TEXT: This scenario pits the Investigators against a terrible and 
  sinister plot instigated by a mysterious and possibly inhu-
  man power. Investigators with some prior experience of 
  the Cthulhu Mythos will find their knowledge gives them 
  a slight advantage. Little, however, will prepare them for 
  the terrible awakenings that soon take place both within 
  themselves and in a dark and hidden site unknown to man.
  The hideous events detailed herein are nominally set in 
  Arkham and Boston during the Spring of 1928. However, 
  the Keeper needs to change little to relocate the scenario 
  elsewhere or to a different year.
  Keeper’s Information
  Half-remembered tales recall that in aeons long ago the 
  Great Old Ones came down from the heavens to occupy 
  our planet. These stories tell of hundreds of such creatures 
  descending upon our globe, each a horribly individual 
  and unique entity. Yet in the Mythos lore known to mod-
  ern humanity, a mere handful of such entities is thought 
  to exist on the Earth.
  Could it be that the reason for this discrepancy lies not in 
  the disappearance of these deathless things, but in the nar-
  rowness of our perceptual faculties? Could the remainder 
  of these eldritch things be in some way invisible to our sen-
  sibilities, surviving in imperceptible slumber in long-for-
  gotten places? This scenario deals with one such survival.
  Beneath a small hill in the gently rolling landscape west 
  of Arkham lies a shrine that is invisible to all humanity’s 
  senses. Within this place sleeps an antediluvian horror, 
  a lesser power among the ranks of those who descended 
  with Cthulhu from the hideously living star Xoth. Being a 
  lesser entity of its kind, the mystical bonds that prevent its 
  existence during certain cosmic phases are weaker. This, 
  coupled with the imminence of the stellar configuration 
  which will free all members of its race, means the time is 
  ripe for this being’s awakening. For this to occur, however, 
  the Great Old One must be fed curious occult sustenance 
  and exposed to the non-electromagnetic radiation emitted 
  by the star it once came from.
  To arrange such conditions an unknown force has con-
  structed a deceptive conspiracy. Adopting the form of a 
  dark-skinned merchant at a Boston bazaar, it began sub-
  tly weaving its strands of deception. As the basis for this 
  evil web it sensed the ambition of an elderly Engineering 
  Professor it knew to frequent the place in search of curios. 
  This man, Professor Graham Duncan of Boston Univer-
  sity, soon stumbled into the merchant’s trap.
  Chancing upon the bazaar stall, his attention was particu-
  larly drawn to the curiously opalescent electric lamps on 
  display. His trained eye recognized that these were un-
  like any conventional forms of electric lighting. In time he 
  unearthed the secrets of the lamps, and learned how to 
  construct them himself. 
  What he did not discover immediately was the curious ef-
  fect the light from these lamps had upon living creatures. 
  For this light possessed the power to activate long dormant 
  perceptual faculties within the brain granting a ’second 
  sight’. The gland that embodies this new sense is the pineal.
  The motivation behind the deception of Graham Duncan 
  lay in the fact that the fully functioning pineal body con-
  tains many occult substances. Several of these are chemi-
  cals necessary for the awakening of the entity beneath the 
  hill. The unknown force behind the scheme hoped that 
  Professor Duncan would spread the curious illumination 
  technology throughout the world. 
  This sinister propagation, it hoped, would produce a suf-
  ficiently large ’harvest’ of human pineal bodies to revive 
  many of Cthulhu’s brood.
  To an extent this evil plot is already reaching some frui-
  tion. Several weeks ago a set of twelve new street lights 
  were erected on a sleepy street in Arkham’s Southside, 
  the long awaited outcome of decades of calls for reform. 
  These lamps, however, do not utilize traditional arc light 
  technology, but instead use a curious new technique re-
  cently ’discovered’ and documented by Professor Graham 
  Duncan. This technology is, of course, that from the bazaar 
  merchant’s lanterns.
  Now, three weeks after the installation of the pilot scheme 
  in Southside, strange things are beginning to happen. Sto-
  ries of a wild pack of rabid dogs roaming the neighbor-
  hood are becoming increasingly common. Curiously mu-
  tilated animal corpses have been discovered nearby. Many 
  of the more sensitive residents have noted curious short-
  lived hallucinations. The situation is, however, about to 
  take a serious turn for the worse.
  “With five feeble senses we pretend to comprehend the boundless complex cosmos, yet other beings with a wider, 
  stronger or different range of senses might not only see very differently the things we see, but might see and study 
  whole worlds of matter, energy and life which lie close at hand yet can never be detected with the senses we have.”            
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  — H.P. Lovecraft
  This scenario was written by Dean Engelhardt (dean@cs.adelaide.edu.au) 
  and published in the Chaosium Digest, Volume 29, Number 12 (January 2000).
  It was written in 1993, and revised in 1996. It is a copyrighted work, but 
  released for free distribution under a Creative Commons license.
  chaosium digest classics
  
  2
  Investigator Information
  It is a pleasant Sunday morning in Spring. Gentle sounds 
  of bird-song drift on a light breeze. The Investigators, cur-
  rently between outre assignments, are taking this rare op-
  portunity to relax from their driven efforts against the un-
  knowable. While some bolster their spirits with worship, 
  others merely take the opportunity to bask in the warm 
  sunlight spilling through the window.
  At the regular residence of one of the Investigators (of 
  the Keeper’s choice), this peace is prematurely shattered. 
  Shortly before midday, the Investigator in question and 
  any others present at the Investigator’s house, find them-
  selves roused by a clamor outside. The loud and clumsy 
  noises emerge either from the garden behind the residence 
  (if such exists), or an alleyway running behind the Inves-
  tigator’s abode. The noises seem to be of trash cans or gar-
  den tools carelessly being knocked over. As the Investi-
  gators strain to hear more, they additionally detect faint 
  sounds of a gibbering human voice.
  Whether or not the Investigator’s choose to investigate 
  these noises, they shortly afterwards become aware of a 
  second sound: that of a police officer’s whistle.
  Investigators curious enough to head out to the rear of the 
  house (or into the alleyway) quickly catch sight of a tall 
  thin man. He is dressed in some form of light colored jack-
  et, doubled over in a corner. He is facing away from the 
  direction of the Investigator’s approach; they can discern 
  no features of his face.
  He stands amid a disorganized collection of upended trash 
  cans, watering cans and broken earthen pots. The man 
  seems not to notice the approaching Investigators, instead 
  occupied with his ceaseless mutterings and whimperings.
  As inquisitive Investigators approach, they become aware 
  of running footfalls nearby adding to the police whistles 
  that now seem very close. Additionally, sharp eared In-
  vestigators (those who succeed in a Listen roll) begin to 
  make out words in the stranger’s low muttering:  “Huge ... 
  stars ... living ... waiting ... waiting.” 
  Once the Investigators are within 5 feet of the tall and 
  lanky intruder he suddenly notices them. He spins about 
  to face directly toward those approaching him. It is only 
  then that the Investigators will see, to their horror, that 
  where the man’s eyes would normally be exist only empty 
  blood-caked sockets; his eyes have been completely and 
  messily gouged out (0/1D2 SAN). The man’s ravaged face 
  bears dozens of tell-tale scratches and cuts; his sandy hair 
  still contains blood-clotted tangles. It is now obvious that 
  the canvas jacket he wears is an unbuckled straitjacket.
  An expression of abject fear spreads across his face as he 
  turns his head to ‘stare’ directly at the face of each ap-
  proaching Investigator in turn. Each feels unnerved by the 
  way the man’s gaze moves directly from one subject to 
  the next. His perception of their precise location seems too 
  exact for a blind man. 
  Before the Investigators have an opportunity to examine 
  this situation further, three police officers burst onto the 
  scene. The three force their way past the gathered group 
  of onlookers and grapple with the eyeless stranger. After 
  a short scuffle, two officers emerge from the fray with the 
  blind man forcibly restrained between them. The prisoner 
  The Pineal Gland and its Latent Perceptual Function
  The pineal is a gland present in the brains of humans 
  and all other vertebrates. Scholars have recognized its 
  existence since the time of the Latin physician Galen 
  (second century AD). Over the centuries they have at-
  tributed this small pine-nut shaped gland with many 
  functions, both medical and mystical in nature. 
  Descartes identified it as the organ which received and 
  ’synthesized’ perceptual impressions received from the 
  sensory organs. He also believed the pineal to be the 
  “seat of the soul.”
  Less mystically, in 1695 Humphrey Ridley theorized 
  that the pineal had the function of receiving lympha 
  from the lymphducts which pass the third ventricle of 
  the brain to the infundibulum and the pituitary gland. 
  This was the predominant medical theory until the ear-
  ly twentieth century. 
  Mystical significance of the gland also developed from 
  Descartes’ seventeenth century hypotheses. By the 
  1920’s, Theosophists commonly held that the gland 
  would, in a future perfection of the human race, accom-
  modate the “seventh sense.” This sense they held to be 
  the power of divine insight. 
  Despite a significant research effort this century, medi-
  cal science still does not have a good understanding of 
  the purpose of the pineal gland.
  This scenario expands upon the hypothesized semi-
  mystical perceptual role of the pineal. It takes as its di-
  rect inspiration Lovecraft’s tale From Beyond. The basic 
  premise is that the gland is a vestigial sense organ akin 
  to the visual sense organs, but sensitive to a radiation 
  altogether outside the understood concepts of the elec-
  tromagnetic spectrum. 
  At some point in distant prehistory, some ancestor of hu-
  manity was endowed with this additional sense through 
  a fully functional “third eye.” Through some conse-
  quence of the grand cosmic cycle, this sense gland slowly 
  atrophied into the modern pineal body. Given the correct 
  stimulation, however, these glands still have the poten-
  tial to mutate back into the sense organs they once were.
  struggles little, instead concentrating on his now-frenzied 
  low muttering. Any attempts by the Investigators to in-
  tervene in the police apprehension of the man are not ap-
  preciated. At the very least they risk stern warnings, at the 
  worst threats of violence if they persist.
  As the two police officers drag away the eyeless lunatic, the 
  third officer, a Sergeant, apologizes to onlookers for the dis-
  turbance, reassuring them that all is now in order. If ques-
  tioned about the escapee, the extent of the Sergeant’s knowl-
  edge is that the man somehow escaped from an ambulance 
  carrying him from St. Mary’s Hospital to the Sanitarium.
  Any Investigators watching the captive as he is led away 
  by the police officers notice that the man’s eyeless gaze 
  fixes on some point on a nearby tree. His head turns as 
  he is dragged away, keeping his stare always towards the 
  same spot. A moment after the madman is gone, percep-
  tive Investigators (those who succeed in a Spot Hidden 
  roll) notice a small butterfly take flight from the same spot.
  
  3
  Arkham Preliminaries
  The blind madman whose recapture the Investigators 
  have witnessed is a young man by the name of Michael 
  Farr. The horrible mutilations to his eyes are self inflicted, 
  insane attempts to blot out the sights of an eldritch horror 
  he witnessed last night. These unearthly visions were a re-
  sult of his latent pineal sense becoming active. Ironically, 
  although Farr’s bloody act robbed him of his normal vi-
  sion, his outre second sight still functions. With this sense 
  he still sees the horrors which drove him insane as well as 
  shadowy intimations of more conventional living things.
  The unnerving mannerisms of the deranged Farr should 
  pique Investigator curiosity; his actions seem to impute 
  him with a sense of sight he could not possibly still pos-
  sess. Investigators choosing to look into the matter further 
  have a number of avenues they could consider.
  This Morning’s Newspaper
  Any Investigator who has read the morning paper will re-
  call a news article which seems related to the Farr incident.
  Visiting the Sanitarium
  Investigators may wish to question the insane man about 
  the events of the previous night. A visit to the Arkham 
  Sanitarium can facilitate this. Before any visitors are per-
  mitted to see the new patient, however, they must con-
  vince institution head Dr. Hardstrom of the necessity of 
  their visit. A plausible medical or legal reason (successful 
  Law, Medicine or Persuade Roll) will gain Investigators 
  entry. The doctor himself offers no opinion on the pa-
  tient’s state of mind, pointing out that he has yet to have 
  an adequate opportunity to observe the man.
  The blind Farr is in a small room with barred windows, 
  his strait jacket now removed. He sits precariously on the 
  wood-frame bed, staring vacantly at a point on the far 
  wall. He seems oblivious to the presence of any visitors. If 
  questioned, he turns to face whoever is speaking and be-
  gins the same incoherent rambling as before. As he speaks, 
  BY JACK CARLTON
  Mayor Peabody today announced a 
  program of “radical upgrade” for public 
  facilities in Arkham’s Southside. This 
  region of the city, says Peabody, is 
  “sadly neglected – a situation we plan to 
  remedy immediately.” As the initial 
  phase of the upgrade plan, Arkham’s 
  Council 
  of 
  Selectmen 
  last 
  night 
  approved a small budget for a pilot plan 
  to replace the street lights along a small 
  stretch of Walnut Street. The new lights 
  incorporate “the very latest in 
  nology” 
  said 
  City 
  Mayor Announces Public 
  Works in Southside
  —
  —
  Man Hideously 
  Murdered in 
  Arkham Street
  —
     Mutilated 
  Corpse Found in 
  Southside
  —
     Street Bathed in Blood
  In the early hours of this morning, 
  police were called to investigate an 
  unholy shrieking and wailing heard by 
  residents of Walnut Street in Arkham’s 
  sleepy Southside. The racket apparently 
  was coming from the street. But, by the 
  time the police had arrived on the scene 
  the clamor had ceased. Casual investi-
  gations lead them to discover the 
  horribly mutilated body of a man in his
  early forties. 
  The man, respected Southsider Georgi
  Caruso, was found decapitated, wit
  hundreds of deep slashes covering mo
  than half his body. His skull had be
  cloven in two, surgical incisions m
  into the brain within. Walnut Street 
  bathed in his blood.
  The disgusting extent of the mutila
  inflicted upon the corpse has lead 
  to suspect the involvement of som
  of obscene cult. As yet, howev
  police have not formally announ
  suspicions as to the motive 
  slaying. It is understood that 
  awaiting the findings of an a
  ed today. As ye
   mu
  |
  |—
  —
  Disturbance in Southside
  Residents in the Simpson Apartments in 
  Arkham's Southside were last night 
  awakened by what witnesses describe as  
  “horrid and unholy screeching.”  The 
  source of these deranged sounds of 
  screaming was apparently Apartment 5, 
  rented by a reclusive man in his mid 
  twenties. Once police had been called, 
  and a locksmith employed to open the 
  fastened door, a horrible scene was 
  discovered. While the specifics of the 
  bloody scene are unsuitable for publica-
  tion in a reputable newspaper, it is 
  sufficient to say that the man had appar-
  ently lost control of his senses and 
  hideously 
  blinded 
  and 
  mutilated 
  himself. He was taken into custody to 
  protect him against further insane 
  actions against his person.
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 1
  t Handout: Newspaper Clipping 3
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 2
  his eyeless gaze turns away from his questioner’s face and 
  instead focusses on something unseen behind the Investi-
  gator’s shoulder. His vacant eye sockets track the motion 
  of this invisible object. 
  A successful Psychoanalysis roll brings the young man 
  back to a semblance of sanity for a moment. Even under 
  this spell of lucidity, all he will tell inquiring visitors is that 
  “the star, the tentacled star ... it’s out there ... it’s coming ... 
  I found it ... will they name it after me?”  After this he will 
  collapse into an insane giggling.
  Farr’s room
  The Simpson Apartments are situated in a poor district 
  of Arkham, huddled between French Hill and South Hill. 
  The building is on Walnut Street in an area predominately 
  populated by Italians. Despite a certain degree of squalor, 
  and the randomly strewn remnants of some recent city 
  construction, the street has a certain simple beauty. As the 
  Investigators approach the apartment building they see 
  smiling Italian children playing marbles and riding Pogo 
  sticks. All along the street, women cheerily perform do-
  mestic chores, hanging out laundry and beating rugs.
  Inside the Simpson Apartments the atmosphere is subdued but 
  still pleasant. It seems that even the horrible events of the previ-
  ous night cannot spoil peoples’ enjoyment of so fine a Spring 
  day. When the Investigators enter the building, the smell of a 
  zesty Italian dish assails their noses. The odors waft through the 
  open door to Apartment 1, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cilauro. 
  
  4
  Although her husband is working, Mrs. Cilauro will agree 
  to answer any questions. As far as she is concerned “I al-
  ways knew that Farr man was not right in the head .. He 
  would stay up until all hours of the night just peering .. 
  peering out of his window at the stars. Does that sound a 
  normal way to spend your life? And another thing .. they 
  say that he’s a divorcee .. heavens!” Despite the fact Mrs. 
  Cilauro will happily talk to the Investigators for several 
  hours more, this is all she knows of Farr. 
  In the course of their chat with the rotund Italian woman, 
  the visitors will notice a tortoise-shell cat saunter casually in 
  from the stairwell and settle on a lounge chair next to Mrs. 
  Cilauro. “Tsk Tsk Tsk,”  she says, “you shouldn’t be in here, 
  Sammy. You can’t fool me .. I know Mr. Sabatino feeds you 
  good.“ She smiles, excuses herself from the Investigators 
  for a moment and fetches the cat a saucer of milk.
  Apartment 5 is on the second floor of the building. When 
  the Investigators approach, they notice that the door to 
  this room is ajar. Inside, two men in white overalls clean 
  splattered blood from the walls of the apartment. The 
  room reeks of ammonia. 
  The two workmen are not very talkative, but if pressed 
  one explicitly recounts a dramatized story of how the in-
  sane Farr was found with eyes gouged out writhing on 
  the floor. He graphically tells how all four walls of the 
  apartment were splattered with blood. Any Investigators 
  squirming at his lurid description will only spur the man 
  on to even greater heights of morbidity. He obviously 
  enjoys disgusting the inquisitive visitors. If he feels that 
  his tale has sufficiently horrified the inquisitive strangers 
  he will finish with one tasteless tiny tidbit: “you know, 
  we’ve cleaned through this entire apartment, and we’ve 
  found no sign of that madman’s eyes. Maybe what they 
  said is true after all — that he ate them himself.” 
  If the Investigators wish to search through Farr’s be-
  longings, no one impedes them. The two cleaners sim-
  ply don’t care, and the authorities have already made 
  their searches of the premises. Two articles among the 
  amateur astronomer’s possessions may be of interest: his 
  telescope and his notebook. Any investigation of Farr’s 
  telescope determines it to be perfectly normal and unin-
  teresting. Farr’s astronomical notebook is a thin blood-
  splattered volume. An Astronomy Roll learns that, for 
  the most part its entries are mundane observations of the 
  moon and various constellations. The last page, however, 
  is more interesting to the Investigators — see  nearby box.
  Walnut Street Gossip
  Investigators wishing to question Southside locals about 
  the recent happening have little difficulty finding talk-
  ative individuals; reticence seems not to be a problem with 
  these folk. These neighbors have nothing more to add to 
  the story of the previous night, besides additional scandal-
  ous comment on the fact that Farr was a divorcee. 
  In conversation, however, one Southsider tells the Investiga-
  tors “I swear it’s getting mighty hard to get a good night’s 
  sleep around here nowadays. What with the Star boy last 
  night and the Milk deliverer a few nights back.” If questioned 
  further about this previous incident, the garrulous neighbor 
  will say more. Three nights ago, the street was awakened in 
  the early hours of the morning by the sounds of incoherent 
  screaming from the street. The police were called then too, 
  but by the time they found the howling man, who turned out 
  to be the local milk deliverer, he was all right.
  Other Newspaper Clues
  If the Investigators search through the Newspapers pre-
  vious days in search of this earlier happening, they find 
  nothing. If they conduct a search of the Advertiser morgue 
  (which only journalists or Persuasive others have access 
  to), however, they soon discover that an article was writ-
  ten about the incident but never published. 
  The article states that Milk deliverer Georgio Caruso re-
  portedly had some form of hallucinatory fit or seizure 
  three days prior to the Farr happening. The terrible cries 
  he gave out as he ran screaming down Walnut Street 
  caused many residents to contact the authorities. By the 
  time police had arrived on the scene, Caruso, who was 
  found cowering in a slim alleyway just off Walnut, had re-
  gained his senses. Though obviously shaken, he was given 
  a clean bill of health. A small piece of paper is attached by 
  paper clip to the morgue article. On it is written an address 
  on S French Hill Street.
  The same information concerning the hallucinations of 
  Georgio Caruso can be found in police records. These re-
  cords are only available to Investigators who have either 
  worked previously with the Arkham constabulary, or who 
  succeed in a Law roll. The address on S French Hill Street 
  is listed on these records as the home of Mr. Caruso.
  Last Page from Farr’s Notebook
  clouding over. Better skip looking at Pleiades, go straight to Saturn rings. I wish those lights would be switched off ... can’t see a damned thing with 
  all that light streaming in. Wish to blazes they’d never put them in!
   (10:00pm) Must be getting tired. Just saw strange geometric hallucination. Take a rest then resume, get some fresh air! Must be working too hard .. ha ha!
   (12:00am) Still looking at those beautiful rings -- God, I fall in love every time I see the blasted things! Saw a shadow of a moon across the rings. 
   (12:15am) Another wretched hallucination ... really, what’s wrong with me tonight. Must remember to buy a new brand of cocoa next time. 
  NOOOOOOOO! After me! Coming ... now.
  STOP!! Evil putty jelly ... Close my eyes! Yes!
  Yellow! Yellow! But red in the middle! Go AWAY!
  <unintelligible scrawl>
  There is only one way! NO!!
  
  5
  Investigators interested in checking Newspaper records in 
  an attempt to locate unusual happenings on Walnut Street 
  prior to the Caruso affair, discover the following:
  • 
  Ten days ago the Advertiser carried a small article reporting the cir-
  culation of a pack of rabid dogs about the area of Walnut Street. 
  Residents were warned to keep careful watch when walking that 
  neighborhood at night.
  • 
  A week ago, a cache of curiously mutilated animal carcasses, pri-
  marily cats and dogs, was discovered in a small alleyway just off 
  Walnut. The article offers no definite explanation as to how these 
  freshly killed creatures came to be piled in the alley, but uses this as 
  another opportunity to condemn fraternity pranksters.
  Hunting Down Caruso
  It is possible for Investigators to interview the Milk deliv-
  eryman any time during the two days following the Farr 
  incident. After that time, however, he is fated to become 
  another victim of the awakening and his story will be lost.
  Visitors arriving at the S French Hill Street house before 
  about 4pm will run the risk of waking the delivery man 
  and placing him in a foul mood. The man’s story is simple 
  and short: he was doing his delivery round, as he does each 
  morning, when suddenly everything seemed to change. 
  He could see weird transparent jelly things floating every-
  where he looked. The bewildered Caruso watched them 
  sliding into and out of solid objects, devouring one another 
  and hovering in mid-air. He watched these strange hallu-
  cinations for a moment, but suddenly, from the corner of 
  his eye he spied something else, a large thing which made 
  him afraid. The next he remembers he was running down 
  the middle of the street screaming, barely in control of him-
  self. Acting on intuition he ran into an alleyway running off 
  Walnut, and suddenly everything returned to normal. 
  Man Hideously 
  Murdered in 
  Arkham Street
  —
     Mutilated 
  Corpse Found in 
  Southside
  —
     Street Bathed in Blood
  In the early hours of this morning, 
  police were called to investigate an 
  unholy shrieking and wailing heard by 
  residents of Walnut Street in Arkham’s 
  sleepy Southside. The racket apparently 
  was coming from the street. But, by the 
  time the police had arrived on the scene 
  the clamor had ceased. Casual investi-
  gations lead them to discover the 
  horribly mutilated body of a man in his 
  early forties. 
  The man, respected Southsider Georgio 
  Caruso, was found decapitated, with 
  hundreds of deep slashes covering more 
  than half his body. His skull had been 
  cloven in two, surgical incisions made 
  into the brain within. Walnut Street was 
  bathed in his blood.
  The disgusting extent of the mutilations 
  inflicted upon the corpse has lead police 
  to suspect the involvement of some form 
  of obscene cult. As yet, however, the 
  police have not formally announced any 
  suspicions as to the motive for the 
  slaying. It is understood that they are 
  awaiting the findings of an autopsy to 
  be performed today. As yet no eye 
  witnesses to the grisly murder have 
  come forward.
  A local resident told this reporter that 
  the prevalent mood among the commu-
  nity in Walnut Street is one of shock. 
  “Peoples just don't want to believe that a 
  monster of the type that could do this 
  could be roaming our street.”
  Readers of the Advertiser will recall 
  that last week we reported the finding 
  of mutilated animal carcasses in the 
  neighborhood. 
  Today’s 
  occurrence 
  seems to cast an altogether more sinister 
  light on this earlier discovery.
  While it is not our intention to panic 
  residents of the area, we respectfully 
  suggest that people take care when 
  visiting the streets of Southside at night.
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 2
  TON
   announced a 
  rade” for public 
  Southside. This 
  ys Peabody, is 
  ation we plan to 
  As the initial 
  plan, Arkham’s 
  n 
  last 
  night 
   for a pilot plan 
  ts along a small 
  . The new lights 
  very latest in 
  y” 
  said 
  City 
  . 
  en for thinking 
   announcement 
  erely a promise 
  Reports from 
  uggest Mayor 
  s with regard the 
  n. This generous 
  lled for can only 
  s popularity. 
  thside
  sleepy Southside. The racket apparently 
  was coming from the street. But, by the 
  time the police had arrived on the scene 
  the clamor had ceased. Casual investi-
  gations lead them to discover the 
  horribly mutilated body of a man in his 
  early forties. 
  The man, respected Southsider Georgio 
  Caruso, was found decapitated, with 
  hundreds of deep slashes covering more 
  than half his body. His skull had been 
  cloven in two, surgical incisions made 
  into the brain within. Walnut Street was 
  bathed in his blood.
  The disgusting extent of the mutilations 
  inflicted upon the corpse has lead police 
  to suspect the involvement of some form 
  of obscene cult. As yet, however, the 
  police have not formally announced any 
  suspicions as to the motive for the 
  slaying. It is understood that they are 
  awaiting the findings of an autopsy to 
  be performed today. As yet no eye 
  witnesses to the grisly murder have 
  come forward.
  A local resident told this reporter that 
  the prevalent mood among the commu-
  nity in Walnut Street is one of shock. 
  “Peoples just don't want to believe that a 
  monster of the type that could do this 
  could be roaming our street.”
  Readers of the Advertiser will recall 
  that last week we reported the finding 
  of mutilated animal carcasses in the 
  neighborhood. 
  Today’s 
  occurrence 
  seems to cast an altogether more sinister 
  light on this earlier discovery.
  While it is not our intention to panic 
  residents of the area, we respectfully 
  suggest that people take care when 
  visiting the streets of Southside at night.
  In A Different Light Handout: Ne
  Southside Characters
  During their questioning, the Investigators will encoun-
  ter many residents of Arkham’s Southside. The follow-
  ing individuals are available to the Keeper as sources of 
  information or frustration. Some characters have specific 
  roles in the plot as victims or witnesses of the Walnut 
  Street murders. Others may be used in whatever role the 
  Keeper sees fit. Bear in mind that the general attitude 
  of all individuals on or near Walnut Street changes as 
  events unfold. Early in the scenario the Southsiders are a 
  smiling and jovial group, happy to talk to strangers. Lat-
  er they become sullen and brooding, barely interested in 
  conversing with anybody.
  Georgio Caruso
  Stocky and olive-skinned, the 46 year old 
  milk deliverer Caruso is a powerful looking 
  man. The constant physical exercise occa-
  sioned both by his job and his former hobby 
  (amateur boxing) has kept him lean and fit. 
  His face, however, shows his years very heavily. Imme-
  diately noticeable amid his careworn visage are a multi-
  ply fractured nose and many small scars. 
  Not all these injuries stem from the boxing ring, how-
  ever. For many years Caruso was involved with the gang 
  headed by well-known Southsider Joe Potrello. Several 
  years ago he renounced this life and “went straight.” 
  Talking to Georgio, Investigators will discern the Italian’s 
  lack of formal education. He seems to particularly have 
  difficulty in grasping abstract concepts, a trait that may 
  prove frustrating to questioners attempting to learn about 
  the strange visions he witnessed. He is, however, very en-
  thusiastic and will do almost anything within his capabili-
  ties to help.
  Unless the Investigators are very quick in eliminating 
  the threat to Walnut Street residents, Georgio will be-
  come the first murder victim. 
  Dominica Cilauro
  Short, black-haired and rotund, Mrs. Cilauro 
  is the very picture of the stereotypical Italian 
  ‘mama’. At 58 her face and hands are begin-
  ning to show the accumulated wear of a life-
  time of domestic work. Her spirit, however is 
  bright, bubbly and above all friendly. 
  Dominica spends most of her life either collecting rent from 
  tenants in the Simpson Apartments (which her husband 
  owns), or cooking. The latter is her great passion -- she prides 
  herself on being able to cook a better Italian meal than the 
  chef at nearby Anton’s Restaurant. Most people who have 
  been fortunate enough to sample her food have agreed.
  Mrs. Cilauro’s attitude and outlook alter drastically as the 
  scenario progresses. Early meetings with her will show 
  her to be happy, contented and above all loquacious. Her 
  favorite topic of discussion is the moral decline of the 
  young people of today. Her strongest condemnation is 
  reserved for the rising incidence of divorce in Arkham, 
  something that her Catholic sensibilities abhor. Later in 
  the scenario, she becomes morose and fatalistic, barely 
  able to raise a smile. This dramatic transformation lasts 
  until the lights on Walnut have been destroyed.
  
  6
  Southside Characters
  Wojtek Przedworski
  At 47, Wojtek’s appearance seems more appropriate to a seventy year old. His face is leathery and wrinkled, 
  his useless eyes sunken pools amid these fleshy undulations. The small shock of hair atop his head is pure 
  grey, as is the raspy stubble he sometimes allows to grace his chin. The rest of his body seems limp and 
  flabby, the product of a long and painful life as a cripple. 
  Blind and crippled from birth, Wojtek’s life has little to give it meaning. His brother Chris sees to all his needs, giving him 
  little reason to ever leave his house on Walnut Street. Besides his brother, he has no friends — his is a world of loneliness.
  In the course of events in this scenario, Wojtek will gain a sight of sorts in time to witness his brother’s shadowy out-
  line being devoured. This occurs as part of the “Bizarre Night on Walnut Street” (see section below). After watching 
  this horrible slaying his tender mind will retreat into temporary insanity. 
  Chris Przedworski
  Like his brother, Chris bears a face scarred by many years of suffering. His skin is coarse and pockmarked, 
  a product of countless years of manual labor. The most readily noticeable feature of his worn and tired 
  countenance is his bushy moustache, a veritable forest of grey hair. More often than not it conceals a frown.
  At heart Chris Przedworski is a kind and unselfish man, although he often feels that his nature leads others 
  to take advantage of him. Additionally he constantly curses the miserable life that fate has dealt him: for the past forty 
  years his life has been dominated by the necessity to look after his younger brother. He feels that in a sense this part 
  of his life has been stolen from him.
  As part of the prescribed events for this scenario, Chris is destined to become the second victim of the “Walnut Street Slasher.”
  Herbert Wade Slocum
  Tall and thin, almost to the point of gauntness, Slocum is a very odd-looking man. His face is sunken and 
  hollow, making his curiously dreamy blue eyes the immediately obvious feature. The remainder of his 
  facial features are fine, almost to the extent of being feminine. He walks with a stoop, his motions oddly 
  stilted.
  By profession, Slocum is a freelance author of pulp fiction. A few of his short tales have been published in small maga-
  zines. This has served to make Herbert Wade Slocum a figure of some adulation among the small body of pulp fans 
  in New England. Since many of his stories have heavy overtones of the occult, Slocum was invited to join the Eye of 
  Amara society. He declined, however, since other than in fiction, the man has no interest in the supernatural.
  During the third night of planned mayhem in Southside, Herbert Wade Slocum disappears never to be heard from 
  again. In truth he has become another victim of the alien forces hunting for pineal food.
  Ruth Macintosh
  Something of an oddity in the region, Ruth Macintosh is a well-dressed well-educated wealthy young 
  woman. She dresses in all the latest fashions (including trousers), wears her hair bobbed and beneath a 
  stylish cloche hat, and wears lipstick in public. Other Southsiders view her as a walking scandal.
  As 24 year old only daughter of a wealthy Boston family, Ruth can have whatever material goods she de-
  sires. To her parents’ dismay, Ruth insists on “slumming it” in one of the poorer districts of Arkham. The reason she 
  chooses such unusual living arrangements is that she is fascinated with Herbert Wade Slocum almost to the point of 
  obsession. Her one desire in the world is to seduce him. Thusfar her efforts have all been failures. 
  As part of the events in this scenario, Ruth Macintosh will witness the disappearance of her idol Slocum. She will be 
  anxious to report what she saw to anybody who will listen. However, neither her story nor her character are particu-
  larly credible, hence most will ignore her story.
  Joe Sabatino
  Weedy and nervous, Sabatino is a man who exudes suspicion. His face is rat-like and sallow, covered with 
  numerous odd-looking sores. Additionally the man has an obvious tic in his right cheek. All these features, 
  along with his grating nervous laugh, combine to make a man that few could easily like.
  Sabatino works as the janitor at the Arkham Historical Society, a position he likes because he doesn’t often 
  have to deal with people. He is very much an introverted loner who finds more solace in his collection of stamps than 
  in the company of people.
  
  7
  Southside Characters
  Maria Sapio
  Tall, leggy and bottle-blonde, Maria is an 
  attractive 27 year old who prides herself on 
  looking younger. She is mildly self-conscious 
  about her appearance, frightened that one 
  day she might lose her beauty. Of particular concern to 
  her is the large mole on her neck. Her taste in clothes and 
  jewelry is gaudy but expensive, and is often arranged 
  carefully to hide her ‘Achilles Heel’. 
  Maria’s personality is bright and bubbly, but conceals a 
  secret. For besides her normal job as a seamstress she has 
  another profession. From time to time she models in a 
  bikini for photographers, who in turn sell these pictures 
  to shady publications. Although Maria never talks about 
  this part of her life, she is not ashamed of it. Indeed, sev-
  eral of these photos hang about her apartment.
  Death Stalks Walnut Again
  Two nights after the strange happenings that left Farr in-
  sane, sounds of madness once again shatter the peace in 
  Walnut Street. In the early hours of the morning, screams 
  from the street reach the ears of residents. Georgio Caruso 
  in his first shift back on Walnut has been awakened once 
  more to the sights of the outre incorporeal life that invis-
  ibly occupies all space. This time, however, his insane 
  screeching is prematurely and suddenly cut short. The 
  story of Caruso’s death naturally makes front page news 
  in Arkham.
  Visting the Scene
  On Walnut Street the atmosphere is notably more brood-
  ing than when last the Investigators visited. The residents 
  are generally uninterested in talking to nosy visitors, even 
  those they had previously been friendly towards. Every-
  body seems tense and irritable. A few sour looking chil-
  dren play in the street, teasing a tortoise shell cat and pull-
  ing its tail. 
  Everybody avoids the site of the murder. Despite the 
  chemicals laid down by police, the place still stinks of 
  death. Passers-by look strangely at Investigators who prod 
  around the murder scene. Furthermore, such analysis dis-
  covers nothing more than the newspaper article reported.
  The Autopsy Report
  The autopsy on the remains of Georgio Caruso is per-
  formed by Dr. Ephraim Sprague in the afternoon. The 
  report produced from the findings of that autopsy is con-
  fidential police information, and unless the Investigators 
  have contacts in the force they will be unable to view it. 
  Persistent Investigators, however, can gain an account of 
  the information contained in the report either from Dr. 
  Sprague himself (a Medicine Roll is required to persuade 
  him) or from a less-than-reputable police officer (large 
  amounts of cash can help here).
  The report finds that the cause of death was a broken neck, 
  and that the mutilations to Caruso’s skull and brain occurred 
  after death. The only other finding of interest was that a small 
  portion of Mr. Caruso’s brain, centered around his pineal 
  gland, was apparently removed with some degree of surgi-
  cal precision.
  New Light, New Sight
  It is important that at some stage the course of the Inves-
  tigators’ studies turns toward the new lighting on Walnut 
  Street. It is through an investigation of these matters that the 
  remainder of the clues in this scenario will be unearthed. 
  The discovery that there is more to these lamps than meets 
  the eye can come about in several ways. This section lists 
  several resources which Investigators might stumble 
  upon. Keepers may need to introduce others if their Inves-
  tigators stubbornly refuse to head off on the appropriate 
  tangent. As a last resort, a halved Idea roll might tell thor-
  oughly lost Investigators that the new public works they 
  observe on Walnut Street are atypical of Southside: it is a 
  district renowned for neglect and urban decay.
  Public Records
  Investigators scanning Newspaper files for references to 
  Walnut Street are likely to discover an article “Mayor An-
  nounces Public Works in Southside“ (reproduced nearby), 
  dated approximately six months ago.
  Checking through public records of the Council meeting 
  in which the Selectmen adopted the new lighting plan, or 
  visiting the office of Basil Endicott will ascertain the fol-
  lowing facts:
  • 
  The plan for the pilot project on Walnut Street was 
  proposed by the City Engineer as the result of an in-
  vestigation into the matter requested by the Mayor.
  • 
  The Engineer’s report identified Walnut Street as the 
  spot in Southside most in need of public upgrade.
  BY JACK CARLTON
  Mayor Peabody today announced a 
  program of “radical upgrade” for public 
  facilities in Arkham’s Southside. This 
  region of the city, says Peabody, is 
  “sadly neglected – a situation we plan to 
  remedy immediately.” As the initial 
  phase of the upgrade plan, Arkham’s 
  Council 
  of 
  Selectmen 
  last 
  night 
  approved a small budget for a pilot plan 
  to replace the street lights along a small 
  stretch of Walnut Street. The new lights 
  will incorporate “the very latest in 
  illuminating 
  technology” 
  said 
  City 
  Engineer Basil Endicott. 
  Cynics might be forgiven for thinking 
  that the Mayor’s sudden announcement 
  of proposed works is merely a promise 
  to please the public. Reports from 
  undisclosed sources suggest Mayor 
  Peabody is highly nervous with regard the 
  upcoming Mayoral election. This generous 
  promise of reform long called for can only 
  serve to boost the Mayor's popularity. 
  Mayor Announces Public 
  Works in Southside
  —
  |
  —
  |
  —
  s
  a
  be 
  wit
  come
  A loca
  the pre
  nity in 
  “Peoples j
  monster of
  could be roa
  Readers of t
  that last week 
  of mutilated a
  neighborhood. 
  seems to cast an al
  light on this earlier
  While it is not our 
  residents of the area
  suggest that people 
  visiting the street
  |—
  Disturbance in So
  Residents in the Simpson Apar
  Arkham's Southside were la
  awakened by what witnesses des
  “horrid and unholy screeching.”
  source of these deranged soun
  screaming was apparently Apartme
  rented by a reclusive man in his 
  twenties. Once police had been calle
  and a locksmith employed to open th
  fastened door, a horrible scene was
  discovered. While the specifics of the 
  bloody scene are unsuitable for publica-
  tion in a reputable newspaper, it is 
  sufficient to say that the man had appar-
  ently lost control of his senses and 
  hideously 
  blinded 
  and 
  mutilated 
  himself. He was taken into custody to 
  protect him against further insane 
  actions against his person.
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 1
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 3
  In A Diffe
  
  8
  • 
  To present an expert opinion on different options for 
  the pilot project, Endicott asked Miskatonic Univer-
  sity’s Dr. Hamlin Hayes to make a short presentation 
  to the Council.
  • 
  Dr. Hayes presented three options, one of which was 
  a very recently developed lighting technique. This 
  newly invented technique was twice as efficient as tra-
  ditional lighting methods. This new technology, said 
  Dr. Hayes, “seems likely to be the way of the future.”
  • 
  After some consternation and a stirring speech by 
  Councillor Ash Southcott, the Council voted to en-
  dorse the new and less expensive alternative advo-
  cated by Dr. Hayes.
  Walnut By Night
  Sooner or later Investigators are likely to want to check the 
  operation of the lighting on Walnut Street first hand. Once 
  they have been exposed to the non-electromagnetic radia-
  tion from the lamps, subtle changes will begin within their 
  brains. The Keeper should keep careful track of just how 
  long each character has been exposed to this radiation. 
  Once a sufficient dosage has been absorbed, their latent 
  pineal sense organ will begin functioning, as described in 
  a nearby box.
  Night visitors to the street will notice immediately that 
  there is something unusual about the light given off by the 
  street lamps. Unlike the standard arc lamps which illumi-
  nate most of Arkham, the radiance emitted by these lamps 
  has a vague tinge of green about it. Its illumination is also 
  possessed of a curiously opalescent aspect. 
  Despite the recent happenings, quite a few folk may still 
  be found on the streets at night. These residents and wan-
  derers are, however, atypically dour and will refuse to 
  answer all but the simplest questions. No animals can be 
  found on the street.
  If one or more of the Investigators visiting Walnut after 
  dark is possessed of an active pineal gland, the scene they 
  will witness is less mundane. In addition to the ubiqui-
  tous jelly things, vague intimations of larger shadowy en-
  tities can be seen in the distance. Perceptive Investigators 
  viewing this scene (and who succeed in an Idea Roll) will 
  note that the concentration of the jelly creatures is greatest 
  about people wandering the street.
  The shadowy forms lurking on the edge of vision are 
  Renders and Dissolvers (described in a nearby box). Any 
  Investigator with an activated pineal sense who tarries 
  about the street for more than a minute or so, invites atten-
  tion from these beings. A single Render will approach and 
  attack. Less perceptive Investigators will see nothing until 
  the creature makes itself corporeal. By then, of course, it 
  may be too late to help their perceptive companions.
  Investigators with activated pineal vision who cast their 
  eyes to the night sky may notice yet another curiosity. 
  Those succeeding in an Astronomy roll determine that a 
  completely new, bright yellowish star is now visible over-
  head. This star is totally invisible to anybody not in posses-
  sion of ‘enhanced’ vision. Any Investigator who chooses 
  to examine this stellar object through a telescope is in for a 
  Strange Awakenings
  Once Investigators become exposed to the non-electromagnetic 
  radiation from any of the revolutionary new light sources, the 
  sensitive among them will have their pineal glands begin the pro-
  cess of awakening. There are three phases that the stirring sense 
  organ progresses through during its return to proper function.
  In the first phase of the awakening, the brain receives random 
  stimuli from the gland as it begins to resume its perceptual role. 
  The brain interprets these stimuli as short random hallucina-
  tions. These weird visions could be of anything. Lovecraft’s From 
  Beyond has some excellent examples of such hallucinations, but 
  creative Keepers should be able to think of equally evocative vi-
  sions. At any rate, these images are witnessed only when in the 
  presence of a pineal-stimulating light source, and normally only 
  at random times (POW% chance each 10 minutes of exposure). 
  However, individuals who concentrate on a pineal awakening 
  light source receive such visions continuously.
  The second phase is characterized by the beginning of proper 
  pineal function. That is, the brain will begin to receive consis-
  tent signals from the gland. These are the gland’s perception of 
  its surroundings. The individual will begin to see a completely 
  different vista superimposed over normal sight. The most im-
  mediately noticeable aspect of this new vision is the ubiquitous 
  floating semi-transparent creatures which occupy every space. 
  At this phase, the new vision functions only in the presence of a 
  pineal-stimulating light source, although it is fully functional the 
  entire time such stimulation is present.
  The final stage that the pineal gland may progress to is perma-
  nent awakening. The gland’s operation at this stage is identical to 
  the previous phase, except the perceptual function of the organ is 
  now permanent and operational regardless of external stimula-
  tion. That is, the brain receives perceptual impulses from the pine-
  al at all times whether or not a stimulating light source is present.
  The potential for pineal sense awakening within an individual 
  depends largely on how atrophied the individual’s gland has 
  become. The extent to which an individual’s pineal can prog-
  ress through this activation, and the rate at which such awak-
  ening occurs are governed in game terms by the POW statistic. 
  Characters with high POW have the potential for full pineal 
  awakening with a minimum of exposure. Others may find 
  their gland may only proceed to an earlier phase, and do so at 
  a slower pace. The furthest stage of awakening possible with a 
  particular POW is summarized more precisely below.
     POW stat  
  Max stage of awakening
        < 10  
  No awakening of the pineal gland can occur
       10-12  
  Stage One: hallucinations
       13-14   
  Stage Two: full function in presence of stimulus
        > 14  
  Stage Three: full function at all times
  Whenever an individual is exposed to pineal-stimulating ra-
  diation they accumulate “exposure points.” From exposure to 
  the street lights in Walnut street individuals gain their POW 
  in exposure points every hour. Venturing into the cave near 
  Crawford’s Rise with a light source will accumulate POWx5 
  per hour. If the hillside explodes at the conclusion of this sce-
  nario, all present will accumulate POWx2 per minute. 
  Exposure points are lost very slowly through lack of pineal 
  stimulation; the rate is sufficiently slow that it does not affect 
  this scenario. For campaign play a loss rate of one point per 
  week might be considered.
  Once an individual’s accumulated exposure points have reached 
  70 they enter phase one of the awakening process (assuming 
  POW >10). Reaching 100 point causes the pineal to enter stage 
  two (if POW >12). An accumulated total of 150 is sufficient to 
  permanently awaken the perceptions of the gland (if POW >14).
  
  9
  Denizens of the Spaces Between
  The world as we normally perceive it is a hospitable place populated by countless different forms of life, each possessed 
  of perceptual faculties roughly similar to our own. However, those faculties do not reveal the fullness of the reality in 
  which we live. Indeed, whole races of beings exist that are totally invisible to our five senses. In this scenario a latent 
  human sense is awakened in some, allowing a rare glimpse of a precious few of these normally imperceptible creatures. 
  [NB: As an option, the Keeper may wish to use the stats for “Terrors From Beyond” (Malleus Monstrorum, p91) in place of the 
  creatures listed below] 
  Jelly Things. 
  Most of what we normally term empty space is not truly empty, but occupied by gelid creatures not unlike jellyfish. 
  These beings are seemingly non-intelligent, spending the majority of their time floating mindlessly in mid-air or meld-
  ing into one another. The jelly things appear semi-fluid and constantly change shape. They continually devour each 
  other and slither effortlessly through normally solid things. They are totally incorporeal. Their concentrated presence, 
  however, has a subtle negative effect on the emotions of mundane creatures and humans. Sanity loss to view a world 
  full of Jelly Things is 1/1D4.
  Renders.
  More intelligent than the jelly creatures which occupy most of our world, the Renders are also more inimicable to hu-
  mans. This minor servitor race exists for the sole purpose of capturing the curious food that sleeping Great Old Ones 
  require to exist. Ultimately through a combination of such sustenance and propitious stellar cycles, the slumbering 
  things will awaken. Unfortunately for humanity, many of the substances required for this sustenance and revival are 
  found within the awakened human pineal. Hence individuals possessing such a gland are natural prey for Renders.  
  Renders appear as smoky rubbery cloud-like things, ever changing shape. Although their form is normally completely 
  incorporeal, they can manifest up to five corporeal tentacles. Each has razor-sharp bonelike protuberances in two lines 
  along its length. These tentacles attack independently in a round. Once a being has been struck, the tentacle wraps 
  around it inflicting 1D6 damage per round until freed. To escape this hideous entrapment the captive must overcome the 
  creature’s STR on the Resistance Table. Alternatively, a tentacle may be severed by inflicting 10 points of damage to it.
  characteristics            rolls            averages
   
  STR 
  7+2D6 
  14
   
  CON 
  7+2D6 
   14 
   
  SIZ  
  30+1D20  
  40-41
   
  INT 
  2D6 
   7
   
  POW 
    1D6 
  3-4
   
  DEX  
  4D6 
  14
   
  Move 
   
  10
   
  HP 
   
  27 Av.
  Av. Damage Bonus +2D6
  Weapons: Tentacle (x5) 45%, Damage 1D10 + db + target held
  Armor: When incorporeal, Renders take no damage from physical attacks. 
  When corporeal their tentacles have 3 points of armor.
  Spells: None
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D6
  Dissolvers
  Another servitor race of the Great Old Ones, Dissolvers exist for similar purposes to Renders. These creatures are, how-
  ever, significantly more powerful and crave human flesh as much as they hunger for their masters’ sustenance. Luckily 
  these beings can only perceive prey that is bathed in the non-electromagnetic radiation emitted by Duncan’s lights. 
  Dissolvers appear as great festering black masses the size of a small house. Strange green-black bubbles float in the 
  oily sheen coating the things. These monstrous creatures can make all or part of their enormous mass corporeal at 
  will. Its single mode of attack is to envelop victims in its mass and attempt to dissolve them in the oily green-black 
  substance that oozes from its pores. Once enveloped most normal matter, including humans, can only withstand two 
  rounds before it is utterly dissolved.
  characteristics            rolls            averages
   
  STR 
  35+1D10  
  40-41
   
  CON 
  30+1D10  
  35-36
   
  SIZ 
  75+1D10 
  80-81
   
  INT 
  2D6 
  7
   
  POW  
  2D6 
  7
   
  DEX 
  2D6 
   7
   
  Move 
   
   8
   
  HP 
   
  58 Av.
  Av. Damage Bonus +7D6
  Weapons: Envelop 100%, immediate damage is db. All non-enchanted 
  earthly material dissolved in two rounds.
  Armor: Invulnerable to physical attack when incorporeal. Otherwise 3 
  points. Also, impaling weapons do minimum damage. Regen-
  erates 5hp per round.
  Spells: None
  Sanity Loss: 1D3/1D10
  
  10
  Preventing Further Murders
  The direct cause of the Walnut Street Slaying lies in the 
  curious street lamps which cast their unholy radiance 
  across the street. Keepers should bear this in mind when 
  fresh murders are described later in the scenario. If all 
  twelve of the lamps are destroyed, no further slayings 
  will take place.
  However, even in the instance that Investigators effec-
  tively halt the murders, it is still possible to stage the 
  final awakening scene (outlined in the section entitled 
  “Showdown at the Cave” below). The Keeper needs only 
  provide some new motivation for the sudden actions of 
  Professor Duncan described therein.
  nasty surprise. For the yellow object is not truly a star, but 
  an enormous living entity called Xoth. It is from this ‘star’ 
  that Cthulhu and his brood descended to Earth aeons ago. 
  Its putrid visage is horrible, even from millions of miles 
  away. The sickly yellow mass visibly heaves and pulses 
  in rhythms that seem to the viewer vaguely blasphemous 
  and unclean. Xoth shoots long thin tendrils thousands of 
  miles into space, seeming to slowly pull itself along by 
  these extremities. The most horrific aspect of its appear-
  ance, however, and the one that drives men mad, is the 
  hideous gaping red maw which occupies a third of the 
  pulsing body of the thing. Sanity loss to view the unclean 
  thing is 1D6/1D20.
  Visiting Dr. Hayes
  Investigators interested in learning more about the new 
  technology used by the Walnut Street lights will want to 
  pay a visit to Dr. Hamlin Hayes at Miskatonic University. 
  This is easier said than done; with work proceeding on the 
  Arkham Advertiser wireless station atop Kingsport Head, 
  Dr. Hayes spends most of his time out of Arkham. Persis-
  tent Investigators who think to organize an appointment 
  to see the electrical engineer, however, ultimately meet 
  with success. He is, after all, a gentleman.
  Hayes will initially view the Investigator’s intrusion into his 
  busy schedule as an annoyance. However, once they broach 
  the subject of the Walnut Street lights he becomes significant-
  ly more interested. The technology embodied in these lamp 
  prototypes, he will tell the Investigators, was designed by a 
  professor at Boston University by the name of Graham Dun-
  can. Duncan has been an academic in the field of illumina-
  tion engineering for many years, but until now has produced 
  nothing of any real importance. His eagerness in his current 
  endeavor has surprised many, who thought the elderly pro-
  fessor too old to pursue something so ground breaking. His 
  experiments with this new lighting method, all undertaken 
  in a mere 12 months, have been consolidated in an academic 
  paper shortly to appear in a leading journal. 
  Furthermore, the professor has made a point of presenting 
  the results of his work as seminars at almost all the major 
  seats of higher learning in New England. It was at such 
  a lecture that Hayes first heard about the new technique. 
  Investigators with some expertise in the field may wish to 
  read Dr. Hayes’ pre-publication copy of Duncan’s paper. 
  An Electrical Repair roll is necessary just to grasp the gener-
  al gist of what Duncan is explaining. In essence he describes 
  the construction of a spherical glass lamp with an incandes-
  cent filament in the center. This is, of course, nothing new. 
  What is unique about Duncan’s design is the phospho-
  rescent coating he applies to the inner surface of the glass 
  sphere. It is this coating that gives the new lamps added 
  luminescence. Hence less energy needs to be consumed by 
  the filament to achieve a particular level of illumination. 
  Investigators who succeed critically in their Electrical Re-
  pair (i.e., roll less than 20% of their skill) and also succeed 
  in an Idea roll note that while the paper is very detailed in 
  most regards, it is very sketchy when describing the com-
  position of the phosphorescent coating. This is essentially 
  the most important aspect of the design yet Duncan seems 
  to deliberately leave its description cursory.
  
  11
  Boston
  Investigators keen to learn more about Professor Duncan 
  and his invention may consider telephoning or telegraph-
  ing him at Boston University. This tactic proves fruitless, 
  however. Any such attempts are met with a curt reply 
  from the Department of Engineering secretary to the effect 
  that Professor Duncan is currently on leave from his posi-
  tion. Under no circumstances will the brusque secretary 
  agree to take a message or provide details on how the Pro-
  fessor can be contacted. Clearly, if the Investigators want 
  to learn more of Duncan and his work, they must do it in 
  person. This occasions a brief visit to Boston.
  BU Engineering Department
  Boston University’s small Department of Engineering is 
  housed in the third storey of Science Hall. Visitors to the 
  department first encounter the departmental secretary 
  who, if anything, is even more ornery in person. The man 
  is short and scrawny with facial features reminiscent of a 
  rodent. As before, this unpleasant man will blatantly re-
  fuse to give out any details of Professor Duncan’s leave or 
  how the man may be contacted. 
  However, Investigators who can convince the secretary 
  that their researches are serious, through a Persuade or 
  Fast Talk roll, will be permitted to confer with Duncan’s 
  colleagues. The secretary will make it quite plain that he 
  is doing this as a favor to the Investigators, and that they 
  should feel honored.
  Investigators granted ‘permission’ to speak with the aca-
  demics are directed toward a lunch room down the cor-
  ridor, from which sounds of an argument can be heard. 
  As the visitors enter the room, they see two middle-aged 
  men, each with a coffee cup in hand, gesticulating wildly 
  at some formulae written on a blackboard along one wall. 
  The two men continue their technical argument apparent-
  ly oblivious to the presence of the Investigators. 
  A third, younger man rises from his seat to greet the visi-
  tors. The tall and gangly academic wears wire-rimmed 
  spectacles and seems more than a little nervous. He in-
  troduces himself as Christopher Langford, a graduate 
  student. Langford halts the argument between the other 
  two men and introduces them. They are Professor Bar-
  tholomew Krister, the head of the Engineering Depart-
  ment, and Dr. Andreas Eckermann a lecturer. 
  Krister is a short stout man who is almost completely bald 
  except for the speckled gray goatee which graces his chin. 
  His face is red and blotchy, a result of his frequent ille-
  gal tippling of fine wine. Eckermann is fair-skinned and 
  very Germanic in appearance. His blond hair, blue eyes 
  and good looks have made him a source of some attention 
  among female students on campus.
  When queried about the absence of Professor Duncan, 
  Krister says that the absent academic was granted spe-
  cial leave to recover from severe stress. This, he says was 
  induced by a frantic schedule of research. A Psychology 
  Roll learns that this is not the complete story. If pressed, 
  Krister admits that he actually suggested Duncan take an 
  extended leave of absence after having received several 
  complaints from other members of the faculty. 
  Over the past few months, Krister explains, the Professor’s 
  demeanor had altered dramatically, from sociable to more 
  than slightly paranoid. He refused to let anybody but 
  Langford, the graduate student under his supervision, en-
  ter the laboratory in which he was testing his new lamps. 
  He was obsessed with the notion that other members of 
  the faculty were trying to steal his ideas. To the best of 
  Krister’s knowledge this wasn’t the case. 
  Eventually Duncan’s obsessive behavior became a major 
  source of irritation and Krister was forced to insist his col-
  league take a rest. When forced to leave, Duncan removed 
  all material from the lab, presumably taking it to his home. 
  This has left his student Langford in a difficult position, 
  since he had intended to base his thesis on experiments 
  performed with Duncan’s lights.
  If asked, any of the three academics are more than happy to 
  supply the Investigators with Graham Duncan’s residential 
  address. If asked about the supply of prototypes to Arkham 
  Edison, Duncan’s colleagues know nothing about it. Indeed 
  it is the first news they have heard suggesting the new tech-
  nique has been applied to any practical purpose.
  Duncan’s House
  The address the Investigators have for Professor Duncan’s 
  house is in a marginally wealthy suburb not far from the 
  University. The house itself, like many in the area, is an 
  immaculately maintained two storey Victorian residence. 
  A pretty yet slightly overrun garden graces the rear of the 
  grounds. Along one side of the property runs a driveway 
  and an empty garage with parking space for a single auto-
  mobile is also situated in the back yard.
   No manner of knocking upon either front or back door 
  elicits a response. Both entries are securely locked with 
  expensive foreign locks, bought during a recent wave of 
  break-ins in the neighborhood. Picking these locks is dif-
  ficult — would be burglars need to roll below half their 
  Locksmith skill to gain entry. The ground floor windows 
  are securely shut and locked in place. They offer no means 
  of entry short of forcing or breaking them. Such suspicious 
  activity, however, will almost certainly cause Duncan’s 
  nosy neighbors to telephone the police. In that instance 
  the local constabulary will arrive within about 15 minutes.
  Inside the house all seems in order. Everything is neatly 
  packed away, and there is no sign that anybody has been 
  in the house in the last few days. Two rooms will be of in-
  terest to Investigators: the Study and the Basement Work-
  shop. The remaining rooms hold no clues, and are in every 
  way unremarkable. 
  The Basement Workshop
  This place is a mess. Hundreds of shards of broken glass 
  lie strewn amid overturned stools and benches. Nothing 
  remains intact or salvageable. A baseball bat lies against 
  a wall, presumably the instrument used to wreak much 
  of the destruction upon what were once Duncan’s proto-
  
  12
  Professor Graham Duncan
  Tall and bulky, 66 year old Duncan cuts a figure that is at once physically imposing and 
  pitiably ill-proportioned. Where a decade ago his body was fit and well-toned, recent ag-
  ing and lifestyle have left him paunchy and out of shape. Several short-lived attempts to 
  regain his former fitness have left Duncan with a variety of muscular injuries. He walks 
  with a slight limp as a result of the newest of these.
  The Professor’s facial features are fine, but remain for the most part hidden behind the 
  thick horn-rimmed glasses he must wear. His eyes are small and squinted, his small 
  thatch of remaining hair almost white. The broad expanse of his brow is furrowed with 
  an intricate network of lines and wrinkles. 
  Graham Duncan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1862. Always an intelligent indi-
  vidual, he achieved remarkable academic success first in his schooling and later at the 
  University of Edinburgh. He graduated from the latter institution in 1882 with a degree in Engineering. Following this, 
  he continued his studies in Engineering, in 1887 attaining his doctorate. The research work he reported in his doctoral 
  thesis was generally regarded as full of promise. In 1888 a revised version of the manuscript was published in book 
  form. 
  After Duncan’s impressive entry into academia, the remainder of his career was largely unremarkable. After receiving 
  his doctorate, he took up a lecturing position at the University of Glasgow, performing what little research he could on 
  the side. Following this, he changed positions often, working in universities in England, Germany, Switzerland and 
  Australia. Each change of job was occasioned by an increase in status.
  Eventually, in 1921 he accepted a post as professor in Boston University’s small department of Engineering. This 
  position allowed him more time to pursue matters of research, an aspect of his career that had scarcely been touched 
  upon since his time at Edinburgh. Realizing that he was rapidly approaching an age where such activities would be 
  curtailed, he dived into his research with some vigor. He was determined to discover something that would immortal-
  ize his name, before age claimed him as a victim.
  It was this unbridled and desperate ambition that became a kernel for the hideous events of this scenario. For the im-
  portant ‘discovery’ he made in 1927 was actually a carefully planned bait laid by an otherworldly force. His eagerness 
  to adopt this invention as his own, and the readiness with which he has spread the dangerous technology, are exactly 
  the characteristics the unearthly entity hoped for.
  The past months, since the Professor’s fateful encounter with the curious bazaar vendor have seen him steadily de-
  cline into insanity. Since first his mind awoke to visions of the life existing in and around what man can perceive, he 
  became increasingly more paranoid. At the same time, each new coherent vision served to bolster Duncan’s conviction 
  that what he saw was not mere hallucination but a different aspect of the reality we think we know. Even after some 
  cursory experimentation, however, he remained unsure.
  When Duncan read the article in the Boston Globe describing Caruso’s foul slaying in Arkham, his mind recognized 
  the horrible truth. The weird sights of a world filled with jelly creatures and hideously malign shadows were not just 
  things he had hallucinated. It was some mode of perception his lamps had preternaturally granted him, and similarly 
  granted the poor residents of Arkham. 
  Part of him felt a deep sense of guilt, another part great fear that someone would discover how he was responsible for 
  this man’s death. Amid his confusion an inner voice of reason told him what he must do: go to Arkham and destroy 
  the lamps before others were placed in danger. By the time the Investigators visit his home in Boston, Duncan has 
  already destroyed the lamp prototypes in his workshop and left for Arkham. In Arkham he chooses to lay low, rent-
  ing a cheap basement flat in a tenement on S French Hill St. under a false name. There, he is almost impossible to find
  Professor Duncan’s role in this scenario is a complex one, played mostly in the background. Despite what Investiga-
  tors may think from first impressions, he is by no means the villain of this piece, rather he is an unwitting victim of 
  forces unknown. In fact, in his own twisted and insane way, Duncan is very much an ally: his motivation is to undo 
  the terrible wrong he has inflicted upon the world, even as the Investigators ultimately  wish to achieve this noble end. 
  Unlike the Investigators, however, the Professor is far from resolute in this aim, his unstable mind fluctuating wildly 
  between anxiety, guilt and fear. These powerful emotions leave him at times pathetic and cowardly, and at other times 
  stern and forthright.
  Towards the close of this scenario, desperation forces the unpredictable Duncan to desperate measures. Defying his 
  terrible paranoia he chooses to confide his fears in souls he believes work towards a common goal, the Investigators. 
  See “A Note From A Cryptic Ally” below for the barely- coherent form this contact takes. Later again in the scenario, 
  his trust of the Investigators fails due to some hint of evil the insane man perceives in something they say or do (see 
  “Duncan on the Telephone”). This precipitates an eleventh hour turnabout in Duncan’s plans — now he must elude 
  the Investigators, agents who aim to foil his grand plan, carrying out his drastic action alone.
  
  13
  type lamps. Many of the shattered pieces of glass are still 
  coated with an off-white powder which feels mildly abra-
  sive to the touch. This is the secret coating which gives the 
  lights their special properties. If characters take samples 
  of this powder and have it analyzed, see the section titled 
  “The Cave” below for details of their findings.
  The Study
  Duncan’s study appears the most heavily used room in the 
  house. Bookcases reaching to the ceiling cover three of the 
  walls, an open roll-top desk and a window cover the fourth. 
  A small wooden stepladder for reaching the top shelves of 
  the bookcases sits in one corner of the room. Atop the desk 
  sits an ornate looking electrical desk lamp, its power lead 
  tastefully concealed from view. Next to the lamp a recent 
  photograph of Professor Duncan stands in a gaudy frame. 
  The place is tidy: besides a stack of a half dozen books on 
  the desk, all volumes are neatly placed in the bookcases.
  The books atop the desk are all philosophical treatises on 
  perception; Descartes, Boyle, Locke and Voltaire are each 
  represented in the pile. Investigators thumbing through 
  the worn-looking volumes find a few places where pas-
  sages have been underlined. Each highlighted passage 
  deals with the nature of man’s perceptual faculties, and 
  their interaction with reality. 
  The three drawers of the professor’s desk are locked with 
  the key nowhere to be found in the house. Investigators 
  using their Lockpicking skill (or just brute force) have no 
  difficulty in gaining access to them. For the most part the 
  drawers contain little of interest, mainly supplies of station-
  ary. The bottom draw, however, contains a slim diary. The 
  first entry in the diary bears a date approximately two years 
  ago. The last is dated two months ago, on the day Duncan 
  was asked to take a leave of absence from the University. A 
  description of the diary’s contents appears in a nearby box.
  Investigators choosing to search through the several book-
  cases in the study find nothing of interest unless they search 
  the very top shelves. This will occasion the usage of the step 
  ladder, since these books are above eye level for even the 
  tallest. On this shelf sit Duncan’s philosophy books. 
  Scanning the spines of these books and making a Spot 
  Hidden Roll, Investigators will discover that one volume 
  is fake. This book contains a cavity in which is sequestered 
  a small notebook. On the first page of the book is written, 
  in Duncan’s hand, “Researches into a Perceptual Power 
  Beyond the Five Known Senses.” Below this neatly in-
  scribed title is a date, from approximately six weeks ago. 
  Only the first three pages of the notebook contain writing, 
  the vast majority of it remains blank. The text of what the 
  professor has written is quite jumbled, but the general gist 
  of his thesis is that somehow he has become possessed of 
  a new sense. He calls this ‘higher sight’. This higher sight 
  is not hallucination, not some random trick of the mind. 
  He can, he claims, see a consistent view of an alien world 
  superimposed over his normal vision whenever a strong 
  light source is present. He briefly describes this alien as-
  pect of reality as “full of quivering semi-transparent things 
  that float like a jellyfish about and through everything.” 
  He also hints at shadowy creatures which malignantly 
  hover at the edge of his higher vision.
  Duncan’s Diary
  (Dated 12 months ago) “Today I saw the most amazing thing. I was 
  walking through the Bazaar near campus when I came upon a stall I 
  had never seen there before. Some new trinket shop I believe. Anyway, 
  I was just about ready to walk straight past the place when I spied 
  some curious desk lamps the foreign gentleman was selling. I’m still 
  not sure how to describe the qualities of this light, even though I can 
  see the desk lamp I bought from him as I write. There’s some kind of 
  opalescence about it which I’ve never seen from any electric light. Also 
  its brightness and strength are better than anything I’ve seen running 
  on domestic voltage! I took the lamp down to the workroom and did 
  some experimenting with it. God! Even with half the normal voltage 
  its light is as clear and illuminating as a normal desk lamp. How could 
  that be? I must seek out the foreign gentleman who sold it to me and 
  find out more.”
  (The next day) “The dark skinned foreigner claims he makes the lamps 
  himself! He says he takes normal electric lights and coats them with 
  some ‘secret’ powder he alone knows of and they take on the prop-
  erties I observed. Sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo to me. How 
  could some powder coating improve the efficiency of the lamp? I chal-
  lenged the shopkeep to show me this highly improbable process in ac-
  tion so I could judge the veracity of his claim. Amazingly enough, he 
  agreed: the day after tomorrow he’s going to show me not only how 
  the lamps are made, but also his source of this ‘miracle’ ingredient. I 
  am, of course, highly skeptical. We shall see ...”
  (Two days later) “It’s true! Incredible, but true! Everything that weird, 
  dark-skinned man said was right. I saw it with my own eyes -- he took 
  a cheap common desk lamp of the kind one might buy anywhere, add-
  ed the weirdly textured grayish powder and ... presto ... the light from 
  the thing was at least twice as bright as it originally was, and consider-
  ably more opalescent. My scientific mind is at a loss to explain it, but it 
  recognizes how important this phenomenon could be! And it could be 
  I that introduce it to the academic world! But I skip ahead of myself ... 
  after the demonstration I was more than eager to take the man up on 
  his offer to see the place he knew where this amazing powder could be 
  found. He told me the place was a cave in a hill not far from Arkham. 
  I drove, he directed ... I could tell some of the directions he was giving 
  were designed to make it difficult for me to later replicate the trip, but 
  I think I managed to keep my head straight enough to keep track of 
  where we went. I shall set down ...” 
  The next page has been torn from the diary. 
  The next few months worth of entries are very short. The entries from 
  just after the professor’s “discovery” talk briefly about research he was 
  carrying out at the University. He mentions a paper he had written 
  and sent to a number of academic journals. Later entries talk about the 
  trips he undertook to give presentations of his work at a dozen New 
  England Universities. After these trips, his entries take on a consider-
  ably more paranoid tone.
  (Dated 6 months ago) “He’s out to steal my ideas, I know it. That wretch-
  ed German! Anyway, it’s too late ... my paper will be published soon, 
  and nobody will be able to deny it was I who revolutionized the face of 
  Engineering! I received a letter today from Arkham Edison -- they want 
  to trial my lamps for street lighting. They want 12, ready within four 
  months. Methinks I will be busy, but I know I can do it! But the scum at 
  the Uni who want to steal my glory mustn’t know about this. I can do 
  all the work in my workshop, with plenty of time to spare!”
  Three months of sporadic entries follow, usually single lines to the ef-
  fect that work was proceeding well. Starting about three months ago, 
  several references to “hallucinations” appear in the journal. A month 
  later the diary suddenly stops. The last entry reads as follows. 
  (Dated 2 months ago) “Krister thinks I need a rest does he? Ha! Let him 
  think what he wants. This temporary leave of absence should mean I 
  can finish off the lamps for Arkham Edison within the week. And at 
  least with all my equipment here at home, I KNOW nobody is using it 
  at nights. Let’s see Eckermann steal my work now!”
  [NB: The “Player Handout” section at the end of this 
  book contains handwritten pages for each of the diary 
  entries above, as well as for the “missing” page (which 
  Investigators may discover in its hiding place).
  
  14
   Persistent Investigators who choose to scan through all 
  the empty pages of the notebook will discover a further 
  secret. Toward the back of the book two pages have been 
  neatly glued together about the edges to form a pocket. 
  Holding the pages up to the light reveals that a folded 
  piece of paper is hidden within this pocket. The only 
  means of removing this sheet is by tearing the pages of 
  the book. Investigators doing this discover that the folded 
  paper is the missing page from Duncan’s diary. It contains 
  the professor’s makeshift map describing the location of 
  the cave to which the shopkeeper guided him. The map 
  is very crude showing Arkham, many minor back-roads, 
  a country town called Sudbury, a deserted village and a 
  hill. [See the “Player Handout” section for a copy of this 
  hand-drawn map.]
  The Bazaar
  Investigators intent upon visiting the stall in the bazaar 
  where Professor Duncan first discovered the weird lamps 
  are in for a disappointment. Neither the trinket stall de-
  scribed in the diary, nor the dark skinned vendor are any-
  where to be found. Talking to other shopkeepers in the 
  area reveals that they are a dim memory in most people’s 
  minds, having suddenly moved on almost a year ago. No-
  body admits to having known or socialized with the for-
  eign shop-owner. Indeed, nobody can even say that they 
  knew his name. 
  However, one bazaar vendor by the name of Shepley Her-
  ber, a seller of second hand books, claims to know some-
  thing of the dark skinned man. If the Investigators ques-
  tion him (and incidentally agree to buy a book or two), 
  red-headed and fast-talking Herber will relate the follow-
  ing tale.
  “Yes, I remember the man you’re asking about. Dark 
  skinned man he was .. like an Arab only his features were 
  finer. And do you know why I remember him so vividly? 
  Eh? It was because every time I cast eyes upon him .. and 
  that were quite often since his stall was just across there ... 
  every time I saw him I was convinced that he were some-
  one I’d seen years and years ago. Course I didn’t think 
  much about it at the time ... but later, not long after he just 
  up and left one night, I were thinking about him .. and 
  all of a sudden it hit me! That man looked EXACTLY like 
  someone I seen when I was a child, over fifty years ago. 
  And he looked exactly the same.
   “I remember, it was when I was staying with my uncle 
  away upstate near Arkham on holiday one Spring in the 
  late seventies. My uncle lived in a tiny farming town called 
  Crawford’s Rise. Anyhow, this particular Spring a travel-
  ing salesman rolled into town. Now there were nothing 
  unusual about that, but it were the man himself what were 
  unusual; he was the spitting image of the dark skinned 
  man you’re asking me about today. 
  “Course he suffered a fair bit of abuse on account of his 
  color, but the man never said a word, just got on with the 
  business of selling his wares. I remember he had a batch of 
  the prettiest lanterns you ever did see. All ornately inlaid 
  with gold and silver ... and the light these lanterns gave off 
  was the softest light I’ve ever seen. Anyway I recall these 
  were right popular with the townsfolk who begrudgingly 
  set aside their dislike of the man’s color and bought them 
  to the very last one. And then as suddenly as the man had 
  arrived, he left.”
  If the shopkeeper is questioned further about Crawford’s 
  Rise or his uncle’s farm, he will tell the Investigators that 
  “the Rise” lay about seven miles west of Arkham in a val-
  ley between a couple of rolling grassy hills. He remembers 
  it as an idyllic place. Oddly enough a matter of months 
  after his lengthy holiday stay, his uncle decided to sell the 
  property and move his family back to Boston. The book-
  seller says he never found out why.
  Who is this Dark Man?
  The dark skinned shopkeeper who started the chain of 
  events that lead up to this scenario, is not encountered 
  as part of the scenario. By the time the Investigators are 
  interested in seeking him out, he is well and truly gone 
  without any hint remaining of how to find him. Thus, no 
  matter how inventive the Investigators are, they will nev-
  er solve the mystery of just who this man truly is. Keep-
  ers, however, may be curious to know just what earthly or 
  unearthly force set this whole complex sequence of events 
  in motion. Two obvious possibilities are given below. The 
  imaginative Keeper can doubtlessly think of many more.
  1. 
  The Dark Man is Nyarlathotep. Tricking humans into 
  bringing the race one step closer to extinction seems a 
  favorite ploy of Nyarlathotep, though no one knows 
  what manner of amusement he derives from it.
  2. The Dark Man is an immortal sorcerer intent on 
  bringing about the expedient revival of the Great 
  Old Ones. Keepers who prefer a less overt Mythos 
  presence in their campaign may feel more com-
  fortable if the progenitor of the intricate scheme to 
  awaken a lesser Old One, is a human. The sorcerer 
  needs to possess unnatural longevity, however, un-
  less the Keeper has another explanation for how the 
  dark man can appear unaged after fifty years.
  
  15
  Arkham Happenings
  Three days after the slaying of Georgio Caruso on Wal-
  nut Street, possibly while the Investigators are in Boston, 
  strange happenings return to the street. The events of this 
  evening make front page news in both Arkham and Bos-
  ton the next morning.
  Bizarre Night on Walnut Street
  Lurid headlines scream from the front page of the newspa-
  per proclaiming another murder in Arkham’s “sleepy South-
  side.” Again the murder has taken place in Walnut Street. 
  The facts of the case, as reported in the large and sensational 
  articles beneath the headlines, are more involved than before. 
  The victim, Polish immigrant Chris Przedworski, was found 
  murdered in his own home on Walnut Street. Police were 
  initially alerted by neighbors who heard wild almost bes-
  tial shrieks coming from the small house. On arriving at the 
  scene the source of this clamor was found to be Przedwor-
  ski’s brother Wojtek. By his hideous wailing it was evident 
  the man was out of his mind. Beside him, on the floor of the 
  small sitting room lay the dead Przedworski, hideously dis-
  membered and mutilated. Although details haven’t been 
  made available to the public, the mutilations inflicted upon 
  the Pole are believed to be very similar to those carried out 
  upon the body of Georgio Caruso. 
  Police escorted the brother to the Arkham Sanitarium, and 
  questioned the residents of nearby houses. Their enquiries 
  unearthed several interesting leads. Firstly, a number of 
  neighbors reported having heard the sound of a gun be-
  ing fired shortly before the screams of Wojtek disturbed 
  the silence of the street. Secondly, witnesses claim to have 
  seen a man wandering in the street about the time Przed-
  worski must have died. One witness is adamant that the 
  figure was pulp author and local resident Herbert Wade 
  Slocum. When police called to visit Slocum at his home he 
  was nowhere to be found.
   The newspaper articles go on to admonish local residents 
  to be careful when traveling the streets at night. To this is 
  appended the typical reassurance from the Arkham Po-
  lice Department that Southsiders have nothing to fear, and 
  that the perpetrator of these gruesome crimes would very 
  soon be brought to justice.
  The Scene of the Crime
  Investigators visiting Walnut Street in the aftermath of 
  these horrific events find the general mood of the place 
  very brooding. Everybody goes about their business with a 
  scowl on their face, and nobody is much interested in talk-
  ing to strangers. Where once happy children played cheer-
  ily in the street, the place is now devoid of youngsters, no 
  parent allowing their children out to play. From the door of 
  the nearby Simpson Apartments a stony-faced Mrs. Cilauro 
  angrily shoos a tortoise shell cat out into the street.
  Searching the street itself yields two clues. Investigators 
  specifically checking the street lights, or other searchers 
  who succeed in a Spot Hidden Roll will notice that one of 
  the twelve lamps is broken. A small pile of broken glass lies 
  beneath the lamp post. Sharp eyed Investigators searching 
  the ground near the broken lamp (and succeeding in a Spot 
  Hidden) unearth a spent bullet casing from a pistol.
  The house in which the deceased Mr. Przedworski and his 
  brother lived is locked up and empty. The police have al-
  ready performed the unenviable task of removing the de-
  capitated corpse and cleaning up. Investigators interested 
  in poking about in this house must either be willing to ob-
  tain the keys to the house from the police or break in. 
  In any event, searching the house reveals very little. The 
  place is spartan, but quite neatly kept. From the stains on 
  the carpets it is possible to determine that the murder took 
  place in the front room of the house, a mere ten feet from 
  the street. This room is bare aside from an old piano and 
  a single overstuffed chair. The large threadbare carpet is 
  crisscrossed with many long, narrow wheel tracks, pos-
  sibly from a heavy wheelchair. If any Investigator opens 
  the curtain facing the street, they notice that a street lamp 
  lies directly across the street from the Przedworski house.
  Witnesses and Curious Tales
  Although the residents of Walnut Street are dispirited and 
  untalkative, persistent Investigators can find locals with 
  interesting stories to tell. It may take some form of persua-
  sion to convince these witnesses to divulge what they saw.
  One witness claims to have seen a man on the street just prior 
  to the time that the screaming began. The witness says that 
  the main reason he was noticeable was that he seemed to be 
  avoiding the brightly lit portions of the road, lurking for the 
  most part in shadows. Because of this, it wasn’t possible to 
  see the man’s face. The witness was, however, able to deter-
  mine that the man wore a long coat of some dark color. 
  If Investigators are thorough in their door-knocking of the 
  district they will eventually discover two or three other 
  residents who can verify this story.
  A second witness, Ruth Macintosh, makes more unusual 
  claims. Between hay-fever-induced sneezing fits this wom-
  an relates what she saw. About an hour before she first 
  heard the sounds of Wojtek’s wailing, she saw the author 
  Slocum wandering the streets. This was, she says, not un-
  usual for him, he apparently preferred to stroll the streets 
  after dark. He seemed somehow distracted, although the 
  woman thought nothing of it at the time. As the witness 
  was watching Slocum, she saw a huge dark shadow fall 
  across him. His face twisted in fear as the darkness envel-
  oped him. For a moment there was a blot of impenetrable 
  almost tangible blackness there on the street. Then it lifted, 
  fading into nothingness, but where the author had been 
  was just empty street. He had disappeared. 
  No matter how many other people the Investigators talk 
  to, they can find nobody to corroborate this story. If they 
  talk of the woman and her tale to other locals they scoff 
  and say “she reads too much of that pulp fiction.”
  Many other of the local residents the Investigators inter-
  view express horror at the sudden and brutal death of 
  Chris Przedworski, who everyone holds to have been a 
  good man. They further wonder who will now look after 
  Chris’ younger, blind and crippled brother.
  
  16
  Investigators who think to visit the surviving Przedworski 
  brother in the sanitarium are allowed to do so only if they 
  can convince the sanitarium director that their investiga-
  tions are important. Those successfully Persuading the 
  director are admitted to the cell where Wojtek now lies 
  slumped in his wheelchair in a catatonic state. Without a 
  successful Psychoanalysis roll, the man makes no response 
  to Investigator questions. 
  Succeeding in such a roll brings Wojtek to a temporary 
  state of lucidity. In this state he gazes blindly around the 
  ward and waves his arms in distress as he verbally relives 
  the dismemberment of his brother. “Look out! Chris ... 
  Lookout! Behind you ... what is that smoke thing I see? 
  See? What do I mean see? I never see anything in my life. 
  But yes, I can see it .. a ... thing ... behind you, Chris! Be-
  hind you! My God! Run Chris! Run! The thing has sharp 
  things ... it will attack you. No! Leave me ... save yourself! 
  Run!” Wojtek then falls into a state of hysteria, his screams 
  eventually bringing sanitarium staff. 
  Investigators who ignore the nurses’ forceful suggestion 
  that they leave, and instead attempt a second Psychoanaly-
  sis roll manage to get another few half-shouted sentences 
  from the man. “Leave him! Leave him I say! What want you 
  with him ... already you’ve killed him ... leave him in peace. 
  No! The rubber beast stole a part of his head. Why? Why!” 
  After this he descends into a far worse state of hysteria 
  than before. Investigators should feel guilty that they have 
  caused a worsening of this man’s condition. Sanitarium 
  staff will certainly not be too warm toward them in future. 
  Checking with the medical records transferred to the sani-
  tarium by Wojtek’s doctor, or asking around Walnut Street 
  confirms that he has been blind from birth.
  What Really Happened?
  Several distinct happenings combined to create the con-
  fusing events reported last night. Firstly, the author Her-
  bert Wade Slocum, a regular late night stroller, had his 
  evening walk interrupted when spontaneously his latent 
  pineal sense awoke. For a short time he gazed about tak-
  ing in the weird and wonderful vistas he perceived. His 
  wonderment ceased abruptly however when, from out of 
  this curious scene emerged a huge dark mass that sought 
  to envelop him. Despite a slight struggle, the thing eas-
  ily managed to enclose the author in its bulk and dissolve 
  him, keeping his precious pineal gland as a trophy. 
  Later in the evening, a second figure wandered the street. 
  Professor Duncan had finally resolved to destroy his creation 
  to prevent further suffering. He deliberately chose to slink 
  about in the shadows to avoid locals catching sight of him. 
  His vision swam again with the strange sights that had al-
  ready driven him half insane, but he forced himself on. No 
  sooner had he destroyed one lamp with a well-aimed bullet, 
  than the evil rubbery things he feared more than anything 
  began to close in on him. He fled in terror from the street. 
  Almost simultaneously, the unfortunate Przedworski 
  brothers both experienced their first glimpse of paranor-
  mal vistas. For Wojtek it was the only sight he had ever 
  experienced. The same things that the Professor’s pineal 
  attracted now hungered after those others it could sense 
  nearby. It took only a short time for the Render to decapi-
  tate and dismember Chris Przedworski, stealing his third 
  eye to bring to its master.
  A Note From A Cryptic Ally
  As the Investigators swarm around Walnut street try-
  ing desperately to piece together the horrors that seems 
  to have rained here univited, they are themselves being 
  scrutinized. From a number of vantage points — in a high 
  apartment window, behind a newspaper read on an anon-
  ymous bench, under a rickety fire-escape — a lone, unre-
  markable figure watches them undetected. This shabby, 
  ultra-cautious man is none other than the elusive Profes-
  sor, Graham Duncan. He watches the Investigators with 
  a keen interest: wondering all the while whether these in-
  quisitive people are working for or against him.
  Assuming the Investigators do nothing untoward during 
  their investigations, the good Professor will eventually come 
  to the reluctant conclusion that these strangers are indeed al-
  lies. As such, the unstable man attempts to make contact.
  Later in the day following the second happening at Walnut 
  Street, one of the Investigators has a strange letter arrive at 
  their home (or hotel). It bears no stamp, apparently having 
  been hand-delivered, although neither the Investigator nor 
  any servants recalls having seen or heard signs of a deliv-
  ery. Inside the coarse envelope is a single sheet of crumpled 
  paper; the confusing message it bears is reproduced near-
  by. A hand-written version of this letter is provided in the 
  “Player Handout” section at the back of this book. 
  The Letter From Duncan
  From the Darkness, you follow the same Path. Can 
  it be. Can it be. Or have I been tricked again, I won-
  der. But oh, how could I resist so great a light -- a 
  different light, a light of my invention. Now I live 
  forever in its hell.
  But I digress, I ask for no forgiveness for mine own 
  weakness. Each man has his Grand Failure on the 
  spiral path downwards, I suppose. All that I wish 
  is the chance to fix what I have been tricked into 
  inflicting upon those innocents. Walnut Street, you 
  suffer so. Can I help you?
  I write to you because I think that perchance we both 
  desire the same thing. That is the cessation of that 
  influence which I have brought here. I have a plan -- 
  the mountain must fall, and perhaps you can aid me. 
  I will contact you again soon to instruct you further.
  In the meantime, I am yours in the cult of one
  Lucifer.
  PS: watch carefully around you. There are agents 
  working for them everywhere. Destroy this note 
  once you have read it and tell no-one of the secrets 
  I have entrusted you. 
  
  17
  Crawford’s Rise
  Just seven miles west of Arkham, beneath the shadow of 
  the hill locals term “Eye Bone Hill,” lays the now-desert-
  ed farming town of Crawford’s Rise. Half a century ago 
  this tiny settlement thrived, its forty-strong population all 
  making a good living off the land. The sudden abandon-
  ment of The Rise in the year 1880 is a mystery which per-
  sists to this day. In the course of this scenario its solution 
  may be unearthed. 
  Library Researches
  Investigators discovering either Professor Duncan’s crude 
  map or the tale of Shepley Herber will most likely be inter-
  ested in learning more about the region west of Arkham. 
  Investigations in Miskatonic University’s library can re-
  veal some of the more mysterious aspects of this region.
  Attempts to find the village of Crawford’s Rise on any re-
  cent map of the region will meet with failure. Older re-
  gional maps drafted prior to 1880 clearly show its location, 
  however. Such maps show The Rise to lie approximately 
  two miles east of the larger town of Sudbury. The terrain 
  of this country is shown to be gently rolling hills and me-
  andering rivers. The “Player Handout” section at the end 
  of this book includes one such map, which the Investiga-
  tors may track down in the Essex County Atlas of 1872.
  Investigators searching the Miskatonic University Library’s 
  extensive folklore collection for bizarre happenings in the 
  region are rewarded. A half dozen or so books mention 
  what is usually termed the “Sudbury Disappearance.” The 
  most comprehensive treatment is offered in the thick vol-
  ume “Mysteries of Essex County” in which the following 
  quotation opens the chapter on mysterious disappearances.
  “Perhaps the most startling tale of disappearance in Es-
  sex County is that of the so-called ‘Sudbury Disappear-
  ance’. This tale concerns itself with the small farming 
  community of Crawford’s Rise, not far from Sudbury. 
  The strange events that transpired in this rustic farming 
  village in the Spring of 1880 are for the most part record-
  ed only in the memories of Sudbury locals.
  “Many tales and wild speculation have arisen, but all sto-
  ries agree on one fact — that one night in April 1880 the 
  entire population of Crawford’s Rise disappeared. Visi-
  tors to the village next morning were greeted with empty 
  houses, empty shops, and an empty town common.
  “No sign of any of the forty or so residents of Crawford’s 
  Rise were ever unearthed. Their earthly possession all still 
  lay in empty houses, arranged as they would have been 
  had their owners still been there to use them. Nothing 
  was found missing or disturbed. To this day, nobody has 
  been able to give an explanation of just what happened 
  to the community of Crawford’s Rise that fateful night.”
  Additional tales of unusual goings on in the area about Craw-
  ford’s Rise may be found in a few volumes concerning them-
  selves with the legends of local Indian tribes. The scholarly 
  “Mythology and Religion of Massachusetts Indians” (1912) 
  reports the existence of a small (and rapidly dwindling) tribe 
  in the Sudbury region who held a number of singular beliefs. 
  The folklore of this tribe placed great weight on the peri-
  odic awakening of certain unclean spirits of light. At the 
  times of such awakenings, they believed, men and women 
  would begin to go missing — taken by the spirits as food 
  for some greater entity. In time, once this greater being 
  had consumed enough, he would wake from his great 
  slumber and threaten the tribe. It was only through the 
  ritual chants handed down from the elders, and practiced 
  each year, that the tribe could be saved. 
  The author comments that he had witnessed the ritual in 
  question and found it to be unlike any religious obser-
  vance he had witnessed in any other Massachusetts tribe. 
  He goes on to mention that the chant that forms the major 
  part of this ceremony is made up entirely of nonsensical 
  words or sounds. He cites the word-sounds “M’bukthoo” 
  and “Aybon” as examples of this curious linguistic phe-
  nomenon. In a footnote he mentions that the latter of these 
  words was the only part of the chant for which the tribe 
  knew any meaning — Aybon was remembered as a great 
  savior of the tribe from many generations past.
  Clever Investigators may recognize the name Aybon as a 
  corruption of the name of the Hyperborean Mythos com-
  mentator Eibon (generous Keepers might allow a halved 
  Cthulhu Mythos roll, others might leave the players to 
  make the connection themselves). Such insight provides 
  a means of learning more about the Indian chant. For the 
  chant handed down by the Indian tribe was originally 
  taught to them by the descendants of the Hyperborean 
  colonists who chose Arkham Country as their home. 
  Through scanning the infamous Liber Ivonis in either its 
  Latin or French translation, the appropriate incantation 
  may be discovered:
   
  M’buchthu yltol th’nalek-Xoth
   
  Eibon p’gothoth N’kai chgollng ftagn
  The book identifies this as “A Chant Whereby The Powerful 
  May Steal Sight From The Weak” and notes that the spell 
  (described in a nearby box) can only be cast at night, when 
  the “Mercifully Unseen One” rises above the horizon.
  Since this spell forms the most effective way of succeeding 
  at this scenario, Keepers should allow Investigators the 
  opportunity of learning it in shorter time than the Call of 
  Cthulhu rules would ordinarily allow. One way of han-
  dling this situation is to allow a normal spell learning roll 
  after 40-INT hours intensive study of either Liber Ivonis or 
  Jamison’s Notebook (see below). The multiplier used for 
  this roll depends on which volume is studied and whether 
  the remainder of the book has already been studied as per 
  the normal rules. 
  If an Investigator has previously completed a reading of 
  Liber Ivonis, he or she should receive the book’s normal 
  multiplier for the roll. If, however, this volume has not 
  been absorbed, the multiplier should be x2 for Jamison’s 
  notes and x1 for Eibon’s book. Only one Investigator 
  should be permitted to study a single volume at a time.
  Once learned, the Investigator may teach the chant to as 
  many others as desired. Learning under these conditions 
  takes 30 minus the INT of the student in minutes. Further-
  more the student must succeed in an INTx5 roll.
  
  18
  Steal Perception
  Aeons before human civilization graced the planet, the 
  great Hyperborean sorcerer Eibon crafted many pow-
  erful magicks. This spell is one such incantation. Its 
  principal effect is to temporarily steal the perception of 
  another person or being. That is, for the duration of the 
  spell the target has no input from any of its usual senses, 
  those sensory impulses it would normally receive are re-
  directed to the caster.
  The ritual chant which causes this state of perceptual 
  theft can be participated in by as many chanters as de-
  sired, although only one person actually casts the spell. 
  Once the chant has been performed continuously for a 
  full hour, a fine net of translucent energy becomes vis-
  ible. The size of the net is determined by the number and 
  power of the casters. The maximum SIZ of being which 
  the net can fully enshroud is equal to twice the caster’s 
  POW plus 4 for each non-casting chanter. The caster can 
  move this net of magical energy at will provided it re-
  mains within 15 feet of the caster; as long as the chanting 
  continues it will remain in existence.
  If the net is guided in such a way as to entirely encap-
  sulate a being, the spell-caster may attempt to steal the 
  perceptions of that creature. Note that a being need not 
  be a physical manifestation, but could, for example, be a 
  non-corporeal creature. To attempt to steal the percep-
  tions of an enshrouded creature, the caster must match 
  his or her POW against the target’s POW on the resis-
  tance table. For every non-casting chanter the caster may 
  add 5 points to his or her effective POW for the purposes 
  of this roll. 
  Failing the roll causes the web to immediately dissipate. 
  The entire chanting ritual must be repeated to bring it 
  into existence again.
  Immediate effects of successful theft of a being’s percep-
  tions are as follows: the caster temporarily loses all his 
  or her own perceptual capabilities and gains those of the 
  target. The immediate sanity loss for this sudden contact 
  with the mind of another being is 1D4. If the creature’s 
  perceptual faculties are grossly alien to those of the cast-
  er, the sense input the caster receives may cause addi-
  tional sanity loss. In the most extreme case (e.g., when 
  the caster is receiving sense data from an utterly alien 
  being such as a Great Old One), this could be as much as 
  a further 1D8 SAN.
  The state of stolen perceptions lasts as long as the caster 
  wishes, assuming the chant is being kept up. However, 
  for each hour the target creature’s perceptions remain 
  the caster’s, the target gets another POW versus POW 
  roll with the same modifiers. If it succeeds, the spell is 
  broken and the web dissipated.
  The spell costs the caster 12 magic points; each non-
  caster loses 5 magic points. It may only be cast at nights 
  when the hideous invisible star of Xoth is above the hori-
  zon. This is because, like many spells designed by Eibon, 
  the incantation draws power from the “Evil Star Beyond 
  Sight.” At the time of this scenario, this means that no 
  successful casting may commence before 11pm.
  Rustic Folktales
  Investigators questioning residents of Sudbury find them 
  more than eager to discuss the ‘Disappearance’. Although 
  the happenings in question occurred almost a half century 
  ago, they remain vivid in the memories of old-timers, and 
  still an occasional topic of conversation.
  While the tales spun by the residents of Sudbury agree in 
  all factual details with the version presented in “Myster-
  ies of Essex County,” they are significantly embellished 
  with speculation and superstition. Most of the townsfolk 
  questioned about the events of 1880, piously believe the 
  folk of Crawford’s Rise were taken by the Devil to become 
  his servants. In support of this, the rustics point to the 
  ‘Devil Lanterns’ that the folk of The Rise used regularly 
  in the time just before they suddenly departed. They fur-
  ther point to the way their neighbors in Crawford’s Rise 
  changed completely in personality after using these evil 
  lamps. Where once the farmers were cheery and amiable, 
  they became irritable and suspicious, wanting nothing to 
  do with the good folk of Sudbury.
  
  19
  If the Investigators are particularly thorough in their pur-
  suit of rustic folktales surrounding the Sudbury Disap-
  pearance, they will eventually be directed to speak to “Old 
  Jed.” Septuagenarian Jed Ashcroft is the local apiarist. 
  Visiting his farm just north of Sudbury and interrupting 
  him from his bee-keeping rounds, interested strangers can 
  hear a different version of the ‘Disappearance’ tale. Sitting 
  on the farm’s ample porch, chewing on some honeycomb 
  with his blackened teeth, Old Jed seems to almost fall into 
  a trance as he tells his story. 
  “You know, back when the events you’re a-asking me about 
  were taking place, I was just a young man. Twenty-three I was. 
  I had a brother then, a younger brother by the name of Jere-
  miah. A fiery boy was Jeremiah, always disobeying our Pa’s 
  orders and doin’ what he wanted. Anyhow, just a month or so 
  before the Disappearance, Jeremiah went and fell in love with 
  one of the Rise girls; Rose Macintosh she was called. 
  “O’course Pa told him he didn’t want no son of his having 
  aught to do with them folk after they’d suddenly turned queer. 
  But Jeremiah didn’t take Pa’s pronouncement to heart, and of-
  ten after everyone was asleep he would sneak out of the farm-
  house and go and visit his Rose. 
  “Well, as it happened, this is just what Jeremiah was doing on 
  the night of the Disappearance, ‘cept this time when he got to 
  Rose’s window, he found she was nowhere to be seen. So he 
  poked around the house awhile, but there was nobody to be 
  found. The place was completely empty. It was then he noticed 
  the weird greenish light coming from the town common. This 
  light was part familiar to him: it reminded him of the Devil 
  Lanterns he’d seen other residents of The Rise carry. 
  “I guess the lure of curiosity for this weird light got the better 
  of his sensibilities, or maybe he was just searching for his Rose. 
  Whatever the reason, Jeremiah walked to the village common and 
  saw ... well I’m not perfectly sure what. 
  “Pa and I were woken in the slim hours of the mornin’ by the 
  sound of him scrabbling to get in through the door. All desper-
  ate like he sounded. Pa was about ready to show him the rough 
  side of his belt, but when we opened the door and saw the ter-
  ror in his eyes ... well we sat him down and he shook and he 
  mumbled things we could barely make out. 
  “Anyway after a few hours of us consoling Jeremiah, he began 
  to gain his senses again and he spun us the tale I jus’ told you. 
  When he came to tell about what he saw in the common, his 
  voice faltered a lot, and his words came out in a big jumble. 
  From what I could work out it seemed that the light he had seen 
  came from a huge bonfire that someone had lit in the common, 
  only it weren’t no ordinary bonfire. All around the place he saw 
  broken glass lanterns — Devil Lanterns. Someone had thrown 
  them all into the fire, and somehow that had make the flames 
  look queer. 
  “He could see dozens of people standing around the fire, may-
  be the entire population of the place. A few of them were chant-
  ing something ... my brother couldn’t tell what, but he noticed 
  one man, ol’ Edgar Jamison, was leading them. But before Jer-
  emiah could scan the crowd for his Rose, or learn more about 
  what was transpirin’, somethin else happened. 
  “It’s when telling this part of the tale that poor Jeremiah just broke 
  down in tears and screams, and refused to tell us any more. We 
  made him breakfast and comforted him awhile more, but he still 
  would not talk about whatever it was he saw, cept to say the one 
  thing over and over ‘Twer the mountain that ate them.’ 
  “I never did find out what my brother meant by those words. 
  He’s dead now ... not many days after he saw what he saw, he 
  took a shotgun out to do some hunting. Well that’s what he 
  said, but ... well I know he meant to use that shotgun on him-
  self. Tweren’t no accident.”
  Sudbury Locals
  While pursuing the story of the ‘Sudbury Disappear-
  ance’, Investigators will meet several Sudbury locals. 
  The keeper may use the characters below for whatever 
  purpose desired. Only one, Jed Ashcroft, has a specific 
  role to play.
  Henry Kastelan
  Short, balding and ruddy faced, Henry Kastelan cuts a ri-
  diculous figure as Mayor of Sudbury. Most locals regard 
  him as harmless, and are happy to have him continue in 
  the post he gained by default, as long as he does nothing 
  radical. Adding further to Kastelan’s whimsical appear-
  ance is the sad attempt at a moustache that graces his face 
  and the old and outdated suits he insists upon wearing.
  When talking with Investigators, the Mayor will try 
  to project an air of authority but will most likely come 
  across as self-important. The entire time he will clumsily 
  fumble with his gold-plated fountain pen, dropping it 
  several times. 
  Additionally, if the conversation takes place in a public 
  place, Kastelan will constantly be peering over his shoul-
  der looking for eavesdroppers. His paranoia in this re-
  gard stems from the fact that several rumors have circu-
  lated town which could only have started from “malicious 
  overhearing” of his conversations. 
  Thomas Carey
  Middle aged and paunchy, Thomas Carey owns and 
  runs the town’s General Store. Carey’s wife Violet works 
  alongside him, and the two bicker constantly. Most of 
  the time Carey exudes an aura of tired resignation, an 
  outlook of futility and fatalism. However, once away 
  from his wife, the man seems to become a different per-
  son. His worn features take on an unexpected vigor, and 
  a sparkle creeps into his eye.
  Carey is particularly superstitious and will be firm in his 
  condemnation of the foul nature of the former residents 
  of Crawford’s Rise. Of course, he himself was not even 
  born at the time of the disappearance, but has construct-
  ed his strong feelings from the stories his father told him 
  as a boy. Therefore, his views aren’t particularly objective 
  or useful. 
  Violet Carey
  Garrulous and vain, Violet is perhaps an unlikely wife 
  for Thomas. She likes to think of herself as a glamour 
  idol, daydreaming that she is Lillian Gish or Clara Bow. 
  This attitude grates constantly on her husbands down-
  to-earth sensibilities, and is the source of many a domes-
  tic argument. Violet likes to ensure that such altercations 
  occur in public.
  Getting Violet to talk will not be a problem the Investi-
  gators suffer. Getting her to stop, however, may be. Her 
  favorite pastime is trading tidbits of gossip, particularly 
  about scandalous secrets of respected Sudbury residents. 
  Many such morsels of information come from ‘acciden-
  tally’ overhearing conversations while working on the 
  town switchboard located in the store. 
  
  20
  Jed Ashcroft
  At 71, Jed Ashcroft is the oldest resident 
  of Sudbury and one of the few whose 
  knowledge of the events of 1880 is first-
  hand. In appearance, Jed is tall, lanky 
  and quite fit for a man his age. He lives 
  alone on a farm just outside town, still plying the family 
  trade of bee-keeping. His skin is leathery from long years 
  of exposure to the sun. His teeth are blackened and un-
  even from a lifetime of chewing honeycomb.
  Jed’s outlook on the world is insular; he has lived alone 
  on the farm for more than three decades, and has never 
  longed for company. He finds his frequent visits to Sud-
  bury to be unpleasantly claustrophobic, with too many 
  people in too small a space. The few times he visited 
  Arkham were like nightmares. He has never been fur-
  ther afield. Most people regard Jed as a hermit, an epi-
  thet he does nothing to deny.
  Visiting the Ghost Town
  Most of the buildings in the long-abandoned farming vil-
  lage of Crawford’s Rise still stand, although all items of 
  value have long since been taken. Investigators are free to 
  roam about this ghost town for as long as they wish, but 
  there is little of interest to unearth. Most of the houses and 
  shops remaining are humble one storey structures, severe-
  ly aged by their exposure to the elements. 
  One somewhat more grand dwelling can be found: a large 
  Gothic country house with discolored walls. This was the 
  home of a semi-retired Arkham Professor of Anthropol-
  ogy by the name of Edgar Jamison. Jamison held a strong 
  scholarly interest in the unusual indigenous tribe that 
  once lived near The Rise. He retired here in the 1850’s to 
  continue his study of them at a more leisurely pace. 
  The notebooks outlining his research remain in the study 
  of the house, evidently passed over by looters as worthless. 
  Reading Jamison’s notes takes the Investigators several 
  hours, but in that time they learn a number of things. Firstly 
  the notes cover the lifestyle and religious beliefs of the tribe 
  in minuscule detail. Assimilating this multitude of observa-
  tions is simple (an INTx5 roll should suffice), and provides 
  the reader with all the facts described in the “Mythology 
  and Religion of Massachusetts Indians” volume. 
  The notebook also contains an extensive record of the rit-
  uals of the Indians, including a full version of the chant 
  found in the Liber Ivonis. The brief annotation outlining 
  the purpose of the chant is also included. 
  Finally, the back of the last notebook contains some sketchy 
  notes on the events leading up to the Sudbury Disappear-
  ance that may prove valuable to Investigators. It was not 
  long after the departure of the dark-skinned merchant, re-
  late the notes, that locals began to go missing. At first the 
  folk of The Rise treated these nocturnal disappearances 
  as isolated accidents or secretly motivated departures. As 
  time wore on, the frequency of these strange vanishings 
  increased, and the consternation of the villagers increased.
  It was not until a dozen or more townsfolk had gone miss-
  ing that Jamison realized the parallels between these hap-
  penings and the Indian tales of abduction by the light spir-
  its. He surmised that somehow the presence of the weird 
  lamps had awoken these spirits. In his last entry in the 
  book, he resolves to convince the townsfolk the lanterns 
  are evil and that they must be destroyed. 
  Besides the Jamison house, the only other place of interest 
  in Crawford’s Rise is the town common. Although the site 
  of the great bonfire Jed describes is now long overgrown 
  with spindly and unhealthy-looking grass, it is still pos-
  sible to see the ring of blackened stones which contained 
  the fire. Furthermore, closer investigations reveal that the 
  earth within the circle is covered with a grainy blackish 
  ash. Analyzing this substance reveals it to be essentially 
  identical to the phosphorescent lamp coating (see below).
  The Cave
  Investigators eager to explore the cave from which Pro-
  fessor Duncan fetched his phosphorescent powder find it 
  easy to locate. 
  The hill noted on Duncan’s crude map lies less than a mile 
  north-west of Crawford’s Rise. The weirdly hemispherical 
  bulk of this hill, named Eye Bone Hill by locals, overshad-
  ows the ghost town casting an even more sinister air upon 
  the place.
  Halfway up the northern side of Eye Bone Hill, amid some 
  rather unstable rocky outcroppings, lies a partly obscured 
  entrance. Beyond, a narrow tunnel descends at a shallow 
  gradient. After approximately twenty feet, this tunnel 
  opens out into a huge cavern.
  Almost no sunlight graces the cave, requiring Investiga-
  tors to use their own illumination. When light of any sort 
  strikes the uneven walls of the cavern they begin to glow 
  with a soft light. This light has all the qualities of Dun-
  can’s street lamps. Examining the walls up close reveals 
  them to be caked with the same powder used in the Pro-
  fessor’s constructions. Tons of the curious whitish powder 
  are present, all of it producing pineal awakening radiation 
  once light has touched it. 
  The number of “exposure points” accumulated by remain-
  ing in the presence of this unholy fluorescence is five times 
  as much as from one of Duncan’s lamps.
  The landscape that an Investigator perceives to exist in the 
  large central region of the cavern depends on whether he 
  or she is possessed of an active pineal gland. In the case 
  that a cave explorer’s third eye has not been awakened, 
  the cave will appear empty aside from the abundant fluo-
  rescent powder. 
  Such Investigators who move into the central region of the 
  cave begin to feel cold and slimy surfaces blocking their 
  progress. These surfaces are totally invisible, yet are clear-
  ly physically present. Investigators who navigate their 
  way around these unseen pillars soon find themselves at 
  the base of an equally invisible flight of ascending stairs. 
  These steps are treacherous because of their slimy texture, 
  but any explorer ascending slowly enough is in no danger. 
  
  21
  After a dozen or so steps, the stairs end, apparently at a 
  platform of some sort. Investigators brave enough to ex-
  plore this invisible plateau of slimy rock, soon find them-
  selves brushing against some form of unseen hair or fur. 
  The hair seems coarse and warm to the touch. Any further 
  progress toward the center of the cave is barred by a huge 
  and uneven wall of this hairy texture. 
  Investigators exploring this invisible landscape should suffer 
  some small loss of sanity, the exact amount depending on 
  how far they explore. As a guide, this should be 1D4 at most.
  If, on the other hand, an Investigator venturing into the 
  cave possesses an activated pineal gland, they will per-
  ceive a more alien vista. Amid all the usual chaos of 
  floating transparent jelly-things can be seen a weird and 
  non-Euclidean structure. Huge and twisted pillars of pur-
  ple-veined stone fill the central area, rising all the way to 
  the ceiling far above. The veins in this stone seem to writhe 
  back and forth within the rock to some unheard rhythm. 
  The pillars are placed in a seemingly random arrangement 
  forming a forest of stone. 
  Beyond this forest, in the very central part of the cave, stands 
  a raised dais of the same stone with stairs leading up to its 
  summit on all sides. From the cave entrance it is difficult to 
  see what lies atop this dais. Those who proceed beyond the 
  forest of pillars, however, can clearly make out the details 
  of the hideous creature that motionlessly sits atop the dais. 
  The Great Old One appears as a massive conglomeration 
  of black tentacles, each covered in a disgusting uneven 
  mat of red fur. Up close it is apparent that the individual 
  hairs that make up the ‘fur’ are themselves minute tendrils 
  covered with even smaller protuberance. SAN loss for see-
  ing this sleeping evil is 1D3/1D10. 
  In the air surrounding the Great Old One fly three Dissolv-
  ers and eight Renders. These creatures mercilessly attack 
  any Investigator with an active pineal who ventures closer 
  than the edge of the pillar forest.
  If an Investigator takes a sample of the fluorescent pow-
  der from the cave and subjects it to scientific testing, they 
  obtain some curious results. Firstly the powder is not ac-
  tually a mineral at all, but a conglomeration of tiny micro-
  organisms. These microorganisms are totally unknown to 
  science. Experiments which expose the organisms to elec-
  tromagnetic radiation learn that somehow they are able to 
  re-radiate more than twice as much energy as they absorb. 
  No scientific explanation is available as to where the ad-
  ditional energy comes from. 
  Another observation arising from testing is that the organ-
  isms themselves seem impossible to kill. Testers can ex-
  pose them to extreme heat, extreme cold, radiation, and 
  any number of chemicals, to no apparent effect save a 
  change in the powder’s color. 
  
  22
  
  23
  Night of Many Awakenings
  Short of remarkable resourcefulness on the part of the 
  Investigators, the hideous revival of the thing beneath Eye 
  Bone Hill will take place the night following the murder 
  of Wojtek Przedworski. No action available to the Inves-
  tigators can stop this occurring. They may, however, pos-
  sess enough information (in the form of Eibon’s chant) to 
  ensure that the Great Old One’s awakening is short lived. 
  Successfully using this ancient magic to achieve this end re-
  quires the Investigators to be present at the hill as the eldritch 
  sleeper rouses. Luckily, the reappearance of the elusive Pro-
  fessor Duncan, a man they’re sure to want to catch up with, 
  should lead them to be in the right place at the right time.
  Unless the Investigators have destroyed the street lamps 
  in Walnut Street, the night of the awakening is also a night 
  of carnage in Arkham. Five Southside residents go insane, 
  two will be found murdered and mutilated in a now-fa-
  miliar fashion, and another two will simply disappear. 
  Tales of strange happenings witnessed in the street will 
  scream from the front page of the Advertiser the following 
  morning. In all likelihood, however, the Investigators will 
  have other more pressing matters to contend with by then.
  Duncan on the Telephone 
  In the wake of the confusion caused by this latest set 
  of terrible murders, the Investigators are likely to be 
  stumped. In all likelihood all their leads have dried up by 
  this point, leaving only a desperate desire to somehow stop 
  these horrible visitations. Into this frantic situation comes 
  a ray of hope in the form of the perhaps-long-awaited sec-
  ond contact from the unpredictable Professor Duncan.
  While one or more of the Investigators are at home, or in 
  some public place posessed of a telephone, the harsh 
  metallic ring pierces their desperate thoughts. Answer-
  ing the imperative mechanical call, a voice is heard — 
  scratchy, unmodulated, but undeniably bearing a hint of 
  a Scottish accent. The caller speaks quickly, almost inco-
  herently. In a wild, almost hysterical scream he tells the 
  Investigator “Tonight, it must be tonight. The horrible 
  thing has been eating all too well. I know that now. I think 
  it’s almost ready. Meet me outside the Municipal Works 
  Warehouse at seven tonight.”
  The Investigators will probably seek clarification from 
  this elusive character. Duncan is largely unresponsive to 
  questions asked of him, continuing instead with his mono-
  logue. Any concerted effort to elicit information results in 
  the strained voice going suddenly silent. After a moment 
  of this stark quiet, Duncan mutters in a dull drone “Oh my 
  Lord, I have made a terrible mistake.” With that, the con-
  nection is broken.
  Even in the case that Investigators do not push the point 
  with Duncan, something they do or say should ultimately 
  trip this paranoid reaction. Something, it could be any-
  thing, will make him suddenly “realize” that the Investiga-
  tors have been working with the terrible monstrosities all 
  along, and that the hints he has given them have already 
  endangered his plan. His resolve now shifts towards car-
  rying out his plan unaided, and perhaps to destroy the 
  foul agents in the process.
  Duncan Over The Edge
  At seven o’clock, the Investigators will probably be wait-
  ing patiently beneath the murky street-lighting outside the 
  ugly grey Municipal Works Warehouse for their promised 
  meeting with Duncan. As time passes it becomes obvious 
  that their elusive quarry/ally will not show. Seven comes 
  and goes, as does half-past. Just as the Investigators are 
  ready to give up and leave the site of the arranged meet-
  ing, the scene suddenly erupts into action.
  From within the Works Warehouse, the sounds of a motor 
  starting up can be heard, closely followed by the loud im-
  patient noises of a puttering revving. And then, without any 
  warning, all hell breaks loose. The wooden door which takes 
  up almost a third of the street frontage of the Warehouse 
  suddenly disintegrates into tinder-wood as a large, powerful 
  truck is rammed through its face. Any Investigators standing 
  outside this part of the Warehouse must Dodge or be struck 
  by the rampaging vehicle (for 1D10 Damage).
  Looking at the cab of the truck, swift Investigators can just 
  catch a glimpse of the face of the insane driver. Even despite 
  its obvious thinning of face, prickly white stubble and sag-
  ging reddened eyes, it is familiar to everyone who has seen 
  a photograph of Graham Duncan. A thoroughly insane 
  light dances in his eyes, some kind of idiot resolve stronger 
  than anything a sane man can hold within his heart.
  The truck, its sides painted with “Arkham Council” rapid-
  ly zooms away from the scene of the carnage, weaving er-
  ratically through the streets in a westerly direction. Inves-
  tigators with vehicles nearby may wish to give chase. They 
  may readily do so, but the Keeper should bear in mind that 
  the main purpose of such pursuit is to draw the Investiga-
  tors to Eye Bone Hill and the climactic closing scenes of the 
  scenario. Hence, Investigators should probably not have 
  the opportunity to stop or overtake the Professor’s vehicle. 
  The concluding sections that Duncan arrives at the site of 
  the immanent awakening several minutes ahead of any 
  Investigators. If for some reason the Professor is somehow 
  stopped or otherwise prevented from executing his plan, 
  see the box titled “Duncan Foiled” nearby.
  Groups of Investigators who don’t have vehicles at hand 
  when Duncan’s truck rattles past them can still effectively 
  follow the Professor. Any success at an Idea roll guesses 
  correctly that given the truck’s westerly velocity, Duncan’s 
  likely destination is the region surrounding Crawford’s 
  Rise. Investigators who make this connection and proceed 
  to the Rise by whatever form of transport is available to 
  them, observe activity on Eye Bone Hill as soon as they ar-
  rive. Exactly what they see taking place depends on when 
  they arrive. Use the Showdown scenario presented below 
  modified so that the first happenings after Duncan’s arrival 
  have already been played out. If Duncan has fully executed 
  his plan before the Investigators arrive, assume he has been 
  trapped and killed, the latest victim of the servitors.
  Feedback on this scenario, or even just anecdotes about 
  how it ran for your group, is always welcomed. You 
  can contact the author at: dean@cs.adelaide.edu.au. 
  Better still, you can comment on your experience with 
  this adventure on the forums at www.yog-sothoth.com
  
  24
  Duncan Foiled
  If by some means the Investigators have prevented the 
  Professor from carrying out his plan, the Keeper may be 
  required to alter the scenario climax. Exactly how great a 
  modification is necessary depends on whether the Inves-
  tigators have destroyed the Walnut Street lights or not. 
  In the case that one or more of these pineal-awakening 
  lamps still shine, the Great Old One’s revival will still 
  take place tonight. One or more of its servitors will bring 
  active pineal bodies to the sleeper, fresh from the mur-
  derous happenings in Southside. These morsels of occult 
  sustenance will be the last the being requires to shake off 
  its aeons of slumber. 
  Awakened, the thing forces its way out of the cave shrine, 
  causing a landslide similar to the one the Professor’s 
  plan would have induced. From this point onwards, the 
  plot proceeds as in the normal resolution.
  Alternatively, if Duncan’s plans are foiled and the Walnut 
  Street lamps have all been destroyed, the Investigators have 
  effectively prevented the awakening of the Great Old One. 
  That is, of course, until such time as it is fed its last pineal 
  meal. And who knows just when that might be?
  Showdown at the Cave
  By the time the Investigators arrive on the scene, Duncan has 
  already scaled midway up the side of Eye Bone Hill to near 
  where the cave entrance is located. His silhouette is clearly 
  visible in the strong light of the full moon. As his pursuers 
  ascend after him (or watch him), the Professor inexpertly lays 
  several explosive charges around the cave mouth. 
  Once the desperate Duncan catches sight or sound of close 
  pursuit he redoubles his efforts to hastily complete the de-
  ployment of the charges. Unless Investigators manage to 
  sneak up behind him and catch him unawares, the Profes-
  sor will detonate the explosives before anybody can pre-
  vent him doing so. 
  It is only once the charges have been set off that Duncan’s 
  lack of demolitions expertise becomes manifestly obvious. 
  For, rather than causing the cavern entrance to collapse, the 
  blasts actually destabilize a large area of rock surrounding 
  the opening. The result is a small landslide: hundreds of 
  tons of rock and dirt slip down the western face of the hill, 
  sweeping Duncan and any other hill climbers in its wake. 
  Everybody caught up in the landslide suffers 1D6 damage 
  as they are buffeted down to the base of the hill.
  Once the dust clears, onlookers witness an altered scene. 
  Firstly, the once narrow cave opening is now approximate-
  ly fifty feet wide. Light from the full moon overhead spills 
  gently into the opening and thus into the cavern within. 
  A much stronger green-tinged light issues forth from the 
  hole, phosphorescence from the cave walls. The whole 
  vista seems drenched in this illumination, its quality remi-
  niscent of the street lamps. This light seems, however, con-
  siderably brighter and more pervasive. It is a strong pineal 
  stimulus. Each minute of exposure to this evil illumination 
  causes the accumulation of exposure points equal to twice 
  an Investigator’s POW.
  Investigators with awakened pineal bodies, or whose 
  glands are surreptitiously activated by the sudden light 
  from the cave, see that six Renders and two Dissolvers now 
  float about the mouth of the cave. As onlookers watch, two 
  of these creatures separate from the group and begin to 
  make forays against individuals whose active glands con-
  tain the food their master needs. 
  Since the sleeper needs but one more meal before he can 
  rouse from his slumber, the roving servitors will attack 
  with some desperation. If the hunting servitors are slain, 
  replacements from the company guarding the cave will 
  take their place and continue the attack.
  A likely target for attack is the now-helpless Professor 
  Duncan. He lies trapped beneath stone and rubble at the 
  foot of the hill not far from any Investigators similarly 
  swept down the hillside. Only his head and one shoulder 
  protrude above the pile of rock. He has only 5 hit points 
  remaining. Investigators searching for the partly-buried 
  Professor need a successful Spot Hidden roll. One such 
  roll can be attempted per round. It takes six man-rounds 
  to dig the weary academic out from his stony prison.
   The pineal-hungry servitors will continue to harass those 
  at the base of the hill until their master has received his last 
  meal. This can occur in several ways. Firstly the creatures 
  may scoop a functioning gland from the still-warm brain 
  of anybody slain under the shadow of Eye Bone Hill. Pro-
  fessor Duncan will be a likely target, being incapacitated 
  and already weak. 
  The other potential source of the sleeper’s last meal is the 
  people of Walnut Street. If any of Duncan’s street lights 
  still shines over the accursed street, Renders and Dissolv-
  ers will murder more residents to obtain the last glands 
  their master needs. If this source of sustenance is still 
  open, a Dissolver with the needed food will arrive at the 
  hill fifteen rounds after the explosion.
  Once the servitor bearing a captured pineal is safely in the 
  cave, all others will also withdraw into the cavern to await 
  their master’s revival.
  The Sleeper Stirs
  The full awakening of the Great Old One beneath Eye 
  Bone Hill will take quite some time even after it consumes 
  the final morsel of food. It is during this time, while the 
  sleeper is only partly awake, that the Investigators still 
  have a chance of preventing the monstrosity from attain-
  ing permanent freedom. 
  Even having consumed the occult substances it obtained 
  from the human pineal bodies, the thing still requires a 
  second unearthly reagent before its revival is permanent: 
  the non-electromagnetic radiation emitted by the invisible 
  living star Xoth. 
  If, through stealing the thing’s perceptual faculties, the In-
  vestigators deny the sleeper of this weird light, the Great 
  Old One’s awakening will be limited to a mere three hours. 
  After this time, the thing will retreat back into its shrine, 
  there to descend again into slumber awaiting a more for-
  tuitous time to reenter the world.
  
  25
  Immediately following the sleeper’s consumption of the 
  last pineal, changes begin taking place within the cave. 
  The hundred black tentacles, each patchily coated with 
  uneven red hair, begin to move slowly and rhythmically. 
  Their movement is in time with the same unheard music 
  to which the column veins sway. The sleeper’s attendants, 
  the remaining dissolving monstrosities and their rend-
  ing brethren, dance in a curiously asymmetrical pattern 
  around the base of their master’s podium.
  After ten minutes, the Great Old One slowly begins to 
  move from his place of rest. A hundred tentacles, each 
  covered with a thousand smaller tendrils, begin to slowly 
  draw the thing from the podium and down the stairway 
  closest to the now-huge opening to the world outside. 
  Once its snail’s-pace of slimy locomotion has lead it to this 
  threshold it halts. 
  The hideous form, bathed in the evil green light from the 
  cavern, is now visible to all at the hill’s foot whose can 
  sense the non-electromagnetic radiation the thing reflects. 
  Those unfortunates who witness the waving, twitch-
  ing tentacles of the Great Old One suffer a SAN loss of 
  1D6/1D20. An Investigator who has already lost SAN for 
  previously witnessing the thing’s inanimate form only 
  suffer a 1D3/1D10 loss now.
  The partly woken sleeper will remain at the threshold for 
  almost three hours, almost motionless, gently swaying its 
  tentacles at the stars unseen. This time is a perfect oppor-
  tunity for Investigators to use Eibon’s chant to capture the 
  perceptions of the blasphemous being. To effectively guide 
  the net of magical energy to wholly encapsulate the alien 
  creature requires that the spell caster climb to within a doz-
  en feet of the cave entrance. While this may seem a danger-
  ous proposition, it is actually safe. During this stage of the 
  Great Old One’s awakening it will attack no one, instead 
  intent on bathing in the alien glow of its home world. 
  The visions that a successful caster steal are utterly alien 
  in nature: half-dreams of outre cities which are at once 
  too organic and too asymmetric, vistas of non-Euclidean 
  geometric shapes, visions of squirming living dead things, 
  and a myriad of other less identifiable sensations.
  Successfully depriving the entity of its perceptions for 
  more than half of its appointed waking time (i.e., an hour 
  and a half) ultimately has the desired effect. At the end of 
  its three hours of waiting, the Great Old One will blindly 
  retreat into its cave shrine. As it does so, it emits a curious 
  cry, half gurgling half high pitch wailing. 
  Once inside the cavern, the unspeakable thing will feel its 
  way through the rock forest and ascend the stone dais. It 
  will enigmatically wait there for several minutes, tentacles 
  and tendrils flailing wildly about, ejecting caustic clouds in 
  all directions. After ten minutes, this frantic violence stops 
  quite suddenly. The Great Old One has voluntarily lapsed 
  into its safe state of inanimacy, content to wait until such 
  time as the stars are closer to their appointed patterns.
  Investigators with a more violent or desperate bent may 
  attempt to use physical force against the partly awakened 
  thing. This is a dangerous proposition. As soon as any 
  damage is done to their master, all remaining servitors 
  emerge from the cave to protect it. It may, however, still 
  be possible to force the revived Great Old One back into 
  its shrine. If Investigators manage to reduce the thing’s 
  hit points to zero, it will retreat into the cave as described 
  above. In this instance it will likewise descend into inani-
  macy awaiting a more suitable time for its awakening. 
  If the Investigators do not manage to successfully deprive 
  the creature of its perceptions for at least an hour and a 
  half, and do not drive the thing off with weapons, they 
  have failed. The black tentacled monstrosity, tendrils waving 
  with a new-found freedom, will slither down the side of 
  Eye Bone Hill, now completely awake. Unless the Inves-
  tigators interfere, the thing, looking disgustingly like an 
  enormous mass of writhing black hairy worms, will make 
  its way toward a small wood a half mile north of the hill. 
  There it will brood and make unknowable plans for the 
  demise of local populations. 
  
  26
  Conclusion
  The Investigators succeed in this scenario by either com-
  pletely halting the awakening of the creature beneath Eye 
  Bone Hill, or making the thing’s awakening brief. The 
  former can be achieved only by destroying every one of 
  Duncan’s street lamps before the requisite number of pi-
  neal glands has been collected and preventing Duncan’s 
  suicidal plan. Investigators achieving this are awarded 
  2D6 SAN each, as well as an additional 1D10 SAN if they 
  understood the nature of the thing beneath the hill. 
  The second, and far more likely method by which success 
  may be achieved is by using either Eibon’s Chant or physical 
  damage to force the awakened thing back into its cave shrine. 
  The SAN reward for achieving this is 1D20 — Investigators 
  will have more than deserved it.
  If the Investigators fail to contain the worm thing’s awak-
  ening, the consequences are potentially severe and long 
  term. While a single lesser Great Old One is nowhere near 
  powerful enough to consider overtly subjugating the local 
  populace, covert violence against humanity is a definite 
  possibility. The number of disappearances in and around 
  Arkham will skyrocket as the awakened blasphemy makes 
  ready the way for others of its race to return. Investigators 
  who link the sudden rash of disappearances with their 
  failure stand to lose 1D6 SAN.
  Regardless of whether the Investigators succeed or fail, 
  the disappearances and insanity on Walnut Street contin-
  ue so long as some of Duncan’s street lights remain. While 
  the Renders will no longer stalk the street (they hunt only 
  for their master’s food), the Dissolvers will certainly still 
  be interested in eating those humans it can perceive. For 
  a similar reason, the lands around Eye Bone Hill will not 
  be safe until the gaping hole in the hillside is somehow 
  covered. Investigators may get a nasty shock if they have 
  succeeded in this scenario but continue to read news  of 
  disappearances that seem related.
  Statistics
  Michael Farr, insane astronomer
  STR 
  10 CON 12 SIZ 
  14 INT 
  16 POW 18
  DEX 7 
  APP 10 EDU 18 SAN 12 HP 
  13
  Skills: Astronomy 95%, Spot Hidden 55%
  Georgio Caruso, fated Milk Deliverer
  STR 
  15 CON 14 SIZ 
  18 INT 
  10 POW 17
  DEX 11 APP 14 EDU 9  
  SAN 43 HP 
  16
  Damage Bonus: +1D6
  Weapons: All at base chances.
  Skills: Accounting 35%, Fast Talk 50%, Locksmith 80%
  Shepley Herber, book seller
  STR 
  11 CON 14 SIZ 
  13 INT 
  17 POW 11
  DEX 14 APP 15 EDU 12 SAN 65 HP 
  14
  Damage Bonus: 0
  Weapons: Baseball Bat 45%, damage 1D8; .45 Revolver 25%, 
  damage 1D10+2 
  Skills: Bargain 75%, Fast Talk 60%, Natural History 20%
  Wojtek Przedworski, blind and insane witness
  STR 
  6 
  CON 5 
  SIZ 
  13 INT 
  10 POW 17
  DEX 12 APP 9 
  EDU 11 SAN 8 
  HP 
  9
  Skills: Scream Incoherently 80%
  Jed Ashcroft, apiarist
  STR 
  13 CON 18 SIZ 
  17 INT 
  12 POW 15
  DEX 13 APP 9 
  EDU 13 SAN 74 HP  18
  Damage Bonus: +1D4
  Weapons: 12-gauge Shotgun (two barrel) 55%, damage 
  4D6/2D6/1D6
  Skills: Avoid Bee-sting 60%, Drive Auto 40%, Natural 
  History 65%
  Graham Duncan, Bostonian Professor of Engineering
  STR 
  14 CON 12 SIZ 
  18 INT 
  18 POW 13
  DEX 11 APP 6 
  EDU 20 SAN 4 
  HP  11
  Damage Bonus: 0
  Weapons: .32 Revolver 30%, damage 1D8; Pocketknife 40%, 
  damage 1D3 
  Skills: Electrical Repair 100%, Cthulhu Mythos 7%, Library 
  Use 60%
  Eight Renders
   
  #1 
  #2 
  #3 
  #4 
  #5 
  #6 
  #7 
  #8 
  STR 
  13 
  14 
  15 
  17 
  12 
  16 
  16  
  11
  CON 
  14 
  10  
  14 
  12 
  12 
  16 
  13 
  12
  SIZ 
  44 
  48 
  36 
  44 
  44 
  38 
  39 
  40
  INT 
  7 
  7 
  8 
  3 
  6 
  11 
  6 
  4
  POW 
  2 
   3 
  6 
  6 
  1 
  6 
  6 
  1
  DEX 
  16 
  14 
  10 
  15 
  12 
  15 
  19 
  13
  HP 
  29 
  29 
  25 
  28 
  28 
  27 
  26 
  26  
  Move                         -------------------- 10 -------------------- 
  Damage Bonus +3D6 +3D6 +2D6 +3D6 +2D6  +2D6 +2D6 +2D6
  Weapons: Tentacle (x5) 45%, Damage 1D10 + db + 1D6 per 
  round target held 
  Armor: When incorporeal, Renders take no damage from 
  physical attacks. When corporeal their tentacles have 
  3 points.
  Spells: none
  Sanity Loss: 1/1D6
  
  27
  Three Dissolvers
   
  #1 
  #2 
  #3
  STR  
  44 
  44 
  45
  CON 
  31 
  39 
  34
  SIZ 
  82 
  81 
  80
  INT 
   9 
  4 
  6
  POW  
  5 
  4 
  10
  DEX 
  11 
  10 
  10
  HP 
  57 
  60 
  57
  Move                                 ------- 8 ------
  Damage Bonus 
  +7D6 
  +7D6 
  +7D6
  Weapons: Envelop 100%, immediate damage is db. All 
  non-enchanted earthly material dissolved in 
  two rounds.
  Armor: Invulnerable to physical attack when incorporeal. 
  Otherwise 3 points.  Also impaling weapons do 
  minimum damage. Regenerates 5hp per round.
  Spells: none
  Sanity Loss: 1D3/1D10
  The Sleeper, Great Old One
  The creature that sleeps beneath Eye Bone Hill is a lesser 
  member of the alien race of beings which counts Cthulhu 
  as its High Priest and Leader. Being a less powerful in-
  dividual of the species, the mystical forces that bind the 
  Great Old Ones “until the stars are right” hold this being 
  less strongly. Thus, it can conceivably arise slightly before 
  the appointed time. 
  The Sleeping Great Old One is entirely invisible to normal 
  vision. However, humans with developed pineal-sight 
  may view the thing’s gruesome visage. In appearance the 
  being reminds the observer of nothing so much as an enor-
  mous knot of writhing hairy worms. A hundred tentacles, 
  each coated with countless smaller red hairlike tendrils, 
  comprise the thing’s body. It has no eyes, or any other sen-
  sory organ to which humanity might relate. Nor does the 
  being have a mouth, instead absorbing its food through 
  the million sucker-like protuberances which grace the 
  ubiquitous red tendrils. These protuberances can break 
  down most organic matter by excreting a highly caustic 
  powder (actually a conglomeration of micro organisms). 
  Investigators unfortunate enough to find themselves in 
  combat with the tentacled monstrosity will have a hard 
  time. Firstly, the thing has at least sixteen tentacles that 
  can be simultaneously used to attack, although each must 
  strike against a different (man sized) target. The Great Old 
  One, unlike its servitor races, is fully capable of sensing 
  any human in any illumination, pineal-awakening or oth-
  erwise. Thus, anybody is a fair target. 
  Besides the tentacle attack, the thing may attempt to crush 
  opponents with its sheer weight. Unrestrained targets of 
  this attack should be allowed some manner of Dodge Roll 
  to avoid this attack. The Sleeper’s final mode of attack is to 
  cause all the suckers on a single tentacle to eject a 10 foot 
  spherical clouds of caustic excreta. This is the standard man-
  ner by which it purges unwanted substances from its body. 
  Anyone unlucky enough to find themselves in a cloud of ex-
  creta not only takes damage, but can be blinded for a short 
  period of time. Targets must match their CON against the 
  cloud’s POT of 12. Failure means the individual is blinded 
  for one round per 5 he or she failed the roll by. 
  Once the caustic ‘powder’ has been exposed to air for more 
  than a few minutes it begins to lose its corrosive proper-
  ties. It is this unreactive form of the Great Old One’s ex-
  creta which adorns all corners of the thing’s cave shrine, 
  not to mention Duncan’s street lamps.
  STR 
  32 CON 50 SIZ 
  40 INT 
  26  POW 25 
  DEX 11 Move 8 
  HP 
  45
  Damage Bonus: +3D6
  Weapons:  Tentacle 80%, damage db x2 + 1D3 caustic excreta 
  damage per round
  Crush 100%, damage 8D6
  Caustic Excreta Cloud 75%, damage 3D3 + 
  blinding
  Armor: No armor, but all physical attacks do minimum 
  damage. Additionally, the Sleeper can regenerate 
  2 hits per round, although it cannot regenerate 
  damage done to a severed tentacle.
  Spells: All Call and Contact spells.
  Sanity Loss: 1D6/1D20 Sanity points to see the Sleeper 
  awakened.
  
  28
  PLAYER HANDOUTS
  The six pages which follow contain player handouts that can be used when running “In A 
  Different Light”. 
  The Handouts are:
  • Three Newspaper Clippings from the Arkham Advertiser
  • A Blood-Spattered Page from Farr’s Astronomical Notebook
  • Eight pages from Duncan’s Diary (four to a page), including the page torn from the book
  • A Letter from “Lucifer” (actually Duncan) sent to the Investigators
  • A map showing the area around Crawford’s Rise (from a vintage atlas)
  Print these pages single-sided, in colour if possible. Then cut out the handouts from the sheet.
  Some words on the sources used for these handouts:
  • The Newspaper props have been typeset using the excellent (and free) fonts made by the 
  H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. Some care has been taken to use the same fonts and spac-
  ings using in their wonderful Arkham Advertiser props. You can download many useful 
  fonts and props, including all those mentioned, for free from cthulhulives.org
  • The Map which served as the source for the (Photoshop adjusted) page from the Atlas was 
  actually likely drawn much later than 1872, possibly as late as 1930. I hope players and 
  Keepers will forgive the anachronism in return for a nicely rendered map.
  • There really exists an Essex County Atlas from 1872, and you can view pages of it online 
  (unfortunately only in low resolution unless you want to buy the map). This would have 
  been the location of many of the towns in the fictional “Lovecraft country”.
  • The Geography of Lovecraft Country presented in this scenario is somewhat at odds with 
  real-world Massachusetts geography and the relative positioning of towns as presented in 
  other Call of Cthulhu books. There really exists a town called Sudbury, but it isn’t in Essex 
  County and would be further away from  the (supposed) site of Arkham than presented 
  here.  Interestingly, a few of the main roads in the area around Sudbury where I have situ-
  ated Crawford’s Rise are now included in Google Street View. So, if you want to take a vir-
  tual drive through the modern-day site of this abandoned village, try a Google Map search 
  with the terms “round hill sudbury ma” and zoom in on the main roads (e.g., Lincoln Rd)
  
  BY JACK CARLTON
  Mayor Peabody today announced a 
  program of “radical upgrade” for public 
  facilities in Arkham’s Southside. This 
  region of the city, says Peabody, is 
  “sadly neglected – a situation we plan to 
  remedy immediately.” As the initial 
  phase of the upgrade plan, Arkham’s 
  Council 
  of 
  Selectmen 
  last 
  night 
  approved a small budget for a pilot plan 
  to replace the street lights along a small 
  stretch of Walnut Street. The new lights 
  will incorporate “the very latest in 
  illuminating 
  technology” 
  said 
  City 
  Engineer Basil Endicott. 
  Cynics might be forgiven for thinking 
  that the Mayor’s sudden announcement 
  of proposed works is merely a promise 
  to please the public. Reports from 
  undisclosed sources suggest Mayor 
  Peabody is highly nervous with regard the 
  upcoming Mayoral election. This generous 
  promise of reform long called for can only 
  serve to boost the Mayor's popularity. 
  Mayor Announces Public 
  Works in Southside
  —
  |
  —
  |
  —
  Man Hideously 
  Murdered in 
  Arkham Street
  —
     Mutilated 
  Corpse Found in 
  Southside
  —
     Street Bathed in Blood
  In the early hours of this morning, 
  police were called to investigate an 
  unholy shrieking and wailing heard by 
  residents of Walnut Street in Arkham’s 
  sleepy Southside. The racket apparently 
  was coming from the street. But, by the 
  time the police had arrived on the scene 
  the clamor had ceased. Casual investi-
  gations lead them to discover the 
  horribly mutilated body of a man in his 
  early forties. 
  The man, respected Southsider Georgio 
  Caruso, was found decapitated, with 
  hundreds of deep slashes covering more 
  than half his body. His skull had been 
  cloven in two, surgical incisions made 
  into the brain within. Walnut Street was 
  bathed in his blood.
  The disgusting extent of the mutilations 
  inflicted upon the corpse has lead police 
  to suspect the involvement of some form 
  of obscene cult. As yet, however, the 
  police have not formally announced any 
  suspicions as to the motive for the 
  slaying. It is understood that they are 
  awaiting the findings of an autopsy to 
  be performed today. As yet no eye 
  witnesses to the grisly murder have 
  come forward.
  A local resident told this reporter that 
  the prevalent mood among the commu-
  nity in Walnut Street is one of shock. 
  “Peoples just don't want to believe that a 
  monster of the type that could do this 
  could be roaming our street.”
  Readers of the Advertiser will recall 
  that last week we reported the finding 
  of mutilated animal carcasses in the 
  neighborhood. 
  Today’s 
  occurrence 
  seems to cast an altogether more sinister 
  light on this earlier discovery.
  While it is not our intention to panic 
  residents of the area, we respectfully 
  suggest that people take care when 
  visiting the streets of Southside at night.
  —
  —
  Disturbance in Southside
  Residents in the Simpson Apartments in 
  Arkham's Southside were last night 
  awakened by what witnesses describe as  
  “horrid and unholy screeching.”  The 
  source of these deranged sounds of 
  screaming was apparently Apartment 5, 
  rented by a reclusive man in his mid 
  twenties. Once police had been called, 
  and a locksmith employed to open the 
  fastened door, a horrible scene was 
  discovered. While the specifics of the 
  bloody scene are unsuitable for publica-
  tion in a reputable newspaper, it is 
  sufficient to say that the man had appar-
  ently lost control of his senses and 
  hideously 
  blinded 
  and 
  mutilated 
  himself. He was taken into custody to 
  protect him against further insane 
  actions against his person.
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 1
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 3
  In A Different Light Handout: Newspaper Clipping 2
  
  00
  PM
  00
  AM
  15
  AM
  In A Different Light Handout: Farr’s Notebook
  
  Sudbury
  Arkham
  Wayland
  Abandoned
  Village
  M
  i
  s
  ka
  t
  o
  n
  i
  c
  Wed. May 4, 1927 
  Sat. May 7, 1927 
  Thu. May 5, 1927 
  Sun. May 8, 1927 
  Today I saw the most amazing thing. I was 
  walking through the Bazaar near campus when 
  I came upon a stall I had never seen there 
  before. Some new trinket shop I believe. Anyway, 
  I was just about ready to walk straight past 
  the place when I spied some curious desk lamps 
  the foreign gentleman was selling. I'm still not 
  sure how to describe the qualities of this light, 
  even though I can see the desk lamp I bought 
  from him as I write. There's some kind of 
  opalescence about it which I've never seen from 
  any electric light. Also its brightness and strength 
  are better than anything I've seen running on 
  domestic voltage! I took the lamp down to the 
  workroom and did some experimenting with it. 
  God! Even with half the normal voltage its 
  light is as clear and illuminating as a normal 
  desk lamp. How could that be? I must seek 
  out the foreign gentleman who sold it to me 
  and find out more.
  The dark skinned foreigner claims he makes the 
  lamps himself! He says he takes normal electric 
  lights and coats them with some 'secret' powder he 
  alone knows of and they take on the properties 
  I observed. Sounds like a bunch of mumbo-jumbo 
  to me. How could some powder coating improve 
  the efficiency of the lamp? I challenged the 
  shopkeep to show me this highly improbable process 
  in action so I could judge the veracity of his 
  claim. Amazingly enough, he agreed: the day 
  after tomorrow he's going to show me not only 
  how the lamps are made, but also his source of 
  this 'miracle' ingredient. I am, of course, highly 
  skeptical. We shall see ...
  It's true! Incredible, but true! Everything that weird, 
  dark-skinned man said was right. I saw it with 
  my own eyes  he took a cheap common desk 
  lamp of the kind one might buy anywhere, added the 
  weirdly textured grayish powder and ... presto ... the 
  light from the thing was at least twice as bright as 
  it originally was, and considerably more opalescent. 
  My scientific mind is at a loss to explain it, 
  but it recognizes how important this phenomenon could 
  be! And it could be I that introduce it to the 
  academic world! But I skip ahead of myself ... 
  after the demonstration I was more than eager to 
  take the man up on his offer to see the place he 
  knew where this amazing powder could be found. He 
  told me the place was a cave in a hill not far 
  from Arkham. I drove, he directed ... I could 
  tell some of the directions he was giving were 
  designed to make it difficult for me to later 
  replicate the trip, but I think I managed to keep 
  my head straight enough to keep track of where we 
  went. I shall set down ...
  In A Different Light Handout: Duncan’s Diary (Entries 1 & 2)
  In A Different Light Handout: Duncan’s Diary (Entry 3)
  In A Different Light Handout: Duncan’s Diary (Missing Entry 4)
  
  Sun. Nov. 13, 1927 
  Mon. Nov. 14, 1927 
  Mon. Mar. 5, 1928 
  Tue. Mar. 6, 1928 
  Yet another hallucination ... at least that's what 
  I think it was.
  Annoying given how busy
  Krister thinks I need a rest does 
  he? Ha! Let him thing think what 
  he wants. This temporary leave of 
  absence should mean I can finish off 
  the the lamps for Arkham Edison 
  within the week. And at least with 
  all my equipment here at home, I 
  Know nobody is using it at nights. 
  Let's see Eckermann steal my work 
  now! 
  He's out to steal my ideas, I know 
  it. That wretched German! Anyway, it's 
  too late ... my paper will be published 
  soon, and nobody will be able to deny 
  it was I who revolutionized the face of 
  Engineering! I received a letter today 
  from Arkham Edison they want to 
  trial my lamps for street lighting. 
  They want 12, ready within four 
  months. Methinks I will be busy, but 
  I know I can do it! But the scum 
  at the Uni who want to steal my 
  glory mustn't know about this. I can 
  do all the work in my workshop, with 
  plenty of time to spare!
  Another long day of travel ... but at least the 
  enthusiastic reception I received when speaking at 
  Harvard makes the tiresome travelling worthwhile.
  In A Different Light Handout: Duncan’s Diary (Entry 5)
  In A Different Light Handout: Duncan’s Diary (Entry 6)
  
  From the Darkness, you follow the same Path. Can it be. Can it be. Or have 
  I been tricked again, I wonder. But oh, how could I resist so great a light 
   a different light, a light of my invention. Now I live forever in its hell.
  But I digress, I ask for no forgiveness for mine own weakness. Each man has 
  his Grand Failure on the spiral path downwards, I suppose. All that I wish 
  is the chance to fix what I have been tricked into inflicting upon those innocents. 
  Walnut Street, you suffer so. Can I help you?
  I write to you because I think that perchance we both desire the same thing. 
  That is the cessation of that influence which I have brought here. I have a plan 
  -- the mountain must fall, and perhaps you can aid me. I will contact 
  you again soon to instruct you further.
  In the meantime, I am yours in the cult of one
                            Lucifer.
  PS: watch carefully around you. There are agents working for them everywhere. 
  Destroy this note once you have read it and tell no-one of the secrets I 
  have entrusted you.
  
  Crawford’s Rise
  In A Different Light Handout: Page from Essex County Atlas, 1872 showing Crawford’s Rise (center)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu (CoC) (BRP) [multi]/Adventures/1920s/CoC - 1920s - Adv - In a Different Light (.pdf