  
   
  You believe, of course. Part of your training included 
  going on a few operations. Now you do everything you 
  can to convince people they need your services. The 
  thing is, this time you actually believe it.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Social, Mental, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Talents, Skills, Knowledges
   
  Talents: Empathy, Expression, Subterfuge
   
  Skills: Etiquette, Performance
   
  Knowledges: Computers
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Regional Marketing Coordinator (Add +1 
  to Attributes, +4 to Abilities, and +2 to Backgrounds)
   
  High - Chief of Marketing (Add +2 to Attributes, +6 
  to Abilities, +5 to Backgrounds, and +1 to Willpower)
  Role: Field Coordinator
   
  Description: The best-laid plans of mice and men 
  aren’t worth jack in the field. No matter how carefully 
  you plan things out beforehand, something always goes 
  wrong. It might be just a short in the wiring, or a flat 
  tire... or it might be a nest of Spectres thirsty for human 
  blood. 
   
  Whenever something goes wrong, it’s your job to fix 
  it. And whenever things go right, it’s your job to keep it 
  that way. All the information for an operation comes into 
  your headset, and you’ve got to sort through it to figure 
  out what’s important and what’s not. 
   
  In a sense, you’ve got to be a jack-of-all-trades, 
  telling people on all sides of the operation what they 
  need to do to get the job done. This is what I sometimes 
  end up doing, and trust me, it’s a nightmare of a job.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Mental, Social, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Knowledges, Talents, Skills
   
  Talents: Alertness, Intuition, Leadership
   
  Skills: Security
   
  Knowledges: Computer, Enigmas, Investigation
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Remote Operation Coordinator (Add +6 
  to Abilities and +1 to Willpower)
   
  High - Chief of Operations (Add +1 to Attributes, +8 
  to Abilities, +3 to Backgrounds, and +2 to Willpower).
  Role: Parapsychologist
   
   
  Description: Ghosts are fascinating creatures. They 
  don’t eat, sleep, age, or do anything living people do... 
  and yet they still think they’re the same person. 
   
  Maybe they are, and maybe they aren’t, but it’s the 
  thinking part that’s important. In fact, without bodies, 
  ghosts are nothing but thought, which makes your job so 
  much easier. 
   
  Sure, most of the “real” psychologists out there 
  don’t take you seriously, but you’re okay with that. Let 
  them stay in their protective little bubbles. And if one 
  of them ever really ticks you off, you can always find a 
  Blip somewhere that you can convince to “visit” them. 
  Just how “pseudoscientific” would they think ghosts are 
  then?
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Social, Mental, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Knowledges, Talents, Skills
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  42
  
   
  Talents: Awareness, Empathy, Expression
   
  Skills: Meditation
   
  Knowledges: Academics, Enigmas, Science
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Ghostbreaking Consultant (Add +1 to 
  Attributes, +4 to Abilities, and +2 to Backgrounds).
   
  High - Chief of Parapsychology (Add +2 to 
  Attributes, +6 to Abilities, +5 to Backgrounds, and +1 to 
  Willpower)
  Role: Public Relations 
  Representative
   
  Description: Damage control — that’s what you’re 
  all about. Oh, in the best cases it’s just making T&S 
  look like a legitimate company instead of some crackpot 
  fringe group. Inviting reporters, film crews, and respect-
  able scientists along on operations fills most of your 
  time, as does the occasional spot on a TV talk show. But 
  when something really goes wrong, you’ve got to show 
  it in the best light possible. 
   
  Spin doctoring comes with the territory, but more 
  than that, you’ve got to show a good face. People will 
  only believe you if you look confident in what you’re 
  saying... and if they believe you, then they won’t start 
  asking questions like “What about that Forest Hills 
  incident?” and “Can you comment on reports that a 
  ghost killed one of your customers while you were on 
  the job?”
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Social, Mental, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Talents, Skills, Knowledge
   
  Talents: 
  Alertness, 
  Expression, 
  Intuition, 
  Leadership, Subterfuge
   
  Skills: Etiquette, Performance
   
  Knowledges: Politics, Bureaucracy
   
  Variations
   
  Medium: Law Enforcement Liaison (add +4 to 
  Abilities, +4 to Backgrounds, and +1 to Willpower)
   
  High: Official Company Spokesman (add +2 to 
  Attributes, +6 to Abilities, +5 to Backgrounds, and +1 to 
  Willpower) 
  Role: Researcher
   
  Description: You had the dream of making the next 
  Great Discovery. The problem is, you quickly found 
  that all the Great Discoveries were made by people a 
  lot smarter than you. It looked like you’d be stuck with 
  filling in the details until the next big paradigm shift 
  came along and blasted them all to pieces.
   
  Well, the next big paradigm shift is here. The world 
  of ghosts is yielding new secrets every day, and even 
  if what you’re doing does feel a lot like filling in the 
  details, they’re details that no one else has ever seen 
  before.
   
  For the first time in years you’re excited about 
  your work... especially when you’re assigned to a 
  field operation. The nightmares are a bit troublesome, 
  but there’s always got to be sacrifice when pursuing 
  Knowledge.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Mental, Social, Physical
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Knowledges, Skills, Talents
   
  Talents: Alertness, Intuition
   
  Skills: Crafts, Technology
   
  Knowledges: Academics, Computer, Enigmas, 
  Science
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Parascientific Specialist (Add +4 to 
  Abilities, +4 to Backgrounds, and +1 to Willpower).
   
  High - Head of R&D (Add +1 to Attributes, +6 to 
  Abilities, +7 to Backgrounds, and +2 to Willpower)
  Role: Security Guard
   
  Description: The scientists and the projectors 
  may get all the glory, but the only reason they work is 
  because they know you’re backing them up with a loaded 
  magazine of GhostShot ammo. You’re the backup force 
  on operations. The perpetual “Plan B” that hopefully 
  doesn’t have to be used. Most of the time, you’re not. 
   
  Most big name operations end up with no ghost at 
  all, or a little Blip or Drone that can hardly make you 
  shiver. But when it turns out to be Something Else, you 
  get called in. 
   
  You’ve seen some nasty stuff in your time, but you 
  just keep coming back. Not only does T&S pay better 
  than any other security gig out there, but you just can’t 
  beat the rush of facing down a maddened Spectre. At 
  least when it can’t fight back. And when it can, you’d 
  better run like hell, because they don’t take kindly to 
  potshots.
   
  Attributes: (6/4/3) Physical, Social, Mental
   
  Abilities: (11/7/4) Talents, Skills, Knowledges
   
  Talents: Alertness, Athletics, Brawl, Intimidation
   
  Skills: Firearms, Melee, Security
   
  Knowledges: Investigation
   
  Variations
   
  Medium - Operations Overseer (Add +1 to 
  Attributes, +2 to Abilities, +3 to Backgrounds, and +1 to 
  Willpower)
   
  High - Head of Internal Security (Add +2 to 
  Attributes, +4 to Abilities, +6 to Backgrounds, and +2 to 
  Willpower)
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  43
  
  Body Classes
   
  Humans live in one world and ghosts live in another. 
  Some people might try to tell you it’s all the same, but 
  they’re wrong. Normal people live in a world of solid 
  reality where they’re the ones that have to bend to fit the 
  rules. Ghosts live in a world where reality bends to suit 
  their whims, and your worst enemy is sometimes the one 
  hiding behind your eyes. 
   
  We Projectors jump back and forth between the two, 
  and the jury’s still out on which one of these gets the 
  better deal. Terrel & Squib’s got them organized them 
  into neat little boxes called “Body Classes,” with each of 
  them divided into subclasses. 
   
  Orpheus Group calls them “Laments” and they’re 
  mostly the same thing. It’s not just that “lament” is a 
  hokey name, but here at T&S we do things a little differ-
  ently, and it shows.
   
  Anyway, here’s the breakdown.
  BODY_CLASS: 
  PROJECTORS
   
  “Projectors” are what we call those humans who’ve 
  had enough near-death experiences (without actually 
  biting the Big One) that they can separate their gauze 
  — their souls — from their bodies. It’s creepy as hell, 
  but it gets the job done. We recognize three subclasses of 
  Projectors, even though you’ll only be working with two 
  of them.
  SKIMMERS
   
   
  Skimmers are probably the most versatile body 
  subclass we’ve got. They can project anywhere, any 
  time, with only a place to lie down and maybe some 
  mild drugs. Of course, they’re also the most vulnerable 
  subclass, since anything they get hit with shunts back to 
  their bodies and beats the crap out of them. (Think Neo 
  in the sparring program from The Matrix) 
   
  You’ve probably already heard a lot about this 
  subclass, so I won’t bore you with the details. Most of 
  our Skimmers are either self-taught or learned how to 
  skim elsewhere (Orpheus Group, for example).
   
  A complete description of Skimmers can be found on 
  page 95 of the Orpheus™ corebook.
  ARC LIGHTS
   
   
  Arc-Lights are a special brand of Skimmer that, as 
  far as I know, is unique to Terrel & Squib. What happens 
  is that some Skimmers get so hooked on Eidolon that 
  it actually changes their body chemistry, or maybe just 
  their minds (we don’t really know which). In any case, 
  even though they’ve got all the same advantages and 
  disadvantages of a normal Skimmer, they’ve got a few 
  others tacked on as well. 
   
  First off, they start going into withdrawal if they 
  don’t get their Eidolon fix, and their bodies need twice 
  the Vitality sent back to them as a normal Skimmer. As 
  if that weren’t enough, they can’t even use their own 
  Vitality to do it; they have to steal it from other spooks.  
   
  The only upshot to this is that they can steal it from 
  any spook, not just those of their own Nature Group, and 
  it’s not as hard on them as on most people. Most of our 
  projectors — especially those that get their training with 
  T&S — are Arc-Lights. 
   
  If you see yourself start drifting toward that side 
  of the spectrum, be careful; things tend to happen to 
  Arc-Lights that just aren’t natural... like being able to 
  listen in on the what the local Spectres are thinking. If 
  you think that sounds like a hoot, just go ask Javier how 
  much fun that is.
  Advantages: All those of Skimmers, plus the ability to 
  use Thievery (Orpheus™ corebook, page 151) on spooks 
  of any Nature Group. They do not gain Spite from using 
  Thievery unless they botch the Spite roll.
  Disadvantages: All those of Skimmers (Orpheus™ 
  corebook, page 95) and additionally, they go into with-
  drawal after not having Eidolon or pigment for (Stamina) 
  days, imposing a +2 difficulty penalty on all rolls. 
  Moreover, the Vitality points fed to their bodies every 
  hour must be stolen from another spook.
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  44
  
  KICKING THE HABIT
   
  Drug addiction of any sort can be hard to 
  break, especially with something as addicting 
  as Eidolon. It can be broken, however, it’s just 
  not easy. The process of going from Arc-Light to 
  normal Skimmer is long and hard, but a handful 
  of T&S operatives have managed it (such as Devon 
  McCoy, page 292 of the Orpheus
  TM corebook). Though 
  the exact process should be decided between 
  the Storyteller and the player, there are 
  three general ways to kick the Eidolon habit:  
   
  Dying — Not surprisingly, most operatives don’t 
  consider this a viable way to halt their addiction. 
  Keep in mind, though, that while Eidolon is a 
  non-narcotic derivative of pigment, it has many 
  of the same properties, and all Arc-Lights who 
  die are going to become Hues in the hereafter. 
   
  Cold Turkey — This is probably the worst way 
  to go. In game terms, once [Stamina] days have 
  passed since the character’s last hit, he begins 
  to go into withdrawal (-2 dice on all rolls. 
  The Storyteller can alter this as he or she 
  wishes) and must make a Willpower roll (diffi-
  culty 6) to not succumb to the temptation to 
  take more Eidolon. The difficulty of these 
  rolls gradually increased until it hits 10, and 
  then slowly drops back down. The duration and 
  number of rolls per day for each phase is up to 
  the Storyteller. Once the difficulty drops to 
  1, the addiction is considered broken, although 
  it will take another [12-Stamina] weeks for 
  the body to scrub enough of the Eidolon out 
  of its system for the Arc-Light to become a 
  normal Skimmer. At the Storyteller’s discre-
  tion, might need to spend or roll Willpower the 
  first few times he projects without Eidolon.  
   
  For example: Javier is an Arc-Light with 
  Stamina 2 and a powerful Eidolon addiction. 
  Never a patient one, he decides to quit cold 
  turkey. Two days after his last hit, he makes 
  a Willpower roll against difficulty six. The 
  difficulty (and number of rolls) goes up each 
  day, until a few days later he’s making three 
  Willpower rolls against difficulty 10 each day 
  for nearly a week. Then the difficulties start 
  falling by 1 every two days, until two and a 
  half weeks later he succeeds at a roll against 
  difficulty 1. The habit is kicked, but he won’t 
  become a true Skimmer for another 10 weeks.  
  Weaning — Though slower than the Cold Turkey 
  method, it’s much more likely to work. With 
  this method the character takes progressively 
  lower and lower doses of Eidolon, until finally 
  she needs none at all to project. There are 
  still withdrawal symptoms, but the difficulty 
  stays at 6 and must only be rolled once per 
  day at most. An average Arc-Light can reduce 
  her Eidolon intake by 10% per week, and after 
  the last injection she need only make three 
  Willpower rolls against difficulty 6 to be 
  considered “cured.” Again, it takes another [12-
  Stamina] weeks for the Arc-Light to become a 
  true Skimmer. The Storyteller may rule that 
  the character must roll or spend Willpower 
  in order to project while her dosage is being 
  lowered.
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  SLEEPERS
   
   
  Even though Terrel & Squib recognizes Sleepers, we 
  don’t have any on the regular payroll. Every once in a 
  while a freelancer will show up and try to contract work, 
  but they usually don’t stay long. Orpheus Group has a 
  near-monopoly on sleeper technology, and anyone not 
  working for them is taking his life into his own hands. 
  Including us. 
   
  T&S doesn’t have cryo-cradles, ergo we don’t have 
  Sleepers. If you think you’ve got Sleeper potential, then 
  you can probably find someone out there willing to sell 
  you a cradle. Just don’t come crying to me when you 
  suddenly find yourself stuck on the other side of death. 
  Permanently.
  BODY_CLASS:GHOST
   
  Ghosts are those people who just won’t quit, not 
  even when they’re dead. Ghosts with little connection to 
  the here-and-now stick around as Drones or Blips, while 
  the feisty ones reach up into the Echo or Mirage range. 
  Orpheus Group only divides them into Spirits and Hues 
  (Orpheus™ corebook, pages 97-98), but in the spirit (no 
  pun intended) of administrative labeling, T&S also clas-
  sifies ghosts as to whether or not they’ve been “house-
  broken” by the parapsychologists. “Brainwashed” is a 
  better word, if you ask me, but last I checked nobody 
  did. 
   
  Anyway, because of all this a ghost’s label can get 
  pretty wordy, like Echo-class Wild Spirit or Blip-class 
  Broken Hue.
  Wild Ghosts
   
   
  Wild Spirits and Hues are any ghosts that haven’t 
  been housebroken yet. They’re the ones you always 
  hear about throwing knives around the room, possessing 
  the body of their dead lover, dragging chains around at 
  night, and the like. Basically, if it’s dead, and it’s not 
  with Terrel & Squib, it’s probably a Wild Ghost. T&S 
  contracts a few of the more intelligent ones (Echo-class 
  or better) as freelancers and, rarely, as full-fledged oper-
  atives if they’re especially useful, but we always keep an 
  eye on them. 
   
  Management doesn’t really trust them, and as a 
  result you won’t find too many around here. Plus there’s 
  always the risk that Management might consider you a 
  lot more useful once you’re housebroken, at which point 
  it’s time to get out of Dodge while the getting’s good.
  Broken Ghosts
   
  This subclass also has both Spirits and Hues, but 
  only ones that’ve been through T&S’s “housebreaking” 
  procedures. These ghosts run the whole gamut of Vitality, 
  but it’s usually not worth the effort to break a drone as 
  they just can’t do enough to justify the time involved in 
  breaking them in the first place.
   
  The exact methods they use vary from ghost to ghost 
  (see page 75 for details), but usually a specially-trained 
  parapsychologist hits a captive ghost with a combination 
  of hypnosis, conditioned-response, and torture (psycho-
  logical, mostly) until it (the ghost) finally breaks and 
  becomes a loyal T&S lapdog/cannon fodder candidate. 
   
  Broken ghosts make up the bulk of T&S’s deceased 
  “employees,” and are usually creepy as hell. Mirage-class 
  ones aren’t so bad, but if you look into a broken Blip’s 
  eyes, there’s nothing looking back. The one big plus is 
  that a broken ghost usually has a pretty good mastery of 
  their Horrors once the process is done, so they’re great 
  to have in a tight spot.
  In other words:
  Advantages: All those of their base Lament, either Spirit 
  or Hue. Additionally, the process of breaking a ghost 
  places enormous stress upon the subject, causing them 
  to gain one extra first- or second-tier Horror for free.
  Disadvantages: All those of their base Lament. 
  Additionally, a broken ghost’s initial Willpower rating 
  cannot exceed 4, and cannot be raised with experience.
   - As a note to players, Broken Ghosts can be extremely 
  hard to roleplay due to their ingrained loyalty to T&S. 
  Be careful and talk to the Storyteller if you really want 
  to play one.
  BODY_CLASS:HUMAN
   
  We’re still not sure if these guys are the lucky ones or 
  not. On the one hand, “Norms” can’t do anything super-
  natural unless they have specialty tech backing them up 
  (like Kirlian goggles or ghostshot ammo). A lot of them 
  feel like they’ve gotten the short end of the paranormal 
  stick, but I have to admit, I’m jealous sometimes. They 
  don’t have to deal with ghosts unless they want to. I, on 
  the other hand, haven’t slept well for months.
   
  Most of T&S’s employees are Norms, and on a 
  typical operation they’ll outnumber us spooks five to 
  one. They’re usually the parapsychologists, guards, 
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  cameramen, researchers, and everything else that doesn’t 
  involve you having to directly beat up on spooks.
   
  The one major advantage that Norms with T&S 
  have over most people is that they get to use all of the 
  hi-tech gear that has been developed by Research & 
  Development. Kirlian goggles and ghostshot ammo 
  can do wonders to level the playing field. Still, I’ve 
  seen more than one Norm driven mad by a spook they 
  couldn’t see or, sometimes, by one that they could.
   
  A lot of Norms try to compensate for their lack of 
  supernatural abilities by developing their natural ones as 
  high as they can.  And then there are those select few that 
  hook themselves up with the parasynthetic implants, the 
  ones that give me the heebie-jeebies.  I’ve got enough 
  Eidolon flowing through my blood, thank you very 
  much; any more and it’ll start coming out my ears.
  In other words:
  Advantages: Storytellers are encouraged — though not 
  obligated — to give Normal Human characters an extra 
  10 freebie points to spend as they see fit. These reflect 
  the strong bond between a Norm and her body, and are 
  thus lost if she ever changes body type.
  Disadvantages: You can’t do anything supernatural. 
  You have no Horrors, no Stains, and none of the Default 
  Abilities of spooks. Given sufficient time and effort, a 
  Norm could learn to project, becoming a Skimmer or 
  Arc-Light; see the guidelines for training new projectors 
  on pp. 118-19 of Crusade of Ashes.
  Gadgets
   
   
  Here’s where T&S really shines. The one big 
  advantage we’ve got over all the other projection firms is 
  that we’ve got all the best toys. Even though some of it’s 
  relatively rare and expensive, you’ll see most of these 
  gadgets on an average operation; if you don’t, it’s time 
  to start worrying. There’s also some “elite” tech that I 
  won’t bother describing just because your average Joe 
  doesn’t have access to it. I’m glad about that, because 
  some of it makes my blood run cold. It’s powerful, but 
  you won’t see me using it anytime soon.
  Normal Equipment
   
   
  Normal Equipment is what we call the off-the-shelf 
  technology that you can practically buy at the local 
  Radio Hut. Some of it’s pretty expensive, but it’s nothing 
  compared to T&S’s specialty tech. Most of these items 
  are used by paranormal investigators around the globe, 
  whether or not they have projectors. 
   
  Why do we still use all this stuff when we’ve got 
  Kirlian cameras and spooks? Simple: we don’t know 
  everything, and every scrap of data we can gather helps 
  us the next time around. Some of these have saved my 
  life, and they’ll probably end up saving yours, too.
  DIGITAL CAMERAS
   
   
  We use a lot of these suckers whenever we go on 
  an operation. Most of them are stationary webcams that 
  relay what they’re seeing back to the Mobile Command 
  Unit, but you can usually find a couple of hand-held 
  units (both video & still) in the back of the Hummer if 
  you need one. Even though Kirlian cameras are better, 
  these are cheaper, and they tend to look more impres-
  sive when they capture images. A Kirlian picture of a 
  man walking down a hallway isn’t nearly as showy as an 
  image showing a white, misty shape drifting through the 
  hall with trailing streamers of gauze.
   
  MOTION DETECTORS
   
   
  These are very useful, or would be, if we didn’t 
  have the entire place crawling with agents. For every 
  ten readings these get, nine of them are just one of us, 
  or maybe the family cat. But that one out of ten is the 
  important one, and that’s why we use these. They’re 
  usually hooked up to either Kirlian or thermal cameras 
  to get the best chance of a reading.
  Statistics for Normal Humans
   
  Use standard Orpheus
  TM character sheets 
  for Norms, but cross out the Default 
  Abilities. Do not list Horrors or Stains; these 
  areas of the character sheet can be used to 
  record additional Abilities, Backgrounds, 
  Merits, or Flaws purchased with the Norm’s 
  extra freebie points. 
   
  Norms have neither Vitality nor Spite 
  ratings. Because they have no Shade, a Norm’s 
  Willpower is calculated using the human 
  base of 3, plus any additional Willpower 
  conferred 
  by 
  their 
  Nature 
  (Orpheus
  TM
   
  corebook, page 123). 
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  EXTREMELY LOW 
  FREQUENCY DETECTORS
   
   
  You’ve heard of Radio Free Death? Well, he 
  somehow makes radio waves, and it seems that most 
  ghosts do the same thing on a much smaller scale just 
  by virtue of their existing.  These are devices similar to 
  E.M.F. meters (see below), except that E.L.F. waves get 
  transmitted while ambient EM fields don’t. 
   
  It’s pronounced E.L.F. by the way.  Start calling them 
  elfs and the techies will never let you live it down.
   
  ELECTROMAGNETIC 
  FIELD METERS
   
   
  E.M.F. meters are small probes that tell you when 
  you’re inside an anomalous electromagnetic field. 
  Before Kirlian cameras, these were the mainstay of 
  your average ghost-hunter (and still are, for those with 
  shallow pockets). 
   
  We still use ’em, though mostly for research purposes. 
  The biggest problem with E.M.F. meters is that you have 
  to be inside the field for it to register anything. Also, 
  your average house has dozens of ambient EM fields due 
  to all the electronic gizmos sitting around (Old TV’s and 
  cheap clock radios being the worst culprits). 
   
  The real anomalies are usually easy to separate 
  from the electronics because ghosts cause a jump on the 
  monitor of at least seven miligauss. Still, if you’re going 
  to be relying on these things with your life, it’s best to 
  cut the power to the house to get rid of the ambient fields 
  entirely. E.M.F. meters and E.L.F. detectors are usually 
  packaged together in a little gadget that looks like a 
  TV remote or — for the disposable income crowd — a 
  highend PDA. 
   
  The really good ones have onboard memory for 
  storing information to analyze later. The techies in the 
  MCU usually have the feeds from these linked up so that 
  if they register a “ping” — like the ones caused by high 
  Vitality Horrors — they can triangulate where it came 
  from. It doesn’t work so good on Spectres, though, so 
  stay on your guard.
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  DIGITAL VOICE RECORDERS
   
   
  Electronic Voice Phenomena (E.V.P.) is just a fancy 
  term for recorded ghost noises. Supposedly, Thomas 
  Edison came up with the idea and spent a lot of time 
  asking questions to an empty room with a phonograph 
  recording in the background. The spooky part is, when 
  Tom played it back, he heard things answering him. 
   
  Now we use state-of-the-art electronics, but the 
  principle’s the same. Monitoring it in real-time can be 
  a hassle, though, so we usually just set it on auto-record 
  and play it back later if we’re stuck. The voices tend to 
  sound really distorted, and most E.V.P.s come in frequen-
  cies too deep for normal human vocal cords to make, so 
  the staff in the MCU has their work cut out for them. 
  GEIGER COUNTERS
   
   
  I know what you’re thinking. “Since when did ghosts 
  become radioactive?” Well, they didn’t, as far as I know. 
  Despite what Management tries to tell you, we still don’t 
  know jack about the other side, and if some spook tries 
  to nuke me, I’d like to know about it before I’m dead. 
   
  Granted, Geiger counters aren’t that reliable as far 
  as detecting spooks goes, but they’re better than nothing 
  (especially if the “haunting” turns out to be natural 
  phenomena).  Plus they look impressive, and that’s 
  what’s most important... at least, in Management’s eyes.
  ION COUNTERS
   
   
  These portable scanners do exactly what they say: 
  they count the number of ions (charged atoms) in the air. 
  Ghosts tend to make negative ions when they pass, so 
  the handheld ion counters are good for locating a ghost’s 
  path. 
   
  The trail goes cold after a while, though; its duration 
  depends on the strength of the ghost, what it’s doing, 
  air currents, and the like. (A Mirage-class ghost moving 
  through still air with Witch’s Nimbus on can leave strong 
  trails that are detectable for well over an hour.)
  ULTRA-VIOLET LAMPS
   
   
  I’m not really sure what these things do. Look 
  impressive, I guess. All those crime-investigation shows 
  on TV have come together to make people think that 
  anyone with a UV lamp knows what they’re doing, which 
  I guess is reason enough to carry them. Every once in a 
  while someone finds blood traces that might indicate a 
  violent death (and thus a reason for the haunting), but 
  not all that often.
  THERMAL SCANNERS
   
   
  Everyone knows that ghosts make you feel chilly, 
  and sometimes you can detect that chill on a sensor. A 
  thermal scanner can find the infrared radiation produced 
  by an object and translate it into a full-color visual map. 
  Things like metal that reflect energy can throw them off, 
  but that doesn’t tend to be a problem since you’re looking 
  for changes in heat. Because they read in information in 
  a cone — think of it like a flashlight beam — it’s best if 
  you plant them in one spot (usually a corner) and let the 
  techies in the MCU keep track of them. Otherwise, you 
  might miss the ghost running through the room because 
  you had it pointed in the wrong direction.  And if you 
  get a 15-degree drop right next to you, it’s time to ready 
  your weapon and hope he takes the hint. 
  HELICOPTERS
   
  Yes, we have a few of these, and yes, they’re painted 
  black. We don’t have too many of them simply because 
  they’re not cost-effective, but they sure look impressive. 
  If they’re used at all, it’s usually to give the customers a 
  birds-eye view of what we’re doing down on the ground. 
  It also lets them get away real fast if an operation goes 
  sour. The one other major use for them is tracking a wild 
  ghost that’s trying to flee. High-gain Kirlian cameras 
  make them pretty easy to spot over open ground, but if 
  they get into a forest or city, you can basically kiss the 
  trail goodbye.
  HUMMERS
   
   
  You know, you just can’t beat the feeling of utter 
  coolness that comes from driving a jet-black army 
  surplus Hummer down a major highway. That said, if 
  you ever try to take one of these things for a pleasure 
  cruise, you’ll be fired so quick they’ll have to vacuum up 
  your ashes (the official company term is “terminated,” 
  which is just ambiguous enough to make me nervous). 
  It usually takes two of them to hold all the people and 
  equipment involved in an operation. On high-profile 
  operations (which usually means all of them), the tropp 
  carriers are backed by an MCU.
   
  MOBILE COMMAND UNITS 
   
   
  The Mobile Command Units (MCUs) are your home 
  away from home: black, retrofitted motor homes packed 
  to the brim with all the standard operating equipment, 
  plus a network hub to coordinate and record it all. We’ve 
  got two basic types: Alpha and Beta.  
   
  We like to take Alphas on commercial operations, 
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  and I swear half the stuff strapped to their chassis is just 
  to impress the customers. Betas are for more private 
  operations, like capturing wild ghosts. There’s always at 
  least two techies inside keeping track of everything.
  TERREL and SQUIB 
  PARATECHNOLOGY 
   
   
  This is the good stuff. You won’t find any of this 
  outside T&S (legally, at least), and it’s what makes us 
  able to tackle ghosts like we do. We don’t use nearly 
  as many of these toys out in the field as your normal 
  equipment, but these are far more valuable. Take care 
  of them, because they’re expensive, and if you break it 
  you probably won’t be getting another one. Management 
  doesn’t take kindly to anyone losing their hi-tech gadgets. 
  (Some of these items are described in more detail in the 
  Orpheus™ corebook, pg. 277.)
  FERROANIMUS
   
   
  Ferroanimus (which some of us nicknamed 
  “Spooktonium”) is the magic material that makes half 
  our stuff work. No one outside R&D knows what it 
  really is, and they aren’t telling. Half the time I think 
  they don’t know either. The leading theory around the 
  water cooler right now is that it’s “ghost blood” taken 
  out of a ghost when it’s housebroken. Then again, before 
  that the popular theory was that Dr. Squib had recovered 
  the goop from a crashed UFO. Whatever it is, it affects 
  ghosts, and it can bind to just about any material you can 
  imagine. It’s in ghostshot ammo, labyrinth cages, and 
  some agents’ blood (I’ll get to that in a bit). It’s our ace 
  in the hole, and I’m glad we have it.
  EIDOLON
   
   
  You’ve all heard of pigment, the new recreational 
  drug of choice in the U.S. of A. Those of you who have 
  tried it will know that it has some interesting properties 
  — namely, it lets you see ghosts. Sounds like a great 
  tool for your average ghost-hunter, except the last thing 
  anyone in the field needs is an operative tanked up to 
  his eyeballs with hallucinogenic happy-pills. So appar-
  ently our great progenitor, Dr. Lionel Squib himself, 
  developed a more innocuous version of the stuff for our 
  field agents using some samples pulled in off the street. 
  The new version of the drug is called Eidolon, and it 
  has all the desirable effects of pigment: our Norms can 
  use it in pill or slap-patch (see below) versions, and all 
  Arc-Lights use it regularly to facilitate projection. Better 
  yet, it isn’t a narcotic agent, meaning that you don’t have 
  agents standing in the middle of a firefight watching their 
  hands move. Serious drawback is that it’s still addictive 
  as hell  , one of the properties that Dr. Squib claims not 
  to have been able to get rid of (See “Kicking the Habit” 
  earlier in this chapter). Love it or hate it, but Eidolon is 
  what we’ve got. 
  GHOSTSHOT
   
   
  This is your best friend, ’cause even if you can’t 
  touch a ghost, these bullets will. In a pinch it works on 
  normal people, too (though if you fire ghostshot at solid 
  people, Management’ll be on you in a heartbeat because 
  of how expensive it is to make). The bullets are normal 
  lead as far as we can tell, but the ferroanimus turns them 
  pitch black.
  KIRLIAN CAMERAS 
   
  Knowledge is power, and these babies are how you 
  get it. Aside from keeping the company headquarters 
  safe from unwanted intruders, it also lets us see what 
  most people can’t while out in the field. Usually we’ll 
  slap half a dozen of them around the outside of wherever 
  we’re investigating, with twice that number inside. All 
  the video feeds back to the MCUs for recording and 
  analysis (and customer satisfaction. Nothing puts a 
  client’s mind at ease like watching his resident spook get 
  vaporized in real-time). They need strong electric fields 
  to work, so you’ve got to put out generators, too. Still, 
  it’s better than nothing.
   
  KIRLIAN GOGGLES
   
   
  Kirlian Goggles are basically portable, closed-circuit 
  Kirlian cameras that let you see a spook’s Gauze in real-
  time on a heads-up display. They use a one-hour power 
  supply that hooks onto your belt, and most people (most 
  smart people, that is) carry a spare, just in case. The 
  goggles’ EM-generators only have a range of fifty feet, 
  so if the spook goes outside that you’ll lose it.
   
  ADVANCED KIRLIAN 
  GOGGLES
   
   
  Advanced Kirlian Goggles (AKGs) are highly 
  experimental versions of the normal model described 
  above. Instead of a HUD, you see through glass that has 
  a very thin coating of ferroanimus on it. It’s like looking 
  through obsidian, except that anything in the gauze 
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  actually appears brighter than “real” matter. There’s no 
  range limit, but low lighting affects them just as it affects 
  normal vision. You’ve still got to carry a power supply 
  on your belt, too, even though none of us have figured 
  out where the power actually goes.
  LABYRINTH CAGES
   
  These black monstrosities are our version of a ghost 
  trap. They’re cubes, ten feet on a side, and they’re big, 
  bulky, hard to transport, and expensive, but you just 
  can’t beat their effectiveness. Once you get a spook in 
  here, he ain’t getting out. The ferroanimus keeps them 
  inside (even Skimmers or Arc-Lights that try to ripcord 
  back to their bodies), and if they try any Horrors, the 
  cage “heals” itself. You ever see that Star Trek episode 
  where they first show the Borg, and the ship repairs 
  itself almost instantly? It’s like that, only creepier and 
  a whole lot colder. I’ve known more than one operative 
  that’s kept beers cold just by setting them on top of one 
  of these while he’s out searching for a Wild Ghost.  
   
   
  Of course, since it takes a small forklift to move ’em, 
  they’re only good for planned traps or keeping Broken 
  Ghosts jailed. But hey, that’s better than nothing at all.
    
  MOBILE CONTAINMENT CAGES
   
   
  Mobile Containment Cages (MCCs) are the light 
  version of labyrinth cages. They aren’t nearly as impres-
  sive (no sliding glass doors or self-healing, though they 
  do feel cold to the touch), but they get the job done. 
  They’re made of aluminum bars coated in ferroanimus 
  that are welded into a coffin-sized collapsible cage. 
  They’re good for capturing drones and blips, since 
  spooks that weak can’t do much damage to the cage. 
  Tougher versions are used by our ghostbreakers for long-
  term containment.
  SLAP-PATCHES
   
   
  These things can be your best friend in a tight 
  situation, especially for Norms. When the Investigations 
  division first got rolling, they used pigment slap-patches 
  as a stopgap, but the mortality rate amongst stoned agents 
  was frighteningly high, so they started manufacturing 
  Eidolon slap-patches as soon as they could. Slap-patches 
  punch just enough Eidolon into your blood to let you see 
  ghosts. Some people use ’em a bit too often and end up 
  hooked, so don’t use them unless you have to.
  GHOST GRENADES 
   
  These little balls of death work just like normal 
  grenades, except that they don’t make as big a boom. 
  At least, not to people in the flesh. Instead of blowing 
  shrapnel everywhere, these are designed to blast a fine 
  spray of black ferroanimus grit in a ten-foot radius. 
  People in the flesh only experience a blast of fine black 
  debris — keep your eyes and mouth closed, please — 
  but spooks caught in the blast get shredded (6 dice of 
  bashing damage to all spooks in range). 
   
  Ghost grenades are extremely expensive to make, so 
  if you’re lucky you’ll get two of them on an Operation; 
  one is the norm, and you’d better not use it unless you 
  absolutely, positively have to.  Got that?  If you get in 
  the habit of wasting paratech, Management will send 
  you out on your next job with nothing but a pointy stick.
  FERROANIMUS ARMOR 
   
  It would be nice if we low-level agents got these, but 
  we don’t. They save these jackets for the high-paying 
  customers who want to stick around and watch the show 
  while feeling “safe.” It looks like jet-black riot gear, 
  and that’s probably what it was before it was coated in 
  ferroanimus. A pair of Kirlian goggles usually goes with 
  it. One of these cost more than you’ll make in a year, so 
  don’t start getting any bright ideas about requisitioning 
  one. They’ll say no, and probably laugh about it, too. 
  (For mechanics purposes, the armor rating is 5, meaning 
  +5B/+5L to soak any damage from ghostly or normal 
  sources, including Horrors).
  PARASYNTHETIC IMPLANTS
   
  These things scare the hell out of me. They’re little 
  implants that (usually) go under the skin and deliver 
  doses of concentrated ferroanimus to your bloodstream. 
  This causes all sorts of “interesting” effects, meaning 
  ones that make you feel we’re crossing lines that 
  shouldn’t be crossed. They’re so rare I won’t even try 
  describing them, except to tell you they exist.
   
  Don’t tell anyone I said this, but if someone from 
  R&D or Management comes and offers you the chance 
  to get one, don’t take him up on it. I had a friend once, a 
  blueleg named Greg who wanted some more firepower. 
  He got one of these things stuck in him that let him touch 
  ghosts while he was in the flesh. And then there was this 
  one operation, Operation: Silent Flame they called 
  it. Objective was to clear out a haunted house. Only the 
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  house had a Reaper in it, and it came after Greg, and...
  and then he manifested his Stains, in the flesh! I never 
  found out whether it was the shock or the Reaper that 
  killed him, but I’ll never forget Greg’s face, just before 
  I turned tail and ran. It had three eyes. They were all 
  looking at me.  (see the Storyteller section for more 
  information on Parasynthetic Implants)
  Backgrounds
   
  Everyone brings something to the field from before. 
  These are the various little “extras” that reflect what 
  you’ve managed to earn for yourself, either at Terrel 
  & Squib or elsewhere. These can be incredibly handy 
  sometimes, so don’t underestimate them.
  Flashbacks
   
  Sorcha and Lance stared helplessly at the bloody 
  symbols that covered the walls. Over and over, the same 
  indecipherable phrase had been written on every free 
  surface.
   
  “It looks like Arabic,” said Sorcha, running a gauze 
  finger along the nearest line of characters. “But it might 
  as well be ancient Greek. I don’t suppose you know what 
  it says, Lance?” Her mortal partner shook his head.
   
  “‘Allah Akbar,’” said Reece, who was staring 
  blankly at a nearby wall. “‘God is great.’”
   
  The two spooks turned, and regarded the broken 
  ghost with astonishment. “How’d you know that?” 
  Lance demanded.
   
  “I... remember,” Reece said, his voice clearer and 
  more lucid than usual. “I’ve seen it before. In... the 
  Persian Gulf?” His features creased with the effort of 
  concentration as he struggled to recall more. 
   
  The process of ghostbreaking strips most subjects of 
  all vestiges of their former identity, leaving them a blank 
  slate for T&S to mold as they wish. However, some 
  ghosts retain a few memories of their life and afterlife, in 
  spite of the best efforts of the ghostbreakers.  A broken 
  ghost with this Background occasionally recalls details 
  of his or her previous existence. When confronted with 
  a situation that might spark memories of the character’s 
  past, the player may roll the broken ghost’s Flashbacks 
  rating as a dice pool (difficulty 8); each success allows 
  the ghost to recall one detail from their past, or one dot 
  of a Knowledge they once possessed but have forgotten; 
  Knowledges recalled in this way last for one die roll 
  only. Because the degree of recollection is intimately 
  tied to the ghost’s remaining sense of self, no character 
  may have more dots in Flashbacks than his or her 
  Willpower rating. Naturally, T&S is wary of any broken 
  ghost that demonstrates too much self-awareness, so 
  those possessing this Background should be cautious 
  with whom they choose to share their insights...
  X  
  Your past is a complete mystery.
  • 
   
  Sometimes a name or place seems familiar to 
               you.
  ••  
  You have vague, dreamlike memories of minor 
               incidents.
  •••  
  A few important details stand out.
  ••••  
  Entire days sometime come back to you with 
               clarity.
  ••••• 
  You can remember you past as well as most 
               adults remember early childhood.
  Parasynthetic Tolerance
   
   
  “Think of it as an opportunity, Mr. Stoskopf,” the 
  Management woman said with a coy smile.  “Most 
  people don’t even get that much.”
   
  Juraj scowled at her.  “Why me?”
   
  “You passed the physicals with flying colors, Mr. 
  Stoskopf,” she replied, sliding a sheet of paper across 
  the table to him.  “Better than that, even.  The labcoats 
  in the basement think your system would have a very 
  benign reaction to the implant.  Absolutely ideal.  The 
  things that could help your job are...”
   
  “I do my job, woman.  I break ghosts, and I do it well. 
  It stays simple that way.  What would these ‘implants’ 
  offer me?”
   
  Her smile this time showed teeth.  “Anything you 
  want.”
   
  Parasynthetic implants are Terrel & Squib’s most 
  advanced application of ghost-based technology, creating 
  miniaturized implants that infuse the subject with 
  ferroanimus matter once the implant has been surgically 
  inserted into their body. This can create a wide range of 
  effects. The body, however, will often reject the invasive 
  ghost material, and studies show that upwards of 95% 
  of all viable subjects will suffer severe side-effects 
  from having parasynthetic implants of any kind in their 
  systems. 
   
  Taking dots in Parasynthetic Tolerance designates 
  the character as one of the 5% of individuals who can 
  in fact support parasynthetic implants in their bodies 
  without adverse effects. For every dot in Parasynthetic 
  Tolerance, the character’s body can safely support 
  an additional implant.  (For more information on the 
  Parasynthetic Implants system, see page 80.) 
  X  
  Like most people, you have no tolerance for 
   
   
  the implants in your system.
  • 
   
  Your body can tolerate one parasynthetic 
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  52
  
   
   
  implant.
  ••  
  Your body can tolerate two parasynthetic 
   
   
  implants.
  •••  
  Your body can tolerate three parasynthetic 
   
   
  implants.
  ••••  
  Your body can tolerate four parasynthetic 
   
   
  implants.
  ••••• 
  Your body can tolerate five parasynthetic 
   
   
  implants.
  Personal Equipment
   
  Andrew hit the mute button, cutting the football 
  announcer off in mid-sentence. He listened closely, 
  though he didn’t know for what.
   
  A cold tingle spread down his spine; that was all the 
  confirmation he needed. He picked up his gun from the 
  coffee table and walked into the study. Ten seconds later 
  the safe was open and a clip of ghostshot ammo clicked 
  into place. He pulled out his pair of Kirlian goggles and 
  muttered several choice curses as he pulled them on. He 
  hated it when his work followed him home. 
   
  Terrel & Squib has all the best toys when it comes 
  to dealing with ghosts. But Management doesn’t 
  always give you what you need when you need it. This 
  Background reflects a personal cache of parapsych gear 
  you’ve acquired and can use whenever you want. Like 
  an Arsenal (page 182 of the Orpheus™ corebook), you 
  have to maintain this Background if you want to keep it; 
  ghostshot bullets don’t grow on trees. 
   
  Because parapsych gear is so expensive — especially 
  if you’re getting it through the black market — you can’t 
  have more dots in Personal Equipment than you have in 
  Resources (unless you steal your gear, but that’s a whole 
  other problem in itself). This Background doesn’t let you 
  requisition extra equipment from T&S for use on opera-
  tions; you have to have Influence for that (page 185 of 
  the Orpheus™ corebook).
  X  
  You are totally dependent on what T&S issues you.
  • 
   
  You have a cheap Kirlian camera, or maybe a 
   
   
  single clip of ghostshot ammo.
  ••  
  You own a pair of Kirlian goggles, and maybe  
   
   
  some clips of ghostshot ammo.
  •••  
  You can outfit a single person in full parapsych  
   
   
  gear.
  ••••  
  You can equip a small team (3-5) well enough to  
   
   
  hold their own.
  ••••• 
  You could start a small projection firm if need  
   
   
  be.
  Special Effects Training
   
  “Command? This is Bravo Team. We found the 
  ‘ghost;’ it looks like some kids decided to have some fun 
  down in the basement, if you get my drift.”
   
  Lance sighed into his headset. “Roger, Bravo Team. 
  Come on back; we’ll take it from here.” He flipped the 
  mike off and turned to Amy. “You hear that?”
   
  “Yup.” Amy’s fingers flew over the keyboard. “One 
  haunted special, coming up.”
   
  “Good.”  In ten minutes, there’d be a veritable army 
  of “ghosts” to be driven out. He grimaced, a sour taste 
  in his mouth. Dishonest though it was, sometimes he 
  wished every operation was this easy...
   
  The customer is always right, even when they’re 
  wrong. Whenever a “haunting” turns out to be noisy 
  pipes, it’s the Special Effects guy’s job to make T&S 
  look good. In the old days, people faked ghosts by using 
  slanted mirrors, trap doors, and double-exposed photo-
  graphs. The tools of the trade have changed, but the basic 
  idea is the same. 
   
  Your specialty may be in sound effects, costuming, 
  holographics, or Photoshop, but whatever it is, you 
  do it well. Add your dots in this Background to the 
  relevant Ability when attempting to fake ghostly 
  effects (Subterfuge for sleight-of-hand, Technology for 
  sound systems, Computers for digital image editing, 
  Performance for “possession,” etc). 
   
  You must take a specialty in this Background, but 
  can buy additional specialties for 1 freebie point or 3 
  experience apiece.
  X  
  The limit of your “special effects” is a guy  
   
   
  wearing a sheet.
  • 
   
  Your bag-of-tricks is good enough to scare the  
   
   
  trick-or-treaters.
  ••  
  Your FX skills are good, but they wouldn’t stand up  
   
   
  to close scrutiny
  •••  
  John Carpenter keeps your resume on file, just in  
   
   
  case.
  ••••  
  You could keep Houdini, Copperfield, and Penn  
   
   
  & Teller on their toes.
  ••••• 
  Even seasoned investigators think it’s the real  
   
   
  thing.
  Stash
   
  Javier dropped the handful of slap-patches into the 
  dresser drawer. He’d nabbed five this time, making just 
  over thirty total. He had to be careful; a few patches 
  could easily get lost on an operation, but if he kept this 
  up someone was bound to notice.
   
  He slid the drawer shut. His hands were shaking, 
  CHAPTER TWO
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  53
  
  just a little. Just one wouldn’t hurt... 
   
  He opened the drawer and grabbed a patch, ripping 
  the plastic off before jamming it into his bicep. Liquid 
  fire spread through his veins, and he sighed in relief...   
   
  That’s the stuff.
   
  Eidolon addiction is a powerful force, and some 
  T&S agents don’t quite trust the company to keep them 
  supplied. With this Background, you’ve got a cache of 
  Eidolon and/or street pigment stored away for a rainy 
  day. It might come from street vendors or simply be 
  swiped from the company lockers, but it’s enough to last 
  you for a while. 
   
  You lose dots in this Background if you dip into 
  your Stash frequently without replenishing it (be careful; 
  T&S keeps strict records of its Eidolon stores). If you’re 
  in a financial bind, you can always sell you Stash on 
  the street (the Storyteller determines the exact amount 
  gained.) 
  X  
  You might have a slap-patch hiding in your  
   
   
  coat pocket.
  • 
   
  You can last a week without T&S giving you  
   
   
  your fix.
  ••  
  You have enough pigment and Eidolon stored to  
   
   
  last a month.
  •••  
  You can meet your own needs for six months, or  
   
   
  multiple users for less.
  ••••  
  You can last a year without T&S, and have the  
   
   
  stash of a minor drug dealer.
  ••••• 
  Street dealers envy your stash, which could  
   
   
  supply your entire team for a year.
  Tainted
   
  Sorcha looked back over her shoulder at Javier. “You 
  okay?” she asked. He shrugged, but kept looking at the 
  walls like he expected them to eat him.
   
  “Oh come on, it’s a cakewalk. Come in, find the 
  ghost, clear it out, yada yada. You coming or what?”
   
  He shook his head. “Look, something . . . get down!” 
  He rammed into her just as the blade of a scythe speared 
  through the wall and cut through where her neck had 
  been. The world fractured in an ice-cold spray, and then 
  she was lying on the house’s front lawn. Javier reached 
  down and helped her up. Sorcha stared at him, wide-
  eyed. “How did you know?”
   
  He gave her a wan smile and tapped his temple.  
   
   
  “I’ve got them in my head, remember?”
   
  The line between light and darkness is filled with 
  shadows, and spooks with this Background can get a bit 
  too close to the darkness. For each dot, you can spend 
  15 experience points (or 10 freebie points) to learn a 
  Spectral Horror. Most hues can get two dots easily, while 
  Bright Hues (page 85 of Crusade of Ashes) and normal 
  people can only take one. Each Spite rating above a 
  spook’s starting Vitality allows you to take an additional 
  dot. Even though few people can ever naturally learn 
  more than one or two spectral Horrors, an infusion of 
  distilled Eidolon (not pigment) almost always taints the 
  soul enough to learn more. Company scuttlebutt holds 
  that projectors who learn to use Spectral Horrors get 
  surreptitious salary raises. 
   
  You should be careful which Horrors you choose. 
  Hive-Mind is arguably the most useful — and most 
  dangerous — choice (page 268 of the Orpheus™ 
  corebook). Virus has the potential for incredible Spite 
  buildup if the character uses it to overwrite innocent 
  blips, while any character who tries to use Rend to step 
  through the Stormwall will likely be shredded in the 
  process.
  X  
  You may not be a saint, but you’re not going to  
   
   
  the dark side anytime soon, either.
  • 
   
  Yeah, you’re a little evil. But who isn’t?
  ••  
  You’ve dabbled with the dark side, and you like  
   
   
  it.
  •••  
  Spectres have trouble deciding whose side  
   
   
  you’re on.
  ••••  
  Your fellow investigators are afraid to turn their  
   
   
  backs on you.
  ••••• 
  Friends? What friends?
  Merits and Flaws
  Physical Merits
   
  Fast Metabolism (1-pt. Merit)
   
  Your body is set on permanent overdrive. You’ve 
  tried to gain weight, drinking all those protein shakes, 
  working out, and even going on a McDonald’s binge 
  for two weeks straight. But whatever you put into your 
  body, it burns up just as quickly. Besides giving you a 
  figure many Americans would kill for, any drugs used 
  on you only last half as long as normal before they wear 
  off.
   
  Drug Resistant (2-pt. Merit)
   
  Unlike someone with Fast Metabolism, who metabo-
  lizes drugs at breakneck speed, your body simply doesn’t 
  react to exotic chemicals as much as the rest of the 
  world. Alcohol, nicotine, morphine, pigment... you name 
  the drug, it just doesn’t affect you until you’re pumped 
  with enough of it to down an elephant. Besides making 
  you a shoe-in for post-operation drinking contests, it’s 
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  54
  
  extremely hard to get you doped up enough to spill 
  company secrets. There’s a downside, of course: you 
  need strong painkillers to get any relief, and any drug 
  you are hooked on requires huge dosages to work.
  Mental Merits
   
  Cool Head (1- to 3-pt. Merit)
   
  You know the meaning of “calm under fire,” and 
  your friends learned long ago that sneaking up behind 
  you and yelling “Boo!” is just a waste of time. You take 
  everything in stride, even things that would make most 
  people run in a blind panic. For every point in the Merit, 
  you add 1 die to any pool involving resistance against 
  being startled or surprised.
   
  Paranormal Intuition (3-pt. Merit)
   
  All this stuff about the afterlife actually makes sense 
  to you. Any rolls that involve trying to puzzle out the 
  mechanics of the afterlife (what Horror could cause 
  effect X, which Spirit-Class is probably involved in a 
  haunting, etc...) are at -2 difficulty for you. This does not 
  apply to motivations of ghosts or any other supernatural 
  problem that is not intrinsically mechanical. You may be 
  able to figure out how the ghost managed to drape poor 
  Mrs. Houser’s lingerie from her rooftop, but you still 
  don’t know why.
  Social Merits
   
  Commanding Presence (1-pt. Merit)
   
  When you’re around, people pay attention. The way 
  you hold yourself, your physique, your attitude... all 
  combine to make people shut up when you start talking. 
  Add two dice to all Intimidation rolls.
  Assets
   
  Ph.D. (1-pt. Merit)
   
  You worked hard through the university, graduate 
  school, and finally to your dissertation and doctorate. 
  You are a specialist in something, knowing far more 
  about it than most normal people ever want to. Subtract 
  two from the difficulty of any roll involving your 
  specialty. (As an aside, “Biology” is not a specialty. 
  “Viruses,” “Cell Anatomy,” and “Plant Genetics” are.) 
  You must have at least three dots in Academics or 
  Science to take this Merit.
   
  Technical Training (2-pt. Merit)
   
  Whereas most T&S employees receive only 
  minimal training in paranormal equipment, you’ve been 
  instructed on how to use everything in the arsenal, from 
  Kirlian goggles to labyrinth cages. With access to the 
  right tools, a successful Intelligence + Technology roll 
  lets you to make field repairs on any T&S equipment, 
  or even modify it to suit your needs (within reason, 
  of course. The Storyteller gets the final call on what’s 
  reasonable). You must have at least 3 dots in Intelligence 
  to take this Merit.
  Supernatural Merits
   
  Angry Spirit (2-point Merit)
   
  Maybe you’re good at channeling what anger you 
  have, or maybe you’ve simply taken a long, hard look 
  at your own dark side. In either case, you’re able to 
  call upon Stains when your Spite rating is less than 4, 
  though a minimum rating of 1 is still required. This in 
  no way protects you from the negative effects of calling 
  upon Stains; it simply makes them easier to reach. Hues 
  cannot take this Merit (they don’t need to).
   
  Metagnome (3- to 5-pt. Merit)
   
  (Normal Human Body-Classes only)
   
  You can’t project or use any Horrors, but that doesn’t 
  mean you can’t see ghosts.  The Storyteller deter-
  mines the maximum level of this Merit you’re allowed 
  to purchase. At 3 points, ghosts appear to you as heat 
  shimmers in the air. At 4, they look like living shadows, 
  and at 5 they look as normal as if you were using a 
  spook’s Dead-Eyes.  
   
  Using Spectral Horrors
   
  Taking a Spectral Horror is like making 
  a deal with the Devil: it gives you a lot of 
  power in the short term, but eventually 
  it’ll damn you to Hell. Spectral Horrors 
  can only be fueled by tapping Spite, and, as 
  mentioned in the text, certain Horrors can 
  have unpleasant side effects. 
   
  No player who wants their character to 
  remain in one piece should take Rend, for 
  example. Hive-Mind is especially dangerous. 
  Even though it potentially offers access to 
  any other Spectral Horror in existence (by 
  tapping 3 Spite), it also opens the character 
  to the hive-mind’s influence. 
   
  Characters 
  with 
  Hive-Mind 
  always 
  have a 0-level form of it active that mimics 
  the Supernatural Merit: Hearing the Buzz 
  (Crusade of Ashes, pg. 85). Higher-Spite uses 
  (2-3) of Hive-Mind may cause characters to 
  automatically fail (or even botch!) their 
  Spite rolls. Especially high uses (4-5 Spite) 
  require a Willpower roll (difficulty 5+ Spite 
  tapped) to keep from being subsumed into the 
  hive-mind and becoming a Spectre instantly.  
   
  Spectral Horrors can be very powerful, 
  but they can be very dangerous as well. You 
  have been warned.
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  55
  
   
  Some roleplaying must go into this Merit, espe-
  cially if it developed early in childhood. If you didn’t 
  have someone to help you through it, or find some way 
  to deal with it yourself, you’ll end up a few beans short 
  of an enchilada (in game terms, you have at least one 
  Derangement). If you developed or discovered your 
  ability in adulthood, then you probably learned to deal 
  with it (either with medication, by denying it, or — if 
  you found it after Orpheus Group came to the fore — 
  accepting it as a natural gift/curse). In any case, you’re a 
  valuable asset to Terrel & Squib.
   
  Spiritually Attuned (4-pt. Merit)
   
  You’re a lot more in-tune with your inner self than 
  most people let themselves be, and because of that 
  your spiritual gifts start bleeding over. You might have 
  developed this capability through meditation, a low-level 
  dose of Pigment, or just natural gifts, but your spirit can 
  shine through even when you’re encased in flesh. For 3 
  Vitality, you can activate a 0-level effect of any Horror 
  you know while in someone’s body (not necessarily 
  your own, but it must be human), keeping it active by 
  spending 1 Vitality for each turn past the first.   
   
   
  You cannot use higher-Vitality expenditures while 
  in the flesh; the resistance is too great. Normal Humans 
  with this Merit are highly sought after by T&S.
  Miscellaneous Merits
   
  Fool’s Luck (4-pt. Merit)
   
  You just seem to stumble onto things that other people 
  have spent hours searching for. Whether it’s hidden stair-
  cases, secret vaults, a ghost’s hiding place, or just the 
  right web page, you can usually count on finding what 
  you need. Once per session, you may tell the Storyteller 
  that you’re relying on your luck to guide you. The exact 
  results are up to the Storyteller, but they are guaranteed 
  to move you toward your goal. (Storytellers are also 
  encouraged to use this Merit to resolve situations where 
  the players’ dice just keep failing.) Unofficial research 
  has concluded that every character in Scooby Doo has 
  taken this Merit at least twice.
  Physical Flaws
   
   
  Weak Stomach (1-pt. Flaw)
   
  You don’t react well to the sight of blood, gore, 
  or much of anything, really. Anytime you experience 
  something that sickens you (mutilated bodies, torture-in-
  progress, a projector injecting herself, or even plain old 
  motion-sickness), you must make a Willpower roll (diffi-
  culty 8) or start throwing up. Even if you haven’t eaten 
  anything recently, you get the dry heaves and are unable 
  to perform any other actions for [6-Stamina] rounds. 
   
  You must make this Willpower roll once for every 
  minute you witness whatever sickened you, but the diffi-
  culty goes down by 1 each time, regardless of whether 
  you succeed or fail.
  Mental Flaws
   
  Illiterate (1- to 3-point Flaw)
   
  You’re probably from a foreign country, have a 
  learning disorder, or were just never educated. In any 
  case, you can’t read the major language(s) of the region 
  you’re in. As a 1-point Flaw, you are literate in another 
  language, just not the local native one, or you have a 
  severe impediment that slows your reading speed to a 
  crawl (acute dyslexia, for example). As a 3-point Flaw, 
  you cannot read any languages and cannot acquire more 
  than one dot in skills requiring literacy (such as most 
  Knowledges) until the Flaw is bought off. This Flaw is 
  common among the impoverished street projectors T&S 
  sometimes recruits, but may also result from psycho-
  logical damage during a ghost’s “housebreaking” experi-
  ence.
   
  Technology-Dependent (1- to 5-pt. Flaw)
   
  Due to high levels of exposure to paranormal 
  phenomena, you become paranoid whenever you are 
  separated from a technological aid that lets you deal with 
  the existence/presence of ghosts. This technology can 
  either be practical (ghostshot ammo) or purely psycho-
  logical (a religious symbol), but practical items are far 
  more common. Whenever you are separated from your 
  fetish, you lose as many points from your Willpower 
  rating as you gain freebies from this Flaw (i.e., a 3-pt. 
  Flaw causes you to temporarily lose 3 Willpower ratings 
  whenever you are separated from your chosen item). The 
  higher the value of the Flaw, the harder it is to keep your 
  fetish nearby and the closer it has to be. A 1-pt. Flaw 
  might mean a set of Kirlian goggles that need merely 
  be in the same room. A 5-pt. Flaw is along the lines of 
  ferroanimus body armor that you have to be wearing in 
  order to keep your nerve.
   
  Rational (2-pt. Flaw)
   
  (Projectors and Ghosts only.)
   
  You’re like Scully in The X-Files, always trying 
  to find a logical, rational explanation for whatever just 
  scared the shit out of you. 
   
  Logic has its place, but the world of ghosts isn’t it. 
  In extreme cases, you even doubt the existence of ghosts, 
  no matter how often you interact with them (or suffer 
  from a constant existential crisis, if you are one). Any 
  supernatural abilities you use (Horrors, Stains, etc) are 
  at +2 difficulty to succeed. If they don’t usually involve 
  a dice roll (such as Storm-Wending), then roll 1 die to 
  determine success; the difficulty is your Willpower 
  rating.
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  56
  
  Social Flaws
   
  Amoral (1-pt. Flaw)
   
  Good and evil are just words to you. What really 
  matters is what works and what doesn’t. Even though you 
  may defend yourself by quoting Nietzsche (or just telling 
  people to shove off), people see you as a Machiavellian 
  machine and know you’d turn on them in a heartbeat if it 
  suited your needs. The Storyteller dictates which natures 
  (such as Caregiver) cannot take this flaw.
   
  Gossip (1-pt. Flaw)
   
  You live for the coffee break, when you can swap all 
  the latest juicy tidbits about who’s doing what, people’s 
  latest relationships, upcoming company policy, and 
  anything else you happen to overhear. You don’t just heed 
  the rumor mill, you are the rumor mill, and people know 
  it. Everyone is very guarded about what they say about 
  you, because they know if something slips, you’ll stab 
  them in the back with it as soon as they turn around.
   
  Spiteful (2- or 4-pt. Flaw)
   
  Either because of natural disposition or life experi-
  ences, some spooks just have more angst than others. 
  For two points, you start with one more Spite rating than 
  your Spirit-Class (Shade) and Nature would indicate. 
  For four points, your starting Spite rating is two points 
  higher than normal.
  Hindrances
   
   
  Illegal Immigrant (2-pt. Flaw)
   
  T&S isn’t above hiring people with questionable 
  legal status if they provide a needed service. You’re that 
  type of person. You came to this country illegally, and 
  if the government ever finds out, you’re toast. T&S is 
  protecting you so far, but you’d better stay on their good 
  side. Otherwise, you’ll be on the next boat out of here.
   
  Suspicion (2-pt. Flaw)
   
  For whatever reason, the T&S Management doesn’t 
  really trust you. They may think you’re an Orpheus 
  Group mole, embezzling money, or just getting a little 
  too close for comfort to certain skeletons in the closet. 
  You are never assigned sensitive missions or given 
  sensitive data, although you do get a lot of missions with 
  a higher-than-average chance of you not making it out 
  alive... or dead, for that matter.
  Supernatural Flaws
   
  By Darkness Bound (3- or 5-pt. Flaw)
   
  Statistics show that a small majority of ghost 
  sightings actually occur during the day — but they’re 
  sure not seeing you. For some reason, you are powerless 
  to assume gauze by day. Projectors with this Flaw are 
  unable to leave their bodies before sundown, and auto-
  matically ripcord back to them at sunrise (relative to the 
  location of their meat). Ghosts (including sleepers on 
  extended out-of-body trips) simply fade away with the 
  first light of dawn, only to reappear in the same location 
  they last occupied at dusk. Ghosts subject to the experi-
  ence have no memories of where they go at this time, 
  only hazy recollections of fog and distant voices, but 
  they do recover Vitality as normal. For projectors, this is 
  a 3-point Flaw; for ghosts, who are effectively deprived 
  of half their existence by it, this is a five-point Flaw.
   
  Spiritually Blind (2- to 6-pt. Flaw)
   
  You can’t see ghosts. Ever. Not even when you’re 
  projecting, or if you die yourself, or even (and no one 
  quite understands this) through Kirlian cameras. This 
  is a 2-point Flaw for Normal Humans, or for projectors 
  if it’s only active when they’re in the flesh (this is the 
  only level available to Norms). A 4-point Flaw means 
  that, when in the gauze, the character can see ghosts but 
  not hear them, or vice versa. At 6 points, the character 
  can neither see nor hear ghosts no matter what body 
  state they are in. Spooks with this flaw don’t tend to last 
  very long unless they have a friend to tell them when a 
  Spectre is about to rip them in two.
   
  Stained (4-pt. Flaw)
   
  Whenever you are in the gauze, all of your stains are 
  active. You cannot deactivate them without the Visage 
  background (Shades of Gray, pg. 116). All of your 
  social rolls are at +2 difficulty, in addition to any other 
  penalties you may suffer from the Stains themselves.
   
  Unresolved Tether (5-pt. Flaw)
   
  (Ghosts only)
   
  You have unfinished business that’s keeping you 
  bound to the world of the living. You begin play with 
  one less Vitality than your Shade and Nature indicate, 
  and you can’t spend freebies or experience points to raise 
  your Vitality until your final tether is resolved. You don’t 
  know what this tether is, at least not at first. T&S often 
  takes advantage of ghosts like this; most Broken Ghosts 
  have this Flaw. If your tether is ever resolved, you must 
  make a Willpower roll (difficulty of 12 – [Willpower 
  rating]) or move on to your final reward, whatever it 
  may be. You can choose to fail this roll if you want, 
  and T&S discourages the resolution of Broken Ghosts’ 
  final tethers precisely because of this (too many of them 
  choose to move on, incidentally freeing themselves of 
  T&S influence in the process).
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  57
  
  Miscellaneous Flaws
   
   
  Unrequited Love (4-pt. Flaw)
   
  You are deeply in love with someone who, at best, 
  doesn’t know you exist. At worst, he thinks you’re scum 
  and uses your infatuation to manipulate you into doing 
  what he wants. Any rolls to refuse a request by this 
  person, harm him, or go against his wishes in any way 
  are at +3 difficulty. If he is ever in trouble, you must 
  roll Willpower to resist going to his aide; you gain at 
  least one Spite point if he suffers any harm due to your 
  inaction.
  Team Merits
   
  Privileged (6-pt. minimum Team Merit)
   
  Due to your excellent performance, efficient work, 
  high customer satisfaction — and maybe because one of 
  your team members is sleeping with the boss — your 
  team gets better equipment and more of it than goes into 
  two normal operations. And if you slip up, the higher-ups 
  are most likely going to let it slide (“but only this once”). 
  Most special requests you make of the Management get 
  answered both quickly and with approval. Be careful, 
  though; slip up too many times and you’ll lose your 
  perks.
   
  Add-ons:
   
  3 pts - You are the pet team of one of the chief 
  researchers in R&D, and you’re usually the ones selected 
  to test the newest, best equipment in T&S’s arsenal. This 
  isn’t always a good thing, since Management tends to 
  send you into difficult situations to test it — and if it 
  doesn’t work, you’re screwed. But more often than not, 
  it’s a good deal.
   
  6 pts - Your team is personally watched over by either 
  John Terrel or Lionel Squib, if not both. One member of 
  the team must have at least three dots in the Influence 
  background in order to take this add-on.
  Team Flaws
   
  Nosy (6-pt. minimum Team Flaw)
   
  Your team gets into things that they shouldn’t and 
  knows far too much for its own good. You might have 
  the dirt on Terrel & Squib, Inc., the Orpheus Group, 
  the Mafia, or some other organization, but if they ever 
  find out what you know, you’d better hope they feel 
  like negotiating. Otherwise, you can kiss your life (or 
  afterlife) goodbye.
   
  Add-ons:
   
  6 pts - You don’t just know secrets, you know 
  Secrets. These are things that can blow someone’s entire 
  operation wide open. If “they” ever find out what you 
  know, you’d better run like hell, because they won’t even 
  try to negotiate for your silence. Dead men do tell tales, 
  but they probably won’t give you that chance, either.
  Stains
  BRAINIAC
   
  You’re smart, and you make sure everyone knows 
  it. This Stain causes your cranium to swell to massive 
  proportions, usually taking the form of a pulsing, two-
  lobed structure covered in thick veins and arteries.
   
  Advantages: Bigger is better. You get an extra die 
  on any rolls that involve Intelligence or Knowledges. 
  These stack, so on an Intelligence + Academics roll, you 
  receive two extra dice.
   
  Disadvantages: Your massive braincase is as 
  vulnerable as it is large. Any damage that hits your head 
  (which is now at only +1 difficulty to hit) does double 
  the damage — always lethal — that it would normally 
  do. If an attack doesn’t specifically target your head, 
  there is still a 20% chance that he hits there, unless the 
  attacker is targeting something else.
  Cyborg
   
  Some people get so familiar with (or so dependent 
  on) modern technology that it practically becomes a part 
  of them. Characters with this Stain have body parts that 
  appear like machinery grafted into their bodies.
   
  Advantages: You receive +1 to one of your 
  Attributes, depending on how the Stain manifests (bionic 
  eyes or ears add to Perception, arms to Strength, legs 
  to Dexterity, etc). Even though the exact manifestation 
  varies from person to person, it always manifests the 
  same way for a given character. (You can take this Stain 
  multiple times, gaining a different benefit each time. 
  Characters who do this end up looking like Tetsuo the 
  Ironman when all is said and done).
   
  Disadvantages: You lose two dice to soak any 
  energy-based damage (Witch’s Nimbus, Wail, etc) due 
  to the delicate nature of the electronic interface. If you 
  take this Stain multiple times, the effect is cumulative. If 
  your soak pool becomes negative, you take extra damage 
  equal to the negative score (meaning a net -2 soak pool 
  adds two dice to the damage roll).
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  58
  
  Enslaved
   
  Someone or something has you in a noose you can’t 
  escape. Whether you’ve been blackmailed or feel like 
  the world is on your shoulders, you just can’t get away. 
  When active, manacles appear around your hands and 
  feet, dangling chains and restraints like Marley from A 
  Christmas Carol. This Stain is especially common among 
  Arc-Lights and Broken Ghosts.
   
  Advantages: The chains can be swung as weapons, 
  dealing [Strength + 2] bashing damage each hit.
   
  Disadvantages: The chains drag the spook down, 
  limiting her movement and maneuverability and costing 
  her one die of Dexterity. If this causes the spook to 
  have zero Dexterity, then she is trapped by the chains 
  and cannot move. A successful Strength roll (difficulty 
  8) can negate this for a single turn, but the roll must be 
  made each time the spook attempts to move. 
  Frosty
   
  When some people get mad, they blow up like 
  volcanoes. Your anger, however, is as cold as a glacier 
  and just as unstoppable. When active, this Stain causes 
  that chill to radiate outward and damage nearby spooks.
   
  Advantages: You may tap one Spite per round to 
  deal one bashing damage to all beings — living and dead 
  — within a ten-foot radius. The look on your face — one 
  of barely-controlled contempt and anger — is enough to 
  give you an additional two dice on all Intimidation rolls.
   
  Disadvantages: You always radiate a low-level chill 
  while this Stain is active. It isn’t intense enough to deal 
  damage, but it does alert others to your presence. Usually 
  it only makes people have goosebumps, but when you 
  experience especially strong emotions (anger, hatred, 
  loathing, etc), it’s enough to make people’s breath fog 
  up. That icy demeanor works against you, too. All non-
  Intimidation social rolls have a +2 difficulty associated 
  with them.
  Heart of Stone
   
  Other people’s problems just don’t matter to you. 
  Whether it’s the cries from the neighbor whose son 
  just died or the pleas for mercy from the ghost you’re 
  breaking, it just doesn’t faze you. Life’s full of problems, 
  and if someone happens to get ground under, it’s no 
  problem of yours. Not even (or especially) if you’re the 
  one doing the grinding.
   
  Advantages: Your interior converts into a rocklike 
  substance. It doesn’t affect your appearance, but you 
  get two extra dice to your soak pool while this Stain is 
  active.
   
  Disadvantages: You feel no emotions for anyone 
  except yourself. You automatically fail any Empathy 
  rolls, and unless an action has some kickback bonus for 
  you, you will not do it. If your best friend is being eaten 
  by a Fetch, all you do is stand on and watch, or maybe 
  leave so they won’t go after you next. Sucks to be him, 
  but better him than you, right?
  Hollow
   
   
  You feel like someone’s ripped out your soul, even if 
  your soul is all you’ve got left. Your gauze congeals into 
  a thin crust that appears normal on the outside, but when 
  it’s breached there’s nothing inside but empty space.
   
  Advantages: Any piercing damage dealt to your 
  gauze (such as by a bullet or knife) does two dice less 
  damage than normal because there’s no gauze to shred 
  in your center. For spooks other than Skimmers and 
  Arc-Lights, this translates to the loss of only one Vitality 
  from a lethal piercing attack instead of two.
   
  Disadvantages: Your outer shell is fragile; all 
  bashing attacks do two extra dice of damage, or shred an 
  additional two Vitality.
  Masquerade
   
  People oftentimes make themselves appear to be 
  what they are not. Bullies who are all talk and million-
  aires who donate to charities just for public relations 
  often have this Stain. A mask of gauze forms around the 
  character, making them appear as something that they 
  are not.
   
  Advantages: The outer layer of your gauze separates 
  and forms into a full-body “mask” that alters your appear-
  ance, oftentimes making you appear stronger, prettier, or 
  more intelligent than you actually are. You gain two dice 
  on any rolls involving deceit, provided that the person 
  you’re deceiving can see you.
   
  Disadvantages: You know you’re a fake, and you’re 
  constantly plagued by feelings of inadequacy and insecu-
  rity. Your Willpower rating temporarily drops two points 
  when this Stain is active.
  Nonentity
   
  You’re so unimportant, no one would notice if you 
  just disappeared. When this Stain is active, you radiate a 
  psychic field of insignificance, so much so that people’s 
  vision tends to just glide over you as if you weren’t 
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  59
  
  even there. You show up fine on electronics, but even 
  then people have to focus to acknowledge that you’re 
  something more than scenery.
   
  Advantages: People don’t notice you. Any Alertness 
  or Awareness rolls to detect your presence are at +2 
  difficulty. If you’re engaged in combat, opponents (even 
  Spectres) won’t attack you unless you do something to 
  really annoy them. Even then, they’ll probably just brush 
  you aside in order to focus on the “important” people.
   
  Disadvantages: You are terribly easy to ignore. 
  No matter how good an idea you come up with, if you 
  suggest it, it probably won’t be heeded. You can try to 
  force the issue with a Social roll, but the probable result 
  is someone else repeating your idea and getting credit for 
  it. Most of the time those around you aren’t even aware 
  of this, making it all the more frustrating.
  Silver-tongued
   
  Your wit is quick and your lies come fast. No matter 
  what situation you get into, you can talk your way out 
  of it. Your tongue appears plated with pure silver, often-
  times glinting from inside your mouth as you talk.
   
  Advantages: Your words are as smooth as silk. All 
  of your Social rolls that involve speech are at -2 diffi-
  culty.
   
  Disadvantages: If you ever fail a Social roll with 
  this Stain active, the character you tried to manipulate/
  charm/seduce is immediately aware of your deception. 
  You automatically fail any Social rolls with them for the 
  remainder of the scene. Depending on how unforgiving 
  the character is, the Storyteller may give further penalties 
  even after the initial effect has worn off.
  Yellowbelly
   
  Some people are cowards, plain and simple. This 
  Stain might come from lifelong cowardice or from that 
  one time when it was all too much and you left your best 
  friend to die. Bright yellow streaks cover your stomach 
  or run down your back in a broad stripe.
   
  Advantages: Cowards are nature’s best observers. 
  All of your Alertness or Awareness rolls are at -2 diffi-
  culty. You tend to jump at shadows, but it’s better than 
  being eaten by them.
   
  Disadvantages: You will not engage in combat or 
  any other behavior that you think could result in harm 
  to your person. At best, you’ll try to help your comrades 
  with Benefits or moral support. At worst, you run off 
  screaming or curl into a quivering ball of fear that just 
  wants someone else to make it all go away. Should you 
  be forced to fight, all of your actions are at +3 difficulty.
  Zoned
   
  Some people are never completely “all there,” their 
  minds drifting into the realm of imagination or simply 
  shutting themselves off. You stare off into space, never 
  totally conscious of the world surrounding you. This 
  Stain is often seen in Broken Ghosts.
   
  Advantages: It takes a lot to jar you out of your 
  reverie. Any actions that require you to be paying 
  attention to affect you (such as Unearthly Repose or the 
  emotion-manipulating aspect of Wail) are at +2 difficulty 
  to succeed.
   
  Disadvantages: You are constantly distracted, and 
  suffer a +3 difficulty penalty to all Wits-based rolls while 
  this Stain is manifest. 
  Conclusion
   
  So, you’re still here. Maybe you do have what it 
  takes to be a T&S spook. But then again, maybe you’ll 
  get shredded your first operation. That’s what nearly 
  happened to me. Now I’m a cynical old coot, one of 
  the longest-lasting employees on T&S’s payroll. That 
  doesn’t come from being starry-eyed and full of good 
  hope.  Trust me.  Death’s the name of the game here, and 
  if you want to cheat it you’ll have to be quick on your 
  toes.
   
  But with all that said, I want you to know we’re 
  here for you. Management might not care one whit what 
  happens to us on an operation, but when you get out 
  there you’ve still got your teammates. Don’t let them 
  down, and they won’t let you down.  Sometimes they’re 
  the only help you’ve got.
   
  Good luck, kid, and godspeed.
  CHAPTER TWO
  THE UNEARTHED PLAYERS GUIDE
  60
  
  Chapter : 03
  Storytelling
  Terrel & Squib
  Ripley: These people are here to protect you. 
  They are soldiers.
  Newt: It won’t make any difference.
  — Aliens
  
   
  Pale blue light filled the windows of the Grayson manor as the 
  Kirlian cameras and filtered spotlights came online. Sorcha Ross squinted 
  reflexively, and wondered why her gauze eyes were still as easily 
  blinded by bright lights as their fleshy counterparts had been. A few 
  yards away, Angela Dawson looked up from the laptop balanced on top of 
  the field generator, a lock of black hair falling coquettishly over one 
  eye in a gesture Sorcha just knew was too cute to be accidental.  “We’re 
  wired, Chief,” Angela said, grinning at Field Commander Lance Shomaker.  
  “Commence Operation: Empty Cradle at will.”
   
  Lance returned the smile.  “We’d be lost without you, Angie.  
  Thanks,” he replied, and Angela blushed girlishly; Sorcha rolled her 
  eyes.  “Let’s move in, folks,” Lance continued.  “I’ll be just a sec.”  He 
  settled back in his chair as the Norms pulled on Kirlian goggles and 
  checked their rifles.  Within seconds, his body went limp, and his gauze 
  form stepped forth without a backward glance. He motioned for Angela and 
  Sorcha to follow.  “Let’s go.”
   
  “You see anything while you were rigging up the ‘tech?”  Sorcha 
  asked Angela as they entered the foyer of the opulent mansion.  The 
  paratech girl flirted with every man on the field team, and by all 
  accounts was a shameless cocktease, but Sorcha couldn’t help liking her 
  anyway.  Besides, Angela had the rare gift of mediumship, and sometimes 
  it was nice to talk to someone who wasn’t also dead, projecting, or staring 
  at you though huge black goggles.
   
  “Not a damn thing,” Angela replied, shaking her head.  “No spooks, 
  no shadows.  Only clue on the mission name was the nursery upstairs.  I 
  wonder what they’re not telling us about this one.”
   
  “Let’s find out the easy way,” said Sorcha.  She turned to the 
  field commander, who was directing the Norms to search the lower level.  
  “Lance, why don’t we grab ‘Marvin’” — she indicated a recently broken 
  ghost hovering beside the door — “and check out that nursery?”
   
  “Sounds like a plan,” Lance replied.  “C’mon, Marvin.”  The broken 
  ghost trailed slightly behind Sorcha as she and Angela followed Lance up 
  the stairs.  Sorcha couldn’t help but shiver.  “I’m one of the only wild 
  ghosts at T&S,”  she thought.  “Marvin’s like all the others, he’s here 
  as cannon fodder.  Why are they letting me run around unbroken?”  She 
  wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
   
  “Management didn’t say much, as usual,” said Lance, as they slowly 
  worked their way down the blue-lit hallway, peeking behind doors and 
  into deserted rooms.  “I gather that a little kid vanished after some 
  Poltergeist-type activity, and the cops found blood.  Now his parents want 
  
  to know if the Boogeyman really did get him.
   
  “Sounds like someone trying to cover up foul play to me,” said 
  Sorcha, pausing for a moment to examine a painting.  “And they can 
  afford it, this is a Goya original.”
   
  “Well, they’re in for a surprise if we find little Cindy’s ghost 
  lingering here,” Lance replied, stopping in front of the door at the end 
  of the hall.  “I’m not helping anyone hide a child murder, no matter how 
  much T&S is getting paid.  Angie, you’re in the meat, can you get the 
  door?  The rest of us might need our juice on the other side.”
   
  Angela slowly pushed the door open; Sorcha concentrated a moment, 
  summoning the ghostly echo of her old sculptor’s knife, before following 
  her and Lance into the nursery.  The room beyond looked like the subject 
  of a localized tornado.  A shattered child’s bed and the mangled remains 
  of an armchair lay against the far wall, and the glass in the room’s 
  two windows was riven with tiny cracks.  The teddy bear wallpaper was 
  badly torn, and dark stains marred the creamy beige carpet.  Scattered 
  throughout the room were the fragments of a table and a trunk, a tangled 
  mobile, and perhaps two dozen dolls and stuffed animals, their eyes 
  glittering oddly in the blue light from the Kirlian camera.  Angela 
  flicked the light switch; the bare bulb in the ceiling flared for a 
  moment before dying with a low pop. 
   
  “What do you make of all this?” said Angela, prodding at the broken 
  bed as the investigators spread out.  Marvin, like most broken ghosts 
  without instructions, simply stood in place, staring blankly at the wall.  
  Sorcha’s eyes panned the floor, looking for any patterns or oddities in 
  the debris. Lance made a slow circuit of the room, and sighed.
   
  “I don’t know,” he said.  “I’m not seeing anything yet, but I don’t 
  like the feel of this place. Whatever happened, this is where it went 
  down.”
   
  “Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn around.”
   
  Lance, Sorcha, and Angela froze, and turned toward the unexpected 
  voice.  Marvin, still staring at the wall, was swaying slowly back and 
  forth, and singing to himself.  It was the first time he had spoken.
   
  “Marvin, what are you doing?” said Sorcha.  “Stop that. You’re giving 
  me the creeps.”
   
  The ghost ignored her.
   
  “Teddy bear, teddy bear, touch the ground...”
   
  “Who knows why the scatterbrains do what they do?” said Angela. 
  “Ignore him.” But there was a nervous edge to her voice.
   
  Lance, who had torn his gaze from Marvin and was examining the 
  
  gouges in the wall, held up his hand.  “Everybody shut up a sec.  Do you 
  hear something out in the hall?”
   
  The others fell silent. There was a definite creak of slow footsteps 
  from the vicinity of the stairwell.
   
  “Teddy bear, teddy bear, up the stairs...”
   
  “It’s probably just the Norms,” said Sorcha.  “Right, Lance?”  She 
  peered out into the hallway, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. 
  Somehow, that wasn’t reassuring. 
   
  “I told the rest of the team to stay downstairs till we gave them 
  the all-clear,” said Lance.  His voice settled into the clipped tones of 
  command.  “Angie, get on your walkie-talkie and...”
   
  “Teddy bear, teddy bear, say your prayers,” Marvin sang, and Sorcha 
  felt a shiver that had nothing at all to do with cold.  Beneath her feet, 
  the floorboard began to creak, and then to tremble.
   
  “Lance,” she said, “I think we need to get out of here. Right now.”
   
  A skewed picture fell to the floor as the shaking intensified. 
  Angela braced herself against the wall of the nursery with one hand, 
  and drew her ghostshot pistol with the other.  The lights flickered, and 
  Sorcha had to concentrate to keep from instinctively falling through 
  the wall as the floor lurched beneath her.  Lance staggered, but kept 
  his feet.  “Abort mission!” he shouted over the splintering of tortured 
  floorboards.  “Let’s get back down while we can. Come on!”
   
  Marvin turned from the wall, his eyes glazed over, oblivious to the 
  chaos around him. “Teddy bear, teddy bear, turn out the light...”
   
  The blue lights burst in their sockets, plunging the room into 
  darkness.  Downstairs, someone screamed, and the report of gunfire 
  followed.  The floorboards buckled beneath the carpet, their jagged ends 
  tearing through.  As one, the investigators leapt for the door and it 
  slammed in Angela’s all-too-solid face.  She rattled the knob, and pounded 
  helplessly on the scarred wood.  “It’s not budging! Lance, Sorcha, go 
  incorporeal, get out of here!”
   
  Abruptly, the tremors ceased.  The sound of groaning wood was 
  replaced by a low rustling of fabric and then light was restored, from 
  dozens of tiny red points all over the nursery.  The dolls and toys on 
  the floor sat up, their glassy eyes glowing crimson in the dark.  A score 
  of tiny, malevolent voices echoed Marvin’s words.
   
  “Teddy bear, teddy bear, say goodnight.”
  
  THE WORLD OF 
  TERREL and SQUIB
  Who are the 
  Characters?
   
   
  What is a hero?
   
  This is the question that every Terrel & Squib 
  operative has to confront at some point in their stint with 
  the company, should they live long enough.  Everyone 
  envisions themselves as the hero and protagonist of 
  their own life story, and in the Orpheus
  TM game they are 
  given more than adequate opportunity to play the part 
  of the white knight.  Battling against Spectres, helping 
  lost ghosts find transcendence — it’s all part of the job. 
  When you’re fighting the hordes of Oblivion, it’s easy 
  for Orpheus Group employees take for granted that 
  they’re on the right side.
   
  It isn’t so easy for those from Terrel & Squib.  The 
  people on the inside know that T&S is amoral at best, 
  and actively malicious at its worst.  Their woes are far 
  more serious than the occasional corporate scandal that 
  Orpheus Group has to deal with.  T&S agents cope with 
  endemic drug addiction, the horrors taking place behind 
  ghostbreaking, a web of company policies, and officials 
  that don’t care a whit about the safety of their agents. 
  Despite having the deck stacked against them, those 
  same operatives still want to be heroes; they do Terrel 
  & Squib’s hard legwork, and want to be able to think 
  of themselves as good people because of it.  But when 
  they’re confronted with the fact that the company they’ve 
  bound themselves to is a tool of the forces they’re trying 
  to fight, they have to take a long, hard look at the true 
  nature of heroism.  
   
  Is heroism thwarting every wrong that they find, or 
  is it riding along a wave of sins in order to keep their 
  heads above water?  Can you still try and contribute to 
  the greater good that may (or may not) be out there when 
  your weekly paycheck comes from your worst enemy?
   
  You see the dilemma.  Most of the employees at 
  Terrel & Squib are well-meaning, “normal” people (in 
  the off-beat sense that any character in an Orpheus
  TM 
  game is “normal”), but ultimately their successes 
  contribute to the victory of malice and evil in the world. 
  Very few ever come to understand the extent to which 
  this is true, but anyone who has worked with a Broken 
  Ghost or watched a fellow Arc-Light projector shooting 
  up obsessively in the locker room knows, if even just 
  instinctively, that this is a bad situation.  This is a bad 
  company.  No matter what you do, though, you can’t get 
  away.
   
  Characters don’t need to be amoral to join Terrel & 
  Squib.  It may seem, at first, to be a lucrative enterprise. 
  The pay is fantastic, the security is tight, the organiza-
  tion is large and well-respected, and there’s plenty of 
  opportunity for travel and rubbing shoulders with the 
  rich and famous.  Whether they were recruited fresh out 
  of the hospital or they come to the company of their own 
  volition (perhaps as former Orpheus Group employees 
  after Crusade of Ashes), working with Terrel & Squib 
  looks like a damn good career choice.  Once they’re 
  in, though, the tune changes.  Highly addictive drugs 
  are pushed on agents by their superiors, and they’ll 
  be keeping company with psychologically shattered, 
  enslaved ghosts long before they’ll be rubbing shoulders 
  with any sort of upper crust.
   
  So who is the hero?  
   
  Is it the student idealist who immediately tries to 
  break down the slave pens and free the broken ghosts? 
  Is it the veteran who has learned to accept it all, telling 
  herself that this is still the best way to fight the good 
  fight?  Is it the sobbing agent shooting Eidolon or 
  pigment like a maniac every time he projects, knowing 
  that there’s no other way?
   
  In a Terrel & Squib chronicle, this is the stuff of 
  heroes.
  What do the 
  Characters Do?
   
  The characters in a Terrel & Squib chronicle are, 
  like those in any Orpheus
  TM game, projectors, and for 
  the most part they fill roles similar to those they would 
  in the Orpheus Group.  They investigate paranormal 
  activity, fumigate angry ghosts and malicious Spectres, 
  and receive a hefty paycheck at the end of the week.
   
  The similarities end there.
   
  Terrel & Squib pictures itself as a more scientifi-
  cally credible company, unlike its main competitors.  As 
  such, T&S relies more on non-projectors and high-tech 
  equipment than they do on payroll spooks.  Orpheus 
  might send a cameraman or a driver with its projectors 
  on an assignment; while each Terrel & Squib operation is 
  like a major military deployment, with the black MCUs 
  rolling out with the lights flashing and well-armed agents 
  deploying.
   
  Characters in a T&S chronicle are almost never 
  given a full briefing on an operation: the extensive intel-
  ligence-gathering that Orpheus Group engages in is 
  eschewed by T&S as being too invasive to the privacy 
  of the client.  Terrel & Squib agents are typically better 
  armed than their Orpheus counterparts, however, and 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  65
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  more readily equipped with Kirlian goggles, ghostshot 
  weapons and very rarely, parasynthetic implants that let 
  them interact with the dead in frightening ways.  Also, 
  because Terrel & Squib has no sleeper technology, they 
  rely heavily on Arc-Lights and Broken Ghosts to make 
  sure that every job is covered on the supernatural front.
   
  There are plenty of variations on the T&S theme that 
  you can use in your chronicle.  Terrel & Squib, Inc. is 
  a big company, and the formal Investigations branch is 
  just one subsidiary of one division beneath the umbrella 
  company.
   
  Chronicles in which the players portray members of 
  Terrel & Squib’s elite Internal Security Force, or play 
  special agents attached to the dark Pharmaceuticals 
  department, offer compelling possibilities.  More details 
  on the various departments of T&S are found in the 
  “Inside Terrel & Squib” section, complete with chronicle 
  ideas.
   
  Same Old, Same Old
   
  Just because all of these options for running a 
  Terrel & Squib campaign suddenly appear doesn’t 
  mean you have to drop your current game for a change 
  in perspective.  T&S was designed as an antagonist in 
  the Orpheus
  TM storyline, and while we presented some 
  options for playing in the meaner atmosphere that T&S 
  naturally evokes, that doesn’t change the fact that they 
  make great villains.  The company has it all: drugs, lies, 
  scandal, torture, even modern-day slavery, all wrapped 
  up in a shiny platinum-card packaging that appeals to 
  the big-money clientele.
   
  Throughout this sourcebook, we make no assump-
  tions about how you’re going to use Terrel & Squib in 
  your game.  The options and tools we present here that 
  make the company fun and approachable for players can 
  just as easily be turned into the weapons of the enemy. 
  You, as the Storyteller, have a free hand in implementing 
  this amoral projecting company into your game.  So get 
  to it!
   
  If you’re planning on using Terrel & Squib as the 
  bad guy in your chronicle, then forget everything about 
  the characters you’ve already read in this chapter.  Terrel 
  & Squib is about power, and it’s about fear.  Fractures 
  may exist within the company, but it is the tool of a 
  Spectre.  Therefore, T&S has the power to insinuate 
  itself anywhere it wants, from corporate boardrooms to 
  the Spectre Hive-Mind.  
   
  The company is in the business of ruining lives: much 
  of its money comes from shadow accounts filled through 
  the international pigment trade.  Its Investigations 
  division, while genuine and well-equipped, would much 
  66
  
  sooner fake a haunting with trained ghosts and high-tech 
  equipment than have to deal with the real thing.  While 
  many of the field-level personnel are good people, the 
  T&S upper management and board of directors are shot 
  through with corruption and greed to the core. Those 
  not pursuing sheer profit are in pursuit of other personal 
  agendas.  
   
  These power players keep both of the company’s 
  hands in motion, one seemingly aimed at furthering the 
  public good, while the other commands the pigment 
  trade and locks more souls into the afterlife as Spectre 
  fodder.  This is the paradox that defines the management 
  behind Terrel & Squib Incorporated.
   
  Between the Orpheus
  TM corebook and the Shades of 
  Gray supplement, a fair amount has already been written 
  on how to play Terrel & Squib as an antagonist, overtly 
  or secretly, and much of that doesn’t bear repeating.  
   
  You know how they operate — large, flashy 
  missions, little intelligence gathering, lots of casualties 
  and turnover.  You know that they use psychologically 
  “broken” ghosts as cannon fodder in the field, and you 
  also know that they’ve developed the most effective 
  technologies for interacting with the hereafter.  If you 
  have these books, then you already have everything you 
  need to run Terrel & Squib in your Orpheus
  TM game.  Use 
  this book for inspiration, as a source of material and 
  hopefully, to obtain a better understanding of how and 
  why the company operates in the ways that it does.  
   
  T&S isn’t wholly evil, after all.  There are still good 
  people on the inside that carry out nefarious plans for 
  what they still feel are good reasons.
  RUNNING A TERREL 
  and SQUIB STORY
  Themes
   
  The themes of a Terrel & Squib chronicle differ 
  somewhat from those that you would find in a more 
  orthodox Orpheus
  TM game.  This is a reflection partially 
  of the companies’ wildly different operating procedures, 
  and partially of the darker, grittier feelings that working 
  for a corrupt and largely amoral company are sure to 
  invoke.
  • Fear to Tread: Terrel & Squib ruthlessly attempts 
  to record, analyze, assess, and quantify occurrences 
  that science is neither designed nor equipped to fully 
  understand.  Their scientists and parapsychologists 
  attach labels to every entity they encounter, as though 
  in naming them they will somehow master them, much 
  like the Biblical Adam.  Consequently, though, what 
  the techies cannot explain has much reason to be feared 
  — dreaded, even.  
   
  If mankind cannot know its enemies, then what can 
  it know?  
   
  The unknown, the unseen, and the unquantifiable 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  67
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  hold special terror for those who claim to have all the 
  right answers.  Perhaps even more frightening to Terrel 
  & Squib, Inc. is the growing realization that the positive 
  validation they chase is as illusive as a Phantasm’s webs, 
  and that the only Grand Unifying Theory for the super-
  natural is the one that they have deluded themselves into 
  believing.
  • Rage Against the Machine: Human beings have 
  convinced themselves that technology exists solely to 
  obey our commands, and that it functions so that we 
  can lead easier, faster, better lives.  The spirit realms, 
  however, don’t operate on those principles.  The 
  hereafter is a manifestation of the raw, primal essence 
  of humanity.  There is no “substance” in the afterlife 
  — only bodies and materials given shape and definition 
  by the intense passions that humans assign to them.  And 
  this is the spiritual wildland that Terrel & Squib seeks to 
  tame with its tools and machinery.
   
  What they haven’t realized, though, is that the scien-
  tists in their labs are ultimately little different than a 
  chimpanzee holding a stick and scraping the grass with 
  it.  They can never fully comprehending the thin pane 
  of glass that separates it from curious zoo-goers.  They 
  have learned to manipulate their environment, but their 
  achievements in doing so are dwarfed by the irrelevance 
  of it all when the greater truths are unveiled.
   
  Technology has entrapped Terrel & Squib, and this 
  plays out from the high-level research surrounding 
  Project: Covenant to the poor field operative whose 
  Kirlian goggles short out during a Spectral firefight. 
  Technology is a trump card, but it is limited by the fact 
  that you can’t take it with you.  Man has come to rely 
  upon technology, but that technology only treats them 
  to a devastating surprise: that the afterlife is ruled by 
  passions, not programs.  Attempts to tame the hereafter 
  are doomed to self-destruct; the spirit cannot be shackled 
  by electrical fields and mathematical theories for longer 
  than it wants.
  • Star Fuckers: Terrel & Squib caters to the rich.  It has 
  expenses to meet, and the massive, impressive perfor-
  mances that give “credibility” to big-shot Terrel & Squib 
  deployments aren’t cheap, so they can’t afford to do 
  charity work (except where tax credits are involved).    
   
  T&S offers a comprehensive ghostbusting “package” 
  and a guaranteed no-questions-asked policy that entices 
  the rich and discreet to partake.  Due to the nature of the 
  regular clientele, agents are often an arm’s length away 
  from the world’s elite, the fickle upper crust of society 
  whose mood swings shape our culture.  The company 
  knows that it never hurts to have friends in the highest of 
  places.
   
  Interacting with the elite has had a number of 
  unexpected side-effects.  Particularly adept T&S agents 
  have occasionally been “adopted” into the inner social 
  circles of select clients, garnering a little bit of fame for 
  themselves.  While many T&S chronicles are fought out 
  in the street, sometimes more sophistication is required. 
  Identifying a possessed individual at a dinner party calls 
  for social skills and discretion, not black helicopters and 
  ghostshot ammunition.  Terrel & Squib, after all, guaran-
  tees satisfaction, no matter the situation.
  • Camaraderie: Although no one knows that the 
  company is being run by an actual Spectre, many Terrel 
  & Squib agents often feel as though it is.  The company’s 
  operating procedures are dangerous, and border on 
  inhumane.  Intelligence capabilities are virtually nonex-
  istent.  Broken Ghosts are treated as nothing more than 
  disposable property, and many agents fight a day-in, 
  day-out battle with company-sponsored drug addiction.   
   
  The world of the T&S operative is a bleak, dark 
  place, and the mortality rate is close to four times that of 
  the Orpheus Group.  It’s little wonder that most opera-
  tives are so bitterly estranged from the evil, abstract 
  entity that is “Management.”  The peculiar camaraderie 
  that has developed is also to be expected; no matter how 
  deep their differences, field agents for T&S inevitably 
  feel that they have more in common with one another 
  than with the corporate brass.
   
  Terrel & Squib is more than a bad job.  It hires a 
  lot of individuals who have a lot to lose if they leave 
  the company.  Many of their best agents, after all, are 
  addicted to Eidolon.  Like soldiers drafted into a war, 
  they have a hard time simply walking away from their 
  positions.  And like soldiers, T&S operatives ultimately 
  do not work or fight for king or country — they fight for 
  one another.
  • Vietnam: The inspiration for much of the material 
  that went into this sourcebook came from the Vietnam 
  War.  Low-flying black helicopters, pervasive drug use, 
  activist protests, combat patrols, and the “us vs. them” 
  mentality of the agents in the thick of it all hearken 
  back to America’s lost war and the times in which it was 
  fought.  The world has changed since then, but in many 
  ways it has stayed the same, and there are many who 
  never left Vietnam behind.
   
  The plight of the average T&S agent battling against 
  Spectres is not entirely unlike that of the U.S. conscript 
  stomping through the jungle mist hunting down Charlie. 
  Both are knee-deep in situations that neither of them 
  fully understand, and trapped in a set of circumstances 
  that both would happily get out of... if they could.  They 
  can’t though, and that same invisible coercion that 
  trapped an entire generation of Americans is now at 
  work pinning Terrel & Squib field operatives to their 
  68
  
  duties.  Using this theme in a chronicle can be highly 
  rewarding, but it’s best done subtly.  Don’t have the 
  players run into a grizzled Vietnam ‘vet named “Cliff” 
  every three blocks, but use some of the popular imagery 
  of the times (helicopters, peace symbols, demonstrators 
  outside a T&S facility, etc.) to create the atmosphere that 
  you want.  It’s all the more rewarding when the players 
  don’t fully realize why their overall situation seems 
  hauntingly familiar.
  Types of Stories
   
  Here is a short selection of stories that one can easily 
  work around the established themes of a Terrel & Squib 
  chronicle.
  • Investigations: Bug-hunts, fumigation, data retrieval, 
  wetworks... Terrel & Squib offers all the same para-
  normal services as the Orpheus Group, except that they 
  charge much higher prices and cater only to those for 
  whom such money is within easy reach.  T&S also has 
  a strict “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with its clients, and 
  their privacy and concerns are valued above everything 
  else (including the lives of operatives, it seems).  If the 
  client wants a small, discreet, highly-capable team to 
  come in and clear out a ghost in the middle of a soiree, 
  that’s easily done, for a price: “standard” operating 
  procedure involves more flashing lights and, to be 
  honest, fraud.  Each operation conducted by T&S can 
  make an excellent story, either stand-alone or as a larger 
  part of the chronicle. 
  • Pigment Barons: Terrel & Squib is chin-deep in the 
  pigment trade; they pay plantation owners in Turkey 
  and Myanmar to grow the plant, then arrange for it to 
  be smuggled into the country and processed in their 
  licensed, fully legitimate pharmaceutical plants.  The 
  finished product is re-distributed through middlemen 
  and dealers, most of who don’t even know where the 
  stuff is coming from.  Occasionally, though, deals go 
  sour, middlemen find out more than they ought to, or the 
  DEA starts sniffing around the wrong alleyway.  T&S 
  often needs enforcers, and it has two distinct paramili-
  tary bodies (Investigations and Internal Security) at its 
  disposal.  If necessary, T&S has the muscle to make 
  sure that the dice always fall the way they want them to. 
  These stories about drugs, crime, and fast money are the 
  darkest side of Terrel & Squib.
  • Activism Gone Bad: It’s inevitable that word is going 
  to leak out of some of Terrel & Squib’s more unscrupu-
  lous operating practices.  The drugs, the ghostbreaking, 
  the violence... in these days of grassroots activism and 
  multinational corporations arranging protests against 
  other multinational corporations, T&S is quickly going 
  to come under fire from the public.  And occasionally 
  things get nasty.  Crowds whipped into a frenzy (By a 
  charismatic leader?  By peer pressure?  By ghosts?) may 
  try to storm a heavily-guarded facility, and the rubber 
  bullets start flying.  Or some of their more daring people 
  try to scale a T&S building to hang banners, paint graffiti, 
  or commit some act of sabotage.  Terrel & Squib values 
  its public image, and most of its elite clientele aren’t 
  going to be scared away by vulgar crowds of students 
  and hippies crying for “Dead Rights Now.”  But this still 
  isn’t the kind of publicity it needs, and the company will 
  go to great lengths to resolve this problem.
  • Broken Ghosts: Discovering and dealing with the 
  psychologically broken ghosts that Terrel & Squib has 
  enslaved can be a major part of a chronicle.  It presents 
  a moral conundrum, and the answers are not readily 
  available.  T&S claims to be making the hereafter a 
  better place for all souls, and anyone who’s ever watched 
  a friend being eaten by a Spectre knows that there are 
  real threats out there... but does that justify the use of 
  slaves as cannon fodder?  They may seem mindless and 
  timid, but they’re still people... right?  Do the players try 
  to befriend them, or do they go against the company and 
  try to “rescue” them?  Or do they treat them as dispos-
  able one-shot weapons to throw at the Spectres when 
  their asses are on the line?  Also, how do the few “wild” 
  ghosts that T&S has on its payroll (those too valuable or 
  powerful to break) approach the Gordian knot of ghost-
  breaking?  How the characters handle this particular 
  aspect of Terrel & Squib may well color their opinion of 
  the entire company... as well it should.
  • Junkies: Eidolon isn’t just the drug of choice at Terrel 
  & Squib, it’s the drug of job security.  Arc-Lights may 
  not need it to project anymore, but they crave it inces-
  santly.  Norms (non-projectors) need to keep it handy so 
  that they can still see the other side when their Kirlian 
  goggles short-circuit in the middle of a fight.  
   
  Not surprisingly, the company sponsors this 
  corporate regime of drug addiction like nothing else, 
  using it to make sure that employees stay in their place, 
  and distributing it or withholding it based upon perfor-
  mance in the field... and in the office.  Only a rare few 
  T&S field operatives and investigators aren’t severe 
  Eidolon addicts, and the miasma of misery and chilling 
  dependence created by the drug amongst the rank-and-
  file is a story unto itself.  Moreover, like the pigment it is 
  a derivative of, Eidolon “stains” the souls of those who 
  use it regularly, leading to a very large number of hues in 
  the service of Terrel & Squib.
  • Spectres: Terrel & Squib may be run by a Spectre, but 
  very few people know that... including the Spectres.   
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  69
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
   
  Lionel Squib/Malevoy might be able to summon its 
  own personal Spectre enforcers to hunt down fugitive 
  agents, but to the T&S employee in the field, a Spectre 
  is target practice at best and a death sentence at worst. 
  Like members of every other projecting firm, they find 
  that Spectres present the single greatest threat to life and 
  limb, and they treat them accordingly.  
   
  “Fumigate on sight” is a common order when 
  it comes to Spectres, and there are T&S teams that 
  regularly go on combat patrols through known Spectre-
  infested neighborhoods in order to get some hard data or 
  bring down a few of the monsters before retreating.  As 
  time goes on, the Spectral threat becomes ever greater, 
  and Terrel & Squib thinks that it’s ready for anything.
  Inside Terrel 
  and Squib
   
  Terrel & Squib follows a decentralized corporate 
  system of organization.  The umbrella company is Terrel 
  & Squib Incorporated, headed by John Terrel and Lionel 
  Squib.  Beneath that, there are many significant sub-
  divisions and departments, including Pharmaceuticals, 
  Investigations / Operations, and Internal Security.   
   
  Although John and Lionel hold supreme executive 
  authority over their company, T&S has demonstrated a 
  great deal of corporate fractiousness, most likely due to 
  its decentralized nature (although Squib seems to endorse 
  the cutthroat inter-company politics).  
   
  Presented here are the three most important divisions 
  of Terrel & Squib — importance being based upon 
  how critical they are to the continuing plot.  There are, 
  of course, other departments: Engineering, Finance, 
  Marketing, and a number of other smaller support depart-
  ments such as Health Sciences.  The three detailed here, 
  however, are the most likely to play a central role in any 
  Terrel & Squib chronicle.
  INVESTIGATIONS
   
   
  The Investigations/Operations department is Terrel & 
  Squib’s fierce venture into the paranormal investigations 
  industry.  They’ve brought with them a veneer of respect-
  ability and scientific credibility that the Orpheus Group 
  sometimes lacked and that NextWorld never bothered 
  aspiring to in the first place.  Investigations is respon-
  sible for marketing, receiving clientele, and conducting 
  operations in the field.  This is where the bulk of T&S 
  projectors and field personnel are committed.
   
  At a glance, Investigations is a hodgepodge depart-
  ment marked by its dependence upon other divisions of 
  the company.  It requires Eidolon from Pharmaceuticals, 
  high-tech equipment from Paranormal Research, gear 
  from Engineering, and trained ghostbreakers from the 
  Parapsychology department.  In return, though, it has 
  turned Terrel & Squib into a household name across the 
  United States.
   
  The Investigations department parallels the Orpheus 
  Group’s practices: it receives a contract related to a 
  haunting or other phenomenon, sends in agents, deals 
  with the problem, and gets paid (although the payment is 
  usually in advance).  Their prices are exorbitant, usually 
  hovering around the half-million mark per job, although 
  they’ve been known to make exceptions and bring down 
  the price a little.  As previously mentioned, T&S assumes 
  that the customer is always right, and will go to great, 
  impressive lengths to fabricate a haunting if one is not 
  actually present.  They deploy quickly and without much 
  in the way of intelligence-gathering as a prelude, arrive 
  in force, and do what has to be done in order to leave the 
  client as dazzled as possible.
   
  A sizable paramilitary force is maintained by the 
  Investigations department, composed mostly of Norm 
  operatives (“bluelegs”), but also including the vast 
  majority of projectors and almost all the ghosts working 
  for (or enslaved by) T&S.  By pulling some significant 
  financial strings with the government, Terrel & Squib 
  has managed to secure limited on-duty firearms licenses 
  for all Investigations personnel, although the company 
  liberally greases palms so that the authorities look away 
  when a squad comes in packing SMGs.  It’s all about 
  who you know, and Terrel & Squib knows all the right 
  people.  While the Orpheus Group would cater to just 
  about anyone with fifty bucks and a spook problem, 
  T&S goes for the big-money names and contracts.
   
  There’s an underlying tragedy to the Investigations 
  department that isn’t readily apparent to anyone.  Dr. 
  Squib (aka Malevoy the Reaper) doesn’t particularly 
  value its Investigations division; it sees it as a cover for 
  pigment production, a source of supplementary cash, 
  and, if absolutely necessary, as an unreliable private 
  army.  In fact, Squib fears the Investigations department 
  more than any of the others under his control, because 
  field operatives have the best chance of correctly 
  guessing that their boss is, in fact, a servant of Oblivion. 
  As such, Squib actively works to keep the projectors 
  and ghosts oppressed, supporting drug addiction and 
  ghost breaking, and eventually contracting NextWorld to 
  attack the Investigations division shortly after the attack 
  on Orpheus Group (see Crusade of Ashes).
   
  Leadership: The Head of Operations is a man 
  named Lincoln Del Cote (see page 122), a capable-but-
  malleable manager who doubles as a strategist, propa-
  gandist, and stage performer.  His obsession with how 
  70
  
  the company (and his department) looks in the public 
  eye is one of his defining features, and dominates his 
  management of his little piece of Terrel & Squib.  
   
  Rivals: As previously mentioned, Internal Security 
  and Investigations personnel don’t get along very well. 
  Apart from that, Investigations is so reliant upon the 
  good will of other departments that they can’t afford to 
  alienate many people, and generally remains on its best 
  behavior.
   
  Chronicle Ideas: Terrel & Squib Investigations is 
  the default organization for T&S chronicles.  It bears 
  at least passing resemblance to the Orpheus Group, 
  so players and Storytellers already familiar with the 
  Orpheus
  TM game are at least on semi-familiar ground.  
   
  You know the drill: the players are special investi-
  gators working for Terrel & Squib, they hunt ghosts, do 
  research, and tackle the occasional discreet black-bag 
  job.  Of course, the game quickly takes on different 
  themes from Orpheus
  TM, as the players in your T&S 
  stories battle drug addiction, a distant and uncaring 
  Management that makes them work for their fixes, 
  and the moral conundrum of the broken ghosts.  Their 
  missions also take them to high-profile areas, from the 
  manors of the rich and famous to corporate estates trans-
  formed into Spectre Hives.
  INTERNAL SECURITY
   
  Internal Security is a cross-company department 
  charged with maintaining the integrity, privacy, and 
  security of all Terrel & Squib facilities.  As the company 
  prizes its privacy and confidentiality (as well it should), 
  it has made a substantial investment in a top-notch 
  dedicated security force that ensures its privacy.  They 
  are the security guards, clean-up crews and enforce-
  ment agents, and when a particularly dangerous situation 
  arises, they can serve as Terrel & Squib’s reserve army.
   
  Those in the Internal Security department are highly 
  professional and, unlike the Operations staff, entirely 
  no-nonsense.  They aren’t trying to impress clients, 
  because the clients are never supposed to see anything 
  that they’re guarding... and if they do, that’s just another 
  problem that needs to be taken care of and swept up.
   
  Most Security personnel are Norms, many with 
  military or police training, but the department also 
  counts a number of Arc-Light projectors on its payroll 
  for dealing with threats to the company from the 
  hereafter.  It does not, to the best of anyone’s knowledge, 
  employ ghosts, broken or otherwise.  All T&S Internal 
  Security agents are cleared for firearms licenses and for 
  packing within T&S facilities, and most have concealed 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  71
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  weapon permits for the states they are working in (T&S 
  employees can obtain these permits in any states except 
  Nebraska, Kansas, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Maryland).
   
  It’s a dangerous world and a messy job, however, so 
  Internal Security can’t afford to be entirely reactionary. 
  They guard T&S facilities, but they also have agents 
  and projectors who are trained to take the fight back to 
  those who would threaten the company.  They have their 
  own long knives with which to hunt down rogue agents, 
  defectors, and loud-mouthed pigment dealers.  When 
  Grace Ishida leaves the company in Shades of Gray, for 
  example, it’s T&S Internal Security agents who hunt her 
  down.  While this function should technically fall under 
  the auspices of the Operations department, Internal 
  Security jealously guards this particular responsibility.  
   
  Leadership: Arthur Barclay (see page 120) heads 
  Internal Security and has gone to great lengths to 
  solidify his position and the place of his department in 
  the corporate hierarchy.  He steers this particular ship 
  with an easy hand, trusting those below him to carry 
  out their assignments, and delegating a great deal of 
  authority within his department.  While he isn’t the 
  world’s greatest strategist, Barclay is a clever manager 
  and plays the political games at T&S well.
   
  Rivals: The most bitter rivalry within Terrel & 
  Squib is that which exists between Internal Security 
  and Operations.  Security personnel see the field opera-
  tives as gaudy high-tech showmen and frauds, while 
  Operations people generally treat Internal Security as 
  though they were common Rent-a-Cop style security 
  guards.  This rivalry mainly results in regular scuffles 
  and “friendly” fistfights in the local bars, but can turn 
  dangerous when the two departments try to outmaneuver 
  one another for the allocation of resources.  Operatives 
  from these two rival sections generally don’t cooperate 
  with one another, even when it would be in their best 
  interests to do so.
   
  Internal Security maintains a close working rela-
  tionship with both the Paranormal Research and the 
  Pharmaceuticals department... especially the latter, since 
  tight security is needed to cover up many of their illicit 
  activities.
   
  Chronicle Ideas: Internal Security chronicles can 
  offer a change of pace from the more orthodox para-
  normal investigations chronicle, as the focus shifts to 
  defending T&S’s vital interests rather than poking around 
  haunted mansions for money.  Although Internal Security 
  deals with the supernatural less than the Operations 
  department does, those threats that it faces are likely to 
  be far more malicious and of a more immediate danger 
  to the company.  Corporate espionage, nosy media 
  hounds, self-righteous Orpheus Group agents... Internal 
  Security has to be able to respond to almost any situation 
  with a variable amount of force, depending on what 
  Management deems to be appropriate.  You can blow 
  a snooping Spectre back to Oblivion, but try that on a 
  local reporter hanging around a re-education facility and 
  there’s going to be hell to pay.
  PHARMACEUTICALS
   
  Terrel & Squib began as a pharmaceutical company, 
  and though it has radically changed direction from those 
  early days, pharmaceuticals remain a critical part of the 
  company’s continuing success, accounting for more than 
  half of the annual net profits.
   
  Of course, the legitimate, over-the-counter drugs still 
  developed by Terrel & Squib bring in less than a quarter 
  of these profits.  The real money comes from pigment.
   
  Although much of T&S’s pharmaceutical produc-
  tion capability was liquidated to help finance the initial 
  start-up of the Investigations subsidiary, it has since 
  that time been rebuilt... and then some.  Terrel & Squib 
  Pharmaceuticals has become a highly profitable subsid-
  iary of the parent corporation, mostly because of its 
  cornerstone involvement with the pigment trade.  The 
  plant from which pigment is derived, Kakos stromithi-
  carum, is grown for T&S in the favorable climates of 
  Turkey and Myanmar.  It is then imported and smuggled 
  into the United States, where it is processed into the 
  final product at Terrel & Squib Pharmaceuticals facili-
  ties.  After that, it is distributed onto the streets.
   
  Agents of the Pharmaceuticals division handle this 
  entire process in a quiet, professional, tidy manner. 
  Production of pigment is decentralized and scattered 
  across several separate, isolated facilities so that even 
  those employees who are intimately involved with its 
  creation have no idea what it is they’re making (although 
  some have their suspicions).  While the DEA hunts for 
  pigment trafficking on the Mexican border, unfinished 
  pigment is being shuttled between T&S facilities right 
  under their noses in large, boldly marked company 
  trucks.  It’s also the people in Pharmaceuticals who deal 
  with the distributors on the street.
   
  Pharmaceuticals maintains a few choice operatives, 
  at least one of whom is an especially strong projector, 
  for doing its dirty work, but for the most part relies upon 
  Internal Security to keep its activities under wraps.
   
  Leadership: Rayna Almonte (see page 124) runs the 
  Pharmaceuticals division of Terrel & Squib as the official 
  Assistant-in-Charge to Dr. Squib.  She has a keen mind 
  for marketing — both legal and illegal — and knows as 
  much or more about T&S’s involvement with pigment as 
  anyone else in the company.  Almonte does a great deal 
  72
  
  of the dirty work herself, frequently flying to Turkey to 
  oversee the pigment fields in person, and has met face-
  to-face with representatives of pigment cults and at least 
  one Flatliner.
   
  Rivals: The Pharmaceuticals division of T&S 
  is important enough that Squib doesn’t allow much 
  in the way of intra-company maneuvering to touch 
  it.  It’s also surprisingly self-sufficient, needing little 
  from Paranormal Research and nothing from the 
  Investigations division.  In fact, Rayna Almonte has 
  created quite a network of dependence upon her depart-
  ment, as Pharmaceuticals creates both pigment and the 
  Eidolon derivative that allows T&S Arc-Light projectors 
  to function.
   
  Chronicle Ideas: Playing a chronicle focused upon 
  the Pharmaceuticals aspect of Terrel & Squib can be 
  difficult, but highly rewarding.  Play to the paranoia, 
  secrecy, and multiple dead-ends that anyone trying to 
  investigate the pigment production line is going to inevi-
  tably face.  Characters can represent the handful of field 
  operatives that Rayna Almonte keeps on hand to handle 
  jobs she can’t do herself, or agents from another branch 
  of the company who have become suspicious as to what 
  Pharmaceuticals is really up to.  
   
  Chronicles based around the Pharmaceuticals depart-
  ment will almost inevitably become tied up in the world 
  of drugs, sex, and violence that the T&S big boys play 
  in to get the job done.  Almonte’s department is made 
  up of shady people, none of whom (except her) know 
  everything but all of whom are threads in Malevoy’s 
  greater pigment tapestry, and getting to the heart of their 
  scheme can be a chronicle in itself.  At the core, the 
  Pharmaceuticals department is much of the reason why 
  Terrel & Squib is as fucked up as it is.  The revelation of 
  this fact to the players can make or break the company in 
  their eyes.
  Terrel and Squib 
  Facilities
   
  Something that always makes it into the financial 
  magazines is that Terrel & Squib Incorporated, a big 
  capital-generating venture corporation, has chosen 
  to decentralize its facilities rather than consolidating 
  in order to save money.  Rather than one large central 
  operations hub, T&S has dispersed its resources across 
  North America — and Europe, to a lesser degree —
  making it a pet favorite of politicians who enjoy having 
  a piece of a headline industry in their state or city.  The 
  Pharmaceuticals subsidiary of Terrel & Squib is particu-
  larly decentralized, although Investigations detachments 
  of varying size exist in most major U.S. and Canadian 
  cities by the time Shades of Gray strikes down the 
  company.  This decentralization allows for a broader 
  client base for Investigations, and ensures a greater 
  measure of security for the Pharmaceuticals division. 
  Presented here is a short list of “typical” Terrel & Squib 
  facilities that can be found in many cities.
  • Headquarters: While T&S remains highly decentral-
  ized, you wouldn’t think it to look at the corporation’s 
  headquarters.  It’s a massive complex at least as large 
  as the building owned by the Orpheus Group, and is 
  self-contained, with most of the “necessities” for a T&S 
  Investigations crew: ghostbreaking facilities, Eidolon 
  stockpiles, personnel quarters, and stocks of weapons.  It 
  is also the electronic nerve center from which John Terrel 
  and Lionel Squib command their multinational corpora-
  tion... every boardroom is as lavishly equipped as one 
  might expect from T&S, with videophones and personal 
  computers.  The board of directors meets here regularly, 
  and the wealthiest clients are brought here — flown in at 
  T&S’s expense — to discuss business.
  • Pharmaceutical Plants: Scattered around the United 
  States, although concentrated heavily near the two coasts, 
  Pharmaceutical Plants are dedicated almost solely to the 
  creation of T&S drugs, both legal and illegal.  The larger 
  plants often have expanded facilities to accommodate an 
  in-house security force, sometimes including projector 
  lounges or ghost cages.
  • Regional Centers: Terrel & Squib Investigations 
  maintains a presence in many major American and 
  Canadian cities through their Regional Centers.  These 
  are smaller, dilapidated facilities that serve as a base 
  of operations for Investigation teams (usually two or 
  three, although larger ones support four or five distinct 
  teams plus a pool of replacements).  Although there are 
  typically a few lavishly adorned rooms for meeting with 
  clients (the ones who aren’t important enough to fly back 
  to HQ) the Regional Centers are generally Spartan and 
  unfinished, the interiors often betraying their origins as 
  warehouses or run-down commercial buildings.
  • Re-Education Facilities: The name only hints at the 
  nature of these facilities.  Always underground, usually 
  in rented-out warehouses or old apartment buildings, 
  these are the buildings in which ghostbreakers practice 
  their terrible trade.  The basements and sub-basements 
  are heavily renovated with equipment to contain ghosts. 
  Limited personnel quarters are always provided, both for 
  the ghostbreakers on duty and for the Internal Security 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  73
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  boys.  These facilities often have peaceful-sounding 
  names such as Heaven or Elysium, possibly as a grim 
  joke, or possibly as a half-heated effort to conceal the 
  nature of the tortures that are conducted in these terrible 
  subterranean mazes.
  PARANORMAL RESEARCH
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. has capital at its disposal that the 
  Orpheus Group could never even dream of.  Part of this 
  originated from its standing as a successful pharmaceu-
  tical company, but catering to big-money clients and the 
  illegal pigment trade have certainly been instrumental in 
  financing the company.
   
  The question, of course, is where do they put all 
  that money?  It sure as hell isn’t going into intelligence-
  gathering capabilities, because even when the company 
  was positively flush those never improved.  On the other 
  hand, no one is surprised to learn that the Paranormal 
  Research division is one of the best-funded divisions of 
  the company.  Headed directly by founding partner Dr. 
  Lionel Squib, the Paranormal Research Department is 
  one of the keys to the company’s success — and is also 
  one of the darkest corners of a secretly malefic organiza-
  tion.  New tech toys, new ways of interacting with the 
  dead, even an attempt to grow an in-house Hive-Mind; 
  all are given maximum funding priority in the annual 
  budgets.  The hereafter was never so well-equipped as 
  when Terrel & Squib was at its peak.
   
  The Unearthed Player’s Guide chapter provides 
  basic player information on the results of many of these 
  projects, but exactly how they work is something that 
  players shouldn’t know.  In fact, all of the information in 
  this section is entirely optional.  Parasynthetic Implants, 
  for example, offer tremendous new Storytelling possi-
  bilities and game options, but it’s entirely possible that 
  you may view them as unbalanced or a contaminant to 
  the themes of the Orpheus
  TM game.  That’s fine.  Don’t 
  like them?  Don’t use them.  We’re not forcing them on 
  anyone.  The same goes for Project: Covenant.  If the 
  thought of Terrel & Squib trying to build an artificial 
  Spectre Hive-Mind leaves a bad taste in your mouth, then 
  by all means push it aside.  Everything in this chapter 
  is optional information for the Storyteller.  That’s why 
  it’s here, and not in the Players’ chapter.  We feel that 
  the fruits of Paranormal Research add to the Orpheus
  TM 
  experience, and we hope you think so too — but if you 
  don’t, then take what you like, and leave behind what 
  you will.
  EIDOLON
   
   
  Anyone who has read Shades of Gray now knows 
  that the Spectre Malevoy, in possession of Dr. Lionel 
  Squib, is the mastermind behind the production of 
  pigment.  The popular, highly addictive narcotic is 
  manufactured in part by Terrel & Squib, Malevoy’s 
  chief pawn, and has properties that facilitate projection, 
  particularly for Arc-Light skimmers.
   
  Unfortunately, the narcotic effects of pigment are 
  somewhat undesirable for Investigations personnel in 
  the field, and the pigment slap-patches that were initially 
  produced for Norms were phased out after operatives 
  baked out of their minds by the pigment sustained unnec-
  essarily high losses.  Street pigment, while theoretically 
  effective, had some very real practical limitations for use 
  amongst professional projectors.
   
  It was with this in mind that Dr. Squib further 
  tinkered with the pigment formula, producing a new 
  drug that mimicked the core properties of pigment — the 
  ability to see ghosts and a catalyst for spiritual projec-
  tion — but without the narcotic side-effects.  None of 
  pigment’s addictive qualities were reduced, but field 
  operatives could use the new drug without undesirable 
  physiological effects.  This drug was called Eidolon.
  74
  
   
  Eidolon is now widespread amongst T&S personnel, 
  and has virtually replaced pigment as a projection 
  catalyst and as a slap-dash method of interacting with 
  ghosts (though many Arc-Light junkies maintain a 
  private stash of pigment, as the two drugs can both 
  satisfy the cravings).  It can be injected for an instant fix, 
  applied in a slap-patch form for effect within a couple 
  of minutes, or swallowed in pill form for effect within 
  five, whichever is most convenient.  The people down 
  in Pharmaceuticals have never bothered producing a 
  snortable version of Eidolon, as it would tend to ruin the 
  professional appearance.
   
  As mentioned, Eidolon has all the same properties 
  and effects as pigment, minus the narcotic ones.  It is 
  still secretly made with Spectre ichor, and like pigment, 
  those who use it regularly are going to become hues 
  when they die.  Yes, that includes every Arc-Light on the 
  T&S payroll.  Life is hard, and death is harder, as these 
  people will eventually figure out.
  Breaking Ghosts
   
  One of the things that set Terrel & Squib apart from 
  the other projector companies is their use of slave ghosts. 
  Referred to within the company as “broken” spirits, 
  they are ghosts whose identities have been overridden 
  through extended, often painful parapsychological 
  procedures called “ghostbreaking.”  This section deals 
  with the methodologies employed by T&S ghostbreakers 
  in pursuing their task of creating loyal, compliant slaves. 
  Information for creating a broken ghost as a character 
  (for players or as NPCs) can be found in the Unearthed 
  Player’s Guide.
  Broken Ghosts
   
  Broken ghosts are pitiable creatures.  Most Terrel & 
  Squib employees have no idea just how deep the psycho-
  logical scarring goes.  They are generally docile, vacant, 
  and subservient, existing for nothing more than the orders 
  of their superiors and being “stored” in Labyrinth Cages 
  when they aren’t otherwise needed.  Terrel & Squib has 
  found what Southern plantation owners quested fruit-
  lessly for throughout the nineteenth century: the perfect 
  slave.
   
  Ghostbreakers manage to achieve this “perfect” 
  level of control by overriding the identity and person-
  ality of the broken ghost through a series of institution-
  alized tortures.  If the process is successful, then the 
  spirit or hue’s mind becomes a blank slate ready for 
  reformatting with the new whims of T&S, Inc.  They 
  may possess some lingering skills and especially strong 
  virtues, but the ghost no longer has any active recollec-
  tion of the person it once was.  Any sense of identity that 
  the ghost once possessed is filled with a strict regimen 
  of T&S programming. Loyalty to the company and 
  loyalty to the ghostbreakers are the two biggest features 
  of this programming, although every once in a while 
  an ambitious ‘breaker will program other commands, 
  leaving “back doors” into a ghost’s mind that only he 
  can access.  T&S discourages this and has terminated at 
  least two ghostbreakers for this practice.
  Methodology
   
  When approaching the art of ghostbreaking, it’s 
  important to remember that these are not living people 
  anymore — they’re ghosts.  They’re dead.  They have 
  no physical bodies to retreat into, no shells in which to 
  lose themselves when the going gets too tough.  They are 
  now creatures who are not only driven by their passions, 
  but in a very real way are their passions, tethered to the 
  mortal coil by them and defining their sense of identity 
  through them.  They are equal parts emotion and force of 
  will.  So when a ghostbreaker tears down their psycho-
  logical defense mechanisms through whatever method 
  they choose to employ, the whole essence of that ghost is 
  prostrate before them.  Breaking a ghost is much easier 
  than breaking a living person: that’s why Terrel & Squib 
  has managed to do it so successfully and to such an 
  extent.
   
  Below are listed some of the most common methods 
  of ghostbreaking.  Observant readers will note that the 
  effectiveness of each type of ‘breaking presented here 
  corresponds with one of the nature groups from the 
  Orpheus
  TM corebook.  This is because certain person-
  ality types among the dead are going to be more vulner-
  able to certain types of torture and ghostbreaking.  Why? 
  Simple: trying to manipulate a star-struck Phantasm into 
  falling in love with you through the Stockholm technique 
  is going to be a great deal more straightforward than 
  convincing a wily Wisp of the same thing.  Or breaking 
  an outgoing Banshee through the deprivation/depen-
  dence chambers of the Labyrinth is going to be easier 
  than doing the same thing to a sour, introverted Haunter. 
  People will react differently to the varieties of torture 
  outlined here, and the Orpheus Group nature groupings 
  are a convenient means of categorizing methods and 
  responses.
   
  These are hardly written in stone, though. 
  Ghostbreaking is an art, not a science, and exceptions to 
  the rules abound.  The techniques outlined here are meant 
  to be dynamic and flexible: just because the Transplant 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  75
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  technique works best on Poltergeists doesn’t mean that 
  it can’t be used successfully on a Haunter character in 
  your chronicle.  Ghostbreaking is about individuals, and 
  finding the right technique to break the right ghost with 
  is half the challenge for T&S personnel.  So be flexible 
  in your own chronicle.  Not every Banshee is going to 
  crack in the Labyrinth, and not every Haunter will be 
  able to resist it... these are just trends based upon person-
  ality types.  And just as personality is about as easy to 
  nail to the wall as butter, so too there is no “right” way to 
  break a ghost, except for the one that works.
   
  You’ll also note that there are no hard “crunchy” rules 
  for ghostbreaking.  This is deliberate.  Ghostbreaking 
  takes weeks, if not months, of dedicated work by para-
  psychologists who are generally not the most pleasant 
  folk to be around.  The ghostbreakers accumulate Spite 
  fast when ‘breaking (especially those who favor the 
  Transplant method), since the processes they use are, 
  without exception, cruel and inhumane.  If someone 
  wants to play a ghostbreaker, you might consider letting 
  them act as a kind of slave driver for field operations, 
  commanding ghostbroken spooks in action... but leave 
  the actual process of ghostbreaking behind the scenes. 
  That will make it all the more horrifying when the 
  players find out the truth about it.
   
  It should also be noted that there are a few elements 
  common to many ghostbreaking procedures.  The 
  systematic resolution of all of a ghost’s tethers is the 
  domain of the Disjunction technique, but resolving 
  some of a ghost’s tethers weakens their ties to the world 
  and, therefore, their identities.  Sensory deprivation 
  followed by sensory overload is an established brain-
  washing method that T&S ghostbreakers use frequently. 
  Beatings are common as projectors physically assail 
  the subject ghosts, and Labyrinth Cages can be wired 
  to cause wracking pain within the gauze of any trapped 
  spooks without actually destroying them.  All of these 
  elements are common, but unstated, parts of the proce-
  dures outlined here.  Painful details, after all, are best 
  left to the Storyteller’s judgment.
   
  Disjunction: The ghostbreaking method known as 
  Disjunction requires the most legwork on the part of the 
  ‘breaker or her associates.  It is considered by some to 
  be one of the more “humane” procedures, although the 
  psychological pain it can cause to the “patient” is still 
  immense.  Disjunction was one of the first established 
  ways to break a ghost approved by Terrel & Squib para-
  psychologists, and still receives the most acclaim as an 
  effective technique from inside the company.
   
  In some superficial ways Disjunction resembles 
  investigative missions aimed at “freeing” a ghost from 
  the mortal coil.  First the ghost’s tethers must be iden-
  tified, typically through the use of the Sense Lifeline 
  default ability, and then systematically resolved wherever 
  possible.  Rather than infusing a ghost with enough 
  Vitality to ascend, however, the ghostbreaker bombards 
  the patient with evidence (often through photographs) 
  that they are not only dead, but also never really existed 
  to begin with.  Many ghosts — especially low-Vitality 
  ones — define themselves by what they have left behind 
  in the world, sometimes to the exclusion of realizing that 
  they themselves have passed on.  
   
  With their psychic ties to the world gone, but still 
  lacking the ability to complete themselves through 
  Transcendence, the ghosts’ senses of identity begins to 
  fade under the ghostbreakers’ regimen of identity-decon-
  struction.  A spirit or hue defined by its passions in life 
  quickly finds that the vibrancy of those passions fades 
  once the tethers are resolved. Its memory and personality 
  become especially malleable, and thereby compliant 
  with Terrel & Squib re-programming procedures.
   
  The Disjunction technique works on a wide variety 
  of ghosts, perhaps more than any other ghostbreaking 
  method, as ghosts of all classifications and natures can 
  Target’s
  Nature Group
  Banshee
  Haunter
  Phantasm
  Poltergeist
  Skinrider
  Wisp
  Marrow
  Mystery Group #3
  Effective
  Ghostbreaking Method
  Labyrinth
  Infection
  Stockholm
  Transplant
  Domination
  None
  Disjunction
  None
  Ineffective   
  Ghostbreaking Method
  None
  Labyrinth
  Disjunction
  Infection
  Transplant
  Stockholm
  Domination
  All
  76
  
  maintain very strong ties to their old lives.  However, it 
  has been found to be particularly effective in breaking 
  ghosts of the Marrow nature group, who have typically 
  established a definition of themselves, however strong, 
  based upon validation from external stimuli (Conformists, 
  Fanatics, Followers, etc.).  A complete separation from 
  their previous existences is far more likely to make 
  their self-identity malleable.  Strangely, this method of 
  ghostbreaking does not seem to have much of an effect 
  on individuals of the Phantasm nature group, who draw 
  their sense of identity from what they can sculpt reality 
  into rather than vice versa.
   
  Domination: A common phobia amongst ghosts is 
  the loss of control.  Their lives are finished, they can 
  never fully go back, and their destiny may well be out of 
  their own hands now... and many find that loss of empow-
  erment to be as frightening as actually dying.  Playing 
  upon these fears is an excellent way to break a ghost.  If 
  in life the spirit or hue was busily defining itself through 
  its ability to control others and its environment, then the 
  ghost will quickly lose that essential sense of self when 
  all control is taken away from them.
   
  Ghosts slated for breaking through Domination are 
  first given some small measure of control over their 
  surrounding environment: typically it’s minor authority 
  over “lesser” ghosts.  This power is quickly taken away 
  from them, and the real torture begins almost immedi-
  ately.  The keys to Domination are thorough and total 
  control over the ghost and an element of unpredictability: 
  many spirits have been able to maintain some delusion 
  of self-control and defiance by finding patterns in the 
  tortures inflicted upon them by the ghostbreakers.  The 
  ghosts are not even given the (very relative) freedom 
  of discerning patterns or timetables behind the tortures 
  they endure: many times a torture session will end, only 
  to pick up again with redoubled intensity five minutes 
  later.  Other times, the ghostbreaker will leave the ghost 
  in solitude for days.  The ghost’s existence becomes an 
  irrational web of fear; not surprisingly, the ghosts whom 
  Domination works best upon tend to fear their total lack 
  of control more than they do the actual pain.  That the 
  tortures they have to suffer can be inflicted upon them 
  at any time, and that everything that happens to them is 
  beyond their control, is a burden too great for many.
   
  Domination is as psychological as it is physical, 
  and every effort is made to reinforce to the ghost 
  that it has no control.  Its pain and pleasure are at the 
  mercy of someone else, someone who has complete 
  authority over them, and the only way for them to exist 
  (not survive...even final death is not given to them as 
  an option) is to submit, totally and unconditionally. 
  Stubborn ghosts can hold out for a number of weeks, but 
  their ultimate fall is all the more painful for it.
   
  Studies have shown that the Skinrider nature group 
  is most vulnerable to the Domination form of breaking. 
  Directors, autocrats, and leaders in life, they typically 
  fear helplessness and the loss of control more than most, 
  and thus placing them in situations defined by a total 
  lack of control has a profound effect upon their sense 
  of self.  Not surprisingly, this form of ghostbreaking 
  typically has little potency when applied to the Marrow 
  nature group, who are largely followers used to (or even 
  expecting) a lack of personal control. 
   
  Infection: Particularly stubborn, introverted ghosts 
  often require brutal regimens of ghostbreaking.  Infection 
  is reserved for these individuals.  It tends to be time-
  consuming and extremely difficult for even the most 
  tempered ghostbreaker to watch.  Done incorrectly, it 
  also tends to fail spectacularly.  When properly applied, 
  however, Infection is one of the staple tools of the trade.
   
  Infection is almost as invasive as Transplanting, 
  although it works in a fundamentally different way. 
  The procedure involves multiple, direct applications of 
  Spectre ichor to the “patient’s” gauze, supplemented 
  by electrical currents, which causes violent, wracking 
  pain but also insinuates the ichor into the gauze, causing 
  mutation on a spiritual level.  There’s no physical body 
  for the infection to destroy, so the “disease” of Spectral 
  ichor begins to eat away at the ghost’s personality 
  instead, and the further the subject withdraws into them-
  selves, the faster and more completely Infection works. 
  Paradoxically, the more the ghost attempts to stubbornly 
  internalize the pain, the greater the chances are that it 
  will eat through their essences.
   
  This method is widely ostracized because it isn’t 
  well understood.  Only a handful of ghostbreakers know 
  precisely what the incorporeal black liquid they apply to 
  the subject’s gauze even is, and have little to no idea how 
  it works.  Malpractice is therefore high with Infection, 
  as are the casualties that result from it.  Also, the direct 
  infusion of Spectre ichor (the puree of Spectral essence, 
  after all) into the gauze can have some powerfully 
  unwanted side effects.  Around 30% of all spirit-class 
  ghosts who undergo this treatment become hues in the 
  wake of the Infection, and it is the only known way that 
  a spirit can undergo a transformation into a hue.  While 
  this obviously doesn’t happen all or even most of the 
  time, it’s still a highly disturbing tendency.
   
  As mentioned, Infection is highly effective on 
  ghosts who internalize pain as a defense mechanism, 
  making the Haunter nature group by far the most vulner-
  able.  Of the other nature groups, it has been found that 
  Poltergeists tend to be the least vulnerable to Infection, 
  as their personalities naturally create a more external-
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  77
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  ized reaction to pain that largely protects them from this 
  method.
   
  Labyrinth: The Labyrinth method of ghostbreaking 
  was conceived by an engineer-turned-parapsychologist 
  named Judson Dettorre, who claims that the inspiration 
  came to him in a dream.  He reported that, using Eidolon, 
  he was able to peer past the Stormwall into something 
  great and terrible beyond it, which fueled his imagina-
  tion and led to a new kind of torture.  Unfortunately, 
  Judson Dettorre never lived to see his creation, as the 
  unstable genius departed the mortal coil, leaving behind 
  only a cryptic suicide note.  His ghost, strangely enough, 
  was never recovered by Terrel & Squib.
   
  Now, T&S re-education facilities maintain at least 
  one underground area consisting of Labyrinth Cages 
  that are installed along select lengths of the hallways. 
  Ghost “patients” are kept isolated in aligned cages, and 
  are occasionally released into the Labyrinth, letting them 
  run through electrically-charged hallways, the layout of 
  which are constantly changing thanks to sliding cage 
  doors built into the walls.  The experience is like running 
  in a maze whose passages shift, twist, and warp every 
  time one looks away, and the very ground is a source of 
  constant pain.  Claustrophobia, combined with helpless-
  ness, complete dependence, and physical pain, quickly 
  erodes the ghost’s passions (and thereby also erodes their 
  sense of identity).
   
  The point of the Labyrinth is to force the ghost to 
  come to the ghostbreaker of its own volition.  They 
  come to see the ‘breakers as both the source of pain and 
  suffering and a release from it, and after a month spent 
  in the hellish Labyrinth that’s sometimes all the ghosts 
  can see.  They crave human company, stimulation... 
  indeed, anything that happens when and if the right door 
  within the maze is lifted.   There is always precisely one 
  “special” door that the ghostbreaker appears at every 
  time.  The worst moments within the Labyrinth come 
  when the ghost knows that the ghostbreaker is at the 
  door and tries desperately to get there, but the cage has 
  rearranged itself to make it impossible to reach.  After 
  extended periods in the Labyrinth, the moments when the 
  ghostbreaker appears (sometimes constantly, sometimes 
  as infrequently as once a week) are what the ghost starts 
  to live for.  The ghostbreaker becomes God, the source 
  of everything good in their existence.  The ghost doesn’t 
  mind the other tortures or the re-education sessions that 
  acclimatize the spirit or hue to its new station within the 
  company; it may even welcome them after what it went 
  through in the Labyrinth.
   
  This ghostbreaking method is generally most 
  effective on those for whom human contact is a staple 
  of life: the Banshee nature group has been found to be 
  especially vulnerable to this method of breaking.  It is 
  least effective on rebels, loners, and others who crave 
  and embrace isolation from their peers, as they tend 
  to either give up and stare at the ceiling or wander the 
  maze trying to find or create an alternate exit rather 
  than relying upon the ghostbreaker.  On the whole, with 
  notable exceptions, the Haunter nature grouping is least 
  psychologically vulnerable to this method.
   
  The Labyrinth isn’t the favored method of ghost-
  breaking, because it takes longer than other methods do, 
  and the facilities to carry it out are as expensive as they 
  are limited.
   
  Stockholm: This method of ghostbreaking was 
  nicknamed after the infamous “Stockholm Syndrome,” 
  in which captives (typically in a hostage situation) come 
  to identify with their captors as a defense mechanism. 
  Accordingly, this method manipulates the emotions of 
  the ghost in question, and builds a powerful psychic 
  relationship between ghost and ghostbreaker that even-
  tually overshadows the ghost’s vulnerable sense of self. 
  In many ways it resembles the Labyrinth method, and 
  ghostbreakers have found that, in some cases, the two 
  processes can be interchangeable or complementary.
   
  Stockholm is not a scientific process.  The estab-
  lishment of an emotional, one-way bond of dependence 
  between two beings is an art that few ghostbreakers 
  ever fully learn to master.  Typically the subject ghost is 
  tortured or threatened with pain and destruction, mostly 
  78
  
  to demonstrate that the ghostbreaker has power over the 
  ghost.  The ghost, trapped within a Labyrinth Cage, has 
  no hope of escape, and therefore is entirely at the mercy 
  of the ghostbreaker in a very direct way.  The mandatory 
  isolation likewise limits the ghost to the perspective that 
  the ghostbreaker wants it to have, and it rarely takes 
  long (more than a week) for the incapacitated spirit or 
  hue to begin to identify with its captor.  Some amount of 
  kindness towards it on the part of the ‘breaker is usually 
  perceived by the ghost, and manipulating that partic-
  ular perception of empathy is one of the most critical 
  factors in the Stockholm method.  The ghost begins to 
  fantasize that the ‘breaker won’t hurt it anymore if it 
  becomes utterly compliant and agreeable toward what is 
  happening (the ghostbreakers develop some story about 
  why the ghost is being held “captive” and tortured... the 
  details don’t really matter, and are quickly forgotten by 
  the ghost).  Eventually this comes true, as the ‘breaker 
  becomes kinder and hurts the ghost less.
   
  Once the crucial emotional connection is formed, 
  playing it for all it’s worth is necessary, and many 
  ghostbreakers find this difficult, as the emotional bond 
  can go both ways.  It isn’t particularly uncommon for 
  the ‘breaker to empathize with the ghost as well (more 
  than one has claimed to fall in love with their subjects, 
  although those cases never end pleasantly for anyone). 
  However, in order for the ‘breaking to be successful, 
  the ghost has to become entirely emotionally dependent 
  upon its “captor,” so the ghostbreaker slowly weans 
  the ghost off of its brutal captivity mindset and into the 
  process of indoctrination.  There is always at least one 
  “reversion” in which the ghostbreaker slips back into 
  the captor mode and tortures the ghost again (incredibly 
  painful for some ‘breakers to have to do) for some minor 
  or irrelevant transgression, instilling blind terror and 
  panic in the subject.  This reversion, more than anything 
  else, helps override the ghost’s sense of identity, and 
  particularly stubborn ghosts sometimes require multiple 
  reversions before cracking.
   
  After some time (usually several weeks, although it 
  can vary radically by ghost) the spirit or hue is so entirely 
  dependent upon the ghostbreaker and so completely 
  enthralled by their point of view that the final stages of 
  T&S programming are mostly consolidation.
   
  Those who dare to dream are also those who 
  open themselves to being manipulated in the cruelest 
  fashions.  The Stockholm method works best upon those 
  of the Phantasm nature group, as they typically comprise 
  society’s lovers, dreamers, and artists who will more 
  willingly lay themselves bare before the ghostbreaker. 
  It tends not to work so well on those who are adept in 
  the arts of manipulation themselves, and thus Stockholm 
  rarely succeeds when applied to those of the Wisp nature 
  grouping.
   
  Transplant: Ghostbreaking, by definition, isn’t a 
  subtle art.  That bears saying, since among the ghost-
  breaking techniques, Transplating is the most direct 
  and less subtle of all.  Transplanting is a vicious, cruel 
  process that robs the “patient” in question of identity 
  through a systematic, invasive procedure that quickly 
  destroys not only their identity, but also their sense of 
  individuality.
   
  Transplanting is one of the fastest methods of 
  ghostbreaking, but has some stringent requirements and 
  carries a great deal of risk.  First, high-Vitality ghosts are 
  generally immune to this process.  Second, it requires 
  a ghost or projector with the Tainted Background and 
  access to the Virus Spectral Horror (Orpheus
  TM corebook, 
  pg. 269).  The ghostbreaker who possesses Virus (and 
  there aren’t very many) uses the Horror at varying levels 
  of power to override the target ghost’s personality.  The 
  ghostbreaker never goes “all the way” in overriding the 
  spirit or hue’s identity, however, and theoretically knows 
  when to pull back to leave the creature at least semi-
  cognizant (although subjects have been lost).  Multiple 
  applications of this hostile psychological takeover, even 
  with only a partial use of Virus, have been known to break 
  a ghost within a week.  Their personalities are almost 
  entirely overridden, leaving them perfectly malleable to 
  T&S reprogramming. 
   
  Transplanting has its dangers, of course.  Repeated 
  use of Virus, even at low-Spite levels, can quickly cause 
  a buildup of Spite within the ghostbreakers, and at least 
  one has been lost to Spectrehood since the procedures 
  began.  T&S attempts to alleviate this by rotating ghost-
  breakers involved in Transplanting onto active field duty 
  on a regular basis.  It doesn’t help as much as some of 
  their experts seem to think it should, however.
   
  Transplanting works best on ghosts who have 
  a weaker sense of self, who tend to lash out at others 
  for validation, finding a weakness in their constant 
  emotional projection.  Generally speaking, Poltergeists 
  are most susceptible to Transplanting, although unlike 
  other forms of ghostbreaking personality is less of an 
  issue when it is being forcibly overridden by a Spectral 
  Horror, and Transplant can be effective on many types 
  of ghosts.  The Skinrider nature group, however, is less 
  vulnerable to breaking through Transplanting, as those 
  with such a nature generally have a strong sense of self.
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  79
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  Special Cases
   
  Terrel & Squib ghostbreakers have consistently 
  found it difficult to break those ghosts whose natures 
  fall into Mystery Group #3 (Addict, Barbarian, Deviant, 
  Grotesque, Monster, Wretch) and the Wisp nature group 
  (Bon Vivant, Child, Conniver, Rake, Riddler, Tickster). 
  The reason for this is currently unknown, although 
  theories abound.  While ghosts of these Nature Groups 
  can be broken, it takes longer, and there is no “approved” 
  methodology that they are notably vulnerable to. 
  Oftentimes a combination of other ghostbreaking tech-
  niques is required, frequently destroying the ghost in the 
  process.  Research continues on this knotty problem, but 
  Terrel & Squib researchers haven’t been able to corner 
  anything resembling a solution.
   
  On a different note, ghostbreakers have found 
  that ghosts of the Banshee nature group are easiest to 
  break.  These (generally) kind-hearted, extroverted indi-
  viduals take torture the hardest, their maternal instincts 
  betrayed by pain and torment.  While not every Banshee 
  can be broken, there are no known methods that this 
  nature group is especially resistant to.  Again, research 
  continues, although in this case T&S researchers are less 
  likely to stare a gift horse in the mouth too carefully.
   
  As a consequence of these special cases, there are 
  fewer broken ghosts of the Wisp and Mystery Group #3 
  Nature Groups, and a disproportionately high number of 
  Banshees, amongst their ranks.
  Orphan-Grinders
   
  It is entirely possible that Terrel & Squib does not 
  exist long enough as an establishment to discover and 
  research the Orphan-Grinder Shade.  If they do, however, 
  it should be noted now that Orphan-Grinders are entirely 
  immune to ghostbreaking.  They have fought their way 
  through hell — through the depths of the Spectre Hive-
  Mind — in order to regain and reassert their personali-
  ties, and there’s no torture that T&S can pull out of its 
  hat to even approximate that.  T&S parapsyches can 
  strap an Orphan-Grinder down and go at him for days, 
  but redeemed Spectres have already fought too hard to 
  let themselves be cracked by mortal mind-games.
   
  It should be noted that while the natures of most 
  Orphan-Grinders fall into Mystery Group #3, not all indi-
  viduals within Mystery Group #3 are Orphan-Grinders.
  Former Broken Ghosts
   
  Ghostbreaking is far from perfect, and occasionally 
  Terrel & Squib’s careful programming either fails to go 
  deep enough or simply erodes with time.  It is, therefore, 
  possible for broken ghosts to shake off their mental 
  programming and become free individuals.  While T&S 
  eliminates all such “anomalies” from its ranks, there are 
  independent groups such as the Iphigeneia Convent (see 
  “Other Antagonists” in this chapter) that gladly take in 
  former broken ghosts.
   
  System: Usually there is some specific event that 
  allows a broken ghost to kick off its yoke.  An artifact 
  from its past life, locating an old acquaintance, going to a 
  familiar location... it’s best left up to the Storyteller what 
  exactly the catalyst is.  The occasion gives the ghost a 
  chance to buck its programming, an extended action that 
  requires the broken ghost to acquire at least 18 successes 
  on Willpower checks (difficulty 7) in the space of no 
  more than one hour, rolling once every ten minutes. 
  Any dots the ghost possesses in the new Background: 
  Flashbacks (see The Unearthed Player’s Guide, page 
  52) are subtracted from the total number of successes 
  required.  A failure means that the programming stays 
  in place; the ghost should not be given another oppor-
  tunity to free itself for at least a week.  If it succeeds 
  in the Willpower checks, however, then the ghost can 
  immediately spend a number of Vitality points equal to 
  (10 - permanent Willpower), infusing itself with enough 
  energy to throw off Terrel & Squib’s programming once 
  and for all.  Circumstantial bonuses can be given to the 
  Willpower rolls as the Storyteller sees fit.
   
  A ghost that manages to free itself no longer has a 
  cap on its Willpower rating and is no longer psychologi-
  cally compelled to obey T&S superiors.  However, the 
  ghost does not automatically regain the Willpower points 
  that it lost when being broken... although it can raise its 
  Willpower above the cap of 4, it must spend XP in order 
  to do so.  As a consolation, though, the bonus Horror that 
  the ghost manifested during the stress of ghostbreaking 
  doesn’t disappear once the ghost is freed.
  Parasynthetic 
  Implants
   
  Parasynthetics are among the blackest fruits ever 
  conceived by those who dabble in the mechanics of the 
  hereafter.  And like the fruit from Eden, Terrel & Squib 
  has been unable to resist them.
   
  Parasynthetics are based upon the same theories as 
  pigment and the patented Ectochambers of Dr. Johan 
  80
  
  Hendrickson (see Shadow Games, pg 64): namely, that 
  ghostly ectoplasm can be infused into solid physical 
  objects, and when said objects are living humans, certain 
  supernatural effects can manifest within the body.  Terrel 
  & Squib has taken this research far ahead of the compe-
  tition, and has determined through extensive trial and 
  error that ferroanimus can be infused into human beings 
  to achieve various effects that can only be described as 
  supernatural.  The idea of combining ghost ichor with 
  synthetic implants to maintain a minute, continuous feed 
  of ghostly ichor into the body was put through rapid 
  prototyping and field-testing, and now exists in the 
  workable form of parasynthetic implants.
   
  Parasynthetic implants are small electronic devices 
  that act as receptacles for ferroanimus.  The implants 
  themselves are usually tiny (some are the size of 
  pacemakers, many are smaller), but contain enough 
  ferroanimus to last for roughly two months of constant 
  infusion.  
   
  Invasive, delicate surgery is required to implant 
  them into the proper areas of the body.  Once attached, 
  the ichor is automatically released into the surrounding 
  tissue, imbuing it in a way not entirely dissimilar to the 
  fashion in which Spectre ichor infuses the Kakos stro-
  mithicarum plant in the first step of creating pigment. 
  The effects vary depending on the type of implant and 
  where inside the human body it’s installed.
   
  The human body is a finely tuned organic machine, 
  and it knows when it finds something that it doesn’t like; 
  and in 95% of test subjects, the body does not like para-
  synthetic implants.  Maybe it’s the implant itself that’s 
  behind some of these failures, but current thought is 
  that ferroanimus doesn’t produce a happy physiological 
  mixture when directly injected into human tissue.   
   
  The body rejects it, often manifesting severe allergic 
  reactions within the region containing the implant.  That 
  doesn’t mean that these people can’t handle it.  If they’re 
  willing to live with the side effects, they can still benefit 
  from parasynthetic implants... they’ve never proven to 
  be fatal, except in one or two cases.
   
  Those “fortunate” few whose systems naturally 
  accept the implants have their own problems.  A person 
  who can endure one parasynthetic implant often won’t 
  have tolerance for multiple implants, and it’s the rare 
  individual indeed who can stand to have more than two 
  or three implants in their body with no negative impacts. 
  (In game mechanics terms, this is determined by the 
  Parasynthetic Tolerance Background, page 52).
   
  Parasynthetics only work while a person is in the 
  flesh.  A T&S projector with an Interdiction implant who 
  leaves it back in the meat when she goes out-of-body, for 
  example, gains no benefit from the implant while in the 
  gauze.  Parasynthetics are one of the great equalizers for 
  Terrel & Squib, and can give Norm agents a chance to 
  interact with the hereafter above and beyond what they 
  can do with Kirlian goggles and ghostshot ammunition.
   
  While parasynthetic implants are available, they’re 
  mentioned in this chapter instead of in the Unearthed 
  Players Guide because they’re rare even in a company 
  teeming with rarities, and shouldn’t be made available to 
  the players as an option except at the Storyteller’s discre-
  tion.  They give characters edges beyond anything that is 
  specified in the Orpheus
  TM core rules, and for that reason 
  they should only be used in a mature game wherein 
  their ramifications are fully understood by player and 
  Storyteller alike.
   
  One final word of warning for the Storyteller — it 
  should come as no great surprise that there is one final 
  effect to parasynthetics that the T&S researchers know 
  all about, but never bother to warn their recipients of. 
  Like pigment, parasynthetics introduce ghost ichor into 
  the human body — more specifically, they introduce 
  Spectre ichor.  Ferroanimus is derived from captive 
  Spectres.  Thus, parasynthetics are functionally identical 
  to pigment in terms of blemishing the soul, and any 
  operative who has ever had such an implant is going to 
  become a hue when he or she dies.  Without exception. 
  It’s a steep price to pay.
   
  System: Any character with a parasynthetic implant 
  installed in their body gains the benefits from it as detailed 
  below.  If a character has no dots in the Parasynthetic 
  Tolerance Background, then they suffer a penalty to one 
  or more Attributes for as long as the implant remains 
  installed, as noted in the individual implant descriptions. 
  One dot in the Background allows the installation of one 
  implant without Attribute penalties.
   
  Each implant lasts approximately two months from 
  the time of its surgical placement in the body; after that, 
  the implant must be “recharged” with ferroanimus by 
  trained T&S technicians, a process that takes at least one 
  day.
   
  Additionally, there are some implants that are more 
  powerful than others, and require a certain number of 
  dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance Background before 
  they can be installed at all.  Installing these particularly 
  dangerous implants without the required number of dots 
  results in a massive allergic reaction.  Each day with 
  the implant installed the character must make a Stamina 
  check (difficulty 8) or else lose dots in the implant’s 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  81
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  indicated Attributes permanently.
   
  None of the implants’ abilities work while projected. 
  You can place them into Skimmers, Sleepers, Arc-Lights 
  or Norms, but when a projector is out of body, the spook 
  gains no benefit from the implants.
   
  Also, any ghost, Spectre, or projected entity can 
  clearly differentiate a person with a parasynthetic implant 
  from the mass of humanity, as parts of their body seem 
  to “bleed” foreign Vitality.
  RETINAL
  PARASYNTHETIC IMPLANT
   
  This implant is one of the most difficult to install, 
  but also happens to be one of the most useful.  Although 
  a multiple-hour surgery session is required to implant it 
  near the optical nerve, the ichor it releases affects the 
  character’s eyesight, allowing him or her to see ghosts 
  without the need for slap-patches of Kirlian-feed goggles. 
  As with other modes of perceiving the dead, this implant 
  allows the character to see, but not hear, touch, or smell, 
  the dead.
   
  System: This implant grants the use of “Dead-Eyes” 
  while in the flesh to non-projectors.  Without sufficient 
  dots in Parasynthetic Tolerance, Perception is reduced 
  by one dot as damage is done to the optical nerve. 
  Dermal
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  This implant, often one of the more visible ones, is 
  often attached beneath the armpit or in the hand, and 
  energizes the dermal layer with ghost ichor.  This allows 
  for tactile interaction with ghosts, projected beings, and 
  artifacts.  However, while it makes the character able to 
  physically interact with ghosts, it does not allow her to 
  see, hear, or otherwise interact with spooks beyond what 
  her normal capabilities.  The surgery needed to install 
  this implant is delicate and frequently goes sour even 
  when the device is successfully installed.  
   
  System: This implant grants the ability to physically 
  interact with ghosts, projected beings, and artifacts as 
  though they were solid.  Note that any ghost interacted 
  with is solid only to the person with the implant; a sword 
  artifact may feel solid to the character, but swinging it 
  at another solid person has no effect.  Without sufficient 
  dots in Parasynthetic Tolerance, the implant reduces 
  Appearance by one dot due to incessant hives and rashes 
  that break out on his skin.
  Interdiction 
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  This implant is unique, the result of a great deal of 
  trial, error, and unrelated discoveries in the Terrel & 
  Squib R&D department.  Planted near the base of the 
  spine, the ichor it releases uses the body as a psychic 
  anchor for the area, strengthening the surrounding 
  ethereal currents to the point of solidity for ghosts.  Any 
  spook attempting to approach the character will find 
  themselves impeded, as though they were attempting 
  to push their way through a solid object.  It has further 
  tactical value in that it prevents Skimmers or Arc-Lights 
  from ripcording back to their bodies within that same 
  personal space.
   
  System:  Any ghost or projector attempting to move 
  within 10 feet of the character acts as though impeded 
  by a solid object, and must either spend one Vitality 
  per turn or go incorporeal as normal. This implant also 
  prevents Skimmers or Arc-Lights from ripcording back 
  to their bodies within that same area. Without sufficient 
  dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance, this implant reduces 
  Stamina by one dot, as it is intrusive and harder on the 
  system than most.
   
  Advanced Implant: This is an advanced-model 
  implant that is particularly invasive and hard on the 
  system.  At least three dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance 
  Background must be attained before this implant can be 
  installed at all.
  Nerve Center 
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  Attached to the base of the spinal cord in a delicate 
  procedure, this implant infuses the subject’s body with 
  ichor from Spectres known to possess the Flicker Horror. 
  The ichor affects the central nervous system, warping it 
  82
  
  on a spiritual level to increase reaction times.  Skinriders 
  possessing someone with a Nerve Center Parasynthetic 
  Implants invariably notice that the “silver cords” inside 
  their bodies are pulled almost painfully taut.  
   
  System: This implant grants a +5 bonus on all 
  initiative rolls, and adds two dice to all dodge attempts. 
  Without sufficient dots in Parasynthetic Tolerance, 
  the character’s Charisma is reduced by one dot, as he 
  becomes constantly jittery and high-strung.
  Platelet 
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  This implant, attached via a complicated procedure to 
  the heart, affects the character’s bloodstream, constantly 
  infusing it with ferroanimus.  Clinical tests have shown 
  that this bolsters the healing process, allowing for faster 
  recovery from injury and a greater capacity to withstand 
  damage. 
   
  System: This implant halves all healing times for 
  both bashing and lethal damage, and adds one die to all 
  soak rolls (allowing normal humans a single die to soak 
  lethal damage).  Adds two dice to all soak rolls if damage 
  is coming from a ghost or ghost-derived source (direct 
  application of a Horror, gauze weapon artifacts, etc.). 
  Without Parasynthetic Tolerance, it reduces Appearance 
  by one dot as the character’s skin takes on a mottled, 
  sickly hue.
   
  Advanced Implant: This is an advanced-model 
  implant that is particularly invasive and hard on the 
  system.  At least three dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance 
  Background must be attained before this implant can be 
  installed at all.
  Telepathic 
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  Carefully inserted into the cerebral cortex, this 
  implant serves a special purpose.  It injects the subject’s 
  brain with chemical stimulants and ghost ichor that 
  allow the transmission of telepathic messages over a 
  long distance.  These signals are undetectable by radio 
  and other conventional means, although tests show that 
  they tend to spook animals in the vicinity and may play a 
  role in attracting Spectres.  These telepathic wavelengths 
  can only be picked up and decoded by specially-tuned 
  Terrel & Squib receivers.  There is currently no known 
  way to open a two-way line of telepathic communica-
  tion; this implant allows the operative to telepathically 
  send messages, but not to receive them.
   
  System: As a standard action, the character can 
  burst-transmit a short, silent, telepathic message. 
  Special Terrel & Squib paratech receivers can be tuned 
  to that wavelength and will pick up the message as long 
  as they are within a 3-mile radius.  This communication 
  is entirely one-way.  At the Storyteller’s discretion, it 
  may also provoke nearby Spectres, whose Hive-Mind 
  communication operates along similar wavelengths. 
  Without sufficient dots in Parasynthetic Tolerance, the 
  implant reduces Intelligence by one dot, as it impedes 
  regular brain activity.
   
  Advanced Implant: This is an advanced-model 
  implant that is particularly invasive and hard on the 
  system.  At least three dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance 
  Background must be attained before this implant can be 
  installed at all.
  BLACK-42 
  Parasynthetic Implant
   
  This is a highly experimental implant recently 
  approved by T&S for final-stage development.  The 
  character’s spirit is shrouded in a pall of inky darkness, 
  making him almost invisible to non-manifested spirits. 
  This effect is created by the infusion of Spectral ichor 
  throughout the body, effectively clouding the individual 
  from the Vitality-centric views of Spectres and most 
  ghosts.  While manifested ghosts or Spectres can see the 
  character with perfect clarity, all others have difficulty 
  spotting him unless he decides to make his presence 
  known.  A handful of T&S researchers and parapsychol-
  ogists possess these implants for the close handling of 
  captive Spectres.
   
  System: The character can make a Manipulation 
  + Stealth roll (difficulty 6); one success allows him to 
  move as a shadow, and the difficulty for spooks to hit 
  him in combat goes up by two; two or more successes 
  mean that he is invisible to ghosts (including Spectres) 
  for the duration of the scene.  This invisibility can be 
  “broken” at any time by interacting with the ghost. 
  Without Parasynthetic Tolerance, reduce Charisma and 
  Wits by one dot each, as the character becomes sluggish, 
  apathetic and slow to react.
   
  Advanced Implant: This is an advanced-model 
  implant that is particularly invasive and hard on the 
  system.  At least four dots in the Parasynthetic Tolerance 
  Background must be attained before this implant can be 
  installed at all.
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  83
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  Project: 
  COVENANT
   
  Project: Covenant is the codename for the T&S 
  initiative to emulate and create a Hive-Mind of the same 
  kind as that which unites the Spectres.  The objective is 
  to create a uni-mind that will link all conscript ghosts and 
  projectors (and, potentially, other operatives as well) in 
  order to radically increase efficiency and central control, 
  two long-standing company goals.  A large research team 
  — headed by MIT parapsychologist Dr. Hillel Abdon 
  and selected specifically for their amoral outlooks — has 
  worked relentlessly on this project for months, experi-
  menting on captured Spectres and human test subjects 
  alike.  Project: Covenant has claimed no fewer than 
  four test subjects’ lives already, but as the team seems to 
  be nearing a breakthrough, Dr. Abdon remains steadfast 
  in carrying his project to its “inevitable” success.
   
  Project: Covenant represents the furthest stage 
  of Terrel & Squib’s para-scientific research and devel-
  opment.  It is also unquestionably perverse in both the 
  methodology of its scientists and in its higher aims.  The 
  test subjects — most of them volunteers from the T&S 
  rank and file — are selectively infused with Spectre 
  ichor and are given intensive chemotherapy and experi-
  mental drugs in order to rebuild their bodies and minds as 
  functional parapsychological tools.  Months of exhaus-
  tive mental acclimatisation and selective ectoplasmic 
  infusions have produced a variety of intriguing results in 
  subjects and a promising research base, even though the 
  project’s actual objectives have yet to be fulfilled.
   
  The test subject who has advanced furthest in (read: 
  survived) the procedures to date is a young Caucasian 
  man named Kenton Whitaker, whose progress has been 
  utterly remarkable.  Although the endless parade of 
  experimental drugs and infusions with ichor have left 
  Whitaker a physical vegetable, his brain activity has 
  shown almost exponential increases since his treatments 
  began nearly eleven months ago.  Most astonishing of 
  all, he has demonstrated what is believed to be some 
  measure of telepathic control over low-Vitality ghosts 
  in the vicinity, and has been known to “speak” through 
  them, a phenomenon that has been recorded eight times. 
  Although much of what was said by the controlled ghosts 
  was nonsense, it was clearly Whitaker speaking through 
  their gauze — an extraordinary development.
   
  Terrel & Squib researchers have reached two major 
  stumbling blocks with Whitaker, however.  First, as 
  he seems unresponsive to most external stimuli, there 
  is no known way to control him and his burgeoning 
  powers, which is an essential part of the Covenant 
  project.  Secondly, even the subject’s success in control-
  ling ghosts is apparently very limited, as the potency of 
  any mental influence Whitaker exercises over the blips 
  and drones declines radically at a range of more than 
  five feet.  Encouraged by his moderate successes, Dr. 
  Abdon has pressed forward in seeking a solution to the 
  second problem, and is seeking new ways to “transmit” 
  Whitaker’s paranormal control over greater distances. 
  Having conducted some promising research on captured 
  Spectres, Abdon believes that the key to the Hive-Mind 
  may lie in the Stormwall that separates this world from 
  the great Maelstrom that lies beyond, and that something 
  in the composition of this Shroud may facilitate the 
  creation of a Hive-Mind.  
  SPECTRES
   
  Spectres are hardly unique to a Terrel & Squib 
  chronicle, but as with all the projecting firms that 
  survive long enough, T&S is quickly learning that these 
  creatures are the greatest threat faced by operatives in 
  the field.  Most people in the company know little more 
  about them than the Orpheus Group did, struggling to 
  categorize and analyze these monsters as they do every-
  thing else in the hereafter.  So far, their efforts haven’t 
  saved many lives.
  New Spectre
  Thorns and Horrors
   
  The following Thorns and Spectral Horrors are 
  among the many displayed by Spectres and are provided 
  here as guidelines, not hard rules, for OrpheusTM 
  Storytellers.
   
  Automaton (Horror): This ghastly Horror combines 
  the worst aspects of Inhabit and Puppetry, allowing the 
  Spectre to control a human through a machine. Before 
  activating Automaton, the Spectre must first Inhabit a 
  mechanical device (one with significant moving parts; 
  an engine or mechanical clock is appropriate, a computer 
  is not) at least the size of a small appliance. 
   
  Once this is done, the Spectre may tap three points 
  of Spite to cause the device to leap onto a living being 
  (use the Spectre’s Dexterity + Technology, at least one 
  success needed; victims who are aware of the attack can 
  attempt to dodge). Upon contact, the device partially 
  disassembles, wrapping itself around the victim’s head 
  and upper torso and extruding portions of its mechanism 
  into their flesh. The victim must win a contested 
  Willpower roll against the Spectre (difficulty 8); if he 
  fails, the device grafts itself to the victim’s body, and the 
  84
  
  Spectre assumes control within one turn. Outside assis-
  tance reduces the difficulty of the Willpower roll by one 
  (to a maximum of -3) for each character trying to destroy 
  the device or pull it away. 
   
  The Spectre controls the victim’s body, but has no 
  access to or control over its mind; the subject can only 
  watch helplessly from within as the machine invades 
  their flesh and the Spectre uses the body to work its 
  will. While under the influence of Automaton, the victim 
  gains the Spectre’s Strength and Stamina, loses a dot 
  from Dexterity (minimum 1), has an Armor Rating of 
  1-3 (treat this as the Thorn: Clockwork Armor listed 
  below, with the Armor Rating depending on the size 
  and complexity of the device used), and ignores wound 
  penalties from injuries. The Spectre’s Abilities replace 
  those of the victim, and brawling attacks inflict Strength 
  +1 lethal damage (or more, if the Storyteller rules that 
  the possessing device is sufficiently dangerous). The 
  Spectre cannot use any other Horrors except Hive-Mind 
  while Automaton is in effect.
   
  Automaton has a terrible effect on the possessed body, 
  as the possessing device shreds flesh and its chemical 
  byproducts leach into the bloodstream; the experience is 
  excruciating for the victim, who remains horribly aware 
  the entire time. For each turn of possession, the spectre 
  must roll Stamina (difficulty 8) or the victim’s body 
  suffers one level of lethal damage; this does not affect 
  the Spectre’s Spite. Possession ends when the victim 
  dies, the Spectre abandons the device, or a spook with 
  Inhabit enters the mechanism and forces the Spectre out 
  with a contested Willpower roll.  Even if the Spectre 
  is driven out, most victims will die without immediate 
  medical attention to extract the machine. Removing the 
  embedded device without injury requires an Intelligence 
  + Medicine roll (Difficulty 3+1 for each turn of posses-
  sion, maximum 9). Simply tearing the device away after 
  more than two turns of possession automatically inflicts 
  three levels of lethal damage, and will more than likely 
  kill the victim if the mechanism has penetrated the skull. 
  This Horror cannot be used on spooks unless they are in 
  the meat.
   
  Caul (Horror): The Spectre pulls strands from the 
  Stormwall (also known as the Shroud) and uses them to 
  form an ectoplasmic cocoon called the Caul to ensnare 
  other spooks, restricting their mobility and movement. 
  Tapping three points of Spite allows the Spectre to wrap 
  the Shroud around the spook’s gauze, which requires a 
  successful Dexterity + Melee attack.  Once the Caul has 
  been created around the spook, the victim’s movement 
  rate is reduced to one-quarter their normal speed, and 
  all Dexterity-related actions suffer a -5 to all dice pools. 
  Furthermore, skimmers enwrapped in the Caul cannot 
  CHAPTER THREE
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  85
  
  CHAPTER THREE
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  ripcord back to their bodies.  The spook so ensnared can 
  attempt to push past the Caul with raw muscle, and a 
  successful Strength roll (difficulty 8) made each round 
  can allow the spook to act normally... but carrying out 
  the Strength check means that other actions attempted 
  are considered multiple actions, even if the check fails. 
  The Caul, once created, lasts for the remainder of the 
  scene.  This Horror cannot be used on the living.
   
  Clockwork Armor (Thorn): The Spectre’s body 
  is covered in an ever-moving network of gears, wheels, 
  pipes and pistons. This machinery provides an Armor 
  Rating of 3 against all physical attacks. In addition, 
  any spooks coming into contact with the Spectre’s body 
  (including those striking it with fists, claws, or other 
  brawling attacks) suffers one level of lethal damage from 
  the gnashing gears and churning machinery.
   
  Contamination (Horror): This Horror allows the 
  Spectre to coax out and manipulate the darkness in other 
  spooks.  To use this Horror, the Spectre must physically 
  touch a nearby target (usually requires a Dexterity + 
  Athletics check in combat), and can tap anywhere from 
  one to five points of Spite to fuel the effect.  The Spectre 
  rolls dice equal to its permanent Spite rating, with a 
  target number of the victim’s Willpower.  Any successes 
  mean that the victim gains Spite points equal to the 
  amount of Spite the Spectre chooses to tap.  Furthermore, 
  each success results in one unsoakable level of bashing 
  damage dealt to the victim, as the Spite wracks its gauze 
  with pain.
   
  Fevered Strength (Horror): A more limited version 
  of Juggernaut, the Spectre taps three Spite and spends 
  one point of Willpower, then rolls its Spite rating (diffi-
  culty 8).  The Spectre’s Strength doubles for one turn per 
  success.
   
  Gashclaws (Thorn): The Spectre’s claws or 
  fingernails exude a thick, noxious black liquid that is 
  as corrosive to the body as it is to the mind.  Add an 
  additional die to all damage rolls made for a claw attack, 
  and whenever the Spectre scores five or more successes 
  on a single damage roll, the target must succeed at a 
  Willpower roll (difficulty 8) or gain one temporary 
  Derangement of the Storyteller’s choice. The Spectre 
  must have the Thorn: Claws or a similar Thorn or Stain 
  to possess this Thorn.
   
  Hoarfrost (Horror): This Horror grants the Spectre 
  power over ice and snow, allowing it to freeze and terrify 
  the living. As a zero-Spite manifestation of Hoarfrost, 
  the Spectre can exert a small amount of pressure on 
  existing ice or snow (for instance, to write “DIE” in the 
  frost on a window, or create a trail of cloven footprints in 
  snow). Tapping one point of Spite allows the Spectre to 
  crystallize ambient moisture into thin layers of frost on 
  any surface, creating slippery spots or killing plants. For 
  two points of Spite, the ice is more substantial, allowing 
  the Spectre to freeze locks, jam doors, or solidify small 
  amounts of standing liquid (up to the size of a fishbowl). 
  The Spectre can also generate sharp icicles that can be 
  used as daggers (Dexterity + Melee for hand-to-hand, 
  86
  
  Dexterity + Athletics to throw, damage Strength +1). 
  Tapping three points of Spite allows the Spectre to create 
  larger amounts of ice, including icicles up to a foot and 
  a half long (Strength +2 damage) or encase objects up 
  to the size of chairs in a thick shell of ice. At this level, 
  Hoarfrost can freeze a volume of standing water up to 
  the size of a bathtub. In addition, the Spectre can exert 
  its will over snow and ice, allowing it to send up sprays 
  of blinding snow and ice. 
   
  For four points of Spite, the Spectre can create 
  substantial volumes of ice, including clusters of yard-
  long icicles (Strength +3 damage), twisted sculptures 
  the size of humans, and solid curtains of ice across 
  doorways. Jack Frosts often use this power to craft 
  terrible traps in their lairs, such as precarious masses of 
  solid ice over doors, or sharp clusters of icicle stalag-
  mites at the bottom of a slick staircase. At this level, the 
  Spectre can freeze enough standing water to fill a small 
  pool. Control over snow and ice increases, allowing the 
  Spectre to create drifts or send sheets of icicles flying at 
  any target within ten yards (see the description of Helter 
  Skelter on page 107 of the Orpheus
  TM corebook for rules 
  on attacking with multiple objects).
   
  By tapping five points of Spite, the Spectre can 
  unleash bolts of ice to harm or immobilize the living. 
  This attack requires a Dexterity + Athletics roll, and can 
  be dodged. Each success inflicts one level of bashing 
  damage and imposes a one-dot penalty to the victim’s 
  Dexterity due to ice clinging to their body; if Dexterity 
  reaches zero, the victim is immobilized.  Breaking free 
  is an extended action requiring more successes than 
  the Spectre’s attack on a Strength roll (difficulty 7), 
  although close proximity to a powerful heat source (such 
  as a character with Witch’s Nimbus) may speed up the 
  process.  The Spectre can continue to add ice to the trap; 
  each extra Spite point tapped adds two successes to the 
  total needed to break free, and once the total number of 
  successes reaches ten, the victim will be powerless to free 
  herself.  Anyone immobilized by ice continues to suffer 
  one level of bashing damage from cold exposure each 
  turn; Spectres with this power often deliberately leave 
  their victims able to breathe, allowing them to slowly 
  freeze to death from accumulated damage.  At the five-
  Spite level, the Spectre has all but complete control over 
  any ice and snow it can see, and can freeze a volume of 
  standing water sufficient to fill a small swimming pool. 
  Icy spears created at this level deal Strength +4 damage.
   
  Once activated, Hoarfrost lasts for the remainder 
  of the scene, and all lower-level powers are available; 
  thus, a Spectre tapping five Spite could create a mass of 
  four-Spite icicles one turn, use the three-Spite power to 
  drop them on its victims the next, and trap any survivors 
  with the five-point manifestation in subsequent turns. 
  Complex constructions of ice may take multiple turns and 
  additional Spite to complete, at the Storyteller’s option. 
  All ice created by this power exists in the material world 
  and melts in accordance with the ambient temperature. 
  However, the Spectral ice affects both the living and the 
  dead, and can imprison unmanifested spooks as easily as 
  flesh.
   
  Lifeblock (Horror): With this Horror, a Spectre 
  can prevent a single spook from regaining Vitality for 
  a short time.  The Spectre rolls dice equal to the amount 
  of Spite tapped (maximum five) + Manipulation, which 
  is opposed by the target’s Willpower.  Success means 
  that the spook cannot regain Vitality for a number of 
  hours equal to the number of Spite points tapped by 
  the Spectre.  This means that the spook’s Vitality does 
  not regenerate naturally, even for projectors who have 
  return to their bodies.  It also cannot be regained through 
  the use of Backgrounds (such as Memorial) during that 
  space of time, and all attempts on the part of the spook to 
  steal Vitality or to have crucible members donate Vitality 
  automatically fail (though the stolen Vitality is still lost 
  to Oblivion). Gaining Vitality through the reflexive use 
  of Willpower upon reduction to zero still works though, 
  as does tapping Spite for Vitality — a devil’s deal for 
  those with no other alternative in battle.
   
  Miasma (Thorn): The Spectre continuously emits 
  greenish steam or other noxious gases which smell of 
  sulfur, oil and bromine.  The vapors surrounding the 
  Spectre provide it cover in combat, increasing the diffi-
  culty to strike it by two.  Moreover, any character in the 
  meat within five feet of the Spectre must succeed at a 
  Stamina roll (difficulty 7) or suffer a -2 penalty to all 
  Strength and Perception-based rolls, due to coughing fits 
  and stinging eyes. These penalties last until the character 
  is able to breathe fresh air for at least one turn, but a new 
  roll must be made if they approach the Spectre again. 
  The Spectre must be manifested before it can use this 
  Thorn on the living.
   
  Rime (Thorn): The Spectre is coated in a thin layer 
  of ice-cold razors, with tiny icicles dangling from its 
  limbs and sharp edges everywhere. The ice provides an 
  Armor Rating of 1, and subtracts three dice from any 
  attempt to grapple or restrain the Spectre.  In addition, 
  the creature may attack with a swipe of its frosty arm, 
  inflicting Strength +1 lethal damage.  The Rime steams 
  and melts when subjected to intense heat (including 
  Witch’s Nimbus), but re-forms as quickly as it dissi-
  pates.
   
  Ruin (Horror): The Spectre taps up to five Spite, 
  and for each point reduces a nearby target spook’s dice 
  pools by one for the duration of the scene, as the ghost 
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  87
  
  CHAPTER THREE
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  is overcome by searing, distracting pain throughout its 
  gauze.  This can be resisted by the expenditure of one 
  point of Willpower per die lost.  The victim’s dice pool 
  cannot be reduced below zero.
   
  Speed of Oblivion (Thorn): Spectres lead short, 
  brutal existences in the service of Grandmother, and they 
  often experience their truncated lives at an accelerated 
  pace.  Spectres with this Thorn have a movement rate 
  three times faster than normal, and gain a +5 bonus on 
  all initiative rolls.
  New Spectre: 
  Castigators
   
  It is said that parody is the cruelest form of torture. 
  It’s no surprise, then, that the Spectres have become 
  highly adept at this art.
   
  The handful of ghosts who survived the shadow 
  storm three years ago whisper of ancient empires of 
  the dead and damned.  Among the Necropoli of the 
  Underworld, they claim, there walked members of a 
  ghostly religious order whose name has now been lost. 
  They would purify the souls of tainted wraiths, helping 
  them to cope with their Spite and keeping ravaging 
  Spectres at bay.  Now nothing remains of this order but 
  fleeting memory, and their legacy has fallen to corrup-
  tion at the claws of the Spectres.
   
  Castigators are a special species of Spectres, a cruel 
  parody of that fallen order.  They work not to destroy, 
  necessarily, but to corrupt, and their Horrors and Thorns 
  lend strength to a spook’s darker side.  They channel 
  their own Spite to increase the Spite of others, drawing 
  other spooks closer to Oblivion’s embrace and their 
  inevitable fall into Spectrehood.  Castigators are abso-
  lutely relentless in their task, spreading fear and pain 
  throughout the hereafter as they seek to draw new souls 
  into the darkness that commands them.  They possess a 
  keen, alien intelligence and try their best to isolate and 
  corner spooks so that they can work their dark arts upon 
  them. 
   
  Castigators look mostly human, typically dressed in 
  the garb of some kind of religious order.  Their faces, 
  however, are entirely blank and devoid of all features, 
  and their hands are constantly black, dripping inky 
  Spectral “blood” wherever they pass.
   
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 0, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 4, Wits 3.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 5, 
  Brawl 2, Enigmas 3, Intimidation 3, Leadership 1, 
  Medicine 3, Occult 4
   
  Nature: Monster
   
  Willpower: 9
   
  Spite: 8
   
  Offensive Abilities:  Caul, Hive-Mind, Contami- 
  nation, Rend, Ruin
  New Spectre: 
  Jack Frosts
   
  Even in Western society, the chill of winter remains 
  a threat to the unprotected. In city and small town alike, 
  the cold months quietly claim thousands of lives each 
  year.  Jack Frosts are the bitter spirits of those who died 
  of exposure and hypothermia in a world where heat 
  was readily available — lost hitchhikers, slum dwellers 
  in unheated hovels, and the homeless fill their ranks. 
  Resentful of the society that left them to freeze, these 
  Spectres seek to spread their misery to the living.
   
  A Jack Frost appears as a pale, gaunt figure, naked 
  and skeletally thin. Its waxy flesh, drawn tight over 
  its bones, is marked with sickly gray patches of deep 
  frostbite. The Spectre’s fingers are elongated into thin, 
  spindly claws, frequently tipped with jagged spurs of 
  ice, and its long teeth come to sharp points. Its hair is 
  replaced by a mass of slender icicles, and male Jack 
  Frosts frequently have icy beards dangling from their 
  88
  
  angular chins. A Jack Frost is surprisingly nimble, and 
  often climbs to high places to leap onto its victims. The 
  creature’s entire body is covered in a crust of rough frost 
  and small, sharp icicles, and it moves with a chillingly 
  musical tinkling sound.  But worst of all are its eyes... 
  frozen solid, the glassy eyeballs are fixed open and 
  motionless, devoid of any emotion save the last cold 
  moments of anger at the society that abandoned them.
   
  Jack Frosts are always solitary, loathing all other 
  beings. They typically remain close to where they died, 
  seeking out the homes of those enjoying the warmth they 
  were unable to find. Their bitterness drives them to seek 
  happy individuals, especially families with children. 
  Once a suitable target is located, the Spectre moves in, 
  using its powers to isolate each member of the household. 
  It is not enough for them to simply freeze to death... a Jack 
  Frost wants its victims to die slowly, terrified and alone, 
  just like it did.  Jack Frosts often remain in a dwelling 
  for some time after killing its inhabitants, crafting it into 
  a nightmare lair of deadly icicles and slippery staircases.
  Sooner or later, more warm bodies will come in search 
  of the dead...
   
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 2, 
  Charisma 1, Manipulation 3, Appearance 0, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 3, Wits 4.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Awareness 2, 
  Brawl 3, Intimidation 4, Crafts (Ice) 4, Melee 3, Survival 
  3, Enigmas 2
   
  Nature: Loner
   
  Willpower: 6
   
  Spite: 7
   
  Offensive Abilities: Chill, Claws, Hoarfrost, Maw, 
  Rime, Witch’s Nimbus (Spite-fueled heat-absorbing 
  version only; see Shadow Games pp. 109-10).
  New Spectre:
  Mechanicals
   
  The modern world is ruled by machines. Day and 
  night, the faceless engines of industry churn out new 
  technological toys and simple goods once made by hand, 
  for the convenience of a world too busy to appreciate 
  craftsmanship.  But humans are still needed to keep the 
  machines running... and since the dawn of the Age of 
  Industry, those laboring in the factories have known that 
  they were less important than the machines themselves. 
  Mechanicals are Spectres who died in industrial accidents 
  resulting from the uncaring practice of putting quotas 
  and progress ahead of people.  Sweatshop employees 
  driven to fatal mistakes by exhaustion and stress, 
  factory workers killed because routine maintenance was 
  neglected to cut costs, and cruel foremen “accidentally” 
  knocked into the presses by their disgruntled underlings 
  are all candidates for this breed.
   
  A Mechanical appears as a nightmarish amalgama-
  tion of human flesh and clockwork, with metallic struts 
  extruding from its limbs and clusters of whirling, sharp-
  edged gears grafted to its torso and head.  One or more 
  limbs are replaced with tools, like rivet guns, die stamps, 
  or soldering irons, and gouts of steam or smoke stream 
  out of its orifices. Pipes and tubes replace ears and 
  noses, and most mechanicals are missing one or more 
  fingers, some replaced by small tools or strange jointed 
  mechanisms. Mechanicals move slowly and jerkily, each 
  step accompanied by the whirring of servomotors, the 
  clank of gears, and the broken moans of the Spectre’s 
  continual pain. The human parts of Mechanicals display 
  acid burns, ragged wounds, or other evidence of the 
  tragedy that killed them. Their movements are clumsy, 
  but they are immensely strong and resistant to pain, save 
  that caused by their own warped bodies.
   
  Mechanicals frequently appear in groups at the sites 
  of industrial accidents. They are mad with perpetual 
  agony, and lash out at every living thing within reach. 
  Their only respite comes in temporarily assuming flesh...
  but their ghastly method of possession (see “Automaton,” 
  above) transforms the victim into a horror not unlike 
  themselves, usually killing the unfortunate mortal within 
  minutes.  Almost uniquely among Spectres, Mechanicals 
  who once worked together in life are able to overcome 
  their misery enough to coordinate their efforts, sabo-
  taging machinery and pursuing workers in a manner 
  designed to maximize carnage. They assault the living 
  with relentless, clockwork efficiency, never attempting 
  to preserve themselves if there is any chance of feeding 
  another soul to the machines along the way.
   
  No two mechanicals are alike. In addition to the 
  Horrors and Thorns listed below, each Mechanical has 
  at least one unique attack form, such as an arc welder, 
  saw blade, or industrial drill, usually (but not always) 
  replacing one arm or hand. Treat this as a Thorn that 
  inflicts 3 to 5 dice of lethal damage.
   
  Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 1, Stamina 6, 
  Charisma 2, Manipulation 2, Appearance 0, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 2, Wits 1
   
  Abilities: Brawl 4, Intimidation 3, Crafts 4, Melee 3, 
  Technology 4, Science 1
   
  Nature: Monster
   
  Willpower: 5
   
  Spite: 7
   
  Offensive Abilities: Automaton, Clockwork Armor, 
  Hive-Mind, Inhabit (mechanical devices only), Miasma, 
  Nihilistic Exhalation (from Crusade of Ashes, page 30; 
  takes the form of a noxious cloud of poison gas), rivet-
  gun arm (Dexterity + Technology, difficulty 7, range 5’, 
  4 dice lethal damage).
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  CHAPTER THREE
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  New Option:
  Doppelgangers
   
  Some live closer to their dark sides than others. 
  Doppelgangers are the Spectre doubles of spirit char-
  acters, malignant counterparts that represent a twisted 
  reflection of the character’s psyche.  Orpheus Group 
  researchers believed that, since ghosts are beings of pure 
  personality and will, their Spite would hold equal sway 
  in determining the nature of their being after death, thus 
  creating these doppelgangers.
   
  Terrel & Squib continued to fund research along 
  these lines long after the Orpheus Group was a smol-
  dering ruin, and came to some new conclusions.  A 
  doppelganger can’t just be the manifestation of a 
  spirit’s negative personality — were that true, spirits 
  wouldn’t possess any Spite of their own.  There is no 
  clean dichotomy between spirit and doppelganger, one 
  representing good and one representing evil, as Orpheus 
  Group would have had its operatives believe.  During its 
  research, Terrel & Squib determined that doppelgangers 
  have personalities and motivations all their own, and 
  that they are, first and foremost, Spectres, not marionette 
  puppets waiting to be batted around on their strings. 
  Doppelgangers are connected to their spirit counterparts 
  however, thats an established fact, and T&S research has 
  shown that as a spirit’s Spite increases, so does the power 
  that their doppelgangers possess.  Why this has been the 
  subject of much theorizing in the labs is still a mystery, 
  but answers from the Management haven’t exactly been 
  forthcoming.
   
  Spectre doppelgangers were never afforded much 
  attention in previous Orpheus
  TM supplements.  Although 
  they are certainly not unique to a T&S campaign, we 
  thought they deserved a mention, especially since many 
  spirits “working” for T&S are broken ghosts whose low 
  Willpower makes their doppelganger an even deadlier 
  threat.  To this end, we’ve developed some guidelines 
  for building a doppelganger Spectre, and developed a 
  number of special abilities to aid these bitter antagonists 
  in their quests to destroy the characters’ lives.
  Building a 
  Doppelganger
   
   
  As dark reflections of characters, some attention 
  should be paid to how the Storyteller can construct a 
  doppelganger that will make a memorable recurring 
  threat to the crucible.  As they are reflections of the 
  character in question, they share many of the same traits, 
  but for the sake of a more dynamic approach (fighting a 
  mirror image of the character can be a fright-show once, 
  but after the third time it loses something) we assume 
  some major divergences.  A doppelganger shouldn’t just 
  be a reflection of a character... it should be a reflection 
  that embodies what characters hate most about them-
  selves.  
   
  In building a doppelganger, begin with the spirit 
  character’s stats, and modify them according to the 
  following guidelines:
   
  Attributes: While it is tempting to leave the doppel-
  ganger’s Attributes identical to those of the spirit, not 
  all reflections have the same proportions as the original. 
  You may wish the doppelganger to be stronger or weaker, 
  more or less attractive, or a good deal more cunning 
  than the character it is a reflection of.  Something that 
  the character consistently fails at, the doppelganger is 
  a champion in, whereas the character’s strongest virtue 
  find no reflection within its Spectral double.  This is 
  entirely up to the Storyteller’s interpretation of what the 
  doppelganger represents.  Re-arranging Attribute dots 
  can be done within Attribute categories (Physical, Social, 
  and Mental) or as a free-for-all.  If you are looking to 
  create a truly dark reflection, swapping categories and 
  therefore strengths, can be extremely effective.
   
  Abilities: As with Attributes, any changes to the 
  spirit character’s base Abilities when translating them to 
  the doppelganger should be carefully thought out.  It’s 
  easiest to let the Abilities remain the same, so that no 
  matter how much they diverge, the doppelganger bears 
  at least a passing resemblance to the character in what it 
  can do.
   
  Backgrounds: These are mostly removed.  Spectres 
  do not have any real ties to the world, and as such most 
  Backgrounds are fairly worthless to them (there are 
  exceptions, such as the Artifact Background).  However, 
  you can always exchange a spirit’s Background dots for 
  experience or freebie points for the doppelganger.  If 
  you choose to do this, then each dot in a Background 
  translates to either three experience points or one freebie 
  point.  Spend them wisely.
   
  Vitality: As a Spectre, the doppelganger has no use 
  for Vitality.  However, the amount of permanent Vitality 
  a spirit has is the same as the Spite rating for the doppel-
  ganger.
   
  Willpower: 
  A 
  doppelganger’s 
  Willpower 
  is 
  generally the same as the spirit’s, at least initially.  The 
  doppelganger lives a seperate “life” now and can grow 
  from its own experiences. 
  90
  
   
  Spite: A spirit’s Spite does not translate to anything 
  directly on the doppelganger’s sheet, although when a 
  spirit reaches 10 Spite, it physically merges with (and 
  consumes) its doppelganger as the final step in becoming 
  a Spectre.  The doppelganger cannot resist this, but 
  wouldn’t want to even if it could.
   
  Stains: As a general rule, a doppelganger’s Stains are 
  always active, requiring no Spite or Vitality to maintain. 
  Exceptions can be made, and the doppelganger may be 
  able to voluntarily repress Stains with a particularly 
  inhibiting disadvantage, but calling upon them again is a 
  free action.
   
  Horrors: A doppelganger possesses all of the 
  Horrors that the spirit does when it is first created.  After 
  that, most doppelgangers continue to mirror the Horrors 
  of their counterpart, automatically gaining new powers 
  as its twin spirit gains them.  These Horrors are in 
  addition to Spectral and Doppelganger Horrors that the 
  doppelganger can purchase with experience points.
   
  Experience: If the doppelganger’s power doesn’t 
  grow along with that of the spirit (and the spirit’s 
  crucible) then it will quickly fade into obscurity, 
  becoming more of a nuisance than a real antagonist. 
  While some Storytellers may be content to let the doppel-
  ganger eventually take a backseat to the real threats in 
  the Orpheus
  TM storyline, there should still be options 
  for allowing the doppelganger to improve itself.  It’s in 
  the game for the long haul, as there’s really no killing a 
  doppelganger short of the character becoming a Spectre. 
  Giving the Spectral twin experience points is one way to 
  maintain it as a threat to the crucible.  A rule of thumb is 
  that for every act the doppelganger commits that saddles 
  its counterpart with a point of Spite (see the Orpheus
  TM 
  corebook, p. 97), the doppelganger gains five experi-
  ence points.  Although the Storyteller can arbitrarily 
  increase the Spectre’s strength as well, this ensures that 
  the doppelganger grows in relation to the success it has 
  in ruining the character’s old life.
  The Shadow 
  Ascendant
   
  As spirit characters gain Spite, their darker halves 
  feed upon it and savor the taste of a corrupted soul. 
  When a spirit character reaches certain levels of Spite, 
  the Storyteller has the option of allowing the doppel-
  ganger to increase in power to represent the strength 
  Oblivion gains from the spirit’s collapse.  This makes 
  for truly terrifying, potent enemies.  Should it please the 
  Storyteller, doppelgangers (and only doppelgangers) are 
  free to spend experience points on any of these Spectral 
  Horrors and Thorns.  Thorns can be acquired for 10 XP 
  each, while Horrors are at the standard 15 XP.  Presented 
  below are two additional offensive abilities, available 
  only to doppelganger Spectres.
   
  Enjoin (Horror): This Horror allows doppelgangers 
  to exert some limited psychic control over their spirit 
  counterparts.  The doppelganger must be within sight 
  of its double in order for any of this Horror’s effects to 
  take place.  The effects of Enjoin can be opposed by the 
  spirit counterpart if — and only if — the spirit is aware 
  that its doppelganger is nearby and attempting to exert 
  control over it.  If the spirit is aware, then it can attempt 
  to negate it with an opposed Willpower roll (difficulty 6 
  for the doppelganger, difficulty 8 for the spirit). 
   
  When successful, the effects of this Horror last for 
  one scene.  By tapping three Spite points, the doppel-
  ganger can exert minor control over the spirit from 
  a distance, equivalent to the zero-Vitality use of the 
  Puppetry Horror (see Orpheus
  TM corebook, page 110), 
  allowing for quick, almost unconscious actions.  By 
  tapping four Spite points the doppelganger can force the 
  spirit to “use” any of the spirit’s Horrors (one- or two-
  Vitality power only), which extends to using any ranged-
  attack Horrors (Wail, Witch’s Nimbus, etc.) to target 
  nearby bystanders.  Alternatively, it can force the spirit 
  to manifest.  By tapping five Spite points, the doppel-
  ganger can launch a full-fledged psychic takeover of its 
  spirit double (the spirit can oppose this attempt whether 
  it sees it coming or not), temporarily merging their gauze 
  together.  This allows a degree of control over the spirit 
  equivalent to a two-Vitality use of the Puppetry Horror, 
  but the doppelganger can access all of the spirit’s Horrors 
  (although it has to tap additional Spite to use them).   
   
  When the doppelganger takes over in this fashion, 
  the spirit immediately manifests all of its Stains for the 
  duration of the scene (this does not tap additional Spite). 
  The doppelganger cannot access the spirit’s memories 
  or thoughts, and the spirit remains conscious of what 
  is going on, but the doppelganger has full “physical” 
  control over the spirit’s gauze and actions.
   
  Wretched Entente (Horror): To use this Horror, 
  the doppelganger must be in close physical proximity 
  to the spirit character (within one mile), but they do 
  not have to see or hear one another.  When the spirit is 
  in serious trouble (down to less than half Vitality and 
  Willpower) the doppelganger automatically knows, 
  and can offer power and aid... for a price.  The doppel-
  ganger can telepathically offer to assist the spirit, and 
  can subtract anywhere between one and five dice from 
  its own dice pools and allow the spirit to add them to its 
  dice pool for the duration of the scene.  This transaction 
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  must be voluntary on the part of both parties, and the 
  cost is significant.  For every die accepted by the spirit, 
  the character automatically gains one point of Spite. 
  Furthermore, the doppelganger gains a benefit as well...
  every time it “aids” the spirit in this fashion, it gains five 
  experience points, as it has furthered its task of ruining 
  the spirit’s old life.
  OTHER 
  ANTAGONISTS
  ADVENT -  
  THE BROKEN SPECTRE
   
   
  There are few beings who hate Terrel & Squib 
  with the same dark passion as Advent.  Once the most 
  powerful and high-Vitality ghost ever broken by T&S 
  parapsychologists, Advent managed to break her condi-
  tioning and flee.  After being recaptured and pushed over 
  the edge by a vengeful ghostbreaker, Advent slipped into 
  Spectrehood, merging with her Spectre doppelganger — 
  a creature that called itself Charnel, whom T&S had been 
  hunting for months — in an incident that claimed several 
  more lives.  Since then, Advent has apparently dedicated 
  herself to the annihilation of Terrel & Squib, and has 
  attacked several Investigation teams with lethal results. 
  She has also broken all precedent by taking captives 
  — the bodies of two Norms were found mutilated almost 
  beyond recognition, while a broken spirit was recovered 
  shortly thereafter, its mind snapped beyond repair, 
  drained of virtually all Vitality and existing in a vegeta-
  tive state.  Advent also does not seem to have much to 
  do with other Spectres, and rarely keeps their company. 
  Some have theorized that she is not connected to the 
  Hive-Mind at all...
   
  Advent is a paradox in her appearance, which is that 
  of a beautiful young woman with an angel’s wings and 
  a radiant aura surrounding her.  The tips of each feather 
  are black, however, and constantly drip a vile substance 
  that seems to be a combination of blood and motor oil.  
   
  Nature: Monster
   
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 5, Manipulation 4, Appearance 5, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 3, Wits 4.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 3, 
  Brawl 4, Intimidation 3, Intuition 3, Subterfuge 4, 
  Enigmas 2, Occult 3
   
  Willpower: 10
   
  Spite: 8
   
  Offensive Abilities: Carapace, Claws, Flight, 
  Lifeblock, Speed of Oblivion
  The IPHIGENEIA CONVENT
   
  The ghostbreaking process has plenty of flaws.  Terrel 
  & Squib “quotas” on broken ghosts need to be met, so the 
  process is sometimes rushed as the ‘breaker is pressured 
  to wrap up and shatter a new spook.  This means that 
  with some ghosts (usually the particularly stubborn ones 
  whom the ghostbreakers go over “deadline” in breaking 
  in the first place), T&S’s hold on them is incomplete at 
  best.  It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally a ghost 
  will throw off its programming.  Most are destroyed 
  shortly thereafter, but a few fortunate spooks manage to 
  escape.
   
  The Iphigeneia “Convent” is a gathering of escaped 
  T&S ghosts who have thrown off their ghostbreakers’ 
  less-than-thorough programming. The Convent is 
  named after the daughter of Agamemnon from Greek 
  mythology who was sacrificed to the goddess Artemis 
  at the beginning of the Trojan War so that the Greek 
  fleet could set sail.  Unsurprisingly, the members of the 
  Convent identify themselves with poor Iphigeneia, sacri-
  ficed to further the cause of bloodshed.  Their quarters, 
  an abandoned basement in a Spectre-infested part of 
  92
  
  town, is a powerful Haunt, serving as a sanctuary for all 
  of their lonely, broken kind.
   
  The Convent isn’t just a support group for the 
  ghostbroken, though some of its members jest about 
  that incessantly.  It actively seeks the liberation (literally 
  and figuratively) of Terrel & Squib’s broken ghosts, 
  the murder of their black-hearted ghostbreakers, and… 
  well, they wouldn’t be caught shedding any tears if the 
  company itself collapsed in violent ruin.  The Convent 
  works feverishly to help broken ghosts throw off their 
  programming and escape, and has at least one “agent” 
  inside the company still posing as a broken ghost, 
  arranging for others to be smuggled out.
   
  All members of the Iphigeneia Convent are former 
  broken ghosts who have managed to restore themselves 
  to the status of “Wild” spirits and hues (see “Breaking 
  Ghosts” in this chapter).  While they maintain some 
  contact and even amiability toward other groups, such as 
  Lazarus Redux, the only ones they allow into their ranks 
  are former broken ghosts.
   
  One of the key advantages held by the Iphigeneia 
  Convent is that their shared experiences have allowed 
  them to fathom the secrets of the mighty Crucible 
  Horrors (see The Orphan-Grinders), which they can 
  use to make up for their limited numbers.
  Sample Iphigeneia 
  Convent “Sister”: Kestrel
   
  Kestrel served Terrel & Squib for almost a year as 
  a broken ghost, demonstrating a knack for survival that 
  made her a statistical improbability amongst her kind. 
  Her programming was thrown off, however, when she 
  was ordered to fumigate a child’s ghost rather than 
  waste time and energy trying to help it transcend.  The 
  act snapped something deep and maternal inside of her, 
  and she fled the scene of the operation, managing to 
  evade the agents sent after her and eventually finding the 
  Iphigeneia Convent.
   
  Kestrel isn’t her real name, obviously, and like 
  almost all broken ghosts she retains no real memory of 
  her old life or identity, only occasional flashes in her 
  mind and a sharp, almost overpowering sense of loss.
   
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, 
  Charisma 4, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 2, Wits 4
   
  Abilities: Alertness 1, Awareness 3, Empathy 4, 
  Intuition 3, Subterfuge 2, Meditation 2, Melee 2, Stealth 
  2, Survival 3, Academics 1, Enigmas 2, Investigation 1
   
  Backgrounds: Allies (Iphigeneia Convent) 3, 
  Flashbacks 2
   
  Classification: Banshee-class wild spirit
   
  Nature: Wretch
   
  Willpower: 5
   
  Vitality: 8
   
  Spite: 6
   
  Offensive Abilities: Wail, Forbode, Unearthly 
  Repose, Storm-Gloam (Crucible Horror)
   
  VIRTUE
   
  Virtue is a Messiah to the broken ghosts created by 
  Terrel & Squib.  She claims to be have been sent by “a 
  higher power” to redress the company’s grievous wrong 
  in enslaving souls, and her magnificent, deadly abilities 
  lend credence to those claims.  Virtue works endlessly 
  toward freeing those spirits and hues broken and 
  enslaved by Terrel & Squib, allying herself closely with 
  the Iphigeneia Convent but expressing a desire to work 
  with anyone who will help her in her monumental task. 
  Terrel & Squib have offered a reward of almost $200,000 
  to the projector (in-company or not) who brings evidence 
  of Virtue’s permanent destruction.
   
  Virtue is a soft-spoken leader.  She would never have 
  to scream or even raise her voice to command attention, 
  and so she speaks instead in low, intense tones meant 
  to conjure rage and grief as she testifies to the suffering 
  of the broken ghosts.  Virtue is immensely beautiful by 
  every conceivable standard, with flowing golden-brown 
  hair down to her waist and a radiant face.  Her gauze 
  is stronger and contains more Vitality than that of most 
  ghosts (reflected in her 15 Vitality), causing her to glow 
  perpetually.  She usually dresses plainly.
   
  One of the scenarios for the destruction of Terrel & 
  Squib (Scenario #3 - The Second Coming) presented 
  later in this chapter features Virtue, and a Storyteller 
  looking for ways to use her in a chronicle is advised to 
  read through this scenario for inspiration.
   
  Attributes: Strength 6, Dexterity 3, Stamina 6, 
  Charisma 5, Manipulation 3, Appearance 6, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3
   
  Abilities: Alertness 4, Athletics 4, Awareness 5, 
  Brawl 3, Empathy 5, Enigmas 3, Etiquette 3, Expression 
  3, Intimidation 4, Leadership 5, Linguistics 5, Meditation 
  5, Melee 5, Occult 3
   
  Classification: Unknown (probable Wild Spirit)
   
  Nature: Unknown
   
  Demeanor: Defender
   
  Willpower: 10
   
  Vitality: 15
   
  Spite: 5
   
  Offensive Abilities: Vector (as the Orphan-Grinder 
  Horror), Wail, Inhabit, Witch’s Nimbus, Forebode, 
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  93
  
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  Liberation (see below).
   
  Liberation: Virtue can “free” a broken ghost of all 
  its T&S programming and conditioning with a single 
  touch (see “Former Broken Ghosts” above).  Although 
  this does not restore that ghost’s identity or memories, 
  it does release them from all T&S mental control and 
  programming.  This process requires the expenditure of 
  one Vitality point per broken ghost liberated for Virtue. 
  This is a unique ability for Storyteller use only.
   
  Artifacts: Unlike the angels of myth, Virtue has cast 
  aside archaic weaponry in favor of more modern tools. 
  She possesses an artifact Colt M-16 assault rifle (she 
  claims the “original” was destroyed in Vietnam decades 
  ago) that fires a deadly stream of gauze bullets.  Use 
  the stats for the assault rifle in the Orpheus
  TM corebook 
  (page 235).  Surprisingly, this particular rifle has a gauze 
  bayonet fixed onto its undercarriage, which inflicts 
  Strength + 2 lethal damage and has reach in combat.
   
  Sotryteller Notes: Virtue is an incredibly strong 
  opponent and shouldn’t be underestimated, or used 
  lightly in a chronicle.  She is one of the most powerful 
  ghosts that Terrel & Squib has ever faced, and is also 
  one of the most immediate threats to the company.  Once 
  they learn of her existence, T&S will expend as much 
  energy, money, and manpower as necessary to bring her 
  down.
  THE ORPHEUS GROUP
   
  Orpheus Group is the eldest sibling of the projection 
  firms, and knows it.  They have the best agents, the best 
  techniques, and, ultimately, the most success in the field 
  — which places them squarely in the public eye.  T&S 
  was always runner-up in the paranormal investigations 
  industry, at least until Crusade of Ashes, and that was a 
  bitter pill for some to have to swallow.  Terrel & Squib 
  was Orpheus Group’s biggest competitor, and a relent-
  less state of low-level war existed between them.
   
  When time allowed, T&S agents would sabotage 
  Orpheus Group missions, while Orpheus Group crucibles 
  fought hard to make sure its rival stayed a distant second, 
  once going as far as to destroy a secret T&S sleeper agent 
  development project.
   
  Until it is destroyed (if it is destroyed in your 
  chronicle at all), the Orpheus Group is the primary 
  nemesis for Terrel & Squib, Inc.  The companies 
  champion wholly different operational doctrines and 
  give no quarter in showing the other one up.  Although 
  they have been known to cooperate on occasion “for the 
  public good,” they only ever do so when they can gain 
  far more working together than they could separately.
   
  Keep in mind, though, that this is a corporate war, 
  and that both sides are trying to fight each other within 
  the constraints of the law and maintain a good PR image. 
  Of course, the existence of projectors, ghosts, and other 
  beings of dubious legal definition grant them some flex-
  ibility in their squabbling, and the companies can attack 
  one another far more directly and callously than most 
  corporate rivals would be able to.  As the Storyteller, you 
  can choose to play up or dismiss this continuing source 
  of conflict as you see fit.
   
  After the Orpheus Group falls, all bets are off.  Terrel 
  & Squib isn’t particularly interested in hunting down the 
  survivors — most individuals within the company aren’t 
  that evil, and Malevoy really has other things to distract 
  its mind.  Of course, there may exist T&S field coor-
  dinators with a grudge against the Orpheus Group, men 
  and women who wouldn’t mind cashing in on the FBI’s 
  proffered reward by hunting down some dangerous 
  fugitives using their own tactics.
  NEXTWORLD, INC.
   
  Where to start...?
   
  NextWorld, the militant arm of the projection 
  industry, doesn’t play well with Terrel & Squib, Inc. 
  T&S has the numbers, the money, the top clients, and 
  the technology to make it all go round.  NextWorld 
  has people who are trained in the ancient profession of 
  bringing the lives of other people to an abrupt, unpleasant 
  end.  While NextWorld agents never got along well with 
  those from the Orpheus Group — even before Crusade 
  of Ashes  — they were constantly engaged in a game of 
  high-level industrial espionage against Terrel & Squib. 
  That ghostshot ammunition NextWorld goons carry? 
  Stolen from raids on T&S caches.  Those Kirlian goggles 
  they wear?  Didn’t come out of any NextWorld lab.  The 
  drugs they sometimes use to project?  Forget about it.
   
  What, you thought the soldier-boys built their own 
  toys?
   
  At the higher levels, Terrel & Squib has at least one 
  thing in common with NextWorld — Uriah Bishop.  The 
  badass Flatliner is not only Malevoy’s ally, but in the 
  wake of Crusade of Ashes remains NextWorld’s chief 
  employer, and the instigator of the strike against the 
  Orpheus Group.  Whatever ill-will may come between 
  them in the future, Malevoy and Bishop have a long-
  standing working arrangement, and throughout the first 
  half of the Orpheus
  TM saga they need one another.  Bishop 
  wouldn’t authorize or arrange a strike against Malevoy 
  unless he decided to start playing a different game.
   
  While NextWorld does attack Terrel & Squib imme-
  diately after its attack on Orpheus Group, this strike was 
  paid for by Lionel Squib and arranged by Arthur Barclay, 
  94
  
  T&S’s Head of Internal Security.  The attack wipes out 
  the better part of the Operations department but leaves 
  the company infrastructure wholly intact, making it 
  seem like the victim while allowing it to purge its ranks 
  of up-and-coming power brokers within the company. 
  NextWorld “sloppily” fails to follow up on the attack 
  and T&S, Inc. miraculously survives, just as planned.
   
  So while there’s no love lost between their respec-
  tive grunts on the ground, NextWorld and Terrel & Squib 
  don’t circle one another on the big corporate scale... 
  both of them have better things to do and more important 
  enemies to seek out.  Of course, after NextWorld starts 
  to dissolve in Shades of Gray, it’s more likely to lash 
  out at anyone it can reach, and the crusade against rival 
  projectors launched by NextWorld in its waning days 
  may well target Terrel & Squib, Inc. after all.
  DEATH KNELLS: 
  DOOMSDAY SCENARIOS 
  FOR TERREL and SQUIB
   
  Terrel & Squib was conceived as a bad guy in the 
  Orpheus
  TM series, and a temporary one at that.  After 
  Shadow Games, it is assumed that the company has, one 
  way or another, been eliminated as an entity.  This Terrel 
  & Squib Sourcebook that you’re reading can explore the 
  dark side of corporate projecting that the company repre-
  sents, either as a protagonist or as an antagonist.  
   
  This is, of course, your game, and you can keep 
  T&S around to stir up trouble for as long as you’d like...
  perhaps they’re still competitors when Lazarus Redux 
  comes on the scene, but there may still come a time when 
  you, as the Storyteller, want to lay waste to the company 
  in order to move the plot forward.  
   
  Given how the Orpheus
  TM metaplot has been set up, 
  the fall of the big projecting firms, whether to internal 
  corruption, federal investigation, or Spectral violence, 
  seems to possess a slow inevitability.  So to help facili-
  tate this, we’ve provided five scenarios that can be used, 
  abused, or expanded upon to help bring about a satis-
  fying terminal end to Terrel & Squib, Inc.
   
  Shades of Gray gives some good guidelines for 
  axing Terrel & Squib, with the assumption that if the 
  company falls, it will be because of the actions of the 
  Orpheus Group-aligned PCs. Decapitating the company’s 
  executive (figuratively and literally), calling in the 
  DEA, or organizing several coordinated strikes on T&S 
  pigment facilities are all generic methods by which the 
  players can destroy the company.
   
  These scenarios explore more colorful options, and 
  can be used to build the fall of T&S into a major plot 
  hook for a chronicle rather than just an end achieved by 
  the players.  As has been stressed before, these scenarios 
  are entirely optional.
  Scenario # 1: 
  An Iron Cross To Hang On
   
  Description: Mankind has a senseless gift for filling 
  up open space, and into those frontiers it always brings 
  one thing: war.  T&S’s dark secrets begin to seep out; 
  from the pigment trade to the Broken Ghosts to the 
  presence of a Spectre in the top levels of management. 
  Raids, skirmishes, and pitched battles rock the streets as 
  a war amongst projectors sweeps over the city.  Terrel 
  & Squib gears to meet this challenge and stomp it out, 
  while rogue projectors and spooks across the city unite 
  to topple the company through violence.
   
  This scenario is a fitting end for a Terrel & Squib 
  game with the underlying Vietnam theme.  The company 
  goes down in a blaze of meaningless violence, as those 
  who ought to be fighting the Spectres and other threats 
  turn on one another.  It’s about heroism and loss in the 
  face of futility, as well as the horrors of a war that nobody 
  can see.  It’s also best-suited for more militant players.
   
  Hooks: This scenario works well for any chronicle 
  related to Terrel & Squib, Inc.  Characters can take 
  leading roles in the crusade against the company, or take 
  up arms to defend it in what will prove to be its terminal 
  hour.
   
  Grace Ishida, a former T&S employee and now the 
  CHAPTER THREE
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  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  companion of Terrence Green, is one of the proponents 
  behind the war against Terrel & Squib.  She pushes for a 
  unified attack on the company to try and topple it, and if 
  you aren’t playing a T&S chronicle, then she approaches 
  the players’ characters to enlist their aid almost imme-
  diately.  Radio Free Death is more conservative, feeling 
  that a crusade is the last thing they need with the Spectres 
  and the Flatliners still at the door, but he also recognizes 
  the threat Terrel & Squib poses to their world.  He will 
  support the attack indirectly, and may approach the 
  characters by asking to “get involved” at his behest, 
  just to support Grace’s efforts.  Of course, the ultimate 
  Storyteller payoff is if the characters themselves choose 
  to orchestrate the war against T&S.
   
  For T&S chronicles, war is thrust upon them, 
  probably unwanted, probably catching them unprepared.
   
  Events: Attacking Terrel & Squib is an initia-
  tive taken by small clusters of “renegade” projectors 
  and spooks: independent crucibles, former Orpheus 
  Group agents, NextWorld defectors, and the Iphigeneia 
  “Convent” of escaped broken ghosts.  As the scope of 
  T&S’s depravities becomes clear, many spooks come 
  to the (possibly erroneous) conclusion that they are the 
  source of all misery in the afterlife.  They make pigment, 
  they torture ghosts, they hire rabid junkies as employees, 
  they’re run by a Spectre... what’s not to hate?  
   
  Ultimately it won’t take much to rally the ghost 
  community against Terrel & Squib.  At first Malevoy 
  and the T&S board of directors doesn’t take the threat 
  seriously, but this failure means that they severely under-
  estimate the powers that they’re dealing with.  Their 
  company has numbers, money, and weapons on its side, 
  but the independent projectors are often significantly 
  more powerful and flexible than T&S agents (with some 
  exceptions).
   
  The independent projectors organize quickly (exact 
  numbers are left up to the Storyteller).  Grace Ishida is 
  their default leader and rallying point, although if the 
  player characters are involved it is possible that they 
  could provide leadership instead... Grace willingly 
  follows anyone with a better plan.  Their plan of attack 
  is to hit T&S hard and fast, crippling its capabilities — 
  especially pigment and Eidolon production.  Grace hopes 
  that they can take out enough infrastructure to cause the 
  company to collapse; sadly, she’s laboring under some 
  misconceptions about the strength of her own forces, 
  too.
   
  Attack: The initial attack is damaging, but ulti-
  mately fails.  T&S Internal Security has been preparing 
  for threats from the spook community for long enough to 
  counter Grace’s coup de grace, so to speak.  The pivotal 
  stage of the battle takes place at the Crown facility 
  which deals with all of the sensitive final-stage pigment 
  production.  
   
  Grace uses Bedlam to spectacular effect as a decoy, 
  allowing projectors to swoop in for the kill and seriously 
  disrupt the pigment production lines.  Unfortunately 
  for the attackers, the Internal Security division and 
  Operations division personnel put aside their differences 
  long enough to defend against the worst of the attack. 
  Damage is done, but not nearly to the extent the attackers 
  were hoping for.  This initial battle is an excellent place 
  to insert the characters, on one side or the other, and the 
  scope of the damage should rest upon the actions they 
  take.
   
  Counterattack: Whatever damage was done, Grace 
  miscalculated, and now Terrel & Squib retaliates in 
  force.  Lincoln Del Cote deploys a massive Operations 
  force on a “bug hunt” reminiscent of Vietnam, as armed 
  reconnaissance patrols scour the city with overwhelming 
  firepower to root out their attackers.  Although initially 
  successful, Del Cote quickly finds his forces bogged 
  down as Grace and her companions turn to guerrilla 
  warfare.
   
  Insurgency: Realizing that the war can’t be won 
  overnight, the spooks start fighting dirty with ambushes, 
  traps, and uprisings amongst T&S’s broken ghosts.  They 
  conduct hit-and-run raids on key Terrel & Squib facili-
  ties and personnel, and the Operations division of the 
  company finds itself facing a critical manpower shortage 
  from their losses.  T&S players find themselves living 
  in fear and uncertainty — they may be strong, but the 
  enemy is proving itself to be stronger where it counts.
   
  Consolidation: A stab in the back for Terrel & 
  Squib, Arthur Barclay and his Internal Security force 
  makes its move against the Operations division.  Two 
  days of vicious political fighting, minor skirmishes and 
  a few choice assassinations ensue as the Investigations 
  and Internal Security divisions fall upon one another. 
  Not even the frantic ravings of Lionel Squib can separate 
  the two.  
   
  In a Terrel & Squib chronicle, the outcome of the 
  political maneuverings can be largely determined by 
  which side the players support (and, of course, by their 
  actions).  If T&S is an antagonist in your chronicle, 
  assume that Barclay’s Internal Security force, with 
  surprise and strength on its side, manages to triumph, 
  subsuming the Operations division entirely and consoli-
  dating its position within the company.
   
  Finale: Grace is quick to take advantage of the 
  inter-company chaos.  Although Barclay has assigned a 
  contingency force just in case, the renegades have been 
  gaining strength, and in a final concerted push they 
  succeed in catching Terrel & Squib largely off-guard. 
  96
  
  The final battlefield can be T&S headquarters or one of 
  the regional pigment distribution nodes.
   
  Possible Outcomes: The result of the final confron-
  tation is best left to the Storyteller, although Terrel & 
  Squib is, at this point, on the verge of collapse from 
  constant harassment and an internal war.  Knowing about 
  Malevoy, Grace’s primary objective is taking down the 
  Reaper.  One-on-one, Malevoy will massacre Grace, 
  but if she has help then she has a chance of winning, if 
  not surviving (the death of an important ally can really 
  punctuate the enormity of what has happened).
   
  It is also possible that, with its company collapsing 
  around it, Malevoy pulls out its final trump card and 
  summons Spectres to fight on the side of T&S.  While 
  this might turn the tide against Grace and her allies, 
  doing so alienates the vast majority of Terrel & Squib 
  operatives, who realize that if they’re fighting beside 
  Spectres, then they’re fighting on the wrong side.  Many 
  defect as a result.
   
  Terrel & Squib is largely finished at that point, 
  even if Grace is killed.  The independent spooks shred 
  the company’s infrastructure, first slowly, then building 
  up speed until the final strike hits like a freight train. 
  Unfortunately, this scenario results in a major defeat for 
  everyone.  For while Terrel & Squib has been destroyed, 
  the spook community has been decimated by the war, 
  and the Spectres — the real threat of the Orpheus
  TM cycle 
  — have had a chance to quietly build up their strength. 
  Dark times are both behind and ahead of any survivors 
  of this fiasco.
  Scenario # 2:
  Justice is Served
   
  Description: Terrel & Squib’s dominant role in the 
  international pigment trade comes to light. Led by the 
  DEA in this case, the general public and powers that be 
  turn on the company in a masterstroke PR move reminis-
  cent of Crusade of Ashes.
   
  Hooks: Again, this scenario is a plot hook in itself 
  for characters working for (or strongly associated with) 
  Terrel & Squib.  It holds some special ironies for any 
  Orpheus Group survivors who went over to T&S looking 
  for protection from the authorities.
   
  Those on the outside watching T&S disintegrate are 
  presented with a number of options.  If the player char-
  acters were involved with pointing the DEA at Terrel & 
  Squib, Inc. in the first place, they probably won’t be too 
  inclined to help out any survivors.
   
  One plot hook that works for almost any group of 
  characters is to have a T&S executive (probably Rayna 
  Almonte, head of Pharmaceuticals) approach them in a 
  panic just as the shit is hitting the fan.  She needs to get 
  out of the country, and she has the money to do it, but 
  first she needs protection and a hiding place.  She can 
  offer money, drugs, contacts... just about anything, but 
  that doesn’t diminish the fact that her name is at the top 
  of the DEA’s list of those responsible for the pigment 
  trade, and players who discover this will have to choose 
  whether they’re best served by harboring a fugitive or by 
  turning her in.
   
  Events: How the company’s key involvement with 
  the pigment trade comes to light is up to the Storyteller, 
  though the actions of the player characters (whichever 
  side they’re on) should have something to do with it. 
  Once it does, however, the government acts quickly and 
  decisively, eager to bring down the last big projecting 
  company and knock out a cornerstone in the pigment 
  trade.  The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) 
  leads the charge against Terrel & Squib where the FBI 
  led the crusade against the Orpheus Group, and is even 
  more relentless in their pursuit of T&S fugitives.  
   
  Everyone in the company gets hit.  The pigment 
  barons, Terrel & Squib’s inner circle (the people who, 
  as per Shades of Gray had found out the truth and since 
  they didn’t blanch had been promoted instead of assas-
  sinated) and especially John Terrel and Lionel Squib 
  themselves, are dethroned and sent into hiding or slapped 
  with centuries-long sentences.  
   
  Due to the general vindictiveness of the public and 
  law enforcement agencies, as well Terrel & Squib’s 
  well-constructed webs of internal deception and intrigue 
  making it almost impossible to properly assign blame. 
  All company personnel are declared suspect and ordered 
  to surrender themselves to the authorities.  Not surpris-
  ingly, large numbers of people from Operations, Security, 
  Finance and especially the guilty Pharmaceuticals 
  subsidiary (which the DEA hunts down with a special 
  relentlessness) find themselves on the run.
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. was a criminal enterprise.  It may 
  seem pathetic for T&S players to be brought down by 
  the “authorities” after the wild ride they’ve been through 
  with the company, but tell that to the judge and jury.  The 
  players have almost certainly done something illegal (or 
  at the least, suspicious) during their time with T&S, and 
  when the hammer falls they will probably join the ranks 
  of those who go underground to avoid paying the piper 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  97
  
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  for their part in the company’s thousands-strong sins.
   
  The name of the game is Crusade of Ashes, 
  modified for the elements and themes unique to Terrel & 
  Squib.  Characters (players or NPC) are on the run, but 
  they’re being portrayed as mobsters, drug dealers, and 
  corrupters of the American way of life rather than terror-
  ists.  There’s also no devastating initial attack on Terrel & 
  Squib to decimate its ranks, just the DEA showing up in 
  force to begin the seizure, confiscation, and mass arrests, 
  so there will be many more “survivors” from Terrel & 
  Squib who become fugitives than there ever were from 
  the Orpheus Group.  They’re still being hunted, although 
  it’s primarily the DEA that hounds them rather than the 
  federal police.  
   
  They may also be in the sad situation of living a 
  fugitive lifestyle after the events of Crusade of Ashes. 
  The underground culture of ghosts and projectors that 
  may have been sympathetic to Orpheus Group survivors 
  harbor nothing but a desire for vengeance against the 
  fugitive T&S agents.  
   
  Possible Outcomes: Terrel & Squib is gone.  The 
  company had the power and the money to withstand 
  Senate committee investigations into the projection 
  industry, and its hand in pigment was well-concealed, 
  but when the DEA hits T&S in force, it crumbles like 
  a house of cards.  The company’s upper management is 
  either captured or shot while attempting to resist and its 
  deep pockets are emptied to the last cent.
   
  Those who don’t turn themselves in flee into the 
  streets, although the sheer number of former T&S 
  fugitives now on the run means that they’re easier to 
  catch than any of the Orpheus Group survivors.
   
  The Spectre Malevoy is problematic.  The feds can’t 
  kill it, although once it’s certain that the jig is up and the 
  company is finished, the Reaper abandons the body of 
  Lionel Squib and kills the scientist.  If left unchecked, 
  Malevoy will get away easily and attempt to find a 
  new host around whom to rebuild its pigment empire... 
  patience is one of Malevoy’s few virtues.
   
  This new organization can be built up from T&S 
  survivors or can use the existing infrastructure of another 
  group, such as NextWorld, or even (if the Storyteller is 
  feeling especially nasty) Lazarus Redux.
   
  It should also be noted that most of the seized 
  T&S assets are quietly “lost” by the DEA, and quickly 
  reappear in the hands of the U.S. military’s Project: 
  Black Mercury.
  Scenario # 3:
  The Second Coming
   
   
  Description: The coming of a ghostly Messiah 
  amongst Terrel & Squib’s Broken Ghost population 
  is a catalyst for pandemonium within the company. 
  Overnight, the spirit of rebellion is energized among the 
  broken, and ghostbreakers wage a desperate war to keep 
  their slaves in check while agents deploy to neutralize 
  this messianic figure.
   
  Hooks: Those Storytelling a Terrel & Squib 
  chronicle won’t have any difficulty tying their players’ 
  characters into the events of this scenario.  The rise of 
  the broken ghosts’ messiah, a creature calling herself 
  Virtue (see “Other Antagonists” for her stats), attracts a 
  great deal of attention inside the company in a remark-
  ably short amount of time.  Characters can get involved 
  in trying to keep the Broken Ghosts locked down, or they 
  can be assigned to track down and destroy Virtue.  It is 
  also possible that the characters, who are perhaps not as 
  immoral as the company they work for, help the broken 
  ghosts and turn against their employers.
   
  If T&S is run as an antagonist, then word of Virtue 
  quickly spreads among the ghost community, and the 
  savior of the Broken Ghosts will find a great deal of 
  support from most Orpheus Group survivors.  Players 
  can quickly find roles for their characters in outside 
  efforts to support Virtue.  Or, if the Storyteller feels nasty, 
  the darker side of this affair can be played up, with the 
  characters’ suspicions being aroused as to Virtue’s true 
  goals and motivations.  An investigation might well be 
  in order...
   
  Events:
   
  Day One - The first significant rebellion of broken 
  ghosts happens at the Valhalla T&S Re-Education 
  Center, but is quickly put down by ghostbreakers and 
  Internal Security personnel.
   
  Day Three - A subsequent rebellion is stirred at the 
  Elysium Re-Education Center, and the first reported 
  sighting of Virtue is recorded in company logs.  The 
  rebellion is quashed again, although Management begins 
  taking a more active interest.
   
  Day Five - Additional rebellions at the Elysium and 
  Heaven Re-Education Centers.  Heaven, one of T&S’s 
  largest Re-Education facilities, is overwhelmed by the 
  broken ghosts despite extra security precautions.  Few 
  ghostbreakers survive, and many of the enslaved ghosts 
  escape.
   
  Day Six - Dr. Squib orders an investigation into the 
  seemingly spontaneous, widespread failures of ghost-
  breaker programming.
  98
  
   
  Day Seven - Virtue unveils herself as the power 
  behind the rebellions, appearing at Terrel & Squib 
  Headquarters and claiming privilege as a representa-
  tive of a higher power who will no longer sit idle as the 
  company desecrates human souls.  She has the power to 
  free broken ghosts from T&S conditioning and mental 
  programming, and directly challenges Lionel Squib, 
  demanding that he free the broken ghosts.  
   
  When Squib smugly refuses, a riot begins as Virtue 
  frees a half-dozen broken ghosts before the eyes of the 
  T&S executive body, and manages to disappear into the 
  chaos.  Reports come in from the Valhalla and Celestia 
  Re-Education Centers of further rebellion, but supposed 
  sightings of Virtue at both facilities at the exact same 
  time are dismissed as fabrications.  Rioting effectively 
  destroys the Valhalla Re-Education Center.
   
  Day Eight - T&S redoubles security around the 
  broken ghost penitentiaries and recalls key Investigations 
  personnel from regular assignments.  They are reas-
  signed the task of seeking out and destroying Virtue. 
  Meanwhile, Virtue approaches the Iphigeneia Convent 
  (see “Other Antagonists” above) for assistance in her 
  crusade.  They welcome her as their leader and savior.
   
  Days Nine through Fifteen - Virtue wages a 
  campaign against the remaining T&S Re-Education 
  Centers, with the help of the Iphigeneia Convent and 
  a handful of volunteers from independent projecting 
  agencies and Orpheus Group survivors.  Despite precau-
  tions, Terrel & Squib facilities are systematically mauled 
  and gutted by Virtue’s followers, and any Broken Ghosts 
  sent into battle against them are almost immediately 
  freed of their programming and join the aggressors.
   
  Day Sixteen - Terrified by the swelling ranks of the 
  enemy, Lionel Squib enacts his own version of the Final 
  Solution: every Broken Ghost currently held by Terrel 
  & Squib is to be destroyed immediately to keep Virtue’s 
  followers from gaining additional strength.  Although 
  many Broken Ghosts are slaughtered, any ghostbreakers 
  with a shred of humanity left in them refuse the order.
   
  From this point on, events are free flowing.  Terrel 
  & Squib, Inc. falls apart as ghostbreakers are ordered 
  to destroy ghosts, and Internal Security personnel are 
  ordered to kill ghostbreakers who didn’t carry out their 
  duty.  Malevoy woefully miscalculated, forgetting that 
  for all its immorality, Terrel & Squib was a fundamen-
  tally human organization, not a Spectre hierarchy that 
  can be ordered to carry out malicious deeds without a 
  second thought.   
   
   
   
  As the company crumbles, the Broken Ghosts and 
  their allies step up the assaults, expanding their attacks 
  to the pharmaceutical plants where pigment is produced. 
  With Internal Security in chaos, these plants fall with 
  impressive ease and, within a few days, a cornerstone of 
  the pigment trade is gone.
   
  Virtue herself has holed up with the Iphigeneia 
  Convent in their safe haven, having infused several of 
  her “lieutenants” with the power to free other broken 
  ghosts.  She is conserving energy for what she claims 
  will be the “final battle” against Terrel & Squib and the 
  Spectre Malevoy (yes, she knows... it could be one final 
  chance for the players to find out just why Squib’s eye 
  twitch was so unnerving before the company goes down 
  in flames).
   
  Although she is strong, she is not invulnerable and 
  may well fall to the characters should they hunt her down 
  like Squib intended.  If that is the case, Terrel & Squib 
  still falls due to the infighting and the damage already 
  done by Virtue’s allies — but it falls in a less spectacular 
  fashion than if Virtue survives long enough.
   
  Possible Outcomes: We leave it up to the Storyteller 
  to determine what Virtue’s origins are. Here, however, 
  are two suggestions:
   
  Virtue could be precisely what she claims to be: a 
  Messiah sent by a greater power to break the vulgar, 
  unnatural bondage in which T&S has been holding its 
  Broken Ghosts.  Her precise origins, at that point, should 
  be either left to speculation or decided upon by the 
  Storyteller.  As Terrel & Squib’s extended facilities lie 
  in ruins, she leads a direct attack on the Headquarters, 
  tearing it to shreds and destroying the Spectre Malevoy 
  in hand-to-hand combat.  The broken ghosts freed and 
  her mission complete, Virtue either Transcends or quietly 
  disappears amidst the smoking ruins of the company.
   
  Alternatively, Virtue could be something much 
  darker: an emissary of the Malfeans (see The Orphan-
  Grinders) dedicated to the thwarting of Grandmother’s 
  plans.  Although not exactly a Spectre, Virtue is serving 
  as the Malfeans’ avatar in the living realms for just long 
  enough to topple one of Grandmother’s most instru-
  mental servants, Malevoy.  She doesn’t really give a 
  shit about the Broken Ghosts: it’s Malevoy she’s after, 
  and it’s the Spectre-built pigment empire that she really 
  wants to tear apart.  When the final battle takes place, 
  Virtue brings all of the Broken Ghosts she has freed 
  along with her for the attack on T&S Headquarters.  The 
  great irony is that the supposed messiah of the Broken 
  Ghosts is going to use them the same way T&S did: as 
  cannon fodder.  
   
  At the critical moment, probably once Virtue has 
  confronted Malevoy, she enacts her final power, a 
  spiritual “bomb” of sorts that consumes her life energy 
  and uses the surrounding Broken Ghosts as a catalyst for 
  its reaction.  The blast destroys T&S Headquarters both 
  physically and spiritually, flattening the structure even 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  99
  
  as it breaches the Stormwall, letting the Maelstrom pour 
  in to finish off any survivors.  Terrel & Squib — and all 
  of the Broken Ghosts it created — is gone for good.
  Scenario #4:
  COVENANT Ascendant
   
  Description: Terrel & Squib’s Covenant project 
  has gone out of control.  By tapping the comatose minds 
  of his fellow Covenant patients and forcibly extending 
  his will through the Stormwall, Kenton Whitaker (see 
  page 84) has succeeded in bringing into existence an 
  artificial Hive-Mind, using his own consciousness as the 
  seed, literally becoming the Hive-Mind.  Unfortunately 
  for his creators, he’s powerful to the point of instability. 
  Covenant, an insane fusion of several tortured human 
  minds, lashes out in a furious battle for its own existence 
  against both Terrel & Squib and the Spectre hordes.
   
  Hooks: Hooks are less of an issue when Covenant 
  finally comes to “life” and goes apeshit.  Like the attack 
  on Orpheus Group, there aren’t many ways to sweep 
  this incident under the rug.  When the insane Hive-Mind 
  makes its push to wipe out those who made it, it isn’t at 
  all subtle.
   
  In a T&S chronicle the hooks are obvious — the 
  characters can find themselves directly in the line of fire, 
  or perhaps recalled to base by a panicked controller while 
  out on an operation or while enjoying some downtime. 
  Covenant’s uprising is as sudden as the attack that 
  destroys Orpheus Group in Crusade of Ashes, although 
  hardly as organized, and as such quickly sweeps through 
  the Headquarters like a wildfire.
   
  If T&S is being run as an antagonist in your 
  chronicle, then word can quickly spread to the player 
  characters through alternate avenues.  If the charac-
  ters have contacts within T&S, they receive a terrified 
  transmission from their contact saying that something 
  is killing them all (most T&S personnel know nothing 
  about Covenant).  Alternately, money can always be 
  waved in front of them... frightened T&S managers 
  or curious Lazarus Redux partners will want to know 
  what’s going on immediately, and the players can serve 
  as welcome eyes and ears.  Covenant is a tremendous 
  threat, and virtually everyone wants it either subdued or 
  destroyed.
   
  Events: 
  Exactly 
  how 
  long 
  Covenant 
  was 
  conscious prior to “the incident” is a matter of conjec-
  ture.  It could have been minutes, or it could have been 
  months.  Kenton Whitaker — the seed of the Hive-Mind 
  — managed to enjoin his consciousness to those of his 
  fellow Covenant patients, using the intangible but all-
  pervasive Stormwall as a transmission medium for them. 
  It could have remained in this state for months without 
  anyone knowing about it, subtly joined on a subcon-
  scious level: Terrel & Squib scientists were inventive 
  and thorough, but they were asking the wrong questions. 
  Had they bothered to correlate the monitored brainwave 
  patterns of the various patients, they would have realized 
  much sooner that they had, in fact, successfully created a 
  Hive-Mind.
   
  The breaking point came when T&S Management, 
  demanding results from the project, ordered the plug to 
  be pulled on one of the “vegetable” test subjects so as to 
  make room for a fresh one.  When the scientists pulled 
  the cord on the life-support equipment keeping subject 
  #5 (Bernadette Phillips) alive, it tore her consciousness 
  out of the Hive-Mind as painfully as a knife through 
  exposed flesh.
   
  It could have been that the pain served as a catalyst 
  for the Covenant entity to push its will that much 
  further, or it could be that the power had already been 
  there, dormant within the docile, content entity.  Either 
  way, the pain of having part of its small collective 
  consciousness removed drove the Hive-Mind insane in 
  the space of about thirty seconds.  Worse than that, it 
  kicked the oldest instinctive self-defense mechanisms 
  into effect, and the creature lashed out with its formi-
  dable mental powers.
   
  Ironically, Covenant, in lashing out, did precisely 
  what Terrel & Squib had designed it to do.  Stretching 
  its will out through the Stormwall, Covenant found 
  receptacles through which to manifest itself in the form 
  of Terrel & Squib spooks.  Broken Ghosts were the 
  first and easiest ones to take control of, and it quickly 
  overrode the willpower of all the broken ones in the T&S 
  headquarters where it was kept.  
   
  They served as the first wave, abandoning their 
  tasks and responding to the call of their new master. 
  The scientists, still obliviously unplugging Bernadette 
  Phillips from the machinery, were slaughtered in horribly 
  creative fashions.  Then came the adjoining research 
  labs; by the time Internal Security forces responded, 
  half the Paranormal Research division had been literally 
  shredded.
   
  With its immediate vicinity secured, Covenant 
  reached out the tendrils of its consciousness even further, 
  this time prying into the essences of the high-Vitality 
  “long knife” ghosts and projectors who were rushing 
  to the aid of Internal Security.  This take-over is best 
  simulated by an opposed Willpower roll (difficulty 7) 
  between each T&S spook and Covenant (assume that 
  Covenant has an effective Willpower of 12 for these 
  rolls).  It isn’t complete mind-control, but, like Spectres, 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  1 00
  
  those affected by Covenant suddenly come under 
  “new management” and willingly obey the Hive-Mind’s 
  wishes.  Unless you want to roll for each NPC projector 
  involved, assume that about 2/3 of the long knives sent 
  to back up Internal Security fall to Covenant and turn 
  on their former allies.
   
  Covenant continues to expand and absorb more 
  minds into itself.  Spurred on as much by self-preserva-
  tion as by maliciousness, it now seeks out the source of 
  the little gnats trying to attack it and takes the offensive. 
  Within hours, T&S Headquarters is a slaughterhouse. 
  Only a fortunate few escape, and even they might not 
  live to enjoy their good fortune.
   
  At this point, however, Covenant has doomed 
  itself.  In its curiosity, it begins to mentally probe the 
  realms beyond the Stormwall, only to encounter the 
  massive, overpowering ego that is Grandmother, the 
  goddess of the Spectres.  Grandmother recognizes 
  another hive-mind, but when she tries to access it and 
  fails — something totally unknown in her experiences 
  — she interprets Covenant as a threat to her own 
  “children” — the Spectres — and responds accordingly 
  in a massive assault.
   
  This is where the players can make a true differ-
  ence.  After Covenant takes over T&S Headquarters 
  with its minions, there is roughly one day before the 
  Spectral hordes descend upon the fledgling Hive-Mind. 
  If the Spectres attack, then everyone loses.  Wave after 
  wave of frenzied shadows converge on the city and 
  begin to descend on the main complex. If Covenant 
  can be destroyed before the Spectres get there, then 
  the surrounding area might be spared the devastation 
  that a full Spectre attack would entail.  The characters 
  might find an unlikely ally in the form of the Reaper 
  Malevoy, if the creature survives Covenant’s seizure 
  of T&S Headquarters.  Malevoy has lost a great deal 
  to Covenant, but it knows that the Spectre attack is 
  coming and that if it hits, then everything it worked to 
  build through Terrel & Squib, Inc. is going to be anni-
  hilated.  Therefore, it will help the characters in every 
  possible way — short of sacrificing its own existence 
  — should they attempt to destroy Covenant.  It isn’t 
  disobeying Grandmother, after all; it’s just going about 
  its orders in its own fashion.
   
  Destroying Covenant is no easy task, but it is 
  possible.  It requires killing or sneaking past the Hive-
  Mind’s enthralled spooks, resisting Covenant’s mental 
  control, and then killing all of the living test subjects 
  (especially Kenton Whitaker).  Doing this will destroy 
  the Covenant Hive-Mind and free all of the enthralled 
  spooks from the creature’s influence, which Grandmother 
  immediately senses.  The Spectre attack is called off 
  and the assembling hordes dissolve as the individual 
  monsters go back to their own small existences.
   
  Possible Outcomes: Covenant is strong, make no 
  mistake, but in the end the cards are stacked against it to 
  the point where its destruction is almost inevitable.  It can 
  dismantle T&S down to the last brick, but it is nowhere 
  near strong enough to pit itself against Grandmother’s 
  will — which is precisely what it does simply by its own 
  existence.
   
  If the players don’t destroy Covenant, then the 
  Spectres take care of the job in a near-apocalyptic 
  battle.  There isn’t any way that Covenant can win a 
  battle against Grandmother, as it has drawn attention to 
  itself far in excess of the amount of power it possesses. 
  If the players fail to destroy Covenant however, then 
  there’s going to be widespread devastation as Spectres 
  begin manifesting in order to overpower Covenant’s 
  mortal agents.  T&S’s main office is obliterated beyond 
  recognition, but the fighting manages to spread into the 
  surrounding neighborhoods, killing hundreds, (possibly) 
  including the players’ allies and loved ones.
  Scenario #5:
  Terrel and Squib 
  “Survives”
   
  Of course, it is entirely possible that you don’t want 
  to destroy Terrel & Squib at the “appropriate” time. 
  Perhaps you as the Storyteller believe, as we do, that 
  the company provides a rich venue of story and game 
  options that you want to explore further.  Or perhaps 
  your players have fallen in love with the idea of the 
  company, and you don’t feel like destroying it and losing 
  that connection just yet.
   
  For whatever reason, it is entirely possible that Terrel 
  & Squib could survive the events of Shades of Gray and 
  exist throughout the Orpheus
  TM plotline.  This could be 
  difficult to pull off.  Despite precautions, T&S’s produc-
  tion of pigment cannot go unnoticed forever, and if that 
  knowledge ever comes to light, the Feds will be on the 
  company like a bulldog.  
   
  Perhaps in your game the company’s pigment 
  production is shut down in a quieter fashion without 
  attracting unnecessary attention, or perhaps the produc-
  tion continues on with redoubled security and secrecy, 
  particularly after the rise of Bishop’s pigment cults in 
  Shadow Games.  Pigment is T&S’s Achilles’ Heel, but 
  if they can somehow quietly cease or conceal produc-
  tion, then the chances of the company surviving public 
  scrutiny increase exponentially.
   
  If it does pull through, then Terrel & Squib 
  Investigations will be the most powerful projector 
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  101
  
  firm left standing.  The Orpheus Group is long gone, 
  NextWorld quickly spirals down into violent self-
  destruction after the attacks, and no other projection 
  agency — not even Lazarus Redux — can match T&S 
  in size or funding until the military launches Project: 
  Black Mercury.  
   
  Even with independent projectors coming out of 
  the woodwork, Terrel & Squib, Inc. will command 
  a dominant share of the market should it emerge rela-
  tively unscathed from Shades of Gray, and thus will be 
  in a position of both power and immense danger.  The 
  question, of course, is where the company goes from 
  there, and the answer to that lies in where it has already 
  been.  Here are two of the best scenarios Terrel & Squib, 
  Inc. can face if it survives beyond its untimely death:
   
  The Spectral Menace:  Malevoy survives.  Perhaps 
  John Terrel and Lionel Squib remain at the helm of the 
  company, perhaps not.  Either way, the Spectre Malevoy, 
  the driving force behind T&S, has either survived in 
  its original host or found another one of power and 
  influence within the company to take up the torch.  With 
  Malevoy still at the helm, the company proceeds apace, 
  with its operations continuing much as normal, and with 
  its pigment fabrication and distribution restarting or 
  increasing in scope as quickly as possible.  
   
  The Reaper sponsors Eidolon and pigment addiction 
  amongst its employees as never before, going so far as 
  to lace the food and drink of non-addicted personnel. 
  From there, it slowly starts to replace its weakest-willed 
  operatives with loyal Spectres, turning many Terrel & 
  Squib agents into Jasons, biding their time before the 
  hammer falls.  By the time of the hive-blossoming in 
  The Orphan-Grinders, almost a third of T&S’s active 
  personnel have been possessed by Spectres.  
   
  Once the hives blossom, Malevoy’s use for the 
  company is at an end, and the Jasons fall upon their 
  former companions in a ruthless, unexpected slaughter; 
  a sacrifice of projectors and ghosts for the greater glory 
  of Grandmother.  This creates some wonderful oppor-
  tunities to tell tales of trust and betrayal, and dropping 
  hints for the characters well in advance will provide the 
  ultimate pay-off when the Jasons turn on them.  In the 
  end, Malevoy cares nothing for the humans working 
  under it.  They served their purpose, and now they are 
  meat and gauze for the sacrificial altar of its reverence.
   
  The Straight and Narrow:  If Malevoy has been 
  destroyed (along with both John Terrel and Lionel 
  Squib), but the company’s infrastructure remains intact, 
  one of the executive members of the T&S board of 
  directors quickly steps in to take control.  In all likeli-
  hood this would be Arthur Barclay, the Head of Internal 
  Security.  In this case, the company continues on a strong 
  paranormal investigations footing, shedding much or all 
  of its pigment creation enterprise in the process.  Barclay 
  would encourage former Orpheus Group, T&S, and 
  NextWorld employees to join or rejoin his venture, and 
  a series of internal reforms and purges could clean up 
  the company’s act enough to present a more credible, 
  respectable face to the public.  However, Terrel & Squib, 
  Inc. would still be ostracized for its mistreatment of 
  ghosts (and the stigma still surrounding the company), 
  and will find a bitter and constant enemy in Lazarus 
  Redux.  
   
  When the hives blossom in The Orphan-Grinders 
  and the war really begins, T&S is one of the first targets, 
  which can make for some great stories of gritty terror 
  and a short life in the trenches.  Unlike Lazarus Redux, 
  Terrel & Squib has multiple facilities and has not taken 
  anywhere near the same security precautions at all of 
  them, having learned little or nothing from Orpheus 
  Group’s fall.  Internal Security does its best, fighting 
  a running battle against a literally endless horde of 
  Spectres.  But Grandmother is relentless in “reclaiming” 
  Malevoy’s twisted creation.  Lazarus Redux, because 
  of its small area and strong defenders, has a chance of 
  holding out.  Terrel & Squib, Inc. doesn’t.  It is attacked 
  and systematically overwhelmed, and within three days 
  of the blossoming, T&S is no longer recognizable as 
  a company.  Any survivors scatter — some to Lazarus 
  Redux, others just away — and all the old T&S facilities 
  are seemingly abandoned and vandalized overnight.  It’s 
  a sad end, one punctuated by horror and profound loss 
  for anyone associated with the company... but if nothing 
  else, it is a poetic end for Malevoy’s creation.
  CHAPTER THREE
  STORYTELLING TERREL & SQUIB
  1 02
  
  Chapter : 04
  Terrel & Squib
  Agents of Note
  At least we didn’t get all dressed up for nothing.
  — Braveheart
  
   
  Sweat poured down Javier’s face as he ducked into the utility 
  room, a small briefcase tucked under his arm.  He paused, panting, 
  taking in the room to make suren that no sleepy janitor was 
  catching a surreptitious nap here.  Satisfied that he was alone, he 
  turned around, closing and locking the door behind him.  He didn’t 
  dare risk discovery, but he couldn’t wait any longer.
   
  With trembling hands, Javier opened the briefcase, quickly 
  pulling out the things he needed. Latex band... alcohol... gauze... 
  syringe. And... the tiny vial.  Oh, yes.  Javier stared at it for 
  a moment, holding it up to the light, exulting in his successful 
  theft.  There was enough Eidolon in the case for at least four good 
  hits.  That’s a week’s worth, easy, even without operation issue, he 
  thought.  If I ration it out, I can make last almost a month.
   
  But the hunger was impatient, and did not wait for him to 
  savor his victory.  With practiced movements, Javier swiftly bound 
  his arm, tugging the latex band into place with hand and teeth.  
  His fingers shook as he loaded the syringe, tapping out the air 
  bubbles.  With haste born of need, the young man thrust the needle 
  into his arm, depressing the plunger as quickly as he dared.
   
  Cold fire surged through Javier’s veins, and the tension 
  flowed out of his limbs.  He leaned heavily against the wall, 
  slowly sliding to a sitting position.  He closed his eyes and smiled 
  as the drug worked its magic.  For the first time in days, the 
  beast was satiated, and Javier rolled with the sensation.
   
  Somewhere within the haze of pleasure that slowly filled his 
  mind, a small voice asked how long this would last, and how long 
  he could endure till his next hit.  Eidolon was better than pot, 
  better than coke, hell, even better than pigment.  But T&S only 
  authorized it for operations, and the slap-patches they gave the 
  Norms just didn’t cut it.  This isn’t right, the voice insisted.  
  They’re poisoning you, this is no better than pigment, it’s just 
  stronger junk now.  But Javier brushed it aside.  T&S was a 
  pharmaceuticals firm... surely they wouldn’t give their employees 
  anything dangerous when they were on the job.  And so what if 
  the side effects were nice?  Ghost-hunting was hard work, he told 
  himself; a little extra Eidolon on the side was only fair, since 
  
  he couldn’t project on his own like Lance could.  Why should the 
  skimmers have all the fun?
   
  Slowly, Javier felt his mind disassociate from his body.  His 
  limbs felt distant now; the drug in his veins was a dim sensation, 
  at once within him and somewhere else.  Opening his eyes, he 
  found himself standing in front of his body, which lay motionless 
  save for a slow breath that might as well have been drawn by a 
  stranger.  He stretched his gauze, watching the afterimages of 
  his movements strobing through the clouds of color in the air.  
  Was it like this for natural projectors, too, or was the secret in 
  the Eidolon?  Javier didn’t know, and decided that he didn’t care.  
  Right now, everything was right in the world.
   
  Drifting in the euphoria of freedom from his flesh, Javier 
  realized that the arousal brought on by both pigment and Eidolon 
  had carried over to the gauze.  Maybe I’ll slip into the ladies’ 
  locker room, he thought to himself.  Just a quick peek... Angela’s 
  been giving me looks all month. Maybe she won’t mind if I just 
  happen to pass through the wall into the shower...
   
  And then he heard the buzz.
   
  It started at the edge of his awareness, barely perceptible, 
  like television static heard two rooms away.  Javier tried to 
  ignore it, but it only got louder, more insistent.  Slowly, the 
  white noise began to resolve itself into voices... soft, rasping 
  whispers that echoed inside his head...
   
  Why just look when you can touch? Go solid and have your way 
  with her...
   
  Touch her, bite her, take her, use her, kill her...
   
  Come with us, come see what we can give to you...
   
  “No,” Javier whispered, as the voices continued, their obscene 
  suggestions assailing his consciousness.  He didn’t want this, not 
  now... the voices had saved his life on missions when he heard the 
  Spectres coming, had saved his friends when he knew the monsters’ 
  plans before they could act... but for them to rise unbidden like 
  this was a nightmare made real.
   
  “No!” he cried, clutching at his head.  “Shut up! Shut up!”  
  The cacophony of dark suggestions grew louder, more insistent, and 
  
  among them Javier recognized a voice that was all too familiar, 
  urging him to give in, sink deeper into your mind, join them, 
  share their power, you want to... I want to...
   
  Javier threw back his head and screamed, gathering all his 
  will to drown out the siren call of the Spectral hive-mind and the 
  renegade urgings of his own subconscious.  A massive jolting sense 
  of solidity filled him; he had unconsciously ripcorded back to his 
  body, and the high was fading. Cold sweat covered him, and his 
  skin was clammy and pale.  Javier rolled over on his side, hugging 
  himself and trembling violently, as the colors faded and the plain, 
  gray world returned.  The last echoes of the Spectres sounded in 
  his mind before fading into nothingness, replaced by the hum of 
  the overhead light and the pounding of his heart in his ears.
   
  “No more,” Javier whispered.  “No more. Only for operations.”  
  He sat up slowly, and reached out, fingers closing around the vial 
  of Eidolon.  He stared at it for a long moment, set his jaw, and 
  drew his arm back, ready to dash it against the wall.
   
  But something made him hesitate.  He willed himself to act, 
  and his body ignored the order.  The hunger was coming back.
   
  Javier stared at the wall for a long time, poised to throw, 
  his lower lip trembling.  Finally, screwing his eyes tightly shut, 
  he lowered his arm, shoulders sagging in defeat.  Silent tears 
  slid down his cheeks as he tucked the bottle of Eidolon into his 
  pocket.  I’ll just finish this vial, he told himself.  Take it slow, 
  wean myself off it, tinier hits each time. One more month, and I’ll 
  never touch it again.  Maybe I can even learn to project without 
  it.  Yeah.  This’ll be the end.  I’ll be rid of the voices forever.  I 
  don’t need this shit, anyway.
   
  By the time he’d packed up his kit and left the utility room, 
  he almost had himself convinced...  but the voices knew better.  
  They always knew what Javier really wanted.
  
  A DANGEROUS WORLD
   
  The world, whether or not it likes it, is at war.  The 
  hordes of Spectres ravaging the hereafter grow every 
  month, often spilling over into the land of the living 
  to spread death and misery.  Unscrupulous ghosts rob 
  banks and pick thralls off the street, making them dance 
  like marionettes on strings.  Companies like NextWorld 
  strike freely and easily against competitors without fear 
  of retribution by the authorities.  Projector technology 
  has opened up a whole new world, and from the top 
  down it looks as though humanity may well use that 
  knowledge to speed up its self-immolation.
   
  That’s why Terrel & Squib, Inc. tells itself that it 
  exists.  They are the best-equipped agency to deal with 
  the myriad threats from the spirit realm.  They have the 
  numbers, the capital, and the technology to combat the 
  horrors of other side.  Of course, there are sacrifices 
  that need to be made, but it’s all for the greater good 
  of mankind, and it doesn’t hurt that the company can 
  make some money doing what it does best.
   
  That Terrel & Squib is as much the problem as it 
  is the solution is not something that most individuals 
  within the company know, or even suspect.  Most know 
  nothing of the pigment that is mass-manufactured by 
  the company’s pharmaceutical branch. Everyone knows 
  about the broken ghosts, but very few eyes see what the 
  ghostbreakers have to do in order to cut to the quick of 
  a ghost’s essence.
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. is a paradox... a company 
  whose pieces see themselves working for the good 
  of humanity, while on the whole, the company is a 
  sharpened instrument stabbing into the heart of the 
  living world.  Nowhere is this more clear than in an 
  assessment of the company’s personnel files.  People 
  in T&S — good-hearted people — fight Spectres in the 
  streets while their very own executives make plans to 
  distribute pigment on those same streets, creating even 
  more food for Oblivion.  
   
  No matter how much success they have in the field, 
  every victory only makes Terrel & Squib a greater 
  menace to the world.  And most agents will die (or 
  be killed off) long before realizing the truth about the 
  company they gave their lives for.  That’s life.  And for 
  those scouting the hereafter, that’s death, too.
   
  The characters presented in this chapter are NPCs 
  and T&S signature characters coming from all walks 
  of life, and can be used either as helpful allies or 
  bitter antagonists, depending upon the nature of your 
  Orpheus
  TM chronicle.  But remember that not every T&S 
  operative is the pigment-doped, amoral goon that the 
  Orpheus Group would have you believe they all are... 
  and none of them are faceless.
  THE “RANK AND FILE” 
  DOSSIER
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. values its many field agents 
  and spook operatives; at least that’s what they’re told. 
  Those on the bottom of the pile feel differently.
   
  Terrel & Squib agents, the rank-and-file who 
  conduct the day-to-day operations, are the nucleus of 
  the company’s paranormal services department.  They 
  are the spooks and the long-knives, the bluelegs and 
  the shrinks. They routinely work without reliable intel-
  ligence, doing The Management’s legwork with impro-
  vised plans for each new threat that is discovered. 
   
  They are the ones who catch the shit in the field, and 
  they have to be able to respond quickly and skilfully on 
  assignment if they hope to achieve their objectives... 
  and stay alive.  Outside of work, their personal lives 
  follow no particular pattern, but they are anything but 
  normal.  Many agents, especially Arc-Lights, battle 
  Eidolon addiction on a daily basis, or in worse cases, 
  addiction to street-born pigment.  While many T&S 
  operatives are projectors or ghosts, the company hires 
  a substantial number of “meat” operatives as well, 
  security personnel who operate in the field without the 
  benefit of intangibility or Horrors, and schisms in the 
  lower ranks of the company have been forming for a 
  long time.  The omnipresent Broken Ghosts that have 
  been enslaved by Terrel & Squib adds to the inter-
  department tensions, and more than one agent faces a 
  moral dilemma with regards to these enslaved souls.
   
  All these conflicts are frequently laid aside though, 
  because those at the bottom of the corporate ladder 
  have to watch out for one another.  A rough camara-
  derie has formed among those on the low rungs, and 
  they are often united more by interpersonal fellowship 
  than company loyalty.  
   
  Some of them still believe that they are fighting the 
  good fight.  Sure, they fight it for people with nearly 
  bottomless pocketbooks, but they’re still fighting 
  against the darkness that everyone witnesses when they 
  project or tap a slap-patch.  Presented here are a few 
  characters from the company’s rank-and-file that can 
  serve as Terrel & Squib NPCs, whether as allies of the 
  players or as agents of the distinguished opposition.
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  107
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  SORCHA ROSS
   
  Sorcha was a starving artist who dropped out of 
  college one semester before completing her degree in 
  Art History, citing her belief that nothing important 
  is ever really finished. Having set up shop in a small 
  studio in the city’s Bohemian neighborhood, Sorcha’s 
  life after college was little different than that during 
  her studies: a happy drift from one project to another, 
  an irregular schedule in which she was as likely to eat 
  breakfast at sundown as she was at dawn, and a series 
  of brief relationships with whatever man or woman 
  caught her fancy that month. 
   
  Sorcha eked out a meager living selling her 
  paintings and sculptures, and a few of her pieces found 
  their way into local galleries, bringing her recognition 
  in the local artistic scene. Her friends exhorted her to 
  focus her energies and reach further, but she was too 
  undisciplined to apply herself, and professed content-
  ment with her unambitious lifestyle.
    
  One of Sorcha’s chief inspirations was the afterlife. 
  A firm believer in the spirit world, Sorcha frequently 
  used motifs of ghosts and underworld myths in her 
  work. Her wild lifestyle included indulgences in 
  numerous drugs, and she had over-dosed at least twice 
  while binging, bringing her to the brink of death. She 
  emerged from these experiences convinced that she 
  had seen something, especially after the night her best 
  friend scored some black heroin and she shot a little 
  too much. She dabbled in mysticism and meditation, 
  but just as with else in her life, she never focused suffi-
  ciently to make any great strides. 
   
  When Orpheus Group made ghosts a public issue, 
  Sorcha was overjoyed; inspired by the sudden attention 
  to the occult, she began selling more paintings, drawing 
  upon a series of ghost-filled dreams. One of her works, 
  a dark piece she fatefully named “Spectres in the 
  Cornfields,” drew the attention of a T&S recruiter. She 
  jumped at the opportunity to work for the company, and 
  while she never mastered Skimming without the aid of 
  pigment or Eidolon, her creative uses of Bedlam made 
  her a valuable addition to her investigative team. 
   
  Tragedy struck when Sorcha’s team was sent on 
  Operation: Whiteout, an investigation of a haunted 
  house where two small children had been found frozen 
  to death in mid-July. The culprit turned out to be a 
  breed of Spectre with powers over ice and cold (see the 
  write-up for Jack Frosts in Chapter 3). Sorcha came in 
  the meat and projected on arrival at the site. This turned 
  out to be a fatal error in judgment; during the ensuing 
  battle, the Spectre dislodged a mass of icicles from a 
  ceiling, and Sorcha was powerless to do anything but 
  watch in horror as her helpless body was impaled. High 
  on Eidolon, she became a Hue. 
   
  Since her death, Sorcha has become somewhat 
  more focused. She sees her fate as an opportunity to 
  learn more about the ghostly condition firsthand and as 
  a source of fresh inspiration, but she keenly feels the 
  loss of her body and is learning to skinride so she can 
  enjoy the pleasures of the flesh again. She’s remained 
  with T&S (who is compensating her by paying for her 
  apartment, giving her a place to manifest occasionally 
  and continue working on some posthumous paintings), 
  but is growing suspicious of the number of her colleagues 
  who die on missions and end up as Hues, especially 
  those she knows are against pigment use.  
   
   
  She’s begun to wonder if her employers are 
  entirely on the level with her, and is keeping a close 
  eye on goings-on at the company. She has not yet made 
  the connection between Eidolon and pigment, but is 
  beginning to put the pieces together.
   
  Description: Sorcha appears much as she did in 
  life: a short, slender Caucasian woman in her mid-20s, 
  pale of complexion, with honey-blonde hair pulled 
  back in a ponytail, delicate features, a small nose, and 
  sharp blue eyes framed by black plastic glasses. Unless 
  disguised by Bedlam, she wears a long peasant skirt 
  with floral patterns, a green T-shirt with a low scooped 
  neck, several strings of wooden and ceramic beads, and 
  one gold earring shaped like a butterfly. 
  1 08
  
   
  Her voice is soft and pleasant, and she smiles 
  easily, even at strangers; death has not yet crushed her 
  spirit, even with the flickering weakness of a Hue. She 
  is easily distracted and has a habit of tapping her foot 
  to music only she can hear when she isn’t focused on a 
  specific task. 
   
  Nature: Celebrant 
   
  Classification: Phantasm Hue 
   
  Role: Bohemian artist 
   
  Attributes: Strength 1, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, 
  Charisma 4, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 3, Wits 3 
   
  Abilities: Alertness 1, Awareness 2, Empathy 
  2, Expression (pre-specialty painting) 3, Intrigue 1, 
  Intuition 2, Streetwise 1, Subterfuge 2, Crafts 3, Drive 
  1, Etiquette 1, Melee 1, Performance 2, Academics 2, 
  Computer 1, Enigmas 1, Investigation 2, Occult (pre-
  specialty afterlife beliefs) 3, Science 1 
   
  Backgrounds: Artifact 2 (see below), Haunt, 1 
  Memorial 2, Passion 1 
   
  Horrors: Bedlam, Sandman, Unearthly Repose, 
  Wail 
   
  Stains: Blackfire Speech, Claws, Compound Eyes. 
  Sorcha’s Stains represent corruptions of her artistic 
  nature.  Her blackfire speech poisons her glib words. 
  Sharp, gnashing claws replace her nimble painter’s 
  fingers, and compound eyes distort her unique inner 
  vision, mocking her ability to see multiple points of 
  view. 
   
  Vitality: 7 
   
  Willpower: 4 
   
  Spite: 3
   
  Merits: People Person
   
  Flaws: Phobia (Jack Frost spectres)
   
  Notes: Sorcha’s Artifact Background takes the 
  form of a sculptor’s knife, which she uses to defend 
  herself in battle (Strength +1 damage); when in hand, 
  the blade adds one die to Expression and Perception 
  rolls made for creative purposes. Her Memorial 
  Background comes from a room dedicated to her works 
  by a local art gallery after her passing; if she ever 
  completes her posthumous paintings and arranges for 
  their “discovery,” this Background will increase to 3. 
  She is in the process of learning Puppetry from a living 
  Skinrider, Lance Shomaker, on her investigative team 
  (see below).
  JAVIER GONZALES
   
  Javier’s parents snuck across the US-Mexico 
  border when his mother was eight months pregnant, 
  granting him — but not them — US citizenship upon 
  his birth. He grew up among the Hispanic slums of 
  southern California, jumping from gang to gang as 
  his family moved regularly in search of work. Never a 
  leader, he lived for the thrill of manipulating the other 
  gang members without their ever realizing it. This, 
  combined with the normal hazards of gang life, gave 
  him more than his fair share of close calls throughout 
  his teenage years. But when a knife wound at the age of 
  seventeen left him bedridden for a month with nothing 
  to do but think about his life, he decided it was time for 
  a change. He started going to school again and picked 
  up a part-time job, spending less and less time with his 
  gang. Until they introduced him to pigment, that is. 
   
  No other drug had hit him like this; it actually 
  did feel like it was expanding his mind. Javier nearly 
  overdosed on it several times, and just when relations 
  with his parents were about to go critical, a T&S 
  recruiting agent showed up on the doorstep. Tests 
  showed that Javier had projector potential, and within 
  a month he’d moved out and started work in T&S’s 
  paranormal division. He sends most of the money back 
  home to support his family (father, mother, and two 
  younger sisters), and only goes in for the occasional 
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  109
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  pigment hit anymore (much to the relief of his parents). 
  Of course, that’s only because Eidolon does things that 
  makes pigment look tame. 
   
  If Javier ever found out how T&S found him, it 
  could be... messy. His near-suicidal plunge into pigment 
  quickly developed the taint on his soul, and he began 
  sending out echoes through the hive-mind every time 
  he used it, like off-key notes in a symphony orchestra. 
  A Friendly Angel traced the discord back to Javier, and 
  posed as a T&S recruiter to get him into the company. 
  Now Javier is under surreptitious Spectral observation 
  to determine the origin of his taint, and, more impor-
  tantly, how to duplicate it.
   
  Description: Javier stands 5’6” tall with medium-
  brown skin, short black hair, and dark brown eyes. 
  When projecting, he usually appears in the faded jeans 
  and T-shirts of his gang years, oftentimes with a bit of 
  gang insignia (though which gang and where it appears 
  vary). He is T&S’s youngest employee, having just 
  turned eighteen a few months ago. 
   
  Javier is of average intelligence, but his quick 
  thinking — honed by years of dancing the razor’s 
  edge in his gangs — more than makes up for it. He is 
  charming and an incurable flirt, and always has a quip 
  on his tongue. His humor tends to be a bit dark, but he 
  can usually get a smile out of anyone. He’s been getting 
  quieter and more morose recently, probably due to his 
  newfound ability to tap into the Spectral hive-mind. 
   
  Nature: Socialite
   
  Demeanor: Thrill-Seeker
   
  Classification: Wisp Arc-Light 
   
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, 
  Charisma 3, Manipulation 4, Appearance 2, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 2, Wits 4 
   
  Abilities: Alertness 3, Intuition 3, Streetwise 
  4, Subterfuge 3, Melee 1, Security 3, Stealth 4, 
  Investigation 3, Linguistics 1 (Spanish)
   
  Backgrounds: Tainted 1, Contacts 3, Allies 1
   
  Horrors: Hive-Mind (see Tainted background), 
  Storm-Wending, Unearthly Repose 
   
  Stains: Dagger Tongue, Leper, Shifting Identity. 
  Javier’s Stains represent the darker sides of his 
  outgoing, manipulative personality; Dagger Tongue 
  shows that his words have power, Leper represents his 
  fears of alienation, and Shifting Identity distorts his 
  vibrant sense of his own identity.
   
  Vitality: 7
   
  Willpower: 6
   
  Spite: 4
  DAVID STEVENS
   
  The story of Dave Stevens’ early life was predict-
  able, mundane and would have made for a boring 
  read: born and raised in the suburbs of the American 
  Midwest, tennis in high school, almost died when one 
  of his friends decided to ignore the warnings about 
  drinking and driving... the whole nine yards.  
   
  The only truly unusual experience of his life came 
  when he was thirteen, and on a dare braved a haunted 
  house at night.  The experience instilled in him a respect 
  for the dead and some new mysteries about “the Other 
  Side” that he could never quite articulate.  He graduated 
  surrounded by friends and classmates, all of whom 
  moved on to college, set on becoming business execs, 
  lawyers, veterinarians, or other productive members of 
  society. Except for one.
   
  Unlike the millions of people of whom the exact 
  same story could be told, Dave knew intimately that 
  words like “boring,” “secure,” and even “family” were 
  a blessing that millions were never granted. He felt he 
  owed people he’d never met for the happiness he’d been 
  raised with, even if everyone around him seemed to get 
  along just fine ignoring the injustices of the world. So 
  he tried and failed at a stint in police academy, then did 
  volunteer work and odd jobs on the side while applying 
  to become a fireman. All in all, he just tried to do some 
  good with his life.
  110
  
   
  The good do indeed die young. In Dave’s case, all it 
  took was an addict who was in a bad way from the pain 
  of withdrawal, induced by a chronic shortness of cash. 
  However, this was not the end of the story.  Dave’s 
  attachment to this life in all of its various walks helped 
  to bind his spirit to the mortal plane.
   
  Feeling disoriented as a spirit, Dave turned to 
  Terrel & Squib, a name that he had heard many times 
  on late-night TV in recent weeks. Being hard-pressed 
  for strong ghosts at the time, the HR department 
  decided to forego the breaking process and hire him as 
  a long-knife. While his nature made him ill-suited to 
  policing and enforcing the company’s broken ghosts, 
  Operations found that he made a solid tracker, stalking 
  and incapacitating hostile spirits.
   
  For the most part, David has accepted his role in 
  Terrel & Squib, making the best of a bad situation.  He’s 
  taken the “dead man’s watch” that God handed him, and 
  believes it to be a noble calling.  While T&S’s cavalier 
  treatment of ghosts is worrisome, right now they seem 
  like the only ones willing to take a stand against the 
  unkown horrors spilling from the other side.
   
  Description: On an average day, David could fade 
  into the background like any other blip.  When’s he 
  on an operation though, David is a long rubber-band 
  twined to its breaking point.  While relatively small 
  at only 5’ 8”, he knows just where (and how) to hit 
  someone in order to get his point across.
   
  Nature: Martyr
   
  Classification: Poltergeist Spirit 
   
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 2, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 3, Manipulation 2, Appearance 3, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 2, Wits 3
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, 
  Brawl 2, Empathy 4, Leadership 2, Crafts 1, Firearms 
  1, Melee 2, Security 1, Stealth 3, Survival 1, Academics 
  1, Law 1, Linguistics 1 (French), Science 1
   
  Backgrounds: Passion 2, Memorial 1, Artifact 1
   
  Horrors: Helter-Skelter, Puppetry, Wail 
   
  Stains: Clingy, Foaming, Withered
   
  Vitality: 7
   
  Willpower: 7
   
  Spite: 3
   
  Merits: N/A
   
  Flaws: Bad Rap (2 pts.).
   
  Notes: David’s Artifact is a pitch-black nightstick 
  (Strength +2 bashing damage) that he recovered after 
  his second operation with T&S.  The ‘breaker last seen 
  using a similar artifact to discipline his “projects” is 
  still considered MIA.
  JURAJ STOSKOPF
   
  The man who now calls himself Juraj Stoskopf was 
  born in the Balkans, in Yugoslavia, before the entire 
  region became man’s re-enactment of Hell.  He had the 
  good fortune to be born into the Serbian majority of his 
  region, but by the time he had come of age, the country 
  had shattered, and its fragments were plunged into a 
  vicious ethnic war.
   
  When the fighting started, Juraj joined almost 
  immediately, eager to stomp down the people he had 
  been taught his entire life to detest.  As the fighting 
  continued and the viciousness escalated, his enthu-
  siasm declined as the horrors of war became more and 
  more evident.  In the field, he did many things that 
  he wasn’t proud of.  He also did some things that he 
  still has nightmares about... things that he was usually 
  — but not always — ordered to do by his superiors.  By 
  the time other nations stepped in to end the fighting, 
  Juraj was empty inside.  His superiors called it a great 
  victory, but he could taste only ashes in his mouth.  He 
  returned to his hometown, now empty of those he had 
  fought to rid it of... only to remember where he had 
  buried all their bodies.
   
  Then the world took notice.  Atrocities had 
  occurred, and those resoponsible would pay with more 
  blood.  The world went after his country’s leaders 
  first, bringing them to justice before the War Crimes 
  Tribunal in the Hague.  During the trials, no one was 
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  spared.  The leaders revealed the roles of their under-
  lings, and one by one Juraj’s superiors were captured 
  or quietly “taken care of.”  And through it all, Juraj 
  held his breath, knowing that he was on somebody’s 
  list, and that he was going to be called into judgement 
  before God and man for what he had done.
   
  That was when Juraj Stoskopf was approached by a 
  foreigner in a three-piece suit, a rare sight in the streets 
  of his tattered city.  Th man said that the company he 
  worked for had found Juraj just ahead of the authori-
  ties, and that they were looking for men of his talents 
  for an enterprise they were undertaking.  They would 
  take him away to a distant country and build a new 
  identity and life for him... provided that he would work 
  for them faithfully.
   
  Now Juraj finds that he is repeating much of what 
  he did in the dark days of the war, but now he does it 
  to the dead.  Terrel & Squib introduced him to a whole 
  other world beyond the grave, and they use him to 
  enforce order amongst conscripted low-Vitality ghosts. 
  Sometimes this means torture.  Sometimes this means 
  destruction.  But he’s up to the task, because he knows 
  that the alternative is unthinkable.
   
  Description: Juraj stands 6’3” tall, a big man with 
  a dark Slavic complexion and fierce brown eyes.  He 
  prefers to shave his head and beard... there are photo-
  graphs of him with his ragged goatee that have been 
  circulating with INTERPOL for some time now.  He 
  is in his mid-30s, but looks significantly older.  He 
  presents a cold, malicious shoulder to the world most 
  of the time, a survival mechanism that he developed a 
  long time ago.  Few have trouble believing that he is 
  capable of torture, but far fewer would believe that he 
  sleeps with a copy of the Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations 
  by his pillow.
   
  Juraj isn’t liked by many, especially among Terrel 
  & Squib’s ghost population, as he has a reputation for 
  excessive brutality in keeping the broken spooks in line 
  on missions.  Although he isn’t a ghostbreaker himself, 
  the ‘breakers sometimes use him when a little physical 
  coersion is needed.  Sometimes he can’t sleep at night, 
  dreaming of the Balkan winter when the fighting and 
  the ethnic cleansing were at their worst, and some of 
  the things he did then will haunt him for the rest of his 
  life.  Juraj continually has to force himself to push past 
  it.  He knows where that path leads.
   
  Nature: Survivor
   
  Demeanor: Monster
   
  Classification: Skinrider Arc-Light 
   
  Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 3, 
  Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 2, Wits 3 
   
  Abilities: Alertness 1, Athletics 2, Awareness 2, 
  Brawl 3, Drive 1, Empathy 2, Firearms 3, Intimidation 
  5, Investigation 2, Leadership 3, Linguistics 1 (Serbian), 
  Meditation 2, Melee 1, Politics 1, Security 1, Stealth 2, 
  Survival 2
   
  Backgrounds: Allies 1, Arsenal 3, Parasynthetic 
  Tolerance 2
   
  Horrors: Puppetry, Juggernaut.
   
  Stains: Claws, Heart of Stone, Masquerade.  Juraj’s 
  Stains represent his darkest fear: that he’ll become 
  the monster he once was again.  His Claws are short, 
  notched knife blades extending out of his fingers, 
  stained with the blood of those he killed long ago. 
  Masquerade exemplifies how he lives his life, behind 
  someone else’s name and ID card for protection.  Heart 
  of Stone is self-explanatory, and Juraj seems to be 
  slipping a little closer to this cold, emotionless Stain 
  every day.
   
  Vitality: 8
   
  Willpower: 8
   
  Spite: 6
   
  Equipment: Juraj brought a significant personal 
  arsenal out of the Balkans with him, including some 
  military-grade weapons, making him as deadly in the 
  meat as he is when projected.  Some of his prominent 
  weapons include: modified AK-47 assault rifle (+1 
  attack), Kevlar body armor (Class Three), and at least 
  two Uzi 9mm SMGs (+1 attack each).
  IMAMU
   
  Imamu was born under the African stars with an 
  auspicious name, meaning “spiritual leader.” He truly 
  was destined for greatness, but his real strength didn’t 
  come until death claimed Imamu as one of its own. 
   
  He was raised in Somalia, where violence was not 
  only the norm, it was venerated.  Imamu was practi-
  cally birthed with a gun in his hand, into a society 
  ravaged by endless war, where the strong survive by 
  taking what scraps remain from the weak...  and he was 
  never weak.  
   
  At the age of eight he was taught to fire Soviet 
  rifles, and by the age of eleven he had killed his first 
  man, an enemy clansman from the hills.  Not long after, 
  he was taking part in raids against the enemies of his 
  warlord, and eventually orchestrated his own. There 
  was never enough food to go around, but Imamu ate 
  well, sustained by the spoils taken from his enemies. 
  He almost died at least twice while still in his teens, 
  but Imamu was always strong enough to overcome the 
  grave to fire his weapon once more. 
  112
  
   
  Then, when he was on the verge of adulthood, the 
  Westerners came, with their blue berets and trucks full 
  of supplies.  They promised to bring peace and pros-
  perity for the Somali people, but their words were a 
  shield for inaction, and whatever aid they brought was 
  always given to the rival warlords and enemy clans.
   
  After his third raid on the U.N. supply convoy, 
  more Westerners arrived, with helicopters, missiles and 
  soldiers at their command.  He remembers fighting them 
  in the ruined streets of his home city amidst the bodies 
  of friends and boon companions, shooting round after 
  round into the circling helicopters until they descended 
  in flames into the streets.  Then the stream of bullets 
  tore through his guts, and he died, still clasping his rifle 
  defiantly.
   
  To his surprise, he found out that it didn’t end 
  there.
   
  He wandered the land as a spirit for a time, first 
  avenging himself upon his living enemies and then 
  setting out to explore this bizarre new world of the 
  dead.  Driven by a newfound curiosity, he travelled 
  far, across rivers and deserts and seas, as though driven 
  by the whispers of some unseen mouth.  After some 
  months he was found stumbling into a pigment field 
  in Turkey that was overseen by Terrel & Squib.  After 
  Imamu bested one of the resident Spectres in single 
  combat, a T&S Arc-Light who witnessed the encounter 
  recognized his skill as a warrior and made an offer for 
  him to join their ranks of ghostly operatives.  Impressed 
  by the organization and finally offered some direction 
  in the hereafter, Imamu agreed.
   
  Now Imamu leads T&S long knives into battle.  He 
  is a lone warrior, brought up in a proud culture where 
  war is as much art and sport as it is science, but he 
  knows how to drive his fellow ghosts into action.
   
  He has been known to disappear for days at a 
  time stalking Spectres through the urban jungles, but 
  has also been known to creep into a building ahead 
  of a team and take down a Spectre or an angry blip 
  single-handedly. While Terrel & Squib has had trouble 
  restraining him in the past, it rightly views his talents 
  as a unique asset.
   
  Description: Imamu is an unbroken spirit standing 
  5’8” tall, but is usually found crouching like a predator, 
  even when in a safe haven.  A native Somalian, his 
  skin is black and his hair is kept long braids reaching 
  down to his waist.  Although he is not a particularly 
  high-Vitality ghost, he is almost freakishly strong and 
  durable, as he was in life.
   
  Imamu is highly skilled in the art of combat, having 
  been raised with it since birth, but he is no soldier... 
  he is a warrior, a predator, a killer.  Now, working for 
  T&S, he will show this Western world of neon lights 
  and decadent brothels what it means to be a warrior...
  and what it means to be dead. Woe to the poor ghost-
  breaker placed on Imamu’s case after his useful as a 
  Wild Spirit is over.
    
  Nature: Barbarian
   
  Classification: Haunter-class Wild Spirit 
   
  Attributes: Strength 5, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 4, Manipulation 2, Appearance 1, Perception 
  2, Intelligence 1, Wits 3.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 3, Awareness 2, 
  Brawl 4, Firearms 4, Intimidation 2, Leadership 2, 
  Linguistics 1 (Somali), Melee 3, Occult 2, Politics 1, 
  Stealth 3, Survival 4.
   
  Backgrounds: Artifact 3, Destiny 1, Status 1
   
  Horrors: Inhabit, Witch’s Nimbus
   
  Stains: 
  Yellowbelly, 
  Man-of-War, 
  Withered. 
  Imamu’s Stains represent what he secretly fears he 
  might be — soft and weak, like those he laughed at and 
  stole from all his life.  Yellowbelly is his own dread 
  fear of being a coward, Man-of-War is the manifesta-
  tion of his repugnance of all things soft, and Withered 
  is a reflection of those he bullied and stole from in 
  Somalia — weak, brittle and malnourished.
   
  Vitality: 8
   
  Willpower: 6
   
  Spite: 4
   
  Notes: Imamu’s Artifact Background takes the 
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  CHAPTER FOUR
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  form of a battered old AK-47 rifle that fires gauze 
  bullets (but does not allow for full-automatic fire).  His 
  Status Background reflects that he has some degree 
  of standing and independence within the company 
  — while he is hardly at the top of the ladder, those in 
  charge know enough to let him have his way when he 
  demands it.  Most of the time.
  “REECE”
   
  Reece was a British Royal Marine, killed in Iraq 
  during a joint operation with British and American 
  troops. His body (and ghost) took the long route home 
  on an American transport plane via an air base in Utah, 
  where a T&S Clean Sweep team picked him up. Reece 
  now “works” for T&S as a Broken Ghost; while he 
  doesn’t enjoy being forced to follow orders, he enjoys 
  the “life” that the company offers him. He does miss a 
  good shot of Jack Daniels, though.
    
  Like all Broken Ghosts, Reece remembers almost 
  nothing of his past life, and his sense of self has been 
  severely eroded.  “Reece” may not even be his real 
  name, for all he can recall at this point.  Still, Reece 
  is stronger than most Broken Ghosts, and the ghost-
  breaker who shredded his mind was not as thorough as 
  she could have been.  Small rays of true self-awareness 
  and a handful of broken memories peer through the 
  T&S programming quite frequently...
   
  From the time he was a very young boy, Reece 
  knew he wanted to be a Marine, just like his dad, and 
  his dad’s dad. He was strong even as a boy, and was 
  always getting into trouble. He was very slow to learn, 
  however, suffering from dyslexia. This, coupled with 
  his large physique, caused people to label him as stupid 
  and discount the possibility that he would ever amount 
  to anything. This drove him to work that much harder, 
  and he surprised everyone by passing his exams and 
  becoming a Marine cadet. 
   
  He excelled at his training, and several years later 
  passed with the King’s Badge. Since then, he soaked up 
  skills like a dry sponge, learning everything the forces 
  could throw at him: subterfuge, camouflage, mechanics, 
  photography, and even some sniper training. He made 
  several tours in various hot spots across the world, and 
  was one of the few Marines ever to volunteer for a 
  second tour in Northern Ireland.  None of this matched 
  up to actual engagement with the enemy, though, and 
  when the war against terrorism flared up, he was out 
  there on the frontiers of the allied lines, gathering intel-
  ligence and fighting the enemy. 
   
  Now he is dead, one of the many “friendly fire” 
  casualties from the Iraqi War.  Reece works for Terrel 
  & Squib now, following orders as best he can from his 
  state of forced servitude.  No amount of T&S program-
  ming could override years of hard military training 
  though, and he feels, if not at home, then more adjusted 
  to his present situation than most Broken Ghosts.   
   
  There are orders that come from above, after all, 
  and whether you’re a soldier in Iraq or a ghost facing 
  down a Spectre, those orders demand compliance. 
   
  Description: Reece is an imposing man, large in 
  physique as well as personality.  At 6’3” and over 210 
  pounds, that’s telling on both accounts.  He can be 
  overbearing and would be a bully if his T&S program-
  ming didn’t repress that particular personality trait.   
   
   
  Nonetheless, he has more Vitality than most 
  Broken Ghosts and demonstrates some degree of 
  autonomy.  Reece is a no-nonsense man who is slow 
  to understand complex plots and ideas — so he usually 
  doesn’t bother with them.
   
  Nature: Bumpkin
   
  Classification: Skinrider Broken Spirit 
   
  Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 3, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, Perception 
  4, Intelligence 3, Wits 1.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 3, Brawl 3, 
  Intimidation 3, Intuition 2, Streetwise 1, Drive 2, 
  Firearms 4, Melee 1, Stealth 3, Survival 3, Linguistics 
  1 (Arabic), Medicine 2, Politics 1
  114
  
   
  Backgrounds: Memorial 3, Flashbacks 2
   
  Horrors: Puppetry, Juggernaut
   
  Stains: Blood Socket, Raging Monster, Brute. 
  Reece’s Stains are clues to the secret fears he held in 
  life.  Brute shows his secret fear of his own physical 
  strength.  The Raging Monster Stain is an internaliza-
  tion of the horrors and brutalities that he witnessed 
  throughout his career in the military.  And the Blood 
  Socket Stain is his fear of death (and final death), as it 
  is a remnant of the bullet that took his life.
   
  Vitality: 6
   
  Willpower: 4
   
  Spite: 5
   
  Merits: Acute Hearing, Cool Head, Daredevil
   
  Flaws: One Eye, Stubborn
   
  Notes: The British Forces have built a memorial 
  garden to all of the servicemen who died in Iraq — 
  each one has had a tree planted in their honor. While 
  Reece is unaware of this, it does provide him with a 
  steady stream of Vitality as people visit and mourn his 
  passing.
  BRETT ANDREWSON
   
  Being raised on the right side of the track certainly 
  has its advantages: fast cars, a big house, lots of dispos-
  able cash and parents that never seem to care what you 
  do, as long as you don’t embarrass them. 
   
  Never one to stick with the rest of the high school 
  heard, Brett did his best to find his way on top of the 
  pile. He had a crush on acting at first, but then varsity 
  sports grabbed the spotlight. After awhile, though, even 
  the standards — football, baseball, wrestling — seemed 
  boring. Not content to sit still, Brett threw himself into 
  the extreme sports fad with both feet. Between Daddy’s 
  credit card and a mountain of airline miles, he spent the 
  next 3 years finding the best places to ride, climb, and 
  jump off the world. 
    
  Brett was happy; he was followed around by a small 
  clique of fellow sports groupies, he had everything he 
  wanted and everything was in the right place. This rich 
  boy was living in the fast lane, and nothing could slow 
  him down. That is, until he set his sights on his best 
  friend’s girl. 
    
  Sure, Brett and Heather hooked up a couple of 
  times behind Michael’s back, but when Brett finally 
  wanted to “seal the deal,” Heather went cold. Not one 
  to let something like “feelings” get in the way, Brett 
  forced his way onto her and everything slid downhill 
  from there. 
   
  Amidst the screaming and failed violence, Heather 
  took her chance to run, but Brett was right behind her… 
  and when he pushed her down, she fell hard. 
   
  When the reality of the situation finally hit Brett a 
  minute later, the memory just sat there rolling through 
  his head like a spent bullet casing.  “She slipped and 
  fell,” he told the police, and he “did everything he 
  could to save her, but it just hadn’t been enough.”  The 
  police came and went and, for about two months, that’s 
  the way his story sat. 
   
  When Brett came home after his “accident” with 
  Heather, that’s when the real accidents began. 
   
  At first, minor things disappeared from around the 
  house, but it wasn’t too long until random fires began 
  sprouting up in the worst places. Maybe it was a guilty 
  conscience that wanted this ghost put to rest or maybe 
  it was simply a chance to see some action, but either 
  way it happened Brett picked up his phone and dialed 
  Terrel & Squib. 
   
  Since the Halloween episode of The Real House, 
  T&S’s phone number had been popping up on MTV 
  between every video. Of course, he didn’t know what 
  to expect, but he did know that something had to be 
  done about Heather. 
   
  Five hours, an outrageous lump sum of cash and 
  a lightshow later, the T&S operatives had successfully 
  “cleaned” Brett’s house of all supernatural entities. To 
  his surprise, they even found ghosts that he didn’t even 
  know were in there. Amazed at what just happened, 
  CHAPTER FOUR
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  CHAPTER FOUR
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  Brett wanted in. That high he got when Heather fell off 
  the cliff was coming back again. 
   
  Two months later, Brett was assigned to a full 
  operative position within Terrel & Squib. The training 
  was a breeze and the tech almost operated itself.  Just 
  point the dangerous looking end at the spooks and pull 
  the trigger. That’s all there is to it. 
   
  In the field, Brett has fallen into a rough situation or 
  two, but he always plays the part of the square-jawed, 
  front-man for the team. After all, danger is just part of 
  the job, right? 
   
  Description: Brett is a male Caucasian standing 
  just under six feet tall with shaggy brown hair and 
  trendy sideburns.  His build is solid and his blue-grey 
  eyes are narrow and suspicious, constantly looking for 
  ways to turn a situation to his advantage.  Normally, 
  Brett is the first to arrive on-scene, taking point as “the 
  face” of T&S.
    
  Nature: Thrill-Seeker
   
  Demeanor: Autocrat
   
  Classification: Norm (potential Haunter) 
   
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 2, Wits 3.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 4, Awareness 2, 
  Bureaucracy 2, Brawl 1, Intimidation 2, Computer 
  2, Drive 3, Etiquette 3, Firearms 2, Investigation 1, 
  Leadership 2, Performance 2, Streetwise 2, Subterfuge 
  4, Technology 2
   
  Backgrounds: Fame 2, Resources 3, Stash 2
   
  Horrors: N/A (Inhabit - were he to die or project)
   
  Stains: N/A (Bat’s Ears, Leper, Pseudopods - were 
  he to die or project)
   
  Vitality: N/A (8 - were he to die or project)
   
  Willpower: 6
   
  Spite: N/A (4 - were he to die or project)
  LANCE SHOMAKER
   
  Lance grew up in eastern Oregon, third son in 
  a family of farmers. He joined the Air Force back in 
  1989 to earn money for college, but his plans for that 
  got a major detour when Operation Desert Storm came 
  around. 
   
  He was shipped out to the Middle East as a desk 
  jockey, one of the guys who ran things behind the 
  scenes while the pilots got all the glory.  After returning 
  stateside, he ended his time with the Air Force and 
  went back to school, eventually becoming a risk- 
  management consultant for an engineering firm. 
   
  Unfortunately, he was never totally satisfied with 
  his job; it just lacked meaning. He was seriously 
  considering applying to T&S’s engineering division 
  when the company opened up its paranormal investiga-
  tions. Seeing his record (several NDEs due to his rock-
  climbing hobby), T&S tested him out for projector 
  potential and hit paydirt. He was immediately drafted 
  as one of T&S’s first projectors. He is also currently the 
  oldest, having seen far too many comrades go AWOL 
  or simply never come back. 
   
  Lance lives his life by the rule that “knowledge 
  is power.” He is frequently put in charge of coordi-
  nating operations in the field, and even though they 
  sometimes take twice as long as normal, he has the 
  lowest loss rate (in both equipment and personnel) of 
  any T&S employee. “You can never be too cautious,” 
  is his common rebuttal against impatient superiors. 
   
  Despite his gruff demeanor, Lance is generally 
  friendly and has a handshake that can break bones. 
  He is usually the one put in charge of training new 
  employees (the living ones, at least). Even though the 
  process can be a bit traumatic for the trainee (Lance 
  specifically tries to “scare the Hell out of them” on 
  the first operation), the results speak for themselves: 
  although they’re initially a bit shell-shocked, the 
  trainees are never caught off guard again. 
   
  Lance has a firm sense of what is right and what 
  is wrong, and he sticks by it, despite T&S policies that 
  force him into moral gray areas. He openly distrusts 
  the Management, but so far can’t claim anything more 
  116
  
  than shoddy policies against them. Still, his criticism 
  is probably what has kept him down in the rank and 
  file, instead of being promoted. When the NextWorld 
  attack in Crusade of Ashes comes, you can bet he’ll be 
  on the front lines. If you’re playing a T&S chronicle, 
  the players’ actions will determine whether he lives or 
  dies. He can be a valuable ally or a powerful enemy, 
  depending on which side he sees the players as being 
  on. If he ever gets word of T&S’s truly darker side 
  (involving pigment and Spectres), he’ll turn wholly 
  against the company and probably lead a defection or 
  rebellion against it.
   
  Description: Lance stands 5’11” tall, and has a 
  classic farmer’s build, with broad shoulders and strong 
  arms. He has light brown hair and eyes, and his face 
  carries a near-permanent tan from rock climbing. 
   
  He’s in his mid-thirties, and just the slightest 
  touch of gray is beginning to eat away the brown at his 
  temples. When projecting, he usually appears in a pair 
  of patched khakis and a nondescript T-shirt.
   
  Nature: Mentor
   
  Demeanor: Defender
   
  Classification: Skinrider Skimmer
   
  Role: Field Coordinator
   
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 4, Stamina 4, 
  Charisma 3, Manipulation 3, Appearance 2, Perception 
  4, Intelligence 3, Wits 4.
   
  Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 4, Brawl 2, 
  Empathy 3, Intimidation 2, Leadership 4, Firearms 2, 
  Melee 2, Investigation 4.
   
  Backgrounds: Influence 3, Status 3, Resources 2.
   
  Horrors: Inhabit, Juggernaut, Puppetry, Wail, 
  Witch’s Nimbus 
   
  Stains: Compound Eye, Hammerfists, Spider’s 
  Bristles. Compound Eye reflects his not-quite-compul-
  sive information-gathering, while Spider’s Bristles 
  actually stem from his rock-climbing hobby that 
  combined with his latent frustration (especially after 
  leaving the Air Force but before joining T&S) to make 
  him take near-suicidal risks. Hammerfists comes from 
  the rare occasions when he loses his temper, which he 
  usually keeps under a tight rein. Even when he’s in the 
  flesh, you don’t want him mad at you. When he’s in the 
  gauze, he can be downright terrifying (and his subcon-
  scious use of Wail doesn’t help matters). 
   
  Vitality: 8
   
  Willpower: 10
   
  Spite: 4
   
  Merits: Cool Head, Commanding Presence, Iron 
  Will, Natural Leader
   
  Flaws: Suspicion, Nightmares
  ANGELA DAWSON
   
  Born to career-military parents on an American 
  base in Germany, Angela Dawson grew up as the 
  consummate Army brat.   Her upbringing was spent 
  moving from base to base in Europe and the U.S., but 
  her parents doted on her, striving to make sure she had 
  the best education, clothes, and luxuries to compensate 
  for a lack of stability in other areas of life. A pretty 
  and precocious child, little Angela quickly realized she 
  could wrap her parents around her finger, and milked it 
  for all she could.  
   
  As she grew up, Angela breezed through school, 
  scoring high marks with no apparent effort, and toyed 
  with the affections of every boy who took an interest 
  in her without letting any get too close. She reserved 
  her true passion for technology… she seemed to have 
  an innate talent for computers and all other things elec-
  trical, and her father made sure his little girl always had 
  the best systems an officer’s salary could buy.
   
  To everyone’s surprise, Angela did not even 
  apply for college... she realized that her talents could 
  assure her a much more comfortable living than any 
  degree. She settled in the U.S., and went into business 
  for herself at the age of 19, designing Web sites for 
  companies in both Germany and America. But this was 
  a cover for her real job... she’d discovered network-
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  117
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  cracking a few years before, and knew it was a far 
  more lucrative prospect than Web design. Angela’s 
  manipulative nature extended into the back-networks 
  and protected systems that are normally kept behind 
  the curtain, and she soon built a comfortable nest egg, 
  quietly channeling funds from one account to another 
  and eventually to her own. 
   
  Scientific and skeptical, Angela never even consid-
  ered ghosts worthy of a second thought until late one 
  night, when she nearly electrocuted herself while 
  rewiring a network server for a friend. While she was in 
  the hospital, she saw a dead man being wheeled away 
  on a gurney... and his confused-looking spirit following 
  behind. Rather than rejecting what she saw out of hand, 
  Angela reasoned that some sort of bio-energy must 
  linger after death, and that her accident had somehow 
  tuned her into its frequencies.  Eager to explore the 
  possibilities of this newfound talent, she researched 
  the burgeoning projection firms, and learned that Terrel 
  and Squib was known for its impressive ghost-hunting 
  technology. It seemed a perfect match, and once her 
  abilities had been adequately demonstrated, her appli-
  cation was graciously accepted.
   
  Angela’s mastery of gadgets and ability to see 
  spooks without Kirlian goggles have made her an 
  invaluable asset to her team, and she even found a 
  practical use for her father’s old rifle lessons when 
  she was introduced to ghostshot ammo. She affects the 
  image of the sexy-but-aloof tech girl, flirting shame-
  lessly with the men on her investigative team even as 
  she pretends not to notice their advances.  
   
   
  She’s fascinated with all aspects of paratech, and 
  stays cool even when facing down the most hideous 
  spirits... she believes them to be nothing more than a 
  form of residual electromagnetic energy after all, so 
  what’s to be afraid of?
   
  Description: Angela is a small, but buxom woman 
  in her early 20s, standing less than five-and-a-half feet 
  tall. Her skin is pale from long periods indoors, and she 
  keeps her black hair trimmed in a shoulder length fall; 
  she’s cultivated the habit of letting a strand of it fall 
  over one eye when conversing with interested men. She 
  smiles easily, and tends to look at people over the top 
  of her light, but strong, silver-rimmed glasses. 
   
  At any given time she has at least half a dozen 
  gadgets on her person... calculator watches, PDAs, cell 
  phones, and pagers compete for space with Vitality 
  scanners and Kirlian cameras when she’s on assign-
  ment.  
   
  She affects a sloppy-but-sexy style of dress, 
  running to loose low-necked shirts and worn cargo 
  pants with multiple pockets for her technological toys. 
  Angela’s voice is high and upbeat, and she tends to 
  speak quickly, using technical terminology as easily 
  as some use slang, and with no apparent regard for 
  whether others understand what she’s talking about.  
   
  She strings along any man who catches her fancy, 
  but keeps them at arm’s length... whether she’s playing 
  hard to get or simply enjoying the game is anyone’s 
  guess.
   
  Nature: Architect
   
  Demeanor: Scientist
   
  Classification: Norm (potential Phantasm)
   
  Role: Field investigator and paratechnician
   
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 3, Stamina 2, 
  Charisma 2, Manipulation 3, Appearance 3, Perception 
  3, Intelligence 4, Wits 3
   
  Abilities: Alertness 2, Athletics 1, Awareness 
  3, Brawl 2, Expression 2, Intuition 3, Streetwise 2, 
  Subterfuge 3, Crafts 2, Drive 1, Firearms 2, Security 3, 
  Technology 4, Bureaucracy 1, Computer 4, Enigmas 2, 
  Finance 2, Linguistics 1 (German), Science 2
   
  Backgrounds: Contacts 2, Personal Equipment 3, 
  Resources 2, Library 2
   
  Horrors: N/A
   
  Stains: N/A
   
  Vitality: N/A (7 if she were to die or project)
   
  Willpower: 4
   
  Spite: N/A (3 if she were to die or project)
   
  Merits: Dual Nationality ( German / American ), 
  Intuitive Programmer, Metagnome, Sexy
   
  Flaws: Bad Sight
  THE EXECUTIVE  
  DOSSIER
   
  Better a thousand enemies outside the house than 
  one inside.
   
  Terrel & Squib, Incorporated is built as much on 
  deceit and dark motivations as it is on venture capital 
  and the corporate ethos.  While it fights hard for public 
  attention, sympathy, and funding, it’s also the company 
  behind the creation and distribution of pigment.  Few 
  of the field-level agents know anything about the dark 
  corners of the company.  Those responsible for engi-
  neering pigment, the NextWorld attack on the rank-
  118
  
  and-file, and the acquisition of Broken Ghosts are the 
  company’s executives.  While John Terrel and Lionel 
  Squib are the driving force behind everything that has 
  been accomplished by their creation, they wouldn’t 
  be half as successful as they are without accomplices, 
  lackeys, and co-conspirators to help preserve the infra-
  structure of their schemes.  These individuals form the 
  executive core of Terrel & Squib, Inc.
   
  Few of them are pleasant to be around.  Few of 
  them like one another.  But a pervasive fear of the two 
  founding partners keeps them, for the most part, in 
  line.
   
  None of the executives aside from the two founders 
  know all of the company’s darkest secrets: diversifica-
  tion of assets and information, after all, is a successful 
  business practice.  Few even suspect that Lionel Squib 
  is possessed by a Spectre, and while it is known that 
  the pharmaceutical division produces Eidolon, the 
  company’s approved pigment derivative, their corner-
  stone involvement in the international pigment trade is 
  a well-kept secret.
   
  Between them, these individuals form the T&S 
  board of directors, although the board is run in a 
  despotic fashion by the founding partners (particularly 
  Lionel Squib).
  LIONEL SQUIB, PH.D.
  FOUNDING PARTNER AND 
  HEAD OF RESEARCH and 
  DEVELOPMENT
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. is a labyrinth of deception, and 
  at the center of that web sits Doctor Lionel Squib, PhD. 
  His force of will alone changed the company’s direction 
  from a respectable pharmaceutical manufacturer to a 
  risky paranormal investigations venture, and gave birth 
  to the illegal pigment trade that enriches the company’s 
  black-market coffers more for every life — and death 
  — that it destroys.
   
  Perhaps most dangerous of all, Dr. Squib is 
  possessed by the worst kind of Spectre... the kind with a 
  plan.  The Reaper Malevoy is no mindless Fetch.  It has 
  always had a ruthless agenda, and the entire company 
  is its tool in realizing those ambitions.
   
  What are its plans?  Its overriding goal is to attain 
  the favor of Grandmother, the power behind the 
  Spectres.  It secondary goals vary over time.  Prior 
  to Crusade of Ashes the Spectre possessing Squib is 
  merely solidifying its power in the company, in the 
  investigations industry, and in the blossoming pigment 
  trade.  Following the attack, it becomes increasingly 
  wary of its clandestine partner, Uriah Bishop, whose 
  attempts to curry favor with Grandmother threaten 
  to eclipse Malevoy’s own.  By the events of Shades 
  of Gray, the Spectre has resolved to eliminate him, 
  preferring to hoard Grandmother’s glory for itself. 
  Fortunately, in the company it built, Malevoy has all 
  the right weapons to wage its shadow war on Bishop 
  right in its claws...
   
  For now, Squib is feared primarily within the 
  company’s walls. None among the T&S executive 
  branch know the full truth about the possession, 
  although Arthur Barclay is closest in his beliefs. He has 
  proven that he is not above physical violence as a tool 
  of coercion, and Internal Security serves as Squib’s 
  unofficial arm.  The Spectre has acquired a long reach, 
  and is not about to allow anyone, within the company 
  or outside of it, to interfere with its plans.
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  Bishop
   Terrel & Squib’s relationship with the Flatliner 
  Uriah Bishop and his network of pigment cults and 
  True Believers is complicated, and changes over time.  
   At first Bishop and the Spectre Malevoy were fast 
  allies, co-engineering the international pigment trade. 
  Although Terrel & Squib’s pigment fields in Turkey 
  and Myanmar produced over 70% of the pigment 
  imported to the United States, Bishop’s distribution 
  network was far better-connected on the streets, and 
  the two lapsed into a pattern of mutual dependence.  
   By the time the events of Shades of Gray occur, 
  however, their alliance is coming to a swift end. 
  Bishop, whose South American pigment operations 
  are slowly expanding, has less use for T&S, Inc. than 
  before, and the Spectre Malevoy is becoming increas-
  ingly jealous of the favor Bishop is currying with 
  Grandmother.  It would sooner have him eliminated 
  and his pigment distribution organization subsumed 
  into Terrel & Squib’s than maintain the status quo.
   Is war brewing?  Possibly, if that suits your plans as 
  the Storyteller.  It wouldn’t take much for Malevoy/ 
  Squib to launch his company into a jihad against 
  Bishop’s pigment cults... a little information slipped 
  on the side and most T&S operatives would, ironically, 
  be more than willing to take down such a cornerstone 
  in the pigment market.  However, Bishop’s organiza-
  tion might prove impossibly strong even for Terrel & 
  Squib. Bishop has the authority to command Spectres 
  at his disposal (remember Crusade of Ashes?) and 
  a powerful, decentralized network of agents loyal to 
  him.  There is nothing to assure an easy T&S victory, 
  and although Malevoy doesn’t know it, the odds would 
  be against his company.
  119
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  JOHN TERREL
  FOUNDING PARTNER AND
  CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
   
  Some men sell their souls to the devil in crass 
  Faustian rituals in exchange for money or power. 
  John Terrel has done nothing so direct.  The devil on 
  his back has him so terrified that he simply allows it 
  to direct both his life and his life’s work, but he can 
  see that what the devil is doing is highly profitable, and 
  that is more than enough incentive for him to follow.
   
  John Terrel is the financial genius who keeps the 
  books and adds up the columns for T&S.  As one of the 
  owners and founding partners exercises, theoretically, 
  he has almost total control over the firm.  In addition 
  to holding a controlling share in the company, Terrel 
  also acts as its Chief Financial Officer, partly because 
  he doesn’t want anyone else probing the company’s 
  secrets, but mostly because he doesn’t trust anyone else 
  to do it correctly.
  ARTHUR BARCLAY 
  HEAD OF INTERNAL SECURITY
   
  Arthur Barclay joined the company when it was 
  still T&S Pharmaceuticals. He tried out (and failed to 
  make muster) for T&S Investigations when the branch 
  was founded. Looking at the average turnover rate of 
  people who work with the spooks, he’s come to count 
  his blessings that he never got on that particular train-
  wreck. Instead, Barclay’s rise to prominence began 
  with the Smithville fiasco. 
   
  He was instrumental in hunting down the intruder 
  while upper management was roasting the factory 
  security chief over a slow fire. Rising to supplant his 
  unfortunate former superior, Barclay found himself in a 
  position where his ruthlessness and thorough approach 
  to information leaks earned him the notice of those on 
  high. He has since become instrumental in running the 
  120
  
  Terrel & Squib Internal Security, and is responsible for 
  overseeing, defending, and maintaining the integrity of 
  vital T&S facilities as well as the intellectual property 
  (and secrets) of the company.
   
  Del Cote and Barclay exist in a state of barely 
  controlled animosity. The Head of Operations constantly 
  tries to upstage the Security forces, “whose only job is 
  to sit on their asses, munch on donuts and watch TV.” 
  Barclay in turn acts like an Internal Investigations 
  nightmare, loudly pointing out the number of failures, 
  traitors and AWOL personnel among the operatives in 
  the field. Despite the patently unequal working condi-
  tions imposed on the two branches, Barclay retains an 
  upper hand due to Dr. Squib’s continuing faith in his 
  abilities to keep T&S safe from illicit elements.
   
  During the events of Crusade of Ashes and the 
  attack on the Orpheus Group, Barclay, operating under 
  Squib’s orders, personally arranges the NextWorld 
  attack on Terrel & Squib.  The hammer falls squarely 
  on Lincoln Del Cote and the Operations branch of the 
  company, and many of the company’s best projectors 
  and field agents are killed in the attack.  Del Cote 
  himself is badly wounded, and barely manages to 
  survive.  Barclay’s Internal Security division, however, 
  is barely touched by the NextWorld attack, maintaining 
  the company’s integrity while gaining dominance and 
  authority over the Operations branch.  To the victor go 
  the spoils.
  LENORE 
  CARPENTER, PH.D.
  HEAD PARAPSYCHOLOGIST
  AND GHOSTBREAKER
   
  Dr. Lenore Carpenter, age 45, is not a pleasant 
  woman to be around.  Once a successful psychologist 
  with her own thriving suburban practice, she gave up 
  everything to come on board with T&S, fascinated by 
  the proof of ghosts — beings made up of nothing but 
  the psyche — that they offered.  Her early theorizing 
  and observations were groundbreaking in developing 
  ways to psychologically break low-Vitality ghosts. 
  Although each ghostbreaking is different, her general 
  techniques have met with broad success.  She fought 
  her way up to the top of the fledgling Parapsychology 
  division of Terrel & Squib, Inc., and has remained on 
  top, the brooding queen of ghostbreakers.  Lenore has 
  become shrill, pushy, and short-tempered, abandoning 
  her mortal clientele base to devote herself fully to the 
  invasive exploration of the minds of ghosts.  
   
  There are many in her department who fear 
  that Lenore’s mind is starting to twist.  A recent 
  mission captured a Spectre that identifies itself 
  as “Shroudember” (see sidebar below). Although 
  Spectres are notoriously difficult to hold success-
  fully, Shroudember has proved to be relatively placid 
  in captivity, and Lenore has been spending more 
  and more of her time in seclusion with the Spectre.  
   
  According to her, she’s breaking the Spectre, 
  charting new psychological ground by breaking the 
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  SHROUDEMBER
   
  Shroudember is one of the few Spectres kept in 
  bondage at Terrel & Squib’s Heaven Re-education 
  Facility, and is the pet project of Lenore Carpenter. 
  She wants to break this Spectre just as she has broken 
  the minds of dozens of ghosts, thereby opening the 
  way to as-of-yet-unplumbed depths of parapsy-
  chology.  What she finds every time she looks into 
  the abyss, however, is a horror beyond imagining... 
  much of which comes from what she finds 
  herself doing in the presence of the Spectre.   
   
   
  Shroudember has the rare ability to manifest, 
  and Lenore finds herself drawn to the monster 
  despite the knowledge of what it is, and frequently 
  has sex with the caged beast.
   
  Shroudember is a powerful Spectre, with strength 
  well beyond what Lenore and her fellow researchers 
  have assessed.  It appears as a young, physically 
  attractive human male dressed entirely in gray, with 
  empty black eyesockets where its eyes should be.  
   
  It exists primarily for its own pleasure and 
  amusement, and has found a great deal of both 
  in the custody of Terrel & Squib.  Shroudember 
  is a master seducer, and though the Spectre 
  could escape, it has never tried to do so.  
   
  It sees its “work” with Miss Carpenter as being 
  far more important.
   
  Attributes: Strength 4, Dexterity 3, Stamina 
  3, Charisma 4, Manipulation 5, Appearance 3, 
  Perception 3, Intelligence 4, Wits 2
   
  Abilities: Awareness 4, Brawl 2, Empathy 4, 
  Expression 2, Intimidation 3, Intuition 3, Subterfuge 
  4, Etiquette 2, Enigmas 3
   
  Nature: Bon Vivant
   
  Spite: 9
   
  Willpower: 9
   
  Offensive Abilities: Hive-Mind, Lifeblock, 
  Manifest, Contamination, Virus
  121
  
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  will of a creature psychically bound to Oblivion.  Those 
  who are close to her, however, have noticed the marked 
  change in her personality and her sallow, sickly appear-
  ance, and are beginning to wonder whether the opposite 
  may in fact be true.
   
  A secretary in Lenore’s office-block recently heard 
  the Head Parapsychologist express fears that she may 
  be pregnant.  While this is making the current rounds at 
  the water cooler, no one has ever heard anything about 
  Lenore being married, or even having a significant 
  other of any kind.
  LINCOLN DEL COTE
  HEAD OF OPERATIONS
   
  Lincoln Del Cote acts as head of Terrel & Squib’s 
  paramilitary forces, and theoretically has authority 
  over the conduct of all field operations and all opera-
  tives — living, dead, and projected — who take part in 
  them.  This has brought him into jurisdictional conflicts 
  with Arthur Barclay, and the two men hate one another 
  intensely. Del Cote is, alternately, a career military 
  man; a strategist, a con man, and a gifted performer all 
  in one.  And all of these traits come in handy for the 
  job he does.  Unlike Barclay, however, he is a projector 
  (Arc-Light), and has a least-common-denominator 
  understanding of the afterlife and its dangers.  His drug 
  problem, however, has begun to seriously spiral out of 
  control, and while he has a plentiful supply of Eidolon, 
  his physical cravings are beginning to interfere with his 
  work.
   
  As per instructions handed down by the founding 
  partners, Del Cote has kept his branch’s intelligence-
  gathering capabilities at a minimum.  He does this 
  with a clear conscience, believing that — despite the 
  casualties — Terrel & Squib, Inc. has the initiative in 
  taming the here-after, and that until they know more 
  about what they’re dealing with, field research borders 
  on irrelevant.
  KUMAR MUNOZ
  HEAD OF ENGINEERING
  AND PARATECHNOLOGY
   
  A graduate from the University of Calcutta in India, 
  Kumar Munoz received his Master’s in engineering at 
  the Michigan Institute of Technology on a full scholar-
  ship.  He is a certified genius, and following his gradu-
  ation, was heavily involved in research and develop-
  ment in the United States military-industrial complex. 
  His innovations and numerous technology patents 
  led to great acclaim and permanent U.S. citizenship. 
  Munoz’s career, already bright, looked as though it was 
  on the verge of taking off toward even greater heights.
   
  And then, two and half years ago, Kumar Munoz 
  was killed crossing the street outside of his house.
   
  It was no surprise that his ghost, still clinging to 
  the world as a result of such promise left unfulfilled, 
  was located by Terrel & Squib agents and returned 
  to the Heaven facility.  Rather than being broken, his 
  spirit was elevated in Vitality and offered a chance to 
  continue the work that he had left unaccomplished in 
  life. Munoz happily agreed, and, following an accli-
  matization period in which he learned the limits and 
  strengths of his new state of being, took over as one 
  of the under-managers of the company’s Engineering 
  division.
   
  As T&S, Inc. expanded into the realm of paratech-
  nology, the necessity of having personnel on hand who 
  could manipulate the ferroanimus material that was 
  the active structural “ingredient” in paratech became 
  evident. Munoz became particularly adept at this, and 
  almost single-handedly pioneered the efficient mass-
  production methods that Terrel & Squib’s Engineering 
  department uses to create ghostshot ammunition. 
  Almost overnight, Munoz became the most important 
  component of the company’s engineering of ghost-
  matter technology.  
   
  The two founding partners quickly had him elevated 
  1 22
  
  to head of Paratechnology, and from there it was a 
  short step to control of the entire Engineering division. 
  Not all of the employees working under him know that 
  Munoz is a ghost, although many suspect. He spends 
  a great deal of time manifested, working among them, 
  and behind his business facade secretly enjoys giving 
  them a scare.  Munoz rarely appears at meetings of the 
  T&S executive, preferring to send a briefed underling 
  as his representative.
   
  There is a lingering tragedy to Kumar, however.  His 
  constant exposure to ferroanimus material — the blood 
  of Spectres — has taken a toll on his soul.  Although he 
  was a spirit, exposure to the ichor has since turned him 
  into a hue, something almost unprecedented in T&S’s 
  exploration of the hereafter.  Munoz, always a driven 
  man, has fought back against the dimming he feels in 
  his soul, and has been known to tirelessly bury himself 
  in his work for weeks at a time in order to recapture 
  something of his old self.  Whether or not this is helping 
  (or harming him even further) remains to be seen.
  NEIL ELLINGWOOD
  HEAD OF MARKETING
  AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
   
  More than anything else, Terrel & Squib relies 
  upon good publicity in order to keep its Paranormal 
  Investigations division alive.  Word of mouth amongst 
  the rich and beautiful, names and suggestions slipped 
  into a corporate dossier, thirty-second advertisement 
  spots taken out on late-night TV — all of these require 
  a master PR spin doctor to organize and conceptualize, 
  and for T&S, Neil Ellingwood is that man.  A graduate 
  from Harvard with a master’s degree in Business, 
  Ellingwood had a longstanding and profitable relation-
  ship with financial wizard John Terrel years before 
  Terrel asked him to head up the Marketing and PR 
  department of T&S.
   
  Ellingwood is damned good at his job, and as a 
  dedicated workaholic has spent many fevered nights 
  in his office attempting to polish the company’s “no 
  questions asked” policy.  He has a close working rela-
  tionship with the Head of Operations, Lincoln Del 
  Cote, and is in fact the brains behind many of T&S’s 
  client-oriented field policies, which are based upon 
  putting forward “the most credible image possible.” 
  Much of the scientific “process” that the field agents 
  are supposed to follow, such as soil sampling and 
  temperature readings, have in fact been devised by 
  Terrel & Squib’s Marketing division.
   
  Recently, however, Ellingwood has begun to 
  have second thoughts.  Dr. Squib has always terrified 
  him, but what scares him now is seeing what his old 
  friend John Terrel is starting to turn into under Squib’s 
  influence.  He’s beginning to question the morality of 
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
  123
  
  his organization, and his work is beginning to suffer at a 
  time when Terrel & Squib, Inc. needs positive publicity 
  more than ever before.  It is clear that John Terrel and 
  Lionel Squib won’t let their company’s PR image take 
  such a dive... but what isn’t clear is what they are going 
  to do about Neil Ellingwood.
  RAYNA ALMONTE
  ASSISTANT-IN-CHARGE, 
  PHARMACEUTICALS
   
  Rayna Almonte holds a disproportionate amount 
  of power for someone of her standing in the company. 
  Hand-picked by Lionel Squib to manage and oversee 
  the company’s pharmaceutical production after their 
  initial shift into paranormal investigations, Almonte 
  has kept the medicinal manufacturing lines flowing 
  smoothly since that time.  As legitimate, over-the-
  counter pharmaceutical products still account for some 
  32% of the company’s profit margins, her successes —
  and therefore effectiveness — are obvious to everyone. 
  She has a very hands-on approach to management, and 
  makes frequent business trips to the Third World to talk 
  to suppliers and growers.
   
  As the Assistant-in-Charge of Terrel & Squib 
  Pharmaceuticals, Almonte also has another respon-
  sibility: she manages, directs, and coordinates the  
  company’s pigment production.  Many of her trips are 
  made to Turkey and Myanmar, where the Kakos stro-
  mithicarum plants employed by Terrel & Squib are 
  grown.  She likewise juggles the underground contacts 
  that help get pigment out of the processing labs and 
  onto the streets of North America.  While the company’s 
  pigment production is strictly compartmentalized for 
  security reasons, Rayna Almonte is one of the few who 
  is entirely in the know, and she is the force that brings 
  unity and efficiency to Terrel & Squib’s manufacturing 
  of black heroin.
   
  Although outwardly friendly and sporting a great 
  sense of humor, Almonte is entirely amoral at heart and 
  is not afraid to have employees terminated should they 
  learn too much about the project they’re working on. 
  Her job has made her rich, and she fears Squib enough 
  to never betray the company’s dark secrets.
   
  One interesting feature is that, while Rayna 
  Almonte has never shown any signs of spiritual posses-
  sion, she does not show up properly on Kirlian footage. 
  When caught on a Kirlian camera, her features are 
  blurred beyond recognition.  She appears normal on 
  standard film and other media, and she’s smiling in 
  all of the company pictures.  This disturbing feature 
  has led many of her underlings to quietly give her the 
  nickname “Seven Days.”
  CHAPTER FOUR
  TERREL & SQUIB AGENTS OF NOTE
   
  BROOKLYN, NY — Two people are 
  dead and at least fifteen remain hospital-
  ized after a mass protest at a Brooklyn 
  industrial complex turned violent.  The 
  protest, organized by a student Public 
  Interest Research Group (PIRG), took 
  place outside a facility owned by Terrel 
  & Squib Investigations, in protest of 
  that company’s “projector” technology 
  and supposed unethical treatment of the 
  souls of the deceased.
   
  The protest, which began peace-
  fully yesterday at 3:00pm, turned violent 
  in less than twenty minutes.
   
  “I don’t know what happened,” 
  said Doreen Katchmar, 22, of Fordham 
  University, one of the protest’s orga-
  nizers, who sustained minor injuries 
  during the clash. “One minute we were 
  chanting, then some people started 
  throwing things, then they fired on us 
  and it turned into a stampede.”
   
  Terrel & Squib security guards 
  opened fire on the student protestors 
  with rubber bullets after they began 
  hurling rocks and bottles and attempted 
  to storm the building.  
   
  Two students from Rockefeller 
  University, whose names have not been 
  released, were shot at point-blank range 
  while attempting to rush T&S security 
  personnel and died from their injuries 
  shortly thereafter.
   
  Terrel & Squib, Inc., which operates 
  a paranormal investigations agency 
  based upon “projection science” which 
  theoretically allows people to interact 
  with spirits and ghosts, has come under 
  recent public scrutiny with the revela-
  tion of its apparent enslavement and 
  mistreatment of dead souls.  Documents 
  retrieved by Amnesty International detail 
  company plans for an extensive program 
  of “ghost-breaking” to deprive spirits of 
  their free will.
   
  The 
  company’s 
  owners 
  and 
  founding partners, John Terrel and 
  Lionel Squib, issued a joint statement 
  today expressing regret at the loss of life 
  that resulted from the “childlike reck-
  lessness” of the protestors, but defended 
  their company’s right to safeguard 
  “dangerous materials” in its possession 
  with force.
  1 24
  
  Chapter : 05
  Terrel & Squib
  Operations
  How do you think we fund this little operation? 
  We’re not exactly the March of Dimes.
  — Blade
  
   
  “This is complete fuckin’ bollocks!  I am not going to say this!  
  No way!  Fuck!  Off!”  Reece enunciated the last two words with extra 
  clarity as he swept the paper off the desk onto the floor.
   
  Smoothly, Huntingdon swept the script up and laid it flat in 
  front of Reece, who was now scowling with his arms crossed.  “Listen, 
  you are going to say this, because I’m telling you that you will.  Two 
  lines — that’s all; say two lines and then you can fade away through 
  a wall.  And you get two days off.  You can’t lose.  Okay, so it’s a bit 
  hokey, but...”
   
  “A bit hokey!” interrupted Reece, struggling against the in-built 
  obedience that months of programming had instilled.  He leaned over 
  the offending paper, reading, “You are meddling with things beyond 
  your comprehension.  Turn back before it’s too late...!”  “It’s like some 
  wanky late-night, made-for-TV horror story!  Nobody — I don’t care what 
  kind of pampered rich-kid tosser they are — is going to be scared by 
  that!”
   
  Huntington sighed.  “Look, Dominic Tracey is paying a lot of money 
  to be scared witless — and to bag himself a ghost.  Now, as you know, 
  there isn’t going to be an actual ‘bagged ghost’ here; we wouldn’t want 
  to lose an important asset on an operation like this, would we?  No, 
  we’re going to give Tracey normal ammunition, tell him its ghostshot, 
  and let him loose.  He’ll track and shoot his spook, and the ‘tech boys 
  will provide the camera shots showing his target get wiped out.  You 
  don’t have to worry — Greggs is the target for this one, he’ll take the 
  rounds.  All you have to do is scare the bejeezus out of him, and give 
  him the right impression.  He will be scared — if you put the right 
  feeling behind it... and look the part, of course...”
   
  “Oh yeah — and that’s another thing.”  Reece said stubbornly.  
  “You want me to be manifesting — wassit called — stigmata?  How are we 
  going to pull that off?  We can do ghostly ketchup now?”
   
  “Uh, well, the SFX guys have come up with a Gauze Dye they think 
  will work...”
   
  Reece threw up his hands. “I swear — why do I get all these 
  fuckin’ babysitting jobs?  Put me on a clean sweep, or even a bug hunt.  
  I don’t care!  But don’t ask me to do this.  I.  Won’t.  Do it.”  This last 
  bit he said with convincing finality, but his programming told him 
  otherwise...
   
  Dominic Tracey, lead singer for The New Recruits, gripped his 
  assault rifle tightly with sweaty palms, stalking noisily through 
  
  the abandoned power plant.  Water dripped from the rusty girders, and 
  pools had gathered on the floor around the disused machinery.  “This is 
  fucking great!” he thought.  “Wait’ll the guys hear about this!”
   
  Half a block away from the power plant, five Asian men in dark 
  clothing checked and re-checked their weapons.  Two had Uzis for 
  suppressive fire, two had automatic pistols, and the last had an assault 
  rifle.  He also wore a pair of what resembled night-vision goggles, 
  pushed up on his forehead.
   
  “Now remember,” said the man with the goggles, “we need to move 
  quickly.  We get in there, kill any people we see, grab the tech, and 
  get out, avoiding any spooks we come across.  Clear?”
   
  The group had gone over and over the drill many times over the 
  last two days — ever since they had heard of this operation in such a 
  remote location.  An operation involving a small team of T&S agents, 
  some retarded pop-singer, and a great deal of tech that could prove 
  useful to their boss, Li-Hen.  The T&S informant had proved very useful 
  so far...
   
  SFX Tech Abbot sat hidden in an old office, surrounded by his 
  circuit boards and a bank of carefully labelled switches.  A dozen 
  video monitors were stacked nearby, showing the locations of the four-
  strong team in pre-defined locations throughout the plant.  One screen 
  showed Reece sitting glumly, awaiting his cue.  “Poor schmuck,” thought 
  Abbot.  “Dies in some war nobody wanted, and then gets press-ganged 
  into performing for a dick with more money than sense.  Kinda makes 
  me glad to be alive...”
   
  Abbot watched Tracey’s slow and noisy progress through the 
  darkness.  As the rock star reached a pre-defined point between two 
  large machines on the shop floor, Abbot flicked a switch on his console, 
  and an echoing clank rang through the large open space around Tracey.
  
   
  “Fuck!” shouted Tracey, swinging his gun around left and right, 
  the light attached to the barrel sending a beam of light dancing 
  across the machinery surrounding him.  “Must be close now,” he 
  thought.  “Come on!” he sang under his breath.
   
  Ahead of Tracey, an apparition rose, seemingly out of a huge 
  capacitor lying dormant at one end of the room.  The singer watched 
  in awe, completely forgetting the gun in his hands.  Glowing strands 
  grew out of thin air, forming a translucent humanoid shape — with red 
  blotches on its hands and feet.
   
  As Reece pulled the threads into a loose approximation of his 
  usual solid gauze appearance, he glanced to one side at the words 
  helpfully stuck to the back of a pillar out of Tracey’s sight.  Turning 
  to the quivering rock star, Reece spoke in a hollow, disinterested 
  voice: “You are meddling with things that...”
   
  He didn’t get any more out before the huge loading door behind 
  Tracey began rumbling to one side.  “What the fuck?” He thought, 
  “This wasn’t in the script...”  His eyes widened as five men scrambled 
  through the door when the gap was big enough, one of them letting 
  loose a spray of automatic fire toward Reece and Tracey.
   
  Tracey, hearing the loud rumble behind him, had half-turned — not 
  wanting to let the ghost ahead of him out of his sight — just in time 
  to take two 9mm bullets through the chest.  He dropped to the ground 
  with a grunt and began the laborious task of trying to keep his lungs 
  full of air.
   
  Looking up and seeing a ghost hovering near to the body of 
  Dominic Tracey, the leader shouted a warning in Mandarin to the other 
  attackers before leading the group off to one side, heading for the 
  tech booth manned by Abbot.
   
  
   
  Seeing the client brought down in a hail of gunfire, Abbot 
  panicked momentarily about insurance bills, legal costs, and all manner 
  of lawsuits being brought against T&S.  He was briefly comforted when 
  he remembered the massive pile of waivers that Tracey had signed, 
  before remembering the five-strong assault team that were making 
  their way through the plant toward him.  He began to wish that ghosts 
  could wear headset communicators...
   
  “These chinks chose the wrong spook to mess around with,” thought 
  Reece.  He knew that the others on his team would be making their way 
  toward the commotion, but spread out as they were in this labyrinthine 
  construction, it would be at least a minute before his closest ally 
  would be any help at all.  So it was up to him.
   
  Pushing his being forward into the material world, Reece felt 
  air resistance, and his running footsteps threw up dust and water as 
  his now-solid body raced toward the attackers.  Anger welled up inside 
  him, and he felt his arms bulge and swell as he called upon his rage 
  to boost his physical strength.  His empty eye socket began spouting 
  blood, and he felt the worm-like tentacle feel its way out, testing the 
  air as it emerged.
   
  Now over eight feet tall, monstrously built, and horribly, 
  horrendously solid, Reece was the last ghost in the world that any 
  assault force would want to encounter in a dark power plant at night.  
  He rounded the corner to see the five attackers racing through a clear 
  area toward a set of stairs.  “Hey, fuckers!” Reece shouted, startling 
  the attackers.  “Come an’ ‘ave a go, if ya fink yer ‘ard enough!”
   
  The gunmen regarded him with stark terror, and, high on anger, 
  Reece charged...
  
  TERREL and SQUIB 
  OPERATIONS
   
  This chapter provides some sample operations for 
  the Storyteller to use in his Terrel & Squib campaign. 
  Also described are various types of operations that can 
  serve as models for you own stories.
   
  Entries are formatted such that the player-specific 
  information is first, and then one (and sometimes two) 
  possible explanation follows to kick-start the Storyteller’s 
  imagination.
   
  The operation information that is provided to the 
  players is intentionally limited and vague, as T&S does 
  its best to cut costs and research time by sending a team 
  in “blind.”  Only the most basic information is provided 
  to the team — essentially a boiled-down transcript of the 
  information provided by the client in the first place.  The 
  team is expected to complete their operation objectives 
  as quickly as possible, with the minimum of fuss and 
  expense.
   
  With little information, each team is required to 
  provide a professional service and be on their best 
  behaviour at all times.  The T&S clientele are usually 
  very visible to the media, and it is not unusual for a TV 
  crew to get wind of that fact that T&S has been recruited 
  for a job, and turn up at the most inopportune moments. 
  Just in case there are reporters or cameras nearby, all 
  teams are required to act professionally and (if possible) 
  carry out their duties with an impressive flourish. 
   
  The Secondary Objectives for each operation (if any) 
  are usually kept within the company.  The clients aren’t 
  made aware of the Secondary Objectives — which in 
  some cases override the stated Mission.  If a Secondary 
  Objective contradicts the Mission briefing, the Secondary 
  perversely take priority... 
   
  While the company provides very little information 
  to the teams, they do supply equipment, personnel, and 
  other resources.
  Operation: Bright Light
  TEAM BRIEFING
  Target: Mayfair DeLaney
  Location: Beverly Hills
  Mission: Exorcise the DeLaney child of the ghost that is 
  currently making her behave strangely.
  Available Resources: Mobile Command Unit, parapsy-
  chologist, Kirlian goggles, Labyrinth Cage
  Secondary Objectives: Capture and return with the 
  ghost(s) responsible.  Ensure that the DeLaneys mention 
  Terrel & Squib, Inc. in any subsequent interviews with 
  the media.
   
  Storyteller Information:  Mayfair is a fourteen-
  year-old girl with rich parents that provide for her every 
  material need, but neglect her emotional ones.  She has 
  recently started smoking and experimenting with drugs, 
  has been caught shoplifting several times, and has 
  several boyfriends at any one time.  Mayfair is always 
  being sent home from school for unruly behavior, and is 
  almost constantly grounded by her parents.  She flaunts 
  and ignores this confinement as best she can, using the 
  tree outside her third floor window to climb down and 
  escape.
   
  Her parents are actors Enrique DeLaney, a little-
  known action star (his best-known movie is the totally 
  obscure all-action flick “Fast Target” with Chuck 
  Norris), and Katherine Powell, who is mostly famous for 
  her willingness to disrobe if the role demands it.  They 
  are both unwilling to believe that their little angel could 
  be behaving badly because she is unhappy or has been 
  badly raised.  Therefore, they accept Mayfair’s super-
  natural excuse for her behavior hook, line and sinker and 
  immediately call in Terrel & Squib.
   
  Mundane Scenario: Mayfair is just a belligerent 
  teenager that is making trouble for her parents by 
  pretending to be possessed in order to get away with 
  being horrible and naughty. Exorcising the girl in this 
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  130
  
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  situation will cause her psychological 
  damage; she will become incredibly confused 
  about whether or not she is still pretending, 
  and eventually develop a split personality. 
  The players should become aware of this, 
  although T&S will demand that they carry 
  on and make it at least look like they have 
  exorcised her; the fee is only payable once 
  the exorcism is completed.
   
  Paranormal 
  Scenario: 
  Joseph 
  Wellington, an ex-teacher who died after 
  throwing himself off the roof of the main 
  building of Mayfair’s school, is haunting 
  her.  Mayfair accused Wellington of sexually 
  abusing her (all he did was tell her off for 
  wearing revealing low-cut tops at school 
  — this was taken by the board to mean that 
  he was constantly staring at her).  He lost 
  his job, the respect of his colleagues and his 
  wife over the whole affair.  Decimated by 
  the accusation, he tried to end it all... but it 
  didn’t end.  He found that he was still aware 
  of being at the school, and that he could enter 
  the bodies of whomever he wanted.  He isn’t 
  totally aware of why and how he can do this, 
  and doesn’t have the wherewithal to question 
  it too closely.  All he knows is that he can 
  now make the little bitch pay.
   
  Wellington is currently turning Mayfair 
  into the slut he believes her to be, forcing her to interact 
  with boys in ways she wasn’t before (although he is 
  finding that he doesn’t have to try that hard to get her to 
  do these things).  He has also been making her shoplift, 
  and take up smoking and drugs.  He is clever enough to 
  make sure that she always gets caught at these activities.
   
  While the Storyteller is free to create whatever 
  tethers best fit the campaign (providing, of course, that 
  the players attempt to sever Wellington’s tethers), one of 
  them should certainly involve clearing his name.
  Joseph Wellington:
  Echo-class ghost
  Attributes: Strength 2, Dexterity 2, Stamina 2, Charisma 3, Manipulation 
  3, Appearance 2, Perception 3, Intelligence 3, Wits 3
  Abilities: Empathy 2, Expression 2, Intimidation 2, Leadership 3, 
  Subterfuge 2, Drive 1, Etiquette 1, Firearms 2, Academics 3, Computer 
  2, Linguistics 1, Politics 1, Science 1
  Shade: Skinrider
  Lament: Spirit
  Nature: Pedagogue
  Willpower: 6 (8 with all tethers resolved)
  Vitality: 4 (6 with all tethers resolved)
  Spite: 4
  Offensive Abilities: Puppetry, Claws, Man-of-War, Martyred
  131
  
  Operation: Macbeth
  Team Briefing
  Target: “Jonesy”
  Location: LaGrange Country Home
  Mission: Find the ghost of one “Jonesy,” a recently 
  deceased Great Dane, and send him on to his Final 
  Reward.
  Available Resources: Mobile Command Unit, parapsy-
  chologist, Kirlian goggles, Mobile Containment Cage
  Secondary Objectives: Tell the client that the mission is 
  complete, and return the canine ghost to HQ for further 
  research. Ghosts of animals that remain in the here-after 
  for extended periods of time are still a rarity, and could 
  possibly be broken into excellent trackers. 
   
  Storyteller Information: Jonesy had a terrible hit-
  and-run encounter with a grounds-cart on the estate of 
  the latest “Bright Young Thing,” Ophelia Swails.  Jonesy 
  was the dog that she grew up with all her life, and she 
  loved him dearly.  After his death (caused by her less-
  than-attentive and very drunk father), she was devas-
  tated.  When strange things began happening around the 
  home, she was convinced that Jonesy had come back 
  to look after and protect her.  But when her nephew, 
  Fogway — a two-year-old toddler — was frightened 
  after loud barking was heard in the hallway, and ran 
  away only to fall down a flight of stairs, it was decided 
  that something had to be done. (Little Fogway was fine, 
  just shaken up mightily by the whole thing.)  Terrell 
  & Squib Investigations was called in to deal with the 
  beloved pet’s residual presence.
   
  Ophelia will be away for the duration of the operation 
  — she is on tour, promoting her latest single “When You 
  Give Everything.”  It is set to be next week’s No.1.
   
  Mundane Scenario: One of the household staff has 
  been stealing small knick-knacks from the home to sell 
  on the “Ophelia Mementos” black-market.  Small things 
  have gone missing, and strange noises at night are all 
  her doing.  She was caught pocketing a statuette by little 
  Fogway, and knowing about Ophelia’s belief in Jonesy’s 
  ghost, barked loudly at the toddler to frighten him off.
   
  Paranormal scenario: Jonesy is an over-protec-
  tive guardian spirit who follows Ophelia wherever she 
  goes within the house.  He is afraid of the outdoors 
  (remembering the pain of being run over), and remains 
  behind wailing mournfully when she leaves (Jonesy is 
  the animal equivalent of a Banshee). Jonesy pads around 
  the house after his mistress, always ready to fight off any 
  attackers (precious few of whom are actually present).   
   
  Little Fogway was the victim of a cruel practical 
  joke by one of the household staff, who had been scaring 
  him with stories about ghost dogs, and leapt out from 
  behind a door to scare the living daylights out of him at 
  one point, causing his accident.  
   
  Jonesy himself is harmless unless Ophelia is in 
  danger. Since his death, he has simply become sad and 
  lonely.  Should the players wish to defy the orders of the 
  higher-ups at T&S, they should do their utmost to show 
  Jonesy that they are protecting his mistress in his stead, 
  thus removing his only reason to remain.
  Operation: Unbinding
  Team Briefing
  Target: Varies
  Location: Varies
  Mission: Varies.
  Available Resources: None.
  Secondary Objectives: Keep activities away from the 
  eyes of the media.
   
  Storyteller Information: The Unbinding operations 
  are basically secondary operations handed out to teams 
  (or individuals within a team) when they are traveling. 
  Typically, an Unbinding operation involves a simple task 
  that may not make much sense to the T&S employee, 
  and almost always has to do with breaking the tethers of 
  a captured ghost, in order to increase the Vitality (and 
  thus power and abilities) of the ghost.  T&S uses these 
  missions to achieve goals that don’t warrant sending an 
  entire team out to complete.
   
  Below are some examples of this type of operation 
  (any missions longer or more involved than these quick 
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  “Jonesy”
  Blip-class animal ghost
  Attributes: Strength 3, Dexterity 3, Stamina 
  4, Charisma 2, Manipulation 1, Appearance 2, 
  Perception 4, Intelligence 1, Wits 1
  Abilities: Alertness 3, Athletics 1, Brawl 3, Empathy 
  3, Intimidation 2
  Nature: Defender
  Shade: Banshee
  Lament: Spirit
  Willpower: 5
  Vitality: 3
  Spite: 0
  Offensive Abilities: Wail (Jonesy instinctively uses 
  up to two-Vitality manifestations to soothe Ophelia 
  or savagely bark at those who might harm her), bite 
  for 5 dice lethal damage
  132
  
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  and easy “vignettes” are worthy of their own unique 
  operation code):
   
  •  Travel to the Boulevard Cemetery in San Francisco, 
  and bring back to HQ a photograph of the headstone of 
  Harold Greyjoy.
   
  •  Visit 1642 Ash & Newbury, and tell Mrs. Sandra 
  Johanssen that her husband is dead.
   
  •  Return the last will and testament of Bernard 
  Gregory to HQ.  It is held in a safe in the offices of 
  Hammond, Jungen & York, Attorneys at Law.
   
  •   Go to 765 Germaine Street, and kill the pet cat.
   
  •  Locate Francis Reading on the local university 
  campus, and ensure that he attends his mother’s 60th 
  birthday celebration.
   
  •  Ensure that the house at 1923 Newbury Heights is 
  declared derelict.
   
  •  Prevent flight 564J bound for Cleveland from 
  taking off.
  Operation: Spotlight
  Team Briefing
  Target: Varies
  Location: Varies
  Mission: Varies.
  Available Resources: Usually none
  Secondary Objectives: Mention Terrel & Squib’s 
  contact details as often as possible.
   
  Storyteller Information: The Spotlight series of 
  operations all involve the media.  Whether the operation 
  at hand involves the press and their local celebrities, the 
  big name talk shows, or simply a horror movie looking 
  for a special effect that their SFX guys can’t produce 
  cheaply, then a Spotlight operation is called for.  When 
  the Spotlight is on, the most photogenic team is sent out 
  to deal with it.
   
  Spotlight operations are all about presence, and 
  making T&S look as good as possible to as many people 
  as possible. Operatives who are coarse, disheveled, 
  or (after a particularly harrowing mission) covered in 
  blood with ripped and torn clothing are generally told to 
  stay away from cameras. Some teams have a “publicity 
  officer” (usually the team’s front man) whose job is to 
  deal with the media.  The front man is usually the most 
  charismatic and best-looking member, although they are 
  not always the operation’s leader for the team.  
   
  The standing orders for any Spotlight are to mention 
  the T&S web-site address at minimum, and any other 
  T&S contact details, in hopes of gaining free publicity.
   
  Here are a few sample Spotlight Operations:
   
  •  After a successful operation involving just about 
  any celebrity, the media are bound to get involved.  A 
  Spotlight is usually assigned to a team dealing with the 
  rich and famous, just to cover the eventuality.  
   
  •  The Industrial Luminescence special effects 
  firm needs a quick fix for a problem with control-
  ling an animatronic puppet.  A team with a Poltergeist 
  or Haunter is needed to move the puppet in a realistic 
  fashion.  Ensure that Terrel & Squib, Inc. is mentioned 
  in the film’s final credits.
   
  •  “The Tonite! Tonite! Show”, hosted by Todd Cole 
  (see Shadow Games, page 49), is after a “team’s eye 
  view” of this new ghost-busting phenomenon. This is an 
  excellent opportunity to get prime-time coverage.  An 
  Orpheus Group crucible may also be in attendance.
   
  •  A new TV show, “Modern Ghostbusters” wants 
  to send a reporter to tag along with a team while they 
  are out on operations. The reporter is to be looked after 
  and babysat while the team performs its other duties. 
  Needless to say, no failures or mistakes will be tolerated 
  in front of the reporter.
   
  •  As thanks for T&S’s aid in Operation: Jumping 
  Jack, a famous celebrity has invited the team to one of 
  his high-brow parties. This is a chance to get noticed by 
  other famous celebrities and agents, making potential 
  contacts for future work.  The team must be on their best 
  behavior.
  Operation: CLEAN SWEEP
  Team Briefing
  Target: Residual Ghosts
  Location: Seven Pines Community Care Home
  Mission: Capture any ghosts at the location and return 
  to main HQ.
  Available Resources: Small, handheld research units 
  only.  Absolutely no firearms.
  Secondary Objectives: Remain unseen by all officials 
  and bystanders; no manifested personnel or obvious 
  equipment.
   
  Storyteller Information: The Clean Sweep opera-
  tions are fairly standard practice for T&S; the only thing 
  that changes is the location. After any tragedy in which 
  several people have died quickly (or, if things have been 
  quiet at the office, the local hospital’s emergency ward), 
  a team is sent in to remove any residual ghosts and return 
  them to HQ for breaking (although, depending on their 
  moral outlook, the team may not be told what will happen 
  133
  
  to the ghosts once they are returned).  These are routine 
  operations, and usually turn up one or two (if any) spirits 
  who have yet to pass on.  The ghosts generally don’t 
  make much of a fuss, being confused and disorientated 
  from having recently died, and these are easy missions 
  to lull the players into a false sense of security.
   
  This operation is different, however.  Storytellers 
  may want to run one or two of the basic Clean Sweep 
  missions before springing this one on the hapless 
  players:
   
  •  A few hours ago, a small fire at the Seven Pines 
  Community Care Home caused eleven of the residents to 
  die of smoke inhalation.  The fire caused very little actual 
  damage, but the smoke spread throughout the upper 
  floor, and many of the elderly people there succumbed to 
  the fumes.
   
  All of the deceased residents have become hues, 
  due to large amounts of pigment in their bloodstreams 
  (see below).  Since their deaths, a Spectre (or several, 
  whatever is necessary to give the players a challenge) 
  has discovered the ghosts and carted off two of them for 
  its own purposes.  The remaining ghosts are in hiding 
  — afraid for their “lives” and completely confused by 
  what has happened (even while alive, they wouldn’t be 
  consdiered very “corpus mentus”).
   
  The players face several challenges: getting the old 
  ghosts to come with them (the dead residents will not 
  want to leave their homes, even when they are convinced 
  that they are actually dead — they want to remain among 
  their friends); beating the residents into submission if 
  they can’t convince them to leave willingly; fending off 
  the Spectre(s), who want to keep hold of this contained 
  little feast; and accomplish all of this without alerting 
  the living world that anything is amiss.
   
  In order to make the operation even more challenging, 
  the storyteller could throw in an Orpheus Group crucible 
  who have been sent to find Grandpa Bill Wellesley, one 
  of the decedents, and learn where he kept his life savings 
  before sending him on to his final reward...
   
  There is also the mystery of why all of these hues 
  have all been created at the same time.  Answer: The 
  residents of the care home have all been drugged with 
  pigment.  A rogue Spectre is embarking on an early Pale 
  Rider endeavor (see Shades of Gray) and is attempting 
  to harvest enough souls to form a small hive of its own. 
  To this end, it has possessed a careworker at the facility 
  and forced her to feed pigment to the residents (in their 
  food and medication) before setting the building on fire. 
   
  This Spectre should be created by the Storyteller to 
  give the players a challenge, or utilize a long-standing 
  nemesis if the players have such a Spectral enemy.
  Operation: FLASH BANG
  Team Briefing
  Target: Varies
  Location: Varies
  Mission: Convince everyone present (home owners and 
  the media) that the location is haunted.
  Available Resources: Mobile Command Unit, SFX 
  Gear, Broken Ghosts
  Secondary Objectives: Ensure that no harm comes to 
  the client or their guests.
   
  Storyteller Information: The Flash Bang series of 
  operations is T&S’s answer to false alarms and staged 
  events. A team is called in to convince onlookers and 
  bystanders that the location specified in the mission 
  briefing is haunted. There are many reasons why 
  someone might want this to happen — from giving a 
  really convincing Halloween party, to raising money 
  from amatuer ghost busters who want to stay at your 
  “haunted hotel.”  Essentially, the team is called in to 
  project and use their ghostly powers to give a good show 
  to the client’s guests.
   
  The standard “package” includes making sure that 
  no one present is injured during the ghostly light show. 
  Other than that, the client is free to suggest various 
  ways that the team’s Horrors might be used (during the 
  team consultation prior to the event).  T&S operatives 
  are brought in to speak with the client, and to work as 
  closely as possible with them in order to provide the best 
  “haunting” available.  The package covers a single night, 
  beyond which the client must pay extra.
   
  Of course, many complications could arise:
   
  •  The overall Horror usage, even though the “show” 
  consists primarily of low-Vitality expenditures, attracts 
  the attention of a nearby Spectre.
   
  •  A weak-hearted guest suffers a stroke during a 
  particularly convincing display, possibly becoming a 
  ghost or hue if they die.
   
  •  Some of the paratech malfunctions, injuring or 
  killing one or more witnesses.
   
  •  NextWorld has been hired to assassinate one of the 
  guests at the event.
   
  •  Orpheus Group has been hired by one of the guests 
  to prove or disprove the client’s claims.
   
  •  T&S has been hired to haunt or simply sabotage 
  a location in order to shut it down (for safety reasons 
  of course). Orpheus Group is called in to “exorcise” the 
  T&S ghosts.
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  134
  
  CHAPTER FIVE
  TERREL & SQUIB OPERATIONS
  Operation: 
  MOST DANGEROUS GAME
  Team Briefing
  Target: Varies
  Location: T&S secured location.
  Mission: Guide and protect client(s) while they track 
  and “kill” a “rogue” spirit.
  Available Resources: Kirlian Cameras, Kirlian Goggles, 
  Ghost-shot ammo, SFX Gear
  Secondary Objectives: Put on a good show for the 
  client. Make them believe that they are in real danger. 
  Ensure that no permanent harm comes to the client.
   
  Storyteller Information: The Most Dangerous 
  Game operations are generally considered the lowest of 
  the low for any team. T&S employees lovingly refer to 
  them “Babysitting Detail.”  
   
  MDG operations occur when a well paying client has 
  requested to take part in a “ghost hunt.”  Terrel & Squib, 
  Inc. arms the client, turns him loose in a “haunted” 
  environment with a small team including at least one 
  ghost (depending on how much the client is paying), and 
  provides “clean-up duties” afterward.  
   
  Most of the time, the “ghostshot ammo” given to the 
  client is made of black rubber, and the “ghost” is one 
  of the team members, who pretends to be destroyed by 
  the bullets (generally by going incorporeal) after being 
  stalked by the client.
   
  Sometimes, however, if the client is particularly 
  important or knowledgeable, T&S will provide a broken 
  ghost, a (weak) trapped Spectre, or a blip or drone to 
  let the client loose on. The team’s function is to give 
  the client the experience he has paid for, and ensure his 
  relative safety.  Small injuries are fine, and all add to the 
  experience, but death or dismemberment is a definite no-
  no.  
   
  Part of this operation might well include rounding 
  up a weak ghost or two for destruction in the first place.
  An SFX team will be assigned to the operation to 
  make things look good for the client, and provide the 
  “complete ghost-hunting experience” (blood dripping off 
  walls, cold spots in the “arena,” ghostly voices moaning 
  from all directions, and similar pop-culture ghost 
  phenomena). The “arena” will be wired well in advance 
  to produce these effects. The SFX team also films the 
  experience in its entirety; a DVD recording (edited to 
  hide any evidence of duplicity) is provided to the client 
  as a standard part of the package.  
   
  Clients come from all walks of life, and might 
  include:
   
  •  A celebrity shock-rocker, pop idol, or actor-of-the-
  moment;
   
  •  Extreme sports personalities looking for the next-
  big-thrill;
   
  •  Journalists seeking a new scoop for a Features 
  piece or a series on ghost phenomena;
   
  •  Eccentric businessman hoping for an interesting 
  story to tell at the next cocktail party;
   
  •  Independent ghost-hunters seeking to steal T&S 
  technology or learn their methods.
   
  Many complications can arise to make the team’s 
  job that much more difficult, such as a Broken Ghost 
  overcoming his programming and attacking the team 
  or SFX personnel; a captured Spectre sending a distress 
  call via the Hive-Mind, leading to a multi-Spectre attack, 
  in which the team needs to hold out for reinforcements 
  while protecting their client; or the client himself turning 
  on the team (for example, a NextWorld operative after 
  T&S technology).
  135
  
  The 
  Terrel & Squib
  Sourcebook
  Suit up, grab your ghostshot and get ready to rub elbows
  with the starfuckers of Hollywood.
  Now that T&S is signing your paycheck, you’ll be
  living like the rock stars you are.
  The unofficial Terrel & Squib Sourcebook from Project: Flatline
  will give you the inside information that you will need
  to spend the rest of your short life as an agent of
  Terrel & Squib Investigations.
  New body classes, merits, flaws and Stains
  Details on T&S’s secret paratech
  Strategies for ghost breaking
  Sample characters and story ideas for your own T&S operations
  And more information about the cracks that threaten to
  topple the Terrel & Squib empire.
  All new fiction and content from the team at
  www.projectflatline.com
  THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL WHITE WOLF PRODUCT
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/World of Darkness (WoD) [multi]/unsorted/Orpheus/Book X - Terrel And Squib.pdf