TEXT:  
   
   
  
   
   
   
  
   
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH, PART 1 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CREDITS 
   
  Written By 
   
  Mike Nagel 
   
  Play Testing 
   
  John H. Crowe, Jeff Moeler, Dave Dickinson, George Soika, George Felis, Arthur Chenin, Scott Quade, 
  John Phillips, Ben Sopranzetti, Arlene Sopranzetti, Jeff Bisacquino, Martha Ackovitz  
   
  Acknowledgements 
   
  Thanks to the staff of SilentsAreGolden.com for permission to use the portraits 
  of silent screen stars within these pages. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Copyright 2017 by Michael P. Nagel 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Call of Cthulhu is a Trademark of Chaosium Inc. and is used with their permission via the OBS Community Content program. 
  For more information please visit Chaosium’s website: www.chaosium.com 
  The Chaosium and Miskatonic Repository Logos are used under license. 
   
   
   
  
   
    
  HOWARD PHILLIPS LOVECRAFT 
  August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 3 - 
  This adventure forms the first part of the broader campaign 
  “The Trail of the Monolith.” It is fully functional as a stand-alone 
  adventure that can be easily integrated into an active campaign 
  taking place in a metropolitan area. I originally wrote this sce-
  nario in 1986 during my senior year in college. Since then, the 
  scenario has undergone several face-lifts, involving a considera-
  ble amount of modification and expansion. I sincerely hope that 
  you find this final edition truly heinous. 
  When designing the scenario, first thoughts were on creating 
  an adventure that was a real mystery, where the investigators 
  have no idea who the bad guy really is until the climax of the 
  plot. It seemed that in so many scenarios, after an hour of play, 
  you already knew who you were up against, and had to spend the 
  rest of the time figuring out how to deal with the threat, steadily 
  losing sanity along the way. And so, the formula was created: a 
  puzzle with telling and misleading clues, shady characters, and 
  a mind-blowing solution. Three play testing sessions have 
  proven my attempt to be fairly successful in keeping things mud-
  dled for the investigators. One hint to game masters running the 
  adventure: I've included several red-herrings, that should be 
  played up to the max. 
  SCENARIO BACKGROUND 
  Millions of years past, dinosaurs ruled the Earth. But not the 
  hulking, lumbering creatures that adorn our modern-day muse-
  ums and crank the imagination of school children into over-
  drive. These lizards were much smaller, much subtler, and infi-
  nitely more intelligent. They lived in great cities of basalt, cre-
  ated devices both mystical and horrible, and worshiped a god 
  who created them in his own image: Yig, Father of Serpents. 
  Under his guidance, the Serpent race prospered, and for his 
  amusement, they fought. Wars raged all over the planet, turning 
  jungle to desert and sinking whole continents into the sea with 
  their eldritch weapons. And Yig was content. To him, the de-
  struction was harmless amusement, never allowed to proceed so 
  far as to annihilate his progeny, and it absorbed his interest 
  completely. Little did Yig realize that his interest attracted other 
  eyes that delighted in the destruction as well, and yearned to 
  take part, careless of the ramifications. 
  And so like comets, these Great Ones landed on Earth to 
  wreak havoc with mad abandon. Like ants the Serpent folk were 
  crushed under foot, and Yig was powerless to stop the devasta-
  tion as his power alone could not match the combined power of 
  the mad gods who now trundled the planet. In a desperate at-
  tempt to save his people, he passed on knowledge allowing the 
  priest-scientists of the doomed race to sink one of their greatest 
  cities beneath the surface of the Earth, where it would remain in 
  virtual seclusion within the green-hell of the Amazon River ba-
  sin. 
  With the guidance of their lord, and the assistance of their ar-
  cane devices, the remaining Serpent Men began a project that 
  would allow them to rebuild their population to its former glory. 
  Due to the devastation left behind by their nemeses, however, 
  the plot would not come to fruition for millennia. 
  The year is 1918, the Year of the Serpent. The time has come. 
  On a clear, sunny, down-right beautiful day in early June of 
  that year, Terrance Walters (ahem, Doctor Terrance Walters) 
  stepped down from a platform before the Miskatonic University 
  Library, medical degree in hand. Graduating at the top of his 
  class, and basking in the glow of the Hippocratic Oath, Walters 
  had eagerly accepted a position with a small clinic in the Bayou 
  area of Louisiana, even though he could have worked in any hos-
  pital in the country. But he didn't want to waste his time and skill 
  on the sprains and hang-nails of the elite...Hell, no! It was the 
  poor and disadvantaged who needed his help! 
  And so, full of confidence in his abilities and blinded by his 
  selflessness, off he went to the Big Easy. Much to his surprise, he 
  was almost immediately accepted into the new culture. What he 
  didn't know at the time was that his coming had been antici-
  pated by a local cult of Yig who had been informed of his im-
  portance to the Serpent Men through contact with Yig himself. 
  With great subtlety, Walters was introduced to the cult and its 
  following. His sanity was slowly eroded by a program of hyp-
  notic drugs and magical influence from the leaders of the cult. 
  Once his mind was thoroughly bent, he was contacted by Yig 
  through a dream. 
  In the dream, Yig described the decay of the Serpent Men over 
  the eons from their once great existence to near extinction. He 
  explained how Walters was chosen to help extend the life of Ser-
  pent Man race through his "great medical ability" and the help 
  of a little magic. Due to his weakened mental condition and the 
  opportunity to save an entire race, instead of just helping the 
  hopelessly destitute stay healthy, he was eager to help in Yig’s 
  plans. 
  With newly acquired magical knowledge, he devised a method 
  through which a human embryo could be fertilized by the seed 
  of a Serpent Man, thus creating a half-breed. Using this method, 
  he plans to bring the race back to its past strength and glory. 
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
  A TWO-FISTED ADVENTURE FOR THREE TO FIVE INVESTIGATORS 
  “Yig’s chief trait was a relentless devotion to his children ... “ 
  H. P. Lovecraft, The Curse of Yig 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 4 - 
  Unfortunately, there were two problems with the process. First, 
  the procedure requires that a fetal egg be removed from the 
  mothers' womb before it hatches, so that it can be properly 
  treated – a process that kills the woman. So, the process requires 
  a ready supply of strong subjects to carry the eggs while they ma-
  ture. Second, the chemicals used in the procedure can only be 
  created with components that haven't existed for millions of 
  years. 
  The conversion of Walters from mild-mannered country doc-
  tor to insane Yig-worshiping priest took five years. This may 
  seem like a long time, but what is time compared to the eternity 
  of the Great Old Ones? Nevertheless, Yig was not idle. 
  Knowing that Walters needed help to bring his plan to frui-
  tion, Yig cast about for a suitable assistant and a means by which 
  the proper assets could be acquired to proceed. All were found 
  near the small mining town of Cumberton, Tennessee. Buried 
  deep below the Appalachians laid the remains of one of the Ser-
  pent race's greatest cities, that was decimated during the romp 
  of the Old Ones. The only structure still intact is a small temple 
  buried beneath the ages and known only to a tiny Native Amer-
  ican snake-cult made up of the remains of the Nasahari Indians. 
  During one of their rituals, the cult elders were contacted by 
  Yig. In the vision, they were told of the plan to return the Serpent 
  Men to their former greatness, and how the Nasahari would be 
  instrumental to that plan. First of all, one of their members — 
  Shawna, daughter of the tribal leader — would assist the "White 
  Priest" in any way required. Second, the tribal shaman would 
  open a passage to the old world within their secluded temple, 
  through which powerful magic would be given to the White 
  Priest to aid him in his work. The Nasahari were, like Walters, 
  eager to help. 
  While they set about opening the required gate in one of the 
  collapsed tunnels leading from their temple below the surface, 
  Shawna moved into Cumberton and quickly acquired a job as-
  sisting the town doctor. In her capacity as nurse and secretary, 
  she discovered a ready source of medical subjects in the pubes-
  cent female population of the town (solving the first problem), 
  and quickly got in touch with Walters, who ordered her to do 
  away with the physician. She did this exceptionally well, making 
  it look like a heart attack. Unfortunately, before Walters could 
  arrive to take his place, Dr. Xavier Griswald, contacted through 
  the local mining company, arrived to set up a new practice. This 
  stymied Walters' plans, until he decided that the next best posi-
  tion in town in which to watch over its nubile members would 
  be as a school teacher. And with a little better planning, Miss 
  Margaret Hamill was dispatched by Shawna, and Walters soon 
  arrived to take her place. Not long after his arrival, the disap-
  pearances began. 
  After a few months of initial success, a wrench by the name of 
  the Stutts Mining Company was dropped into the works. Appar-
  ently, one of the work teams uncovered a particularly rich vein 
  of coal, that led them right into the Nasahari temple. In order to 
  keep the gate across time and space open, Yig was continually 
  pumping massive amounts of Power into an idol located smack-
  dab in the middle of the temple that was being drawn upon by 
  the Nasahari shaman. The miners didn't have any idea at the 
  time that iconoclasm is a particularly bad thing, so they messed 
  with it. Result: Explosion, Coal Fire, Cave-In. The gate remains 
  open – barely – but now somebody knows of its location, if not 
  its purpose! 
  Another factor that Walters didn't take into account was the 
  concern that Albert Stutts, president and owner of the Stutts 
  Mining Company might have toward the disappearances. After 
  all, what would a coal baron care about a bunch of snotty teen-
  agers? Enough to call in the investigators... 
  NEW YORK CITY 
  On a dreary day in early Spring, one of the characters (prefer-
  ably but not necessarily a private investigator), receives a phone 
  call from Andy Walgrew, an old buddy and one of the editors of 
  "Sleuth Bi-Monthly", a popular investigative periodical. Andy 
  seems to recall that the character in question is permanently in 
  need of cash (or is owed a debt, or is just a really nice guy, etc...) 
  so he thought he'd let him or her in on an opportunity before 
  making it known publicly. 
  Apparently, the head of some mining company in “Podunk,” 
  Tennessee has been having some problems with a couple of fam-
  ilies whose kids have disappeared. He hasn't gotten any help 
  from the local flat-feet, so he's decided to get some outside help, 
  and is offering $2500 plus expenses! If the job sounds interest-
  ing, the character should stop by "Sleuth" for details. 
  The Offices of Sleuth Bi-Monthly 
  Sleuth Bi-Monthly is a criminology journal published in New 
  York, and geared toward private investigators. Within its pages 
  are found details of new investigative techniques and equip-
  ment, summaries of particularly interesting cases, and requests 
  for assistance. As the titles specifies, issues are published every 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 5 - 
  other month, and each carries a $0.50 cover price (which is 
  pretty steep, but acceptable in such a high-quality magazine). 
  The cramped basement office is located in a Madison Avenue 
  building. Inside, it is smoky, damp, and smelling of old news 
  print. Stacked everywhere are not only old issues of the publish-
  er's small, yet well-known, magazine, but also hundreds of other 
  detective magazines from all over the world. Once this office is 
  given the once-over by the investigators, they may want to use it 
  as a source of information in the future. Any research attempts 
  for information in the same vein as the magazine are at +15% to 
  a character’s skill level. Searching for any other information 
  (provided it could logically be found here) would be at -5%. 
  The office is run by two ex-Pinkerton detectives – Andy 
  Walgrew and Dick Finklestein – who decided that they had be-
  come too old for the detective game. They are very friendly, and 
  are more than willing to help the investigators in any way they 
  can, provided that they are not up to their elbows in work (a 10% 
  chance!). If able, they can contribute their own research skills to 
  the player characters. 
  Detective Walgrew is of medium height, with close cropped 
  red hair. He is listed in each magazine as the Editor-in-Chief, 
  and does most of the talking. If for some reason the investigators 
  are hostile, he attempts to ward them off with words, before re-
  sorting to the .38 pistol in his desk. 
   
  Andy Walgrew 
  Ex-Pinkerton Detective, age 57 
   
  STR 70 
  CON 60 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 75 
  INT 75  
  APP 50 
  POW 60 
  EDU 70 
  SAN 60  
  HP 12 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 6 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  50% (25/10) 
  .45 Revolver 
  75% (37/15), damage 1d10+2 
  Dodge 
   
  37% (18/7) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (25%), Fast Talk (55%), 
  Law (35%), Library Use (65%), Listen 
  (75%), Oratory (60%), Psychology (70%), 
  Spot Hidden (65%). 
   
  The character to whom he sent the mes-
  sage remembers Andy as the prodigal street-
  wise gum-shoe. He seemed to have sources everywhere, and 
  could always crack a case through the prodigious use of shoe-
  leather and rational questioning. Even though he may have 
  never met any of the other characters, he seems to know all 
  about them (which can be disconcerting!). Many of his old co-
  workers wondered if he was telepathic. Actually, he's just an ex-
  cellent observer, and will happily admit it if asked. 
  Before getting around to the job in question, Walgrew will give 
  his acquaintance a friendly, yet complete, once-over. The char-
  acter in question will be bombarded with inquiries as to his or 
  her health and happiness, employment status, family status, etc. 
  He may even make up a thing or two about the character, just to 
  get a laugh out of any accompanying investigators. "Before the 
  18th, I actually witnessed this guy down a full fifth of rot-gut 
  gin...and then puke all over a French waiter's tux!" 
  Detective Finklestein is tall and thin, with dark hair that is 
  graying at the temples. He spent most of his career as a detective 
  as an expert in breaking and entering. He is listed in the maga-
  zine as the Editor-of-Submissions and prefers action to words. 
  If threatened, he doesn't hesitate to pull a .45 pistol from his 
  desk and use it on the characters if he feels that he won't get in-
  jured in the process. He's not stupid. 
   
  Dick Finklestein 
  Ex-Pinkerton Detective, age 61 
   
  STR 60 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 85 
  INT 65  
  APP 55 
  POW 85 
  EDU 60 
  SAN 85  
  HP 13 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 5 
  MP: 17 
  Luck: 85 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  60% (30/12) 
  .38 Revolver 
  75% (37/15), damage 1d10 
  Dodge 
   
  42% (21/8) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (45%), Law (35%), 
  Library Use (75%), Listen (75%), Lock 
  Picking (75%), Psychology (50%), 
  Sneak (80%), Spot Hidden (65%). 
   
  Unlike Walgrew, Finklestein is 
  quite subdued. He spends most of his 
  time buried in a stack of submissions, wielding a red pen like a 
  dagger. Introductions are short and to the point, usually because 
  Walgrew doesn't let him get a word in edge-wise. When asked 
  for assistance in digging up details, he'll either point to a stack 
  of magazines, or jot a quick reference down on a piece of paper 
  before returning to his work. 
  Acquaintances with the two ex-detectives will remember two 
  things about Finklestein. First, he was Walgrew's mentor while 
  they worked for Pinkerton, and was known for his "Bad Cop" 
  routine, when it came to questioning. Second, he has a photo-
  graphic memory and remembers the highlights of every article 
  that's passed his desk. If the characters can tear him away from 
  his work for a few moments, he is an invaluable source of infor-
  mation. 
   
  The Letter 
  Once the introductions are out of the way (that may take a 
  while, knowing Walgrew), the characters are presented with a 
  letter sent to Sleuth Bi-Monthly. It is neatly typed on stationary 
  from the Stutts Mining Company, and signed – it would seem – 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 6 - 
  by the company president, Albert Stutts. The letter 
  drew the editor's interest, because it was delivered by 
  an express courier (instead of the usual postal sys-
  tem) and inordinate size of the reward noted. 
  In all honesty, the ex-detectives are not completely 
  sure as to the legitimacy of the offer. The letterhead 
  looks right and the company is legit, but something 
  just seems wrong about the whole setup. It's some-
  thing that the normally intuitive Walgrew can't seem 
  to finger. Nevertheless, if the characters would be 
  willing to check it out, the editors of Sleuth Bi-
  Monthly will offer them half of the reward (a hefty 
  $1,250) as well as a penny per word of a publishable 
  report. If the offer turns out to be bunk, they'll refund 
  any transportation costs that the characters may in-
  cur. 
  If they accept, a telegram will be sent to Stutts to 
  inform him of their arrival. 
  The New York Public Library 
  Guarded by Lord Astor and Lady Lenox (the two 
  lion statues at the front doors), the New York Public 
  Library is one of the great stores of information in the 
  United States and the world. Here, the investigators 
  may find information on the history of Cumberton 
  and the surrounding country. 
   
  Cumberton, Tennessee 
  Located roughly 40 miles northwest of Knoxville, 
  Cumberton was founded by one Wilbur Stutts in 
  1886, when he discovered a rich vein of coal and 
  launched the Stutts Mining Company. Virtually the 
  entire population of the town works for the company, 
  that is now run by Albert Stutts, Wilbur's son, follow-
  ing Wilbur's death in 1914. The mine is one of the 
  most profitable in eastern Tennessee, and has been 
  operating in the black since the turn of the century. 
  At the time of Wilbur's death, Albert had a small bit 
  of trouble with the Molly McGuires, a group of labor 
  terrorists, who have until recently, been actively try-
  ing to shut down mining production in the area. Be-
  cause of Albert's charismatic leadership of the com-
  pany, it was the workers who shut down the 
  McGuires' activities before they could do much dam-
  age. This loyalty of labor to management is primarily 
  due to the fact that all the current managers once 
  worked in the mines themselves, including Albert 
  Stutts. This policy, brought forth by Wilbur, and 
  strictly adhered to by Albert, has given the manage-
  ment of Stutts a close look at the working conditions 
  in coal mining, and the ability to structure policy 
  around them. 
  Due to the mountainous location of the town, there 
  is only one road that leads to it, that parallels a single 
  set of train tracks. The train schedule only allows for 
  THE STUTTS MINING CO. 
  Cumberton, Tennessee 
   
  March 22, 1923 
   
   
  Sleuth Bi-Monthly 
  137 East Hannover Street 
  New York City, New York 
   
  Dear Sirs, 
   
  The unenviable task of writing this letter has fallen 
  upon my shoulders, as I am the only person in this small 
  community with the means to seek your assistance. 
   
  Over the course of several months, our small town has 
  been stricken with a rash of disappearances. At first it 
  was believed that the missing persons (little more than 
  children, in fact) had left owing to fear of being 
  forced to work in the local mines. If you must know any-
  thing of my business, please understand that it is not 
  our policy to force our employees to work under diffi-
  cult circumstances. Unlike many of our competitors, we 
  do not use coercion to get results, as our record will 
  show. It is, therefore, difficult to believe that fear 
  would drive these people away. 
   
  I must sadly admit, however, that I was almost convinced 
  that this was the reasoning behind the disappearances, 
  until one of the missing children was discovered by a 
  group of hunters. According to the reports that I have 
  seen, the boy was found far from any roads or trails and 
  carrying only the clothes on his back. This hardly 
  sounds like somebody who's purposely moving away! 
   
  Nevertheless, our local constabulary has chosen to ad-
  here to the expressed and unfounded reasoning, and has 
  given up their investigation. 
   
  To date, five children have disappeared (abducted for 
  reason or reasons unknown), the most recent of which a 
  scant two days ago. 
   
  I thereby formally request your assistance in locating 
  a party who may be able to locate our missing children 
  and capture the persons responsible for their abduc-
  tion. My business is prepared to offer a reward of 
  $2,500 plus expenses for a successful conclusion to 
  these difficulties. 
   
  Please respond as soon as possible. 
   
  Sincerely, 
   
  Albert J. Stutts 
   
  Albert J. Stutts 
  President 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 7 - 
  one train per week to the site, a supply train, that also brings in 
  mail and a few passengers. The line runs from New York to 
  Charleston, West Virginia, and from there to Knoxville and on 
  to Cumberton. 
   
  News Paper and Magazine Articles 
  There are two articles that deal with goings on in Cumberton. 
  A successful Library Use roll is required to uncover each. A Char-
  acter may increase his or her skill level by 10% for each character 
  assisting with research. 
  This is all the characters are able to learn in New York. At this 
  point, they can either drive to Cumberton (a three-day sojourn) 
  or take the train, which cuts the travel time to one day. In either 
  case, they arrive in Cumberton late in the evening. 
  CUMBERTON, TENNESSEE 
  The approach to Cumberton is oppressively forested, and cut 
  through harsh mountain terrain. A small gauge rail road winds 
  through to the town, but the single weekly train must stop often 
  so that engineers may remove debris that's fallen across the 
  tracks. Along the side of the tracks runs a single unpaved dirt 
  road, that looks akin to the surface of the moon. Any vehicles 
  other than heavy trucks will have a hard time navigating it, with-
  out breaking an axle or blowing a tire. 
  As the sun sets and the investigators near their destination, 
  the trees seem to loom ever closer, and the smell of coal and tar 
  becomes heavier and heavier in the air. With shocking abrupt-
  ness, the tree-cover falls away displaying a brilliant star-filled 
  sky over the cozy mining town. The evening temperatures are 
  chill, but not uncomfortable, and there is a comforting sound of 
  machinery perpetually chugging away. 
  A clump of wooden buildings, reminiscent of the Old West, 
  lays clustered around an unpaved intersection. The lights of sev-
  eral homes dot the surrounding hillsides. At the late hour at 
  which the investigators arrive, all the store fronts are closed, 
  with the exception of a single large building at the center of 
  town, that is brightly lit. A large sign, near an open front door 
  reads: 
   
  Colonel Silter's Inn: Welcome! 
   
  The sound of a crowd emanates from within. 
  The Inn Keeper 
  Colonel Silter's Place, a two-story wooden structure located at 
  the town's only intersection, is the only inn in town. The first 
  time the investigators enter, all heads turn and any noise dies 
  away, until the characters announce themselves. If they reveal 
  their purpose in town, they are welcomed with open arms, and 
  offered a free meal. If they decide to be mysterious about their 
  presence, the townsfolk treat them as if they were traveling 
  salesmen, or worse, Molly McGuires.  
  Paper: New York Enquirer 
  Date: One Week Ago 
   
  "Fire in the Hole" 
   
  Reports have just come in this morning that ten lives 
  have been lost in a coal fire at the Stutts Mining 
  Company in Cumberton, Tennessee. Legendary for its 
  safety record, Stutts has refused to comment on the 
  accident, except to say that it is deeply saddened by the 
  loss of lives and is looking very carefully into the causes 
  of the tragedy. Sources close to the company state that 
  miners had recently made a valuable discovery in one of 
  its newer shafts, and were in the process of examining it 
  when the accident occurred. Speculation into the causes 
  of the fire have been narrowed down to either 
  overconfidence in safety procedures, carelessness on the 
  part of the miners involved in the accident, or, possibly, 
  a resurgence of Molly McGuires’ activity in the area. As 
  soon as definite facts are received, additional reports 
  will be forth-coming. 
  Paper: Charleston Gazette 
  Date: One Month Ago 
   
  "Missing Teenager Found!" 
   
  Yesterday, doctors at the Appalachian Institute for 
  Mental Health in Knoxville, announced that they have 
  finally made a positive identification of the young man 
  found lost in the woods several weeks ago. Jim West, a 
  fifteen-year-old from Cumberton, Tennessee, a small 
  coal town near the Tennessee border, was found by a 
  group of deer hunters. He was suffering from exposure 
  and near starvation, a condition that, according to 
  doctors, put his mind into such a state of shock, that he 
  could do nothing but rave incoherently. A week of 
  therapy and the good care of the doctors at the Institute 
  have calmed him down and almost completely brought 
  him back to normal. He is expected to be returning home 
  soon. Reports from Cumberton state that Jim 
  disappeared along with his fourteen-year-old girlfriend, 
  Elizabeth Johnson. She has not been found, and is 
  presumed dead. It was originally believed that the 
  couple had left the coal mining town in search of a 
  better life elsewhere, following in the footsteps of a few 
  other girls and the town's teacher, who were presumed 
  to have left the town for the same reasons. In light of 
  these new developments, inquiries are being reopened as 
  to the causes of these other disappearances. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 8 - 
  Although Colonel Silter's is advertised as an "inn,” it doesn't 
  have any rooms for rent, per se, as Cumberton doesn't receive 
  many visitors. Most new-comers stay with local residents, but if 
  absolutely necessary, the manager – Catherine Durrel – can 
  clean out a store-room for use by one or two investigators ("as 
  long as y'all don't mind sleepin' with the preserves...").  
  Cathy Durrel is an attractive woman in her mid-forties with 
  dark hair and eyes. Her physical features are quite youthful with 
  the exception of prominent "crow's feet" near her eyes and 
  mouth, and heavily calloused hands. 
   
  Catherine Durrel 
  Inn Keeper, age 43 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 65 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 75 
  INT 70  
  APP 70 
  POW 60 
  EDU 60 
  SAN 60  
  HP 12 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 7 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Kitchen Knife 
  25% (12/5), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  37% (18/7) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (35%), Cook (65%), 
  Listen (85%), Rumormongering (75%), 
  Talk an ear off (65%). 
   
  During the tail end of the Great War, 
  she lost her husband to trench warfare, 
  inheriting the establishment named for 
  her father, and has been managing it with 
  little help ever since. Although many men have tried to court her, 
  she has wrapped herself too deeply into the inn to entertain a 
  serious relationship. 
  She has the distinction of being the single most popular per-
  son in town, as her kitchen and common room both feed and 
  entertain the bulk of the town's population come shift changes 
  and Saturday nights. Due to this great popularity, Cathy 
  has become the best source of information in town, as she 
  knows virtually everyone and hears virtually everything. 
  If the characters are rude or obnoxious in any way dur-
  ing their stay in Cumberton, she will not offer any infor-
  mation freely, requiring successful Persuasion attempts 
  for each piece of knowledge. Otherwise, she openly offers 
  the characters information (whether they want it or not!).  
  Although most of what Cathy overhears is mostly worth-
  less gossip and scuttlebutt, she can offer these pieces of in-
  formation: 
   
  • 
  Margaret Hamill, the old-school teacher, was happy in 
  her job and had no reason to leave town. 
  • 
  Rumor has it that the town sheriff had designs on her 
  – the old coot. 
  • 
  Rumor also has it, that the miners found an ancient In-
  dian burial chamber, and that the fire was started by a 
  curse. But that’s just foolish-talk, of course! 
  • 
  Another rumor states that the accident was caused by the 
  town sheriff, in order to discredit Stutts. 
  The Sheriff 
  Across the street from Cathy's place is the Sheriff’s Office. The 
  office is housed in a stone walled building, that consists of a front 
  office and a back room where four cells are located, each of 
  which has a small barred window in one of the walls. 
  The town sheriff, H.T. Jefferson, is as crooked as they come. 
  When he was first elected into the office, he was all smiles and 
  promises, and was always the first to offer his help and compas-
  sion. Little did the townsfolk realize, he was only biding his time. 
  Once nominated into the office in a tenured position, the people 
  of Cumberton began to see him as he really is. Unfortunately for 
  them, it's too late, and he's been taking full advantage of the law 
  for some time. 
   
  Henry T. Jefferson 
  Town Sheriff, age 44 
   
  STR 80 
  CON 65 
  SIZ 85 
  DEX 50 
  INT 70  
  APP 45 
  POW 50 
  EDU 60 
  SAN 40  
  HP 14 
  DB: +1d6 Build: 2 
  Move: 6 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  40% (20/8) 
  .45 Revolver 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d10+2 
  12-gauge Shotgun 
  60% (30/12), damage 4d6/2d6/1d6 
  Dodge 
   
  25% (12/5) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (55%), Chemistry 
  (35%), Law (75%), Cheat and Steal 
  (80%). 
   
  The only person in town with enough 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 9 - 
  guts to stand up to him is Albert Stutts, the owner of the mine. 
  Stutts has been trying to find a way to legally get rid of Jefferson, 
  but 'ole H.T. has been very careful. He has realized that if he slips 
  up just once, Stutts will have him removed from office, if not 
  Cumberton itself, faster than he could say "Robert E. Lee." 
  For the past few years, Jefferson has been involved in a lucra-
  tive moonshining business with some of the local hunters and 
  trappers in the nearby hills. He has also recruited one of Stutts’ 
  most trusted employees, in order to take advantage of the mine's 
  distribution channel. This coup gives H.T. endless pleasure. As 
  this business is doing quite well, he is doing his best to keep it a 
  secret. 
  When the children first started disappearing, his first act was 
  to bar any federal or state agencies from forming investigations, 
  claiming jurisdiction. This action was taken, of course, to keep 
  anybody (especially the Feds) from discovering his operation. 
  Unfortunately, he has been dragging his feet too long in find-
  ing an answer to the problem, as the characters have been called 
  in. The news of this infuriated him to no end. 
  In order to preserve his position, Jefferson keeps a constant 
  watch on the characters and their activities. If they do anything 
  that is the least bit illegal, he’ll throw them into the town jail and 
  later, after collecting heavy fines, kick them out of town.  
  If any of the characters discover his moonshine business, he’ll 
  try to lure the characters out of town, where a group of moon-
  shiners lay in wait to ambush them. If the ambush is successful, 
  the characters are taken to the moonshiner's camp (described 
  later) to be disposed of. 
  The Bully 
  Duke Jackson is Cumberton’s local tough-guy, and one of Jef-
  ferson’s cronies. He stands well over six-feet tall, and seems to 
  be nearly as broad in the shoulder department. Though not offi-
  cially a member of local law-enforcement, he is an enforcer of 
  another kind. Whenever any of the townsfolk get a little too 
  nosey regarding the sheriff’s illicit activities, Duke has a curious 
  habit of showing up and stifling any untoward curiosity. Nosey 
  characters can be assured of a visit if their investigations lead 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 10 - 
  them an inappropriate direction. 
   
  Doug “Duke” Jackson 
  Redneck Thug, age 27 
   
  STR 90 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 90 
  DEX 80 
  INT 45  
  APP 60 
  POW 50 
  EDU 30 
  SAN 50  
  HP 17 
  DB: +1d6 Build: 2 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  95% (47/19) 
  Dodge 
   
  40% (20/8) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: none (all at base levels). 
   
  When the characters arrive, he will 
  take the first opportunity he can get to 
  show them who the real authority is in 
  Cumberton (most likely at Colonel Silter’s place, or another 
  crowded location). Regardless of the manner in which the inves-
  tigators show their own degrees of toughness, Jackson remains 
  rigid. If any of the investigators are women with above-average 
  looks, he may become even tougher. 
  Asking around, the characters find that the townsfolk hold 
  Duke with a particular reverence – though not necessarily a pos-
  itive one. He is the town bully, and has gained the respect that 
  goes with that particular title. Nobody really knows what he does 
  for a living, as nobody’s had the nerve to stand up to him. He 
  certainly doesn’t work for Stutts, as people only seem to see him 
  around town. 
  Even though he is working for Jefferson, there are occasions 
  where he goes a little too far (particularly if a woman is involved) 
  and the Sheriff is forced to lock him up for a day or two. There 
  are also occasions when the sheriff does this simply for appear-
  ances, as all of Jackson’s visits to the clink could be described as 
  less than arduous. They usually involve a bottle or two being 
  passed around, and several games of cards. It’s under these cir-
  cumstances that Jackson might find himself the unwilling wit-
  ness to an eldritch visit (see the section on the Town Drunk). 
  Therefore, it’s rather important that Duke be built up as the 
  tough guy’s tough-guy.  
  The Pastor 
  At the north end of town is the local church. It is a modest 
  three room structure, consisting of a chapel, a simple bedroom, 
  and an office for the kindly old pastor, Reverend Edmund Will-
  bury. The reverend is a wizened old fellow who is, probably, the 
  oldest person in town. In his mid-seventies, he founded the 
  church in 1892, not long after the town began to spring up. As 
  he has been in charge of the spiritual guidance of those children 
  who vanished, he is very concerned for their well-being, and is 
  very happy to see the investigators. He will help them in any way 
  he can and will, of course, invite them to his next sermon. 
   
  Edmund Willbury 
  Town Pastor, age 73 
   
  STR 40 
  CON 85 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 50 
  INT 80  
  APP 60 
  POW 60 
  EDU 90 
  SAN 80  
  HP 14 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 4 
  MP: 16 
  Luck: 90 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  25% (12/5) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Debate (65%), History (60%), 
  Occult (35%), Oratory (75%), Proselyt-
  ize (95%), Psychology (25%), R/W 
  Latin (40%), Speak Latin (45%), Theol-
  ogy (75%). 
   
  In his office, he has records of all the births and deaths in 
  town, as well as a register of all church goers. If the characters 
  spend enough time sifting through them (a hard Library Use roll 
  results in a three-day search, plus or minus a day if a normal or 
  extreme result), they find that the only person who does not fre-
  quent the church is the town physician, Dr. Griswald. They also 
  can find a copy of Margaret Hamill's signature here, that is val-
  uable if they visit the Grey Nag Inn in Knoxville. 
  If questioned about this, the good Reverend explains, in a dis-
  appointed tone of voice, that Dr. Griswald has chosen to ignore 
  the strength of religious faith, and instead has put his faith in 
  science. 
  Of course, he suggests that the player characters come to his 
  sermon Sunday-next. If any of them choose to do so, they soon 
  discover that the congregation is of the Baptist faith, and the 
  good reverend preaches fire-and-brimstone with remarkable 
  force, given his age. Particularly paranoid characters will note 
  that his description of what awaits sinners is very similar to the 
  forces that they may have encountered in previous investiga-
  tions. In fact, Reverend Willbury has no first-hand knowledge of 
  the occult at all, and is simply preaches what he feels will keep is 
  flock on the straight-and-narrow. He really has quite an imagi-
  nation! 
  If, by some misfortune, the Reverend should run into an 
  other-worldly creature, and fails his Sanity roll, he will com-
  pletely loose his mind and start preaching Armageddon. Other-
  wise, he'll do all he can to destroy the threat. No questions asked. 
  The Doctor 
  At the south side of town, the characters find Dr. Xavier 
  Griswald's office. He holds his general practice in his home, a 
  fairly large structure that used to belong to Wilbur Stutts and his 
  family, before his death in 1914.  
  Griswald was a close friend of Wilbur Stutts, who had served 
  with him in the Army during the Spanish-American War. Upon 
  the death of the previous doctor, he was contacted by Albert and 
  offered the position. He arrived shortly before the disappear-
  ances began. 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 11 - 
  When Dr. Griswald was contacted regarding the opening in 
  the small mining town, he saw it as a chance to get away from 
  the hustle-bustle of city doctoring, and possibly retire in a few 
  years. What he didn't expect was a rash of disappearances and a 
  corrupt sheriff constantly looking for ways to fine him. 
  Because of this state of affairs, he is somewhat close lipped 
  and distrustful with all but Stutts. This attitude, combined with 
  the fact that he doesn't attend church with the rest of the town, 
  has made the townsfolk somewhat leery of him, even though he 
  has done a satisfactory job at curing their ills. 
  If the characters run into him, they find him not very open to 
  questioning and unwilling to divulge any information on his pa-
  tients. The reasons for this attitude are twofold. First, he 
  strongly feels that the doctor-patient relationship is sacrosanct, 
  and second, the strangers might be in league with Sheriff Jeffer-
  son. 
   
  Dr. Xavier Griswald 
  Town Doctor, age 62 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 65 
  SIZ 65 
  DEX 65 
  INT 80  
  APP 50 
  POW 60 
  EDU 105 
  SAN 60  
  HP 11 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 5 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  12-gauge Shotgun 
  40% (20/8), damage 4d6/2d6/1d6 
  Dodge 
   
  32% (16/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: 
  Anthropology 
  (35%), 
  Botany 
  (25%), Chemistry (75%), Diagnose Dis-
  ease (75%), First Aid (95%), Pharmacy 
  (95%), Psychology (65%), R/W Latin 
  (75%), Speak Latin (35%), Treat Disease 
  (65%), Treat Poison (85%), Zoology 
  (65%). 
   
  Griswald's offices are made up of three rooms: a small recep-
  tion/waiting room, an examination room, and an office. In the 
  office is a filing cabinet, that remains locked when he isn't 
  around, containing very detailed and accurate records on all of 
  his patients and his predecessor's patients. 
  The files are somewhat cryptic and require at least a hard 
  Medicine roll result to understand. If the files of the missing girls 
  are examined, the characters find that each of them had recently 
  begun their menstrual cycles. 
  Griswald holds his office hours between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 
  is always ready at a moment's notice to attend to the needs of the 
  townsfolk. He's a light sleeper...and has a loaded shotgun under 
  his bed. If he is awakened by thieves, he will use it without a se-
  cond thought; shooting and asking questions later. 
   
  Shawna 
  Living in a small separate servant's quarters is Griswald's 
  housekeeper and assistant, Shawna. She is an attractive woman 
  in her early twenties, and a successful Anthropology roll sug-
  gests that she is a Native American from the desert south-west. 
  In her capacities, she can be found in Griswald's office during 
  his standard office hours, and in his home for two hours before 
  and after that period. During her off-hours, there’s a fair chance 
  that she can be found in her rooms. 
  As a member of the Nasahari tribe, Shawna is familiar with 
  the Contact Yig and Summon/Bind Chld of Yig spells. 
   
  Shawna 
  Native American Yig Worshiper, age 22 
   
  STR 75 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 90 
  INT 70  
  APP 75 
  POW 70 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 0  
  HP 12 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 14 
  Luck: 70 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  30% (15/6) 
  Ornate Dagger 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  45% (22/9) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (25%), Chemistry 
  (25%), First Aid (60%), Speak Hopi 
  (40%), Speak Navajo (35%), Speak 
  Nasahari (85%), Treat Poison (65%). 
   
  If the investigators put a watch on 
  Griswald's house, a Spot Hidden roll 
  catches Shawna stealing out to rendezvous with Walters. If fol-
  lowed, and she becomes aware of her pursuers, she will try to 
  lose them. If unsuccessful, she will summon a Child of Yig to deal 
  with them. Around her neck, she wears an enchanted pendant 
  bearing Yig's symbol, that she can use to invoke this spell instan-
  taneously. 
  The Nasahari Tribe 
  Located about an hour’s walk west of town (not far from the 
  moonshiner’s camp) is an encampment of the Nasahari Indian 
  tribe. This band, led by one of their shaman and Shawna, has 
  come to the Cumberton area to assist in Yig’s great plan. From 
  the camp, the shaman is drawing from Yig’s power to keep the 
  gate to the Permian era open. When the shrine was discovered, 
  and the battery of energy released, the shaman suffered heavy 
  mental damage, and is now in a near-coma. He’s is using what 
  little energy remains in his task, but he received such a heavy 
  blow that he is unable to tell who – or what – is moving through 
  the gate.  
  The shaman is familiar with the Contact Yig, Summong/Bind 
  Child of Yig, and Create Gate spells. 
  The tribe will try to avoid contact with surrounding residents, 
  and their camp is so well concealed that it cannot be stumbled 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 12 - 
  upon accidentally. Every night, before Shawna goes to Walters’ 
  aid, she stops by the encampment to check on the shaman’s 
  health. Any investigators following her – who don’t get caught – 
  will find the encampment. 
   
  Nasahari Shaman 
  Native American Yig Worshiper, age unknown 
   
  STR 40 
  CON 50 
  SIZ 40 
  DEX 40 
  INT 85  
  APP 50 
  POW 50 
  EDU 105 
  SAN 0  
  HP 9 
  DB: -1 
  Build: -1 
  Move: 1 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  15% (7/3) 
  Ornate Dagger 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  20% (10/4) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Medicine (60%), Speak Hopi 
  (75%), Speak Navajo (75%), Speak 
  Nasahari (100%). 
   
  It is nothing more than a few rudimen-
  tary lean-tos and a canvas tent, the latter 
  that shelters the shaman. There are a 
  half-dozen Nasahari braves here, along with two women (three 
  if Shawna is present). The braves are armed with large hunting 
  knives that they will use if threatened. Knowing that their mis-
  sion depends on the health of the shaman, they will do nothing 
  to provoke an attack, and if discovered, will try to persuade those 
  that found them of their harmlessness. If Shawna is present, she 
  tells the investigators that their leader was stricken ill during 
  their travels, but they could not bring him into town for help be-
  cause of the townsfolk’s ill-will towards “the red man.” 
  Examination of the shaman does not reveal any physical in-
  jury, but shows signs of a stroke or similar mental damage. The 
  braves will not allow him to be moved, even if the investigators 
  offer to vouch for the Indians to get decent medical care. “If it is 
  the will of the great Father to take him, his will be done.” 
  The details on the shaman are provided below. Details on the 
  tribe members are outlined in the Rogue’s Gallery.  
  The School Teacher 
  At the west side of town, the investigators can find the school 
  house. It is a single room, white washed affair with large win-
  dows on opposing sides, a small playground, and a bell out front 
  for summoning students to their lessons. There is also a small 
  one-room bungalow, where Walters’ makes his "home." 
  There are three four-hour classes held on week days, made up 
  of grade, junior, and high school age children. All subjects are 
  taught, including – ironically – Sunday School, by the new 
  teacher, Terrance Walters.  
  As he is completely aware of the reason for the investigator's 
  visit to Cumberton, Walters’ is all smiles and graciousness when 
  he meets them for the first time. 
  Terence Walters 
  Teacher and Yig Worshiper, age 32 
   
  STR 65 
  CON 85 
  SIZ 65 
  DEX 70 
  INT 80  
  APP 65 
  POW 90 
  EDU 100 SAN 0  
  HP 13 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 18 
  Luck: 90 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  .38 Revolver 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d10 
  Dodge 
   
  35% (17/7) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Chemistry (50%), Credit Rating 
  (45%), Diagnose Disease (65%), First 
  Aid (95%), Oratory (75%), Pharmacy 
  (95%), R/W Latin (40%), R/W Greek 
  (40%), Speak Latin (35%), Speak Greek 
  (20%), Treat Disease (90%), Treat Poi-
  son (95%), Zoology (95%). 
   
  After a brief amount of discussion, a hard Education roll re-
  veals a hind of an accent in Walters’ speech. An Anthropology 
  roll reveals it as slightly Cajun. If the investigators question him 
  about this, he freely states that he used to live in Louisiana for 
  several years. If he is questioned further about his background, 
  and how he came to Cumberton, he offers the following (bogus) 
  information: 
  After graduating from Miskatonic, he traveled south to set up 
  a practice in the Bayou area of Louisiana in order to help the 
  poor and neglected. Unfortunately, the climate, both weather-
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 13 - 
  wise and attitude-wise (him being from the North, and Boston 
  no less) proved to be a little too much for him, so he decided to 
  pack it in. After contacting an old friend in Cleveland (Roger Da-
  vies, if they ask), he found out about a position in a reputable 
  hospital (Lakewood Memorial) to which he applied and was ac-
  cepted. On his way north, he stopped over in Knoxville, where 
  he happened to meet Margaret Hamill ("nice lady") in the res-
  taurant of the Grey Nag Inn ("nice hotel"). As they were both 
  alone, they decided to dine together. She told him that she used 
  to be the school teacher in Cumberton, but she was continually 
  being accosted by the sheriff, so she left quietly, not wanting to 
  cause a stir. When Walters found out that the position was prob-
  ably still open, he decided that he would rather help the town 
  out instead of having to deal with the medical politics of a met-
  ropolitan hospital.  
  All this information is, of course, complete fiction. If the char-
  acters decide to check up on it, however, they find that most of 
  it fits. The Louisiana chapter of the American Medical Associa-
  tion (or similar group) will state that Walters did have a practice 
  in the Bayou area. Roger Davies, an administrator at Lakewood 
  Memorial (and Cleveland area cultist, surprise, surprise) did of-
  fer him a job, that he would offer again, given the chance. And a 
  woman named Margaret Hamill is listed in the register of the 
  Grey Nag Inn in Knoxville. 
  As a final word of advice, Walters tells the characters to be-
  ware of the sheriff, as he is a very disreputable sort. He's pretty 
  sure that the sheriff has been working with moonshiners, be-
  cause of experiences he had with them while in Louisiana. "Give 
  a corrupt man the run of a town, and you can expect all kinds of 
  mischief!" 
  If Walters or any of his students are threatened or pushed 
  around in any way be the investigators, he will defend himself 
  and them in the best non-occult manner available (including us-
  ing a revolver), and then report the incident to the Sheriff. If he 
  is attacked in a location where he can freely use one or more of 
  his spells, he will use them instead, as long as he is guaranteed 
  that the investigators will never be able to report the incident. It 
  is vitally important that his endeavors be left unknown until the 
  end of the scenario! 
  Walters is familiar with the spells Contact Yig, Summon/Bind 
  Child of Yig, Create Binding Fluid, and Hands of Colubra. 
  Like Shawna, Walters will skulk out after hours. Fortunately, 
  however, he has a direct route from his bungalow (a trapdoor 
  beneath a worn rug), to the Gate described later in this text, and 
  ultimately his laboratory. He can be found at the school during 
  normal school hours, and at home for three hours before and 
  after. During off-hours, there is only a 25% chance that he can 
  be found in the vicinity of Cumberton.  
  The Carlesons 
  Not far out of town (about a fifteen-minute walk) is the resi-
  dence of Mr. and Mrs. Carleson. It is a simple stone and wood 
  ranch style structure, with a vegetable garden, a chicken coop, 
  and an outhouse behind it. 
  The interior of the home is made up of only five rooms (two 
  bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a pantry) and small cel-
  lar that can be accessed from the outside. It is readily apparent 
  to the investigators that the Carlesons are by no means well-to-
  do. The furniture is old and mended and there are few modern 
  conveniences, yet the atmosphere of the little home is warm and 
  inviting. The characters have no problem getting comfortably 
  settled.  
  David Carleson is a good-sized fellow with a strong chin and a 
  healthy handshake, who loves the outdoors. Whenever he isn't 
  working the day shift at the mines, he loves to hunt and fish. This 
  becomes readily apparent at meal times, when the investigators 
  are served veritable feasts of freshly captured game. Carleson's 
  favored weapons are the Double Barreled 12 Gauge shotgun and 
  his Remington .30-06 hunting rifle that are mounted above the 
  hearth in the living room of his home. Both weapons are kept 
  fully loaded at all times ("You never know when a good-sized 
  buck'll be seen close by!"). 
   
  David Carleson 
  Miner and Father, age 36 
   
  STR 85 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 80 
  DEX 55 
  INT 60  
  APP 60 
  POW 55 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 55  
  HP 16 
  DB: +1d6 Build: 2 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 11 
  Luck: 55 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  40% (20/8) 
  12-gauge Shotgun 
  55% (27/11), damage 4d6/2d6/1d6 
  .30-o6 Rifle 
  55% (27/11), damage 2d6+4 
  Dodge 
   
  27% (13/5) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Geology (25%), Mining (45%), Op-
  erate Mining Equipment (65%), Track 
  (45%). 
   
  Wilma Carleson is the epitome of the 
  frontier mother. All the dishes she creates 
  from her husband’s hunting trips are ex-
  quisite, rivaled only by her home-made apple pie. She is rarely 
  seen without her apron on, and in fact, only removes it to sleep 
  and journey into town. 
  Her greatest vice (if it can be called that) is her devout faith. 
  Once the investigators settle themselves to their first meal, she 
  will inquire into their religious backgrounds (possibly by re-
  questing that one of them lead a prayer of thanks). If (God for-
  bid!) any of them state that they are not religious, she will take 
  it upon herself to educate them. There is only a mediocre chance 
  that Mr. Carleson will interrupt (he knows better). She also in-
  sists that they attend church services, the only excuse she ac-
  cepts being the necessity for the characters to continue their in-
  vestigations. 
   
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 14 - 
  Wilma Carleson 
  Worried Mother, age 34 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 60 
  INT 70  
  APP 75 
  POW 80 
  EDU 55 
  SAN 80  
  HP 10 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 16 
  Luck: 80 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  30% (15/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Theology (75%), Oratory (35%), 
  Debate (25%), Cook extraordinarily well 
  (95%). 
   
  Bringing up the disappearance of their 
  daughter Sissy (Melissa) will cause an un-
  derstandable parental reaction. As they 
  discuss the issue, there’s a 40% chance that either parent will 
  become upset. If this happens, David will explode in anger and 
  Wilma will break down into tears. At that point, the investigators 
  will be unable to glean any worthwhile information for the rest 
  of the day. Each parent will then apologize to the investigators 
  the following morning for their outburst. 
  Before the inevitable breakdown, the Carlesons can provide 
  the following details: 
   
  • 
  Sissy is (was?) a very happy child with a good home and a 
  loving family, so it is unimaginable that she would leave 
  home like she did. 
  • 
  They don't understand why the old-school teacher left so 
  suddenly, but it is rumored that the sheriff was causing 
  problems. Another rumor claims that she was raped by the 
  old cow, but that seems a little extreme, even for the greasy 
  sheriff. 
  • 
  The arrival of Terence Walters as the new teacher was prov-
  idential. He's such a nice fellow and the students have really 
  taken a shine to him, Sissy in particular... 
  • 
  Jim West has expressed an interest in leaving Cumberton 
  after he finished his studies, as the life of a coal miner didn't 
  appeal to him. The Carlesons did find it strange that he 
  would leave when he did, as he didn't have enough learning 
  for college, even though that was one of his greatest wishes. 
  He's back in school now, but there is something wrong with 
  him, acting as if he were haunted...or hunted... 
  • 
  Nobody can figure what caused the explosion in mine shaft 
  three. The kind of explosives required to cause a blast of 
  that size are carefully controlled at the site, and everybody 
  is aware of a pending blast. Whatever it was, Art Puckett 
  was lucky to get out alive, and there is little hope for the 
  other miners in the area. Typically, a blast of that magni-
  tude will cause damage to several nearby shafts as well, but 
  no damage was evident in the least!  "Durn if them engi-
  neers ain't stymied...I done guess the good Lord was lookin' 
  down on Stutts Mining that day!" 
  The Kid 
  The investigators may also want to speak with Jim West, the 
  boy who was found lost in the forest. There are three places 
  where he might be approached: at school, at home, or at a point 
  between. At school, he will be reluctant to speak, but can be 
  coaxed if Terrance Walters is present (Walters is particularly 
  keen on finding out what he knows...). While at home, his par-
  ents would rather the investigators leave him alone, but a suc-
  cessful Persuasion roll allows them to see him. If approached 
  somewhere between the school and his home, he must make 
  Sanity roll when first approached by the investigators. If this roll 
  is missed, he breaks into a run, and doesn't stop until he reaches 
  his residence. Any pursuing investigators will be greeted by his 
  mother (his father is at work in the mines), who wields a double-
  barrel shot-gun, that she will fire at the feet of any approaching 
  characters. Investigators may attempt to persuade her that they 
  pose no threat to the boy, but they will not be allowed to see him 
  for at least 24 hours after this first encounter. 
  Physically, Jim is a lanky 5'6" and carries a shock of white hair 
  (courtesy of his unfortunate encounter), that makes him look 
  considerably older than his 15 years. Quite noticeable, also, is a 
  haunted — nigh on paranoid — look in his eyes. Even when the 
  investigators get a chance to talk to him, he looks as though he'll 
  bolt at any second. 
   
  Jim West 
  Abduction Survivor, age 15 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 75 
  SIZ 45 
  DEX 80 
  INT 55  
  APP 50 
  POW 50 
  EDU 50 
  SAN 25  
  HP 14 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  40% (20/8) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic 
  (50%), Experience horrific nightmare 
  (95%). 
   
  When the players do get a chance to 
  speak with him, he can relate the follow-
  ing details: 
  • 
  He can tell them that he doesn't really remember what hap-
  pened to him while he was in the woods. He remembers tak-
  ing a walk in the woods with Libby (Elizabeth Johnson), but 
  until he awoke in the hospital, all is a blank. 
  • 
  Since he has left the hospital, however, he has been plagued 
  with a recurring nightmare. In the dream, he is walking 
  through the woods, trying to find his way somewhere. He 
  wanders aimlessly for a while, until he finds a shriveled old 
  man, who promises to take him to his destination. When 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 15 - 
  they arrive, he offers his hand in thanks, only to find that 
  the old man's hand is made up of writhing snakes, who snap 
  at him. The old man begins to laugh as the old skin begins 
  to split and peel away, revealing the bright scales and ser-
  pent eyes. As the evil snake person reveals his fangs, and 
  lunges for him, Jim wakes up. (Although this is an im-
  portant clue to who's ultimately involved in the scenario, 
  Keepers may want require a hard Psychology roll to get Jim 
  to divulge the details of his dream). 
  • 
  If asked about the girls who disappeared, he tells them that 
  they had been acting kind of strangely, in the sense that they 
  seemed to be in bad moods all the time, and weren't much 
  fun to be around ... “except for Libby, who was always 
  lookin’ mighty pretty...” 
  • 
  Although he only knows the other non-player characters su-
  perficially (Durrel is nice, the Sheriff is fat, the Doctor is old, 
  etc), he can state that Walters is a great teacher, who he 
  likes a lot better than Miss Hamill. "Walters makes learnin' 
  easy by just telling us what we need to know. The girls really 
  like him a lot, too!" 
  The Good Folk of Cumberton - Rumors 
  Life is very simple for the folk of Cumberton. Either they are 
  at work, in church, or enjoying themselves at Colonel Silter's 
  Place after one or the other. They are all quite friendly to the in-
  vestigators once their mission becomes known. 
  The vast majority of the local families live in small homes sim-
  ilar to that of the Carlesons, that can be seen dotting the sur-
  rounding hills. None are outrageous or extravagant, just func-
  tional. As most of the homes are too small to entertain the inves-
  tigators, they will only be put up at the Inn, or at the Carlesons. 
  The best place to converse with the townsfolk is at Colonel 
  Silter’s after a mining shift or after church services on a Sunday. 
  The characters will find the residents to be quite talkative, alt-
  hough a tad more interested in life in the big city than what's 
  been happening in town. Given enough time and a few round-
  about questions, the investigators will be able to glean some in-
  formation from the locals. 
  Apart any information that can be gained from the above-
  mentioned personalities, the investigators can also find out the 
  following: 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 16 - 
  • 
  The Kidnappings - There have been a total of five people 
  who have disappeared. The first person to disappear was 
  Miss Hamill, the old-school teacher, who seemed to have 
  vanished from her lodgings about three months ago (She 
  was in fact, murdered by Serpent Men on request by 
  Shawna, giving Walters the opportunity to come to Cum-
  berton). The second was Wanda Williams, a fourteen-year-
  old, who disappeared from her home. The third was Marga-
  ret Mews, also fourteen. The fourth was Elizabeth Johnson, 
  mentioned in the Article, along with Jim West, who was re-
  covered. Most recently has been Cissy Carleson, thirteen, 
  who vanished on her way home from a friend's. Nobody has 
  any idea of what might have happened to the girls, and they 
  all feel that the Sheriff has not put enough effort into the 
  investigation. It was originally his idea that the girls had run 
  off to find a better life. 
  • 
  The Accident - If any of the workers or their families is 
  asked about the accident, the investigators find that they 
  are pretty ignorant of all but the basics. They can inform 
  them that after five years without an accident, there was an 
  explosion and fire in shaft number three, and as soon as it 
  was put out, it was followed by a cave-in. Four men were 
  trapped inside, including a foreman, and are all presumed 
  to be dead (the newspaper exaggerated). Teams have been 
  down the shaft to dig out the bodies, but there has been no 
  luck yet. The miners know nothing about the alleged discov-
  ery. The only person who knows what went on in the shaft 
  is Stutts himself, and he is hesitant to disclose what actually 
  happened. 
  THE STUTTS MINE  
  Most likely, the investigators will want to speak with Albert 
  Stutts, as he's the man with the golden touch (at least as far as 
  the investigators are concerned!). In order to find him, they will 
  need to pay a visit to the Stutts Mining Company. 
  Located a few miles away from Cumberton, in a clearing be-
  tween some small hills to the east and a virtually perpendicular 
  mountain face to the west, are the mining company's offices and 
  the residence of its owner and president. They can be reached by 
  a small company owned train, or a rough road following along 
  the train tracks. The site is dominated by a huge loading ma-
  chine, used to pour raw coal into waiting train cars, and a tangle 
  of tracks leading to the mines themselves. Also at the site is a 
  large supply building, a set of offices, and a cafeteria-recreation 
  area.  
  During daylight hours, there are always several people at the 
  site, and an Idea roll suggests that it is nearly impossible to 
  sneak around. During the evening, however, there are only five 
  guards. The reason for this small a group is because the manage-
  ment doesn't believe that anyone would want to sabotage or van-
  dalize the site, as it's the mainstay of the town's economy. If an-
  yone is caught sneaking around the area, they are treated 
  harshly by both Stutts and the townspeople. 
  There are currently five operational mines in use, each of 
  which is manned in two nine-hour shifts, with breaks every three 
  hours (15 minutes, 30 minutes for a meal break, and 15 
  minutes). The first shift runs from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m., and the se-
  cond shift from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Each worker also works 6 days 
  a week, with Sunday off. This leaves curious investigators four 
  hours in the dead of night to skulk around the site.  
  The Offices 
  At the far end of the mine site, stands an old Victorian house 
  that doubles as the main offices of the Stutts Mining Company 
  and the residence of its president. Through the front entrance, 
  the investigators find a small office that is cramped with filing 
  cabinets and two desks (one of which will be occupied at any one 
  time. There are two doors in this office. One of the doors leads 
  into a storage closet that holds a multitude of blank forms, office 
  supplies, and simple cleaning products. The second door leads 
  into Albert Stutts' office.  
  Lawrence & Harold Thompson 
  Depending on when the investigators visit the offices, one of 
  Stutts' assistants will be present. During the first shift, Lawrence 
  (Larry) Thompson can be found behind a desk to the left of the 
  entrance. Larry is a happy-go-lucky go-getter type of fellow, who 
  is more than happy to assist the investigators win any way he 
  can...short of revealing confidential company records. For these, 
  he will require Mr. Stutts' permission. In the evening, the inves-
  tigators will encounter Harold (Harry) Thompson, who is no-
  where near as sunny in disposition as Larry. His desk is to the 
  right of the entrance, and characters will find him to be short-
  tempered and uncooperative. As far as he is concerned, any in-
  vestigation into the local disappearances can't have anything to 
  do with the operation of the mining company, and that Stutts 
  was a fool to ask for outside assistance. Any untoward actions 
  taken by the investigators at the site will be reported to the Sher-
  iff (with whom Harry is in league in the illicit moon-shining 
  racket — he handles shipping the hooch out of town). 
   
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 17 - 
  Lawrence Thompson 
  Stutts Office Employee, age 34 
   
  STR 65 
  CON 60 
  SIZ 55 
  DEX 65 
  INT 65  
  APP 60 
  POW 50 
  EDU 80 
  SAN 50  
  HP 12 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  32% (16/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (65%), Geology (50%), 
  Mining (65%). 
   
  Harold Thompson 
  Stutts Office Employee, age 34 
   
  STR 65 
  CON 60 
  SIZ 55 
  DEX 65 
  INT 65  
  APP 60 
  POW 50 
  EDU 80 
  SAN 50  
  HP 12 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  .32 Revolver 
  30% (15/6), damage 1d8 
  Dodge 
   
  32% (16/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (85%), Law (15%), Min-
  ing (45%). 
   
  Investigators will immediately have 
  problems with the Thompson brothers, as 
  – apart from their dichotomous personal-
  ities – they are identical twins, including 
  speech and dress. This problem should become evident if the 
  characters try to glean information from Harry in the evening, if 
  it was promised by Larry in the morning.  
  Keepers are encouraged to keep this confusion going for as 
  long as possible (for their own amusement, if for nothing else!). 
  The Thompson Home 
  The Thompson twins live in a small ranch-style dwelling 
  about fifteen minutes from the mine. It is quite sparse, built with 
  only four rooms (and an outhouse). The front door opens to a 
  large living and dining area, furnished simply and warmed by a 
  small fireplace. To the left of this area is a small kitchen and lar-
  der. At the other end of the house are the twins' bedrooms, one 
  of which looks as if it has never been cleaned (Larry), the other 
  which is frighteningly spotless (Harry). There is nothing of in-
  terest in Larry's room, but a cursory search of Harry's room will 
  uncover several interesting items. 
  In a manila envelope affixed to the bottom of a desk drawer is 
  a multi-page listing of items that are seemingly unrelated, unless 
  one succeeds in either a hard Science or a extreme Education 
  roll. A successful roll reveals that these items are all used in the 
  creation of moonshine whiskey. The listing details the invest-
  ment in components that have gone into the efforts of running a 
  still (or several as the list seems to indicate). 
  Also in the envelope is a listing of names and addresses. The 
  first address on the list is circled in red ink: 
   
  Jack Tiley 
  15 West Millhouse 
  Knoxville 
   
  It is also the address nearest to Cumberton, as the investiga-
  tors will discover after giving the list a once-over. All the other 
  addresses seem to be located in large metropolitan areas: Bos-
  ton, New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, etc. Any characters who 
  hail from one of these areas should roll against their education. 
  A hard result (or a normal result if the character is a gumshoe) 
  reveals these names to be hoods or downright gangsters local to 
  their areas. The sheet is a distribution list for the moonshine, 
  and worth a fortune to the Feds.  
  Finally, crumpled up in a trash can is a note from the Sheriff 
  to Harry. 
  Harry Thompson and Sheriff Jefferson have been in cahoots 
  ever since the inception of the 18th Amendment. In fact, they 
  conceived the whole plot while draining the last of their legiti-
  mately purchased alcohol (and fine malt it was). Given the sub-
  stantial distribution network already in place by the mining 
  company, it didn't take much to set up a scheme to include "a 
  little something extra" in each shipment. 
  See the section on "The Rock" for more information on the 
  moonshiner's camp. 
  Right after the characters have met Harry for the first time, he 
  will call a "Runner" by means of a buzzer mounted on the outside 
  wall of the mining office. A Runner is a term used by Stutts Min-
  ing to describe the children of miners who would like to earn a 
  few bits for themselves, but are too young to enter the mines. 
  They are basically gophers who "run" messages from the mines 
  to the telegraph/post office as well as other locations in and 
  H. 
   
  You was write about yer boss sending for some 
  clowns from outta town. They got here the other 
  day if you don't know it alredy. I'll be keepin an eye on 
  um just in case they get to close to the Rock. We 
  don't need um snoopin around like those kids was and 
  havin um disappear might be noticed. I'll try to stick 
  um with somethin and ship um on there merry way. 
   
   
   
   
   
  J. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 18 - 
  around town.  
  Upon hearing the buzzer (it's quite loud and doesn't require a 
  Listen roll), a boy in his early teens dashes up to an office win-
  dow and then tears off in the direction of town. Characters that 
  make a hard Spot Hidden roll notice that he was handed a piece 
  of paper or something similar by Harry before taking off. If one 
  or more characters follow, they are led (at break-neck 
  speeds...these kids are fast!) to the sheriff's office in town. The 
  runner and the sheriff get into the sheriff's car (one of very few 
  in town), and head up to the mines, where the sheriff has a brief 
  discussion with Harry, and if the characters are still around – 
  and noticeable – has a rather threatening conversation with 
  them, and reinforces any threats he may have made previously 
  about keeping an eye on them and running them out of town if 
  necessary. 
  When the investigators arrive, they are announced by the ap-
  propriate assistant, and quickly ushered into Stutts' office. It is 
  furnished with a large desk, a few filing cabinets, a large confer-
  ence table, and, hanging on the wall, a large relief map of the 
  area, marking the locations of the mines. All the furniture seems 
  to be coated with a thin layer of coal dust.  
  Stutts’ Office 
  Stutts is available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day of the week, 
  where he works away at making his mine one of the most profit-
  able in its class. He is extremely intelligent and a very shrewd 
  businessman, whose foresight is helping to bring the mining in-
  dustry into the 20th Century. Physically, he is a tall man in his 
  early to mid-fifties, immaculately groomed; wearing a dark 
  three-piece suit, and gold watch chain. 
   
  Albert Stutts 
  Owner of Stutts Mining Co., age 52 
   
  STR 60 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 55 
  DEX 65 
  INT 90  
  APP 80 
  POW 75 
  EDU 85 
  SAN 75  
  HP 13 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 15 
  Luck: 75 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  32% (16/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (65%), Credit Rating 
  (90%), Demolition (35%), Geology (65%), 
  Mining (55%), Operate Mining Equipment 
  (65%), Oratory (75%). 
   
  His concern for the welfare of his em-
  ployees has become something of a legend 
  within the mining community. While growing up under the tu-
  telage of his father and grandfather, he learned that the mine 
  would be nothing without productive labor. After years of study 
  and work in the mines, he discovered that the short-term ex-
  pense of effective safety procedures would result in long-term 
  productivity. The success of his modifications to the mine's 
  working environment soon led to Stutts' involvement in the 
  community at large. In a sense, he has become something of a 
  benevolent dictator where the company's employees are in-
  volved. The people do what he asks, as they know that they'll 
  reap the benefits of his decisions. It is because of this loyalty that 
  he has magnanimously requested the investigators come to the 
  town's assistance. The reward is nothing more than a short-term 
  blotch in the company's balance sheet, and well worth the ex-
  pense in the long-run (although Harold Thompson may think 
  differently). 
  If the investigators arrive at the mining offices outside of the 
  prescribed times, Larry (apologetically) or Harry (argumenta-
  tively) will not allow them to see him. If they sneak into the 
  Stutts home in the wee hours, the Sheriff will have his excuse to 
  throw them into a cell, and later out of town. If arriving at a rea-
  sonable time, either Larry or Harry will introduce them. 
  He thanks the investigators, individually, for coming to help 
  with the disappearances. He answers any questions he can, but 
  hesitates to tell the investigators about the fire and cave in. A 
  hard Persuasion result loosens his lips, however. If the charac-
  ters explain that the disappearances may be related to the acci-
  dent, a normal Persuasion attempt will be sufficient. 
  If they succeed, he relates the following information: 
   
  Stutts' Statement (to be read or interpreted): 
   
  “About four weeks ago, we found a new rich vein on 
  the fourth level of shaft number three. After a few days 
  of drilling, a few of my men opened up into some sort 
  of a chamber. The foreman who was with them de-
  cided that the room might be of some sort of historical 
  significance, and worth something to the state univer-
  sity. He ordered everyone out, closed up the shaft, and 
  came to see me. After a few days of thought, I decided 
  to send a couple of men down to take pictures of the 
  room. While they were down there, an explosion shook 
  the shaft, and a fire broke out. It didn't take long to 
  find out exactly where it had happened. Fortunately, 
  we contained and dowsed the fire before it could 
  spread, but before we could get through to our men, 
  the tunnel collapsed. I really don't think that the men 
  could have survived both accidents, but we still have 
  to recover the bodies. We've been working on the tun-
  nel for the past few days, but we aren't sure how deep 
  the collapse goes...we could break through at any 
  time. Hopefully, once we get through the cave in, we 
  will be able to recover the bodies and get some photos 
  of that chamber, if it survived." 
   
  If the investigators ask Stutts for permission to speak with any 
  of the miners that originally opened the chamber, he tells them 
  that all but one of them were trapped or killed in the cave-in and 
  fire. The only survivor barely made it out alive, and is currently 
  at the Mercy Hospital in Knoxville, receiving treatment for 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 19 - 
  burns and inhalation poisoning. The man's name is Arthur 
  Clancy Puckett. 
  If the characters volunteer to go into the mines, Stutts allows 
  it, but only under two conditions. First, they have to sign an ac-
  cident waiver form (he does not want to be held responsible) 
  and, second, they have to have a foreman with them to make 
  sure they don't do anything hazardous. 
  Note: The tunnel shouldn't be cleared until the Keeper feels 
  that the investigators have discovered all they can and are not 
  just sitting around accomplishing nothing.  
  The Town Drunk, an Event 
  After a few days have passed, and the party has spent most of 
  its time getting to know the town’s residents, the town drunk, 
  Gaby Hughes, comes staggering into Colonel Silter’s (or another 
  public location when Jefferson is present) white as a sheet and, 
  while one or more of the characters is present, and shouts: 
   
  Gaby's Statement (to be read or interpreted): 
   
  "Sheriff, Sheriff, I seen 'em!! That young boy wasn't 
  tellin' no crazy story when they found 'im!! I seen 'em 
  up in the hills!  They was tall as you 'er me, with skin all 
  dry an' cracked an' skaly! An' ther eyes was like big 
  black shiny things, stickin' part way outta ther haids!! 
  An I tain't bin drinkin' nuthin!  Well, mebbe a little, but 
  I seed whut I seen!  They wuz wairin' these long robes 
  or somethin' an' wuz carryin' some kinda pole. They 
  pointed it at me when I started runnin' and a tree just 
  inches away plumb burnt up. They wuz like these big 
  snakes all dressed up, and I ain't crazy like that boy 
  who wuz all locked up!  What're we gonna do? They 
  knows I knows about 'em and they're gonna come an' 
  get me!  Ya gotta help me, please!!" 
   
  Gaby Hughes 
  Town Drunk, age 62 
   
  STR 35 
  CON 40 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 25 
  INT 45  
  APP 30 
  POW 50 
  EDU 15 
  SAN 20  
  HP 8 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 3 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  10% (5/2) 
  Dodge 
   
  12% (6/2) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: none. 
   
  At this point, the Sheriff hauls Gaby 
  off to the Drunk Tank, ignoring his 
  pleas, and reassures the characters 
  that he is drunk, and that it isn't the 
  first time that he has imagined things. 
  If the party wishes to speak with Gaby, the Sheriff does not per-
  mit it until he has slept things off. There is no way to change his 
  mind. If the party does not keep a watch over the jail, they will 
  have an interesting encounter the following morning: 
  Upon waking to yet another sunny Cumberton morning, and 
  heading toward Col. Silter's for a heaping plate of Cathy Durell's 
  famous flap-jacks, one or more of the characters wander past the 
  Sheriff's Office. As they approach, they hear a sudden cry of 
  "Sweet Jesus" and soon after one of the deputies reels out of the 
  front door to vomit indiscriminately on the front steps as well as 
  his shoes. He then leans glassy-eyed on the door frame, looking 
  stupidly at the investigators. If they ask him what's wrong, he 
  replies by throwing up again (by now the idea of flap-jacks for 
  breakfast is out of the question, as it's obviously what the deputy 
  had recently gorged himself upon). If the characters enter the 
  jailhouse, they will be assaulted by the smell of burnt, rotting 
  flesh (a normal Power roll is required to avoid vomiting). Pro-
  ceeding to the source of the smell results in a required Sanity 
  check (failure results in 1d3 loss, while a critical failure causes 
  an investigator to emulate the aforementioned deputy). The cell 
  into which Gaby was placed, no longer contains the drunk that 
  the investigators met the previous night. In his place is an amor-
  phous mass of blackened flesh, resting in a stinking pool of what 
  might once have been construed as vital fluids. The stench is so 
  powerful that the characters are unable to stand it for more than 
  a couple of rounds.  
  While in the cell area, each character present should make a 
  Spot Hidden or Listen roll. If successful, they discover that one 
  of the other cells is occupied by Duke Jackson, who had been 
  placed in one of the cells the previous evening, more for the sake 
  of appearances than any other reason (or perhaps for a scuffle 
  with the investigators). Jackson is currently trying to hide his 
  enormous frame under his cot, all the while making a low hissing 
  sound. If anybody (characters in particular) touches him, while 
  he is cowering fetal-like beneath the bunk, he goes positively 
  ballistic. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he attacks twice per 
  round with a 75% chance to hit with his Fists, doing maximum 
  damage to anybody getting in his way. He has been an unfortu-
  nate witness to Gaby's murder, and has completely lost his mind. 
  For him, there is no salvation, other than the safely of the woods 
  surrounding the town. If he manages to escape, the last people 
  to see him alive will relate his sprint into the underbrush, shout-
  ing something like: "no snakes here...no snakes here..." 
  If any of the characters choose to keep a watch over the jail 
  after Gaby has been locked up, they eventually see a group of 
  three cloaked figures approach Gaby's cell window not long after 
  midnight. One of them caries what appears to be a long rod or 
  pole, (a Cthughan Funnel, see the section on magic for details) 
  the end of which is inserted into Gaby's cell. If the investigators 
  do nothing to stop this, they witness a mass if lights, much akin 
  to fire-flies, begin to coalesce brightly around the exposed end 
  of the rod. The mass of light, that begins to pulse rhythmically, 
  seems to flow into the end of the rod, and grow in intensity as it 
  flows down the shaft and into Gaby's cell. The cell window glows 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 20 - 
  with alarming brightness, and a good perception result reveals a 
  brief yelp of pain coming from inside the jail. The glow suddenly 
  vanishes, and the figures hastily depart. 
  Confronting the figures reveal them to be three Serpent Men 
  (Sanity rolls please), two of which are armed with large intri-
  cately carved daggers, the other which is carrying a Cthughan 
  Funnel (that, unless the referee is feeling malicious, should not 
  be used against the investigators). If the characters can success-
  fully dispatch these foes, the remains of the Serpent Men will 
  quickly begin to dissolve, leaving nothing but their cloaks and 
  weapons as evidence of their existence. 
  Following the Serpent Men after their attack (which requires 
  a hard Tracking result) leads the investigators on an hour-long 
  hike into the hills, that ends at a small camouflaged opening into 
  the hill side, not far from the moonshiner's camp (that charac-
  ters notice with an extreme Idea result). In the opening is a tun-
  nel that leads to the Gate described below. While walking around 
  in the woods, there is an 80% chance that the characters will be 
  ambushed by moonshiners. If the ambush is successful, the 
  characters are taken to the moonshiner's camp (the "Rock") as 
  described below. If the Keeper feels that the characters are pro-
  gressing a little too fast, and doesn't want them to find their way 
  into the mines in this fashion, the moonshiners are a great way 
  to slow them down. 
  If Gaby makes it through the evening alive, he does not re-
  member anything save a very nasty hangover. 
  THE ROCK 
  Not far from the Mine's rail supply area is a small cut-out into 
  the surrounding woods. The average person standing in this 
  area won't notice anything untoward, but careful examination 
  reveals a well-covered (and well-trodden) trail that leads into 
  the thick overgrowth. Following this trail for roughly thirty-
  minutes leads investigators to a clearing in the dense forest. 
  Smack in the middle of this clearing looms a huge (and remark-
  ably not supernatural) piece of granite. "The Rock," as the locals 
  refer to it, is approximately 40 feet at its base, and climbs 25 
  awkward feet into the air. Anyone perched atop this massive slab 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 21 - 
  commands an excellent view of the countryside...and there is al-
  most always somebody up there. 
  At the base of The Rock is a considerable bustle of activity, 
  constantly running during day-light hours. There are several 
  tents of different sizes, as well as several dozen odd-looking con-
  traptions that a successful Education roll identifies as stills. The 
  Rock is the location of a burgeoning moonshine whiskey opera-
  tion. Under the supervision of Sheriff Jefferson, and with the as-
  sistance of Harold Thompson, shipments of raw materials are 
  brought into the area on supply trains, and the finished product 
  is sent out via the same route. On the whole, the operation has 
  been very successful, and those involved value the income pro-
  duced very highly. Anybody interfering with the cash-flow will 
  not be looked upon with kindness! 
  During the day, there are upwards of two-dozen people here, 
  working the machinery and packaging the final product. The 
  vast majority of these people live in the surrounding hills, and 
  have little or nothing to do with the mines, and apart from some 
  small farms, their livelihood depends on the sale of their prod-
  uct. As the group is also relatively small, there is no chance that 
  interlopers will be able to conceal themselves as fellow workers. 
  Also, one of the lookouts atop The Rock spots intruders most of 
  the time. 
  Given the fact that The Rock is located at a higher altitude 
  than the mine site (it overlooks it, in fact), the manufacture of 
  moonshine shuts down an hour before sunset each day, as fires 
  or other illumination would draw unwanted attention. At night, 
  a patrol of guards walks a wide perimeter around the site, to 
  scare off, or capture, any who would wander into the area. 
  In the past, several local teen-agers have wandered into the 
  area in search of a spot to do what adolescence demands. All 
  have been driven off. Most of these kids explained their encoun-
  ters with the guards to the Sheriff, who understandably sided 
  with the "resident's every right to privacy" and reminded them 
  that "trespass is a criminal offense and “ain't ya'll lucky thet I 
  don't throw ya in the pokey right now!"  This threat worked with 
  only one notable exception. Jim West and his vanished girl-
  friend headed up that way convinced (and rightly so) that there 
  was something going on. After their third encounter with the 
  moonshiners, the Sheriff began to feel uneasy, as he would have 
  to do something to stop their meddling. Imagine his relief when 
  they disappeared!  He has no real explanation for what hap-
  pened, and since Jim's return, he has kept a close eye on the boy. 
  So far, Jim hasn't shown any inclination to visit the Rock – or 
  enter the woods at all – which suits Jefferson just fine! 
  There are three ways in which the investigators may find 
  themselves at the Rock. In the early afternoon, after he awakes, 
  they can follow Harry Thompson, who will spend a few hours at 
  the site getting the hooch ready for shipment, before heading 
  into town and the mines. In the evening, they can follow the 
  sheriff up into the hills, where he supervises the evening shut-
  down of the operation. Or, more likely, while tailing the Serpent 
  Men after they have slain the town drunk they will pass close to 
  the Rock. 
  Regardless, if any of the party wanders into the wrong part of 
  the hills, they are ambushed by twice as many moonshiners as 
  characters, all armed with shotguns. They take the characters to 
  the camp, and tie them up. If he is not already there, one of the 
  moonshiners will contact the sheriff, who arrives promptly. No 
  action will be taken against the characters until he arrives. If 
  Harry Thompson is around, he is the only person who will even 
  speak with the investigators. If they haven't figured it out al-
  ready, he reveals that he is a twin and that Stutts was a fool to 
  hire them. He will not answer any questions regarding the run-
  ning of the moonshining operation or its relationship to the 
  missing children until the sheriff shows up. 
  Upon his arrival, Jefferson will confer with a few of the moon-
  shiners and Thompson if he is available, throwing the occasional 
  glance and finger-point at the investigators. A hard Spot Hidden 
  result reveals a finger-across-the-throat gesture or two on the 
  part of the local employees. Unfortunately, the sound of equip-
  ment will cover up the sounds of their discussion, so Listen rolls 
  are futile. After a few minutes of obviously heated discussion, 
  the sheriff breaks off and walks over to the characters. He insists 
  that they be gagged, so that he won't be interrupted. 
  He has the following to say: 
   
  Sheriff Jefferson's Statement (to be read or inter-
  preted): 
   
  "I thought I told you city-slickers to keep yer noses out 
  places where they don't belong. Now, here you are all 
  trussed up like pigs before the slaughter, and I have to 
  decide whether or not to cut them noses of yours clean 
  off your faces. It's a tough decision, 'casue ya see...I'm 
  not a bad man...I just gotta lot ta lose. It looks like I 
  wasn't persuasive enough with that fool Stutts ta keep 
  him from calling ya'll in from outta town. More's the 
  pity. Now ya know what's goin' on and if ya talk, me 
  and my boys is outta business. Ta be perfectly honest, 
  some of the boys wouldn't think twice about slittin' yer 
  throats and leaving ya to the buzzards, jest like they 
  wanted to with that damn West kid and his stupid girl-
  friend. But I ain't havin' any of that. Too damn many 
  people have disappeared from this town already, and 
  you city-folk go too, the damn Feds'll be swarming all 
  over these here mountains. 
  "So what do ya think I should do?  West had the de-
  cency to disappear for a couple of weeks, and now his 
  head is so screwed up that he can't tell his ass from a 
  hole in the ground. Maybe he saw the love-of-his-life 
  get eaten by a mountain lion or something or maybe 
  she smacked him in the head with something and ran 
  off with some half-assed mountain man, who knows. 
  At least he ain't come anywhere near here anymore. 
  Can I trust you to disappear too?  I don't think so. 
  You're too smart for that. 
  "Here's what's gonna happen then. I'm gonna let ya'll 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 22 - 
  go!  You're gonna get your gear together, give these 
  idiot townies some excuse why you couldn't find their 
  kids, and you're gonna get outta town. Hell, maybe I'll 
  even give you some traveling change!  When you get 
  back to whatever big city you came from, you're 
  gonna forget about Cumberton. If you interfere with 
  this business in any way, I'll let some of my city pals 
  know all about you. They rely on my being able to keep 
  'em supplied, and if they run out, they won't be nearly 
  as understanding as I am. 
  “As they like to say...Capice? 
  "Now, I'll let you sleep on it. I'll be back tomorrow to 
  hear what you have to say. Hopefully you'll agree that 
  my plan is best for all concerned. If not, well...I'd ra-
  ther not think on that..." 
   
  Jefferson and his cronies then continue to clean up the site, 
  preparing it for the next day's production. They leave the inves-
  tigators under guard (one at the top of the Rock and the standard 
  group circling the camp site) and head off to their respective 
  homes. 
  While the guards are looking the other way, an extremely 
  lucky character may find his or her bonds loose enough to es-
  cape. This requires a hard Dexterity result. Success leaves the 
  character free to decide what they are going to do with their free-
  dom. Any characters that run, are pursued by fanatical moon-
  shiners, to the point of being attacked in their lodgings. If they 
  show up in town, the Sheriff tries to arrest them, using the attack 
  as just cause. He says that they have been stirring up to much 
  trouble, and have now put townsfolk in danger of attack. After 
  spending a few days in jail, the characters are released and 
  kicked out of town. From that point on, they have to run a gaunt-
  let of the Sheriff's fanatical moonshiners, until they reach safety. 
  If the investigators rat on Jefferson, and they have not recov-
  ered enough proof of his distribution network, they suffer ran-
  dom attacks from gangsters (preferably at real inopportune mo-
  ments) for the rest of their lives. Getting the distribution list 
  from Harry Thompson's desk to a Federal agent ise enough to 
  keep them relatively safe, although particularly disreputable 
  Keepers might want to toss in the occasional ambush anyway — 
  just to keep the characters on their toes! 
  If the characters stick around until Jefferson gets back, and 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 23 - 
  they agree to his plan, he does indeed let them go. He might even 
  give them each $20 for traveling expenses, if the Keeper feels 
  magnanimous, and expects them to get into their cars or hop the 
  next supply train at the best possible speed. 
  In any case, as they are preparing to leave Cumberton, they 
  get word that the mine shaft has finally been opened, and that 
  they may enter into its chilling depths. 
  KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE 
  Knoxville, situated on the banks of the Tennessee River, is one 
  of the state's largest cities. Home to over 80,000 people, it acts 
  as a port for the distribution of many of the state's industry, pri-
  marily mining and agriculture. Even though it boasts a continual 
  source of activity, it holds a certain down-home, friendly atmos-
  phere. Travel to Knoxville takes the investigators roughly three 
  hours by car or two hours by train. 
  There are four locations of possible interest in Knoxville. The 
  State Institute for Mental Health lies across the street from a 
  branch of the state university near the center of town. Mercy 
  Hospital lays on the southwestern edge of the city. The Grey Nag 
  Inn is located across the street from the train station, with Jack 
  Tiley's a few blocks away.  
  The State Institute for Mental Health 
  The Institute is a two-story structure painted in a sterile white. 
  It is located in the center of four acres of well-tended —albeit 
  sparse — grounds, that are entirely closed in by a 12-foot iron 
  fence. There are few trees to be seen anywhere within the 
  grounds, which makes the building look rather menacing — 
  much like a large bunker or blockhouse. Several white-washed 
  stone benches can be seen scattered randomly about the 
  grounds, as well as a host of blue-robbed people (inmates) who 
  seem to be wandering around somewhat aimlessly. None of 
  these people pose any kind of threat to the characters, as they're 
  having enough problems dealing with the worlds they've created 
  for themselves. This is not to say that the referee can't have a 
  little fun with the situation... 
   
  Harrison, the Spy... (Optional event) 
  As the characters are preparing to enter the building, a suc-
  cessful Spot Hidden roll allows one of them to notice one of the 
  older patients beckoning to him or her rather urgently. The gen-
  tleman is dressed in the standard issue blue robe and woolen 
  pajamas, and sports a large shock of well-groomed white hair, a 
  handlebar mustache and matching goatee. His age is indetermi-
  nately elderly. He could be 70 or 700, as far as the chosen inves-
  tigator can tell. 
  If the investigator speaks with him, the gentleman quickly 
  mentions that he has been placed within the institute to deter-
  mine if something is going on within its walls. So far, he has been 
  unsuccessful at reaching the upper or lower floors, but he has 
  heard noises at night that suggest that they are constructing 
  something. If the investigators notice anything untoward, he 
  would like them to report it back to him. Before they can ask any 
  questions, an orderly appears who asks them if "Mr. Harrison" 
  has been bothering them and promptly leads him away by the 
  elbow.  
  Any rolls to determine the sincerity of "Mr. Harrison's" re-
  quest should show him to be in earnest. He is, of course, a com-
  plete fruit-cake. 
  Once the Keeper has made the characters jump through what-
  ever hoops he or she feels like, a second meeting with "Mr. Har-
  rison" reveals that he is a spy for General Robert E. Lee. He asks 
  the investigators to make sure that they inform the General that 
  "Reynolds' Corps is marching on Gettysburg, and that the 
  heights must be taken before the Union forces arrive and dig in."  
  "Mr. Harrison" then wanders off, muttering to himself about 
  them dang Yankees. 
  As noted, the institute is something of a blockhouse, and the 
  investigators may get a feeling of confinement from the barred, 
  frosted windows and subdued lighting. The geography of the 
  first floor is made up of a reception area, a few offices, a visiting 
  area, and a ward for "salvageable" cases. Visitors can hear soft 
  Cole Porter tunes piping out of hidden speakers, and investiga-
  tors unfamiliar with the workings of asylums may get a sense of 
  the surreal in this place. Everything seems of be running in spot-
  less slow-motion. It is so calm that it is rather disturbing. A hard 
  Listen roll brings an occasional thumping noise to the attention 
  of the characters. Nobody in the main ward seems to notice — or 
  care if they do. This is probably for the best, as the second floor 
  is much grimmer. It is home to the padded cells and "therapy" 
  rooms for the more serious cases, and the characters will be de-
  nied access to the area, regardless of how well they roll (maybe 
  there is something going on up there!). This floor is as spotless 
  as the main ward, but the cleanliness is punctuated by the inces-
  sant screaming coming from behind closed, padded doors. Be-
  ing in this area at night, when the lighting is subdued, may call 
  for a roll to limit unease. The basement level (also off limits to 
  the characters) is reserved for over-flow patient housing, rooms 
  for the staff, and a boiler/maintenance area.  
  The chief administrator of the Institute is Dr. Henry Wal-
  bridge, and elderly gentleman with fine white hair and a 
  friendly, yet powerful, presence. 
   
  Dr. Walbridge was personally in charge of Jim West's case, 
  and is hesitant to discuss the case with the investigators unless 
  they display some knowledge of psychology or psychoanalysis 
  (they must make an appropriate roll). 
  Succeeding in this, Walbridge reveals to them that Jim was 
  suffering from mild amnesia brought on by malnutrition and ex-
  posure. It is his theory that when the human brain doesn't re-
  ceive its necessary nutrients, nerve synapses begin to break 
  down, the primary location of this damage being the short and 
  long term memory centers. Once the nutrients are reintroduced, 
  the long-term memory usually recovers, but the short-term 
  memory, that which was experienced during the period of mal-
  nutrition, may be lost. This is what he feels happened to Jim 
  West. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 24 - 
  A successful Psychology result reveals to the characters that 
  the theory presented by Walbridge is possible, but the most ac-
  cepted theory behind amnesia is that it is causes by an extremely 
  strong subconscious desire to forget an experience or experi-
  ences. If they bring up this point, Walbridge will mention that 
  he considered that possibility, but there was no evidence to sug-
  gest a terrible enough experience to do that kind of memory 
  damage. 
  If the characters mention the dream that Jim has been having, 
  he will tell them that he was not aware of it (this is true). He 
  further suggests that the dream must be due to an experience 
  suffered while still an infant, due to the scale of the "snake man."  
  In order to cause the kind of trauma that Jim has suffered a bad 
  experience with snakes would have to involve either an impossi-
  ble number of them or snakes of a ridiculously large size.  
   
  Dr. Henry Walbridge 
  Psychiatrist, age 60 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 75 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 60 
  INT 80  
  APP 65 
  POW 65 
  EDU 105 
  SAN 65  
  HP 11 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 5 
  MP: 13 
  Luck: 65 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  25% (12/5) 
  Dodge 
   
  30% (15/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Anthropology (25%), Chemistry 
  (25%), Debate (65%), First Aid (75%), 
  Hypnotism (45%), Oratory (70%), Phar-
  macy (75%), Psychoanalyze (85%), Psy-
  chology (65%). 
  Mercy Hospital 
  Mercy Hospital is a small building run by a Catholic mission. 
  Over the years, it has become the regional center for the treat-
  ment of mining accidents as well as conditions brought about by 
  extensive periods working in the mines (black-lung, emphy-
  sema, etc.). As they walk about, the characters will continually 
  hear coughing and wheezing at different volumes, and continu-
  ally have to dodge around patients ambling around supported 
  by portable intravenous bottles.  
  Getting in to visit Arthur Clancey Puckett will not be too diffi-
  cult, provided that the characters try it at visiting hours (2 p.m. 
  to 5 p.m.). If they try to do so at any other time, they will be 
  routed by a staff of indefatigable nuns and nurses. 
  When they meet him, Puckett is reclining in his hospital bed, 
  his arms and head almost completely covered in bandages and 
  his right leg is in an elevated cast. If it weren't for the heavy cov-
  eralls he had been wearing at the time, he would have been in 
  much worse shape. 
   
   
   
  Arthur Clancey Pucket 
  Miner and Accident Victim, age 28 
   
  STR 70 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 60 
  INT 60  
  APP 55 
  POW 60 
  EDU 40 
  SAN 60  
  HP 5 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  30% (15/6) 
  Dodge 
   
  30% (15/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Mining (35%), Operate Mining 
  Equipment (55%), Pester Nurses (85%). 
   
  Even though he has been given some 
  pretty strong pain killers, he is still fairly 
  coherent and relates the following to the 
  investigators if asked: 
   
  Puckett's Statement (to be read or related): 
   
  "I was working with Jake Donohoe, that's the fore-
  man, when Willy Smith comes runnin' up and says he 
  found something in the new tunnel being dug. Jake 
  told me to stay put and went runnin' off with Willy to 
  see what was up. Next thing I knew, he was orderin' 
  us to close off the tunnel until he could talk with Mr. 
  Stutts. A couple of days later, Jake tells me to round 
  up the guys who were working in the shaft at the time, 
  along with somebody who had a camera. Along with 
  me, the gang was made up of five guys. That would be 
  Jake, Willy, Phil Cominsky, and Al Lewis (he was the 
  shutterbug). We went on down number three, reo-
  pened the tunnel and climbed on inside the room. On 
  the whole it was mostly square, with stone walls, 
  which looked like they were cut out of coal themselves, 
  all covered with markings like circles and squiggly 
  lines. In the middle of the room was a huge statue of a 
  snake or something except with arms and a crown on 
  it's head. I remember the crown because it had these 
  gems or something in it that were glowing-like in the 
  light of the lamps we were carrying. On one side of the 
  room was this huge metal door, also covered in lines 
  and scratches like on the walls. After lookin' around 
  for a couple of minutes, Al tells me he needs a special 
  lens for his camera because of the light or something, 
  so I offered to get it. Just when I got back was when it 
  happened. Willy and Phil were shoving on the big 
  door. It opened with a loud cracking sound, and al-
  most at once, these bolts of lightning or something 
  jumped out of the statue and hit the guys and then 
  something like gas went up and blew me right back 
  down the tunnel. I musta been out for a couple of se-
  conds, but when I came to, I could hear the sound of 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 25 - 
  the roof beginning to collapse. I'll tell you, when a 
  miner hears that sound, only one thing goes through 
  his mind. I moved like I had the Devil hisself on my 
  tail. Damn near made it too, except for a piece of sup-
  port timber that came down on my leg. Don't know 
  what happened to the other guys. 
  Don't suspect they made it out. Too 
  bad too. Both Jake and Phil had wife 
  and kids." 
   
  As the investigators leave, or if they ask 
  if he needs anything, Puckett will request 
  a pack of “Luckys” and a good Salami and 
  Cheese sandwich. He thinks the nurses 
  are a little too strict, and the hospital food 
  is terrible. 
  The Grey Nag Inn 
  The Grey Nag is a high-class hotel that 
  has been thriving off of the near constant 
  traffic of wealthy mining magnates into 
  and out of Knoxville. Although it is rela-
  tively large for the area, the characters 
  may be startled by its down-home atmos-
  phere and the country inn manner in 
  which it is run by its small staff. A quick 
  examination of the clientele who can be 
  seen smoking and chatting in the lounge 
  indicate the type of people the inn caters 
  to. If the investigators don't think of it 
  themselves, a successful Idea roll has 
  them wondering how a simple rural 
  schoolmarm could afford digs like these. 
  If the investigators choose to inquire 
  with the staff as to whether anyone an-
  swering to the description of Margaret 
  Hamill stayed at their hotel, none of the 
  employees are able to remember for sure, 
  as her description matches several guests. 
  If the characters ask to examine the guest 
  registration, they are denied, unless they 
  make a successful Persuade roll. 
  The only other way in which the char-
  acters could examine the guest register is 
  to stay at the hotel as well. The cost is an 
  extravagant $20 per night for a single, or 
  $35 for a double. While they are signing 
  in, a quick peek into the front of the book 
  while no one is looking (either a Spot Hid-
  den attempt or both a Dexterity roll and 
  Idea roll) reveals Margaret Hamill's sig-
  nature, dated the day after she disap-
  peared from Cumberton. An additional 
  peek reveals Walters' signature on the 
  same date, right below Margaret's. 
  This signature is the only clue to the double nature of Walters. 
  If the investigators have acquired a sample of Margaret's signa-
  ture from the church, they will see that it is obviously not the 
  same as that in the hotel registration book. Also, in the margins 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 26 - 
  of the registration book, next to the bogus entry, are the letters 
  "PboP" (a hard Spot Hidden roll is required to notice this if the 
  examining character is doing so on the sly). A hard Accounting 
  roll reveals this abbreviation to indicate "Paid by other Party."  
  When Walters visited the inn, he entered Margaret's name and 
  then paid for her room, so that the inn's bookkeepers would not 
  notice anything out of the ordinary. The hotel staff will remem-
  ber that Walters made this double-payment. If the investigators 
  can nail a extreme Luck result on a die roll, the staff are also be 
  able to give a description of the gentleman that runs very close 
  to Walters' description. 
  If, once the investigators return to Cumberton, they confront 
  Walters with this information; he first puts on an air of shock 
  and confusion. If pressed about why he paid her hotel bill, we 
  will sigh, look sheepish, and explain that he and Miss Hamill had 
  a certain "liaison."  He felt that paying her bill was the gentle-
  manly thing to do. Even though he does his best to hide it, a hard 
  Psychology roll reveals a certain underlying tension in his man-
  ner that wasn't there before. 
  Once he realizes that the investigators may be on to him, he 
  does his best to eliminate them through any means possible. 
  Jack Tiley’s 
  The Knoxville warehouse district located adjacent to the Ten-
  nessee riverfront is constantly bustling with all manner of 
  transport — trains, trucks, barges, you name it — leaving or con-
  verging on the mining Mecca with their wares. Unlike many of 
  the neighboring towns, with their down-home, easy manner, 
  Knoxville is constantly jumping to the tune of the railroad and 
  mining barons that hold sway over it. Smack-dab in the middle 
  of this area, close to one of the largest rail yards sits Jack Tiley’s. 
  On the surface, a warehouse just like any other, but beneath the 
  loading docks and packing crates is the largest speak-easy in 
  eastern Tennessee. 
  The upper building follows the plans of an average warehouse. 
  Roughly square in shape and nearly 100 yards on a side, the cor-
  rugated metal sides rise three stories to an aluminum roof (ac-
  cessible via a winding wooden stair up one side) set with huge 
  dirty sky-lights. Several railroad tracks lead up to and through 
  massive doors into which Judas-gates have been placed for con-
  venience. Peering inside, one sees a multitude of containers — 
  wooden, metal, and paper — stacked on towering pallets await-
  ing eventual loading onto trucks or trains for their final destina-
  tion. 
  At one corner of this near-stadium is a two-story structure 
  housing the warehouse’s business office. During normal work-
  ing hours, these offices and the warehouse in general bustle with 
  activity, over-seen by Jack himself. At night, the structure still 
  bustles with activity, but with a twist of lemon. 
  Only a few steps from the internal office area is a huge crate 
  marked with the legend: “VAUXHAL AUTO PARTS - TO BE DE-
  LIVERED BY OWNER.”  Within this crate is the entrance to a 
  lavish source of entertainment and alcoholic bliss below. Access 
  is simple, the only requisite being familiarity with the clientele. 
  The characters should have no problem getting in by dropping 
  the names Jefferson or Thompson. Security is not very tight, 
  considering the fact that the local heads of law enforcement are 
  regular customers. 
  Tiley’s has what most people have come to expect from a qual-
  ity gin-joint. The front room is spacious with a large marble-cov-
  ered, mirror-backed bar that dispenses the best spirits the world 
  has to offer — at a price. In another corner a jazz band made up 
  entirely of “gentlemen of color” beat out the best in modern mu-
  sic. In between, the privileged classes raise their wrists, while 
  flappers twirl their beads to the beat of the music. At the height 
  of the festivities, the atmosphere is best described as electric. 
  Through a door on the other side of the packed dance floor is a 
  small — though no less congested — room where the high-rollers 
  meet to exchange fortune. The small gambling hall is completely 
  decked out with craps, roulette, baccarat and poker — and the 
  games are for high stakes and completely legitimate (most of the 
  time). As has been mentioned, it shouldn’t come as any surprise 
  to find both the mayor and chief of police here on any given 
  night, particularly given the fact that Jack Tiley has them both 
  in his pocket. 
  Jack Tiley — originally, Iago Tillini — is the son of Italian im-
  migrants who arrived just in time to give birth to their only child. 
  Growing up in the immigrant neighborhoods of Philadelphia, he 
  became involved with several “families” who made sure he was 
  brought up with a strong grounding in the concept of “American 
  Free Enterprise.”  He soon showed that he had a good head for 
  numbers and superb organizational skills, but a certain disdain 
  for the enforcement aspects of the “business.” 
   
  Jack Tiley  
  Mobster, age 35 
   
  STR 60 
  CON 70 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 60 
  INT 80  
  APP 70 
  POW 70 
  EDU 80 
  SAN 70  
  HP 12 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 14 
  Luck: 70 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  40% (20/8) 
  .32 Revolver 
  50% (25/10), damage 1d8 
  Dodge 
   
  30% (15/6) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (70%), Law (55%), 
  Persuade (85%). 
   
  With the passage of the 18th 
  Amendment, the family patriarchy 
  saw a need to expand their sources of 
  raw material into domestic resources, 
  as their receipt of foreign goods dwindled. Knowing Tiley to be 
  quick on the uptake, they sent him into the Appalachians to 
  plunder much needed natural resources. Using his inestimable 
  charm, as well as that of his good friend “Lucky” Lukie Grambi-
  oni, he convinced the Knoxville hierarchy of the benefits his 
  business would provide to the local economy. Soon after, his 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 27 - 
  warehouse was set up as the mid-west’s focal distribution point 
  for locally made whiskey and spirits. Tiley’s customers include 
  several influential families in the Philadelphia, New York, and 
  Chicago areas. If anything were to happen to his business, they 
  would be, understandably, upset... 
  Depending on how the investigators are proceeding with the 
  clues they’ve received, this location will either clarify the con-
  nection between Sheriff Jefferson and the kidnappings, or will 
  be a complete waste of time. In either case, it is a potentially 
  deadly red-herring for the characters. Unlike your average cult-
  ist or raving mad-man, the people involved in this sub-plot are 
  perfectly lucid, and completely ruthless. Anybody who gets in 
  their way will be squashed. Keepers can use enemies created 
  here as a recurring problem to the investigators. Was the deliv-
  erer of that horse’s head some insane cult member, or simply an 
  annoyed family member? 
  The characters shouldn’t have too much trouble here, if they 
  don’t cause any undue problems like bringing in the Feds, or 
  threatening to do so. Hell, they might even have a good time!  If 
  they do cause trouble, there are several options as to how the 
  referee can deal with them: 
   
  • 
  Tiley will put a contract out of the characters, and they will 
  be attacked by scar-faced hit-men sometime during their 
  stay in Knoxville. 
  • 
  Tiley will send a telegram to Jefferson, who will deal with 
  the characters upon their return. 
  • 
  Tiley will discuss the situation with the chief of police, who 
  will lock the characters up and throw away the key on some 
  trumped up charge. 
   
  When the investigators meet him, they find Tiley to be a fash-
  ionably dressed gentleman, with the touch of an east-coast ac-
  cent (that Idea rolls may reveal to be Philly-Italian). He is of me-
  dium build and swarthy complexion, dark hair greased firmly 
  into place. The characters find him to be quite talkative and very 
  confident in the position he has made for himself. He is not eas-
  ily threatened, particularly if his partner Lucky Lukie is any-
  where nearby.  
  “Lucky Lukie” Grambioni is the stereo-typical gorilla enforcer. 
  He was sent along with Tiley on this project for two reasons: 
  first, to add a little extra incentive toward local cooperation and 
  second, to make sure that Tiley doesn’t get any funny ideas. 
  Lucky has no sense of humor and is as ugly as a naked mole-rat. 
  He got his nickname after being shot in the head three times 
  (once from point-blank range), and surviving. Several people in 
  the business seem to think he’s indestructible, and so far he 
  hasn’t proved them wrong. Also fashionably dressed, he is never 
  far from Tiley during evening hours. He’s usually asleep during 
  the day, and uses the early morning hours to get any “special 
  project” that he has been assigned, over with. If the investigators 
  push Tiley the wrong way, they can expect a visit from Lucky. 
   
   
  “Lucky Lukie” Grambolini 
  Hit Man, age 24 
   
  STR 90 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 80 
  DEX 70 
  INT 50  
  APP 35 
  POW 90 
  EDU 30 
  SAN 90  
  HP 17 
  DB: +1d6 Build: 2 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 18 
  Luck: 65 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  95% (47/19) 
  .38 Revolver 
  70% (35/14), damage 1d10 
  Knife 
   
  95% (47/19), damage 1d4 
  Dodge 
   
  35% (17/7) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Accounting (35%), Drive Auto 
  (55%), Law (65%), Locksmith (65%), 
  Sneak (75%).  
  PASSAGE TO PERMIA 
   
  “Consider then, that a geas has been put 
  upon you, and take yourself off to the caverns in which the ser-
  pent-people reside...“ 
  —Clark Ashton Smith, The Seven Geases  
   
  The first impressions of anyone entering the Stutts mines for 
  the first time if they have either been in a mine before or have a 
  working knowledge of mining practices (i.e., an extreme Geology 
  roll), is of its relative cleanliness. The shift crews also seem very 
  well organized their work reminiscent of an assembly line.  
  Several hundred feet into the mountain is a large cleared area 
  from which several tunnels extend, and from which the noise of 
  drilling can be heard. In roughly the center of the area is a shaft 
  housing an elevator leading to lower levels. Like clockwork, the 
  elevator rises and falls, bringing loads of coal in carts to be car-
  ried out. 
  The foreman accompanying the investigators leads them to 
  the elevator and down past two other openings to the fourth and 
  lowest level of the mine. As they drop, they can feel the temper-
  ature fall several degrees and can smell the air become foul with 
  the scent of burnt timber. If any of the characters asks about the 
  smell, the foreman explains that the remains of tunnel supports 
  haven't been completely removed from the level yet after the fire 
  broke out, and it will take some time before the ventilation sys-
  tem gets rid of the smell. 
  The main opening on the fourth level is significantly smaller 
  than the other levels, and only a few tunnels lead out of it. 
  While stepping out of the elevator, the foreman points out a 
  cord that leads back up the shaft. He explains that if anything 
  happens, somebody should yank the cord as hard as possible, 
  and not let go. The rope leads to an air horn just outside the 
  mine, that will summon help. 
  The foreman then leads the characters down one of the tun-
  nels, where the smell of burnt timber and smoke grows steadily. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 28 - 
  The footing is very rough, as the tunnel has only been cleared 
  enough to get through to any survivors of the accident and not 
  much attention has been paid to neatness. 
  As the group proceeds along the tunnel, successful Listen rolls 
  give hint to slight groaning coming from the tunnel ceiling that 
  is supported by somewhat hasty reinforcement. Spot Hidden 
  rolls also reveal small pieces of debris that occasionally fall from 
  the thousands of tons of earth above the investigators heads. An-
  yone making such rolls should check against Sanity to avoid be-
  ing immobilized within the tunnels. 
  The tunnel eventually opens into a 30 x 30-foot chamber, 
  dominated in its center by a large statue of a contorted snake-
  like creature, with huge claws, and fangs the length of a forearm, 
  carved out of jet black stone. The material that the statue is made 
  of seems to be frictionless to the touch, and a hard Geology result 
  reveals it to be an unknown mineral. On the head of the statue 
  is a crown of some sort, decorated with four large gems. Each of 
  them is black and don't seem to reflect any light shown at them. 
  The statue faces a large metal door, that is half way ajar. Beyond 
  this door is a dark tunnel that leads downward into the darkness, 
  on the walls of which hang torch sconces. Also in the room are 
  the charred remains of four bodies, two by the metal door, one 
  by the opening in the wall, and one near the statue itself. This 
  discovery requires a check against Sanity (0/1d3) and handling 
  them (for removal or examination) requires another one 
  (1/1d4). A hard Medicine result reveals that the backs of the bod-
  ies near the door and the chest area of the other bodies seem to 
  be much more charred than the rest, indicating that these areas 
  may have already been burned, before the fire started. 
  The tunnel leads off into darkness, further than the range of 
  the investigator’s torches or lanterns. Examination shows that 
  the tunnel is man-made, and appears to be quite sturdy, with 
  regular stone arches and a cobbled floor. In the dim lighting, a 
  vivid imagination might even conjure images of a ridged throat 
  or the inside of a serpent, the arches forming an enclosing cage 
  of ribs. Any character suffering from Claustrophobia might have 
  some trouble here... 
  As the characters descend into the darkness, they find the 
  temperature dropping rapidly, and after what seems like only a 
  few moments, the light from the entrance vanishes completely. 
  Hard Spot Hidden results reveal carvings on the floor, walls, and 
  ceiling of the tunnel, that become more dense and intricate as 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 29 - 
  they move deeper into the depths. Soon they come upon an arch 
  in the tunnel that is so densely carved with hieroglyphics that it’s 
  difficult to determine where the characters end and the un-
  touched stone begins. Only characters with Cthulhu Mythos skill 
  are able to decipher these markings, and then only with an ex-
  treme result. If able to decipher them, they appear to be some 
  form of repetitive mathematical formulae, possibly dealing with 
  Mass, Time, and Distance. If transcribed and studied for at least 
  a month the characters decipher the “Create Gate” spell. 
  Passing through the gate will feel like the investigator has 
  been covered by swarming ants, and will require a Constitution 
  result to avoid passing out. Those who fail this attempt fall un-
  conscious for roughly five minutes per 10% by which the roll was 
  missed. If successful, the investigator feels slightly dizzy. There 
  is no loss of Magic points when passing through the gate, as it is 
  being powered by the Nasahari shaman (fortunately he’s unable 
  to discriminate between the life-forces passing through it!). 
  Crossing over has a couple of other side-effects. First, any 
  electrical equipment carried by the investigators will no longer 
  function, magnetic items (such as compasses) will be degaussed, 
  and undeveloped camera film will be ruined. The party may be 
  suddenly plunged into darkness!  Second, looking at somebody 
  who has crossed over is akin to looking at someone through a 
  screen or dirty window. For some reason, they appear rather 
  hazy. Furthermore, a hard Spot Hidden result followed by an 
  Idea result reveals that they have been inverted (as though in a 
  mirror). Anything held in the right hand appears be held in the 
  left, and vice-versa. This effect works from both sides of the gate, 
  and once a character passes through, their perception returns to 
  normal on their side. Finally, no sound can be heard from the 
  opposite side of the gate, unless the characters are able to wait 
  for several million years for spoken messages to arrive... 
  Given the dim lighting in the tunnel, characters who fail an 
  extreme Spot Hidden attempt fail to notice a door set into the 
  wall of the tunnel, some fifteen feet ahead of the gate. This un-
  locked doorway opens into another tunnel that eventually splits 
  into two passages. The left passage leads upwards and eventu-
  ally opens up into a well concealed location not far from the 
  Rock. The right passage eventually ends in a small, empty cham-
  ber with a trapdoor set into its roof. The trapdoor opens beneath 
  a throw rug in Terrance Walters’ bungalow. 
  A Castle of Darkness 
  Once the characters have passed through the gate, they notice 
  that the tunnel begins to slope upwards. As they climb slowly 
  forward, the temperature begins to rise as expected. Unexpect-
  edly, before they reach the tunnel mouth, the temperature con-
  tinues to rise, as does the humidity. By the time they exit the 
  tunnel into burning sunlight, they are drenched with sweat, and 
  find breathing labored for their efforts as well as a slight tang of 
  ammonia in the air. The characters have just made a 250-mil-
  lion-year leap into the past. 
  The tunnel opens into a large compound completely con-
  structed of black stone, that a Geology roll reveals as basalt. Sur-
  rounding the compound are sheer walls roughly twenty feet in 
  height. A small structure abutting one of the walls provides ac-
  cess to the tunnel, and is bounded by dual flights of steps that 
  lead to the top of the wall and a narrow stairway leading down 
  the other side. The walls themselves are only a couple of feet 
  wide and quite slick. Any characters attempting to walk along 
  them will have to make a hard Dexterity roll or slip off. At the far 
  end of the compound is a tall, slim step-pyramid type structure, 
  that towers nearly eighty feet. An Archeology or Anthropology 
  roll reveals the architecture to be similar to — though not exactly 
  — Mezzo American in design, and a Geology result indicates that 
  the entire structure has been carved out of a single piece of rock! 
  Upon the floor of the compound is a light layer of black ash 
  (powdered basalt), that clearly reveals tracks leading directly 
  from the entrance to the tunnel to the pyramid, without detour 
  to other areas. A Tracking result indicates several sets of foot-
  prints, human as well as non-human. A Biology result indicates 
  the tracks to be reptilian in nature. They are quite large, and may 
  have been created by an alligator or similar creature, though 
  there are no additional marks normally attributed to that kind 
  of animal. If the Tracking result was at least hard, several sets of 
  both male and female human tracks can be distinguished, and it 
  would appear that some of the female tracks indicate a struggle 
  of some kind. An extreme Tracking result goes so far as to deter-
  mine the type of shoe making the prints, as well as the possible 
  size and age of the wearer. The tracks were formed by the Ser-
  pent Men, Walters, Shawna, and their – often struggling – vic-
  tims. 
  As the pyramid is approached, the characters find that it is 
  bounded by a moat of sorts, just wide enough to require a hard 
  Jump result to get across. In the mote is a dark bluish-gray mist 
  that continuously whirls around obscuring the bottom. If one of 
  the investigators is lowered down into the mote (or falls in) they 
  find that it is twenty feet deep, and the bottom is covered with 
  snakes. A Biology roll indicates that the vast majority of them 
  are poisonous. 
  Protruding from one side of the pyramid is a large structure 
  that is shaped like a serpent’s head. Opposite the head, on the 
  other side of the mote, is a large, square slab of stone — roughly 
  two feet high and eight feet on a side — on top of which stand 
  two obelisks made of the same material as the statue in the 
  chamber. They are both covered with glyphs and markings, that 
  an extreme Archeology or normal Cthulhu Mythos result reveals 
  to be some kind of incantation to do with "feeding the serpent." 
  If the spell is enchanted (at the loss of two Magic points) the 
  eyes on the snake head rolls down and gaze at the characters. 
  The head then begins to extend forward, mouth opening, to re-
  veal two rather large teeth. About a fourth of the way across the 
  mote, the head stops, and a large forked tongue continues out 
  across the mote, until each point of the forked tongue touches 
  one of the obelisks. Witnessing this requires a Sanity check 
  (0/1d3). 
  The tongue provides access across the moat, but its surface is 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 30 - 
  coated in greasy red ooze, and requires a Dexterity result to get 
  across without falling. Anyone who falls into the mote is elimi-
  nated. Characters who witness this must make Sanity rolls or be-
  come paralyzed with fear while they witness their friend’s ago-
  nizing death at the fangs of the venomous serpents below. 
  [Some referees and players may find this bit a little too harsh, 
  particularly when playing with smaller groups. In these in-
  stances, allow for opportunities to grab falling characters “in the 
  nick of time” to save them from this horrible fate.] 
  THE SERPENT’S LAIR 
  As mentioned previously, the entire structure has been carved 
  out of the same massive slab of basalt. Seams between independ-
  ent pieces of rock are nowhere to be found. The basic architec-
  tural technique, though apparently Mezzo American, is signifi-
  cantly more advanced. The tools needed to create this kind of a 
  structure are unheard of in the twentieth century (let alone the 
  Permian era!). Characters will also note the amazing level of 
  preservation and cleanliness about the site. Idea rolls indicate 
  that the structure is relatively new — say, within the last fifty to 
  seventy-five years or so. 
  About halfway up the structure is a large opening, possibly a 
  window or doorway. Apart from the main entrance, this appears 
  to be the only way into the structure, and it is inaccessible from 
  outside, without proper climbing equipment. Just outside this 
  opening, the sun glints off of an object of some kind. It’s too far 
  off to tell what it is, but a pair of binoculars reveals it to be a large 
  modern telescope supported by a tripod. Inventive investigators 
  who can determine which way north is without a compass deter-
  mine that the telescope is pointed into the southern sky. Those 
  who wish to wait until nightfall to determine where they are will 
  get quite a shock when they find themselves looking at the 
  Southern Cross, instead of the Little Dipper! 
  Another feature that characters may or may not notice is the 
  complete lack of bird-song, or even birds for that matter. They 
  do see several flying insects however, most of them quite large 
  and unfamiliar to Tennessee, as are the oppressive heat and hu-
  midity. Characters that begin to question where and when they 
  are – particularly Natural Historians or Biologists – should 
  make Sanity rolls to avoid being stunned. 
  Ground Level and Entryway 
  Through the mouth of the serpent head, is a brief passageway 
  leading into roughly square chamber, forty feet across. 
  There are several lit torches set into sconces on the walls, that 
  illuminate a statue in the center of the room. The statue is iden-
  tical to that which the investigators discovered in the mines, and 
  it is facing the entrance through which the characters emerged. 
  The room is decorated by bas-relief carvings in three of the four 
  walls, that graphically depict a mass of snakes and Snake Men, 
  dismembering and eating several different types of animals, in-
  cluding other snake men. Curiously, there are no depictions of 
  humans anywhere in evidence. 
  The far wall of the chamber is covered a jet black satin curtain, 
  behind that the characters will find a stone stairwell, leading 
  both up and down, that skirts the walls. The stairs are steep and 
  there are no railings to keep careless investigators from plum-
  meting 100 feet to the bottom of the shaft. No rolls are necessary 
  when climbing these stairs, unless the investigators are in com-
  bat or in a hurry. 
  Level One 
  Thirty feet up the stairs lead the investigators to the first land-
  ing and an unfurnished open area, that is lit by torches. This 
  level houses Walters’ lab, his office, and a set of holding cells. 
  The Laboratory 
  This room is crowded by a large marble slab in the middle of 
  the floor that is roughly 5x7 feet in size, stands three feet from 
  the floor, and is heavily stained. Several grooves have been 
  carved into the slab's surface, that lead to a small drain in its 
  center. A successful Biology roll reveals the stains to be dried 
  blood. There are also several tables set along walls, on which can 
  be found microscopes, Petri dishes, surgical and dissection 
  tools, and glass jars of all shapes and sizes. The contents of the 
  jars seem to be, mostly, different types of snakes, fetuses or em-
  bryos, and internal organs. A successful Zoology roll reveals 
  these to be a mix of both human and large reptilian (an Educa-
  tion roll to realize they are snake organs). There are also a few 
  that cannot be identified. In one corner of the room is a manual 
  water pump, that is perfectly functional, and a metal bucket. 
  At one end of the room is another large black curtain, that con-
  ceals two small areas.  
  In the first is a hole in the floor with a large stone plug in it, 
  that is hooked up to a pulley mechanism. If the plug is removed, 
  the room is filled with a rotting stench that forces each investi-
  gator to make a hard Constitution roll to keep from getting ill. 
  The pit is roughly fifty feet deep and five feet across. If the con-
  tents are examined, the broken, gutted and rotting remains of 
  three women are found, currently acting a food supply for a 
  swarm of large scavenger insects (a Sanity check is required; 
  1/1d4). 
  The second area is hot, humid, and foggy. The cause of this is 
  a small contraption that drips water onto a large bucket of rocks 
  heated by a Bunsen burner. In the room are a dozen cylindrical 
  platforms. On nine of them sit coconut sized spheres, that are 
  light green in color and have a mottled texture. An Education 
  roll may suggest that these are eggs of some sort, and if opened, 
  they reveal a partially formed human fetus (a hard Sanity roll is 
  required; 1/1d6). 
  Set into the far wall of the laboratory is the opening that the 
  investigators noticed when outside, the telescope readily appar-
  ent. Even to the casual observer, the telescope is obviously of 
  both high quality and power, and requires two people to move 
  safely. Unfortunately, it being daylight hours, nothing can be 
  seen through it. Stepping out of the opening places the charac-
  ters on a small balcony from which a small walkway extends 
  along the outer walls of the pyramid, wrapping around to the 
  other side. 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 31 - 
   
   
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 32 - 
  Characters following around to the backside of the pyramid 
  will soon find that the opening actually was at the backside, and 
  they have moved to the front. They will also have to make hard 
  Sanity rolls (1/1d8). At the base of the pyramid, that actually ex-
  tends downward another hundred feet, is what can only be de-
  scribed as a large town or small city. Entirely built of the same 
  basalt and enclosed within a vast curving, bowl-like walls are 
  hundreds of multi-tiered structures connected by roads and cat-
  walks. Scurrying about the structures like a nest of ants are thou-
  sands of serpent-folk, most dressed in simple tunics, others 
  garbed more elaborately. 
  About 150 feet below their current position, the investigators 
  can see a large opening in the pyramid and a set of stairs leading 
  downward into the heart of the serpent city (for their use, if they 
  dare...). 
  The Cells - Hidden behind a heavy metal door (with a Size of 
  80) are half a dozen cells, each of which are filthy, and locked up 
  with large windowless iron doors of their own (also with a Size 
  of 80). Half of them are empty. In cell B is a very frightened, but 
  coherent Cissy Carlson. In cell A is a very incoherent and very 
  pregnant Libby Johnson. A successful Listen roll at the door of 
  cell F, reveals the sound of a baby crying. Inside is an infant, ly-
  ing face down in a bed of straw. Its skin is covered in lesions and 
  it is whining. If anyone picks it up or turns it over, they see its 
  snake-like eyes and a skinny forked tongue that darts in and out 
  of its mouth (extreme Sanity roll required; 1/1d6). 
  The Office - This room is furnished with a desk, chair, and a 
  set of bookshelves. The shelves are full of books, that cover the 
  subjects of local Indian folklore, and human and reptilian biol-
  ogy. Most of the scientific texts are specific to reproductive pro-
  cesses. In the desk is a piece of paper with a list of nine girls’ 
  names on it. Next to four of them are check marks, five of which 
  are crossed out. The three names coincide with the four missing 
  girls. There is also a folder, inside of which is a manuscript that 
  Walters has been working on, entitled “Descendants of the Ser-
  pent” and some notes that describe the spell “Dissemble” (see 
  the section of Magic for details on these items). Also, hanging on 
  the walls are several diplomas from Miskatonic University in Zo-
  ology and Medicine. 
  In plain view atop the desk is a piece of paper marked with the 
  headline: “Progress of Invasion.”  Several columns of numbers 
  are jotted down that appear to be times, both chronologically as 
  well as geographically. Characters with knowledge of Astronomy 
  or Natural History may recognize these numbers as stellar coor-
  dinates used by astronomers when tracking the movement of 
  heavenly bodies. A successful Astronomy result indicates that 
  something will be impacting the Earth within a few weeks’ time. 
  Characters that use this knowledge to use the telescope after 
  sunset will be in for a shock. The first character to peer through 
  the telescope at the correct stellar location will have the dubious 
  advantage of seeing the Old Ones winging in on the cosmic 
  winds (an extreme Sanity result is required to avoid catatonic 
  shock; 1d10/1d100). After seeing their compatriot go white, and 
  possibly leap off the pyramid to be crushed a hundred feet be-
  low, any investigators who foolishly glance through the tele-
  scope will suffer the same fate. When that first investigator goes, 
  kindly Keepers may have him or her take the telescope along for 
  the plunge. 
  Level Two 
  Another thirty feet up the stairs lead the investigators to an-
  other landing, and another open area, also lit by torches. 
  Sleeping Area - Leading from the open area is a small room, 
  whose floor is covered in large pillows and blankets. In one cor-
  ner of the room is a small table on which sits a lantern and a 
  small pile of popular novels. Just off this area is another small 
  room that is furnished by a large wooden barrel, a functional wa-
  ter pump, a few buckets, and two fairly ornate cloaks hanging on 
  pegs in one wall. 
  If the characters enter the pyramid during daylight hours, 
  there is only a slim chance (10%) that Walters and Shawna are 
  present. At night, however, the odds are almost certain (90%). If 
  either of them is present, there is also a good chance that a few 
  Serpent Men (one who carries a Cthughan Funnel) will also be 
  present (75%). If the party is exceptionally noisy while in the 
  structure, Shawna and at least one of the Serpent Men hide be-
  hind the curtain in the Laboratory and wait to ambush the char-
  acters, while Walters waits upstairs. If there are any women in 
  the party, and Walters is present, he tries to capture them alive 
  for his experiments. If the party shows caution in moving about 
  the structure, they may find Walters at work on his manuscript, 
  and Shawna asleep in the bedroom. 
  Main Temple Level 
  After heading fifty feet down the stairway, the characters en-
  counter another landing, whose opening is covered by a black 
  curtain. 
  The Vestibule - Upon peering through the curtain, the in-
  vestigators find a brightly lit room, whose floor is tiled with a jet 
  black, obsidian-like stone, polished to a mirror shine. A success-
  ful Geology result suggests that although the stone is similar to 
  obsidian, it is really unknown. 
  On both sides of the room are openings in the walls, and there 
  are two openings on the wall across from the stairwell. 
  In between these openings are several pegs on which hang half 
  a dozen highly ornate robes, and a large trunk that, once opened, 
  reveals thousands of dollars (following a Geology roll) of ornate 
  jewelry. To each the left and right of the openings (i.e., not in 
  between them), is mounted a rack of three Cthughan Funnels (if 
  the characters have captured any, reduce the number accord-
  ingly). 
  On the front of the curtain (or back, depending on your point 
  of view) is an image of Yig, flanked on either side by a naked 
  male and female serpent man, intricately embroidered in gold 
  and silver thread. The level of detail in this embroidery forces 
  anyone observing it to make a Sanity roll (0/1d4). 
  The Communal Shrine - This small room is empty, apart 
  from a large statue that looks similar to a tree, except that the 
  branches form the shapes of hundreds of stone snakes, the larger 
  of which have their mouths agape. A successful Zoology result 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 33 - 
  reveals that none of the carvings are duplicated and a hard Biol-
  ogy result shows that every species of snake known to man (plus 
  a few unidentifiable ones) are represented on this statue. If ex-
  amined, the larger carvings appear to be hollow tubes that lead 
  down into the base of the statue, wide enough to insert an arm. 
  A hard Spot Hidden result reveals a small switch on the back of 
  the statue. Activating it seals the room, and real venemous 
  snakes begin to slither out of the mouths of the statue. They con-
  tinue to come out of the statue until 100 have appeared. The 
  walls of this room are decorated in a similar fashion to the En-
  tryway on the first level, and the floor is made of the same glossy 
  stone as that in the vestibule. 
  The History Room - This room is completely empty. On the 
  walls is a continuing fresco that, starting at the right of the 
  room's entrance seems to depict the evolution and history of the 
  race of Serpent Men, from the arrival of the first generation 
  through the present, including great scientific discoveries, as 
  well as disastrous wars. Historians studying the fresco will take 
  note that the history of the race parallels that of human-kind in 
  many ways, including a period of Enlightenment as well as a Re-
  naissance. It would appear that the race is currently in some-
  thing of a decline. 
  The Main Temple - Upon exiting the Vestibule from either 
  door opposite the stairwell, the characters enter the main tem-
  ple, where most Yig worship takes place. 
  The temple is roughly 75 feet square with a 40-foot ceiling, 
  seemingly supported by eight large columns, each which holds 
  three large torches. The floor, walls, ceiling, and columns all 
  seem to be made of the same glossy black stone that covered the 
  floors of the other rooms on this level. 
  At one side of the room is a raised area on which an altar is 
  located and behind it is a great kneeling figure of Yig, that par-
  tially protrudes from the wall. The figure's eyes seem to be large 
  yellow gems and the teeth appear to be carved from ivory and 
  speckled with red stones, giving the illusion of blood. Its pro-
  truding tongue is painted a glossy red, and the flickering of the 
  torch light gives the characters the impression that it is moving 
  subtly. The figure's sharp claws protrude menacingly from above 
  each doorway. 
  In the wall across from the altar is a ten-foot opening that 
  leads to the outside of the pyramid. If the characters go through 
  this tunnel, they find themselves at the top of a steep set of stairs 
  leading to the Serpent Man city. On the floor of the tunnel, and 
  protruding into the Main Temple is a gold and silver mosaic of a 
  serpent, whose tail begins at the head of the stairs leading to the 
  village and whose head is situated at the center of the Temple. 
  OUTSIDE THE WALLS 
  This option comes into play if, instead of heading right to the 
  main temple, the investigators opt to go over the wall of the com-
  pound. The first thing that they notice is that they’re not in Kan-
  sas (er, Tennessee) anymore. As far as the eye can see stretches 
  a thick blanket of green jungle, into which a thin, slick set of 
  stone steps leads. 
  At the bottom of the steps is a narrow pathway through the 
  heavy undergrowth that little light manages to reach. Compared 
  to the tangle of vines, creepers, leaves and moss of the encroach-
  ing jungle, the pathway is relatively clear. Leaving the path is, 
  for all intents, impossible without a machete or a bull-dozer. 
  As mentioned previously, the only noises that emanate from 
  the jungle seem to be the buzzing and clicking of insects. No 
  aviary is in evidence what-so-ever. Players who noisily shout 
  “ooo-ooo-ooo-eee-eee-eee-ahh-ahh-ahh,” should be made clear 
  on this point, perhaps at the expense of a Sanity roll. Apart from 
  insects, the only life that seems in evidence is of amphibian and 
  reptile nature. 
  Characters, who insist on traveling this path, properly 
  equipped or not, will have an encounter with local wildlife once 
  per evening (until they get the hint, starve, or provide suste-
  nance for something else). Remember, too, that Cthulhu and 
  friends are on their way as well! 
  After a first evening’s camping, one of the investigators will 
  awaken to puffs of fetid stench being blown in his or her face. 
  They are e eye-to-eye with a Pelycosaur (a Permian predecessor 
  of the Jurassic dinosaurs), resembling a large Komodo dragon 
  with a large spinal fan and drooling jaws. It’s found something 
  for breakfast – the investigator’s face – and will attack until 
  killed or driven off (see the section on creatures for more de-
  tails). 
  A few hours after recovering from the Pelycosaur attack, the 
  investigators will hear a mounting buzzing sound coming from 
  the trees above them. Idea rolls would suggest that they run as 
  fast as possible to the Serpent Man town, as they are about to be 
  attacked by a vicious swarm of Permian wasps. These fist-sized 
  devils attack the first character that they manage to catch, or the 
  idiot who decides to stand and fight (see the section on creatures 
  for more details). These beasties return every six hours until the 
  characters return to within 100 yards of the Serpent Man city — 
  a safety zone against all jungle critters. 
  The only thing the characters find of interest outside of the 
  city walls is their own demise.  
  SERPENT CITY 
  [This scene is provided for those investigators who'd really 
  like to take their chances exploring a city infested with eldritch 
  beings. Keepers who'd rather keep this type of adventuring out 
  of their campaigns should simply bar the door.] 
  Once the party exits the Main Temple, they discover that the 
  pyramid through which they have been exploring acts a figure-
  head for a large eldritch serpent town. The town is roughly a 
  thousand yards long and nearly that in width. Completely sur-
  rounding it is a huge wall that curves inwards, providing partial 
  cover to the edifices below. Along the overhanging edges of the 
  wall are dim, unknown sources of lighting that keep the town 
  illuminated through night hours. 
  Like the pyramid, the primary form of architecture appears to 
  be Mezzo American in nature, most of the structures being 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 34 - 
  multi- story buildings. Access is provided by way of narrow al-
  leyways and catwalks that sprout web-like from building to 
  building. The buildings are built so close together that often less 
  than five feet of open space lays between them making naviga-
  tion (let alone combat) somewhat difficult. If the investigators 
  choose to wander through these mazes of buildings, a successful 
  Navigation or Tracking result is be required to avoid becoming 
  lost. 
  At the bottom of the stairs, there is a large open area that is 
  dominated by a twenty-foot statue of Yig adjacent to which are 
  two more smaller pyramids. At the statue's shoulder is a struc-
  ture that houses chambers for the Serpent Men priests and be-
  yond the statue is a larger pyramid that acts as a science annex. 
  Throughout the city, thousands of serpent men scurry from 
  place to place, seemingly oblivious of the investigators. If they 
  don’t cause any trouble and take reasonable precautions, the in-
  vestigators should be able to move around the city freely. It is 
  rather mind-boggling that no one seems to be dilly-dallying at 
  all. Everybody seems to be doing something, either due to the 
  nature of the society, or perhaps in futile preparation of their 
  impending doom scant weeks away. 
  Given the huge number of serpent men in the area, it won’t 
  take long for the characters to get used to the fact. Instead of 
  forcing them to make Sanity rolls every time they see a Serpent 
  Man, once three rolls are successfully made, the players should 
  be able to ignore the rolls completely. This rule doesn't cover any 
  other eldritch creatures that the investigators may run into, 
  however. 
  The Priest's Chambers 
  The first floor of the smaller pyramid is dominated by another 
  hall dedicated to Yig, that resembles that of the Main Temple, 
  but in a much smaller scale. A single doorway behind the altar 
  gives access to a stairway leading up to the second floor. There 
  the investigators find six chambers that appear to be sleeping 
  quarters. 
  There are always several Serpent Man Priests in this structure, 
  who will immediately try to kill any non-priest who enters. They 
  are all armed with ceremonial daggers and at least one will be 
  carrying a Cthughan Funnel. 
  The Science Hall 
  This structure, like the one described above, is 
  also broken down into two levels, and accessed 
  by a simple stairway at the rear of the first level. 
  Upon entering, the investigators find them-
  selves in a huge library, that takes up the entire 
  first floor. All of the tomes and tablets found here 
  are completely unintelligible at a glance. If, how-
  ever, the investigators make off with a handful or 
  two, they may attempt to translate them. Doing 
  so will require at least a year per item, and an ex-
  treme Idea result. Success will increase their 
  Cthulhu Mythos skill by 10% each. 
  A search of the upper level of this pyramid re-
  veals several rooms that appear to be laboratories 
  and testing rooms for some very odd devices. The 
  investigators may be able to find one of the fol-
  lowing items per superb die roll they make: 
   
  • A standard Serpent Man Death Ray with three 
  charges. 
  • A Yithian Lightning Gun with five charges. 
  • A Gate Box to a destination of the referee’s 
  choosing. 
  • A box of five chemical cold light tubes (flex the 
  tube and it glows at 40-watt intensity for six 
  hours). 
  • An ornate electric carving knife with enough 
  juice for twenty minutes of activity (adds +1d4 to 
  standard Knife damage when activated). 
  • Three vials of concentrated Serpent Man Poi-
  son. 
   
  One item that seems to hold considerable 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 35 - 
  prominence is a large chunk of the same glistening black rock 
  used to tile the temple floors. Carved into the top of it (but not 
  yet removed) is a bowl of some kind. If the characters manage to 
  get close enough, they find that the bowl is being intricately 
  carved with runes and glyphs beyond their knowledge (unless 
  they can make a Mythos roll). The characters will also notice a 
  multitude of carved silver tablets and printed diagrams depict-
  ing the construction of this object to minute detail. Called the 
  “Vessel of Yig,” this object is only a curiosity in this particular 
  scenario, but will play a heavy role in its follow-up. The charac-
  ters need only know that it cannot be destroyed, nor can it be 
  carried off in its present, uncompleted form. There are several 
  chunks of the rock from which it is being carved laying around, 
  that might make interesting — and ultimately helpful — souve-
  nirs. 
  While investigating this structure, the investigators run into 
  several Serpent men, who are scurrying around in their scientific 
  and research activities. Also, if they arrive during evening hours, 
  and Walters isn't in the upper levels of the main temple, he will 
  definitely be here. If Walters is not present, there is only a small 
  chance (10%) that the Serpent men will attack the investigators, 
  unless they try to remove something, which causes an automatic 
  attack. If Walters is present, he will have the investigators at-
  tacked automatically, and will attempt to capture any available 
  female investigators for his sinister project. As with the priests 
  described previously, at least one of the scientists will be armed 
  with a Cthughan Funnel. 
  Exploring the City 
  Those investigators, who feel that their Sanity can take it, may 
  want to wander around the city to see what they can see. Most of 
  the inhabitants of the city ignore the characters unless they 
  make a nuisance of themselves. If the investigators cause trou-
  ble, the first reaction of the serpent men is to capture them for 
  delivery to the priests, and eventually, Walters who will deal 
  with them in an unkind manner. 
  Characters wandering about the alleyways also have another 
  potential problem, that being the existence of Cthonians among 
  the town’s population (who do you think built the city in the first 
  place?). These creatures also serve Yig to some extent and given 
  their limited diet (they obviously can’t chow on Yig’s children), 
  they’d be more than happy to dine on an investigator or two. For 
  every hour that the investigators plan to explore the city, make 
  a die roll. On a 10% result, a very large Cthonian appears. Run, 
  investigators, run! 
  THE FINAL OUTCOME 
  The best way to deal with the situation, once the investigators 
  figure it out, is to destroy Walters, Shawna, and the work they 
  have done. If they don't do these things, Walters' genetic exper-
  iments eventually succeed, allowing the new demi-race of Ser-
  pent Men to conjure up something big. 
  If the characters succeed in stopping the threat, they each re-
  ceive the following experience points that are applicable toward 
  increasing their Sanity: 
  1d10 for stopping Walters and Shawna 
  1d6 for collapsing the tunnel leading to the gate in time 
  1d6 each for rescuing Cissy and Libby (the eggs will be surgi-
  cally removed successfully, and she will recover). 
  With the threat halted, Yig becomes powerless to stop the in-
  evitable decline of his people. Cthulhu and his minions reach the 
  Earth a few short weeks after the investigator’s visit to the past, 
  and proceed to lay waste to it before finally being sent to their 
  sleep beneath the waves. In order to salvage what he can for fu-
  ture generations, Yig orders his Cthonians to bury what remains 
  of the black city beneath the surface of the Amazon Jungle. 
  During the war between the Great Old Ones, the Vessel of Yig 
  was used to great, though insufficient, effect. It as well as the ru-
  ins of the black city lay undisturbed for 250 million years, await-
  ing the inevitable arrival of a small group of students and teach-
  ers from Miskatonic University who will inadvertently begin the 
  cycle of horror again... 
  ROGUE'S GALLERY 
  This section describes the “supporting cast” that the investi-
  gators may meet in the course of their investigations. The actual 
  numbers of these individuals is for the game master and the sit-
  uation to dictate. 
  Margaret Hamill, Previous Teacher 
  Even though she has been long dead when the scenario be-
  gins, the characters may want a description of her when (or if) 
  they travel to Knoxville. They may acquire a simple physical de-
  scription and a general view of her personality from the towns-
  folk, but an in-depth study can only be obtained from Cathy Dur-
  rel, who was her best friend. 
  Ms. Hamill was, physically, as average as they come. She was 
  of medium build and stature, with brown hair and eyes, and a 
  fair complexion. 
  She was also, apart from Cathy Durrel, the only eligible 
  woman in town. Unfortunately, as she didn't have Cathy's tough 
  attitude and personality, she was targeted by the Sheriff for a se-
  ries of unwelcome advances. She only confided enough in Cathy 
  to tell her of Jefferson's moves, and told her that if it wasn't for 
  her importance to the well-being of the town's children, she 
  would leave Cumberton just to get away from him. 
  Average Moonshiner 
  Several moonshiners will be milling about The Rock during all 
  hours of the day, more during evening hours than earlier owing 
  to many being Stutts employees. The game master is encouraged 
  to select an appropriate number to provide challenge to the 
  number of characters in the area. Of those in the area, virtually 
  all of them carry a buck knife or utility knife of some kind. A 
  small percentage carry shotguns and only one or two carry hunt-
  ing rifles. Those armed with rifles are most often located atop 
  The Rock as look-outs. 
   
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 36 - 
  STR 65 
  CON 60 
  SIZ 65 
  DEX 50 
  INT 45  
  APP 50 
  POW 50 
  EDU 20 
  SAN 50  
  HP 13 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
   
  Shotgun 12-gauge 
  55% (27/11), damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 
  Large Knife 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Cook Moonshine (65%), Track (55%), Sneak (25%). 
  Stutts Guard 
  Several guards are located about key locations at the Stutts 
  mine site. Two are always located near the explosives shack. Any 
  numbers of guards are immediately available to detain the in-
  vestigators if their activities get out of hand. Each guard is armed 
  with all weapons noted below. 
   
  STR 80 
  CON 90 
  SIZ 70 
  DEX 90 
  INT 45  
  APP 65 
  POW 50 
  EDU 45 
  SAN 50  
  HP 15 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 10 
  Luck: 50 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7) 
  .38 Revolver 
  60% (30/12), damage 1d10 
  Shotgun 12-gauge 
  70% (20/8), damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 
  Large Knife 
  40% (20/8), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: All perception skills (base+30%), Stealth (base+50%). 
  Stutts Foreman 
  A foreman is always available to accompany the investigators 
  within the mines. The only location a foreman will not accom-
  pany them is into the chamber, on Stutts’ orders. Outside of the 
  mine, a small number of foremen are milling about giving orders 
  to miners. Generally, each foreman is armed with a pistol. Shot-
  guns are rare and at the discretion of the game master. 
   
  STR 80 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 75 
  DEX 65 
  INT 70  
  APP 65 
  POW 60 
  EDU 60 
  SAN 60  
  HP 15 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  .38 Revolver 
  45% (22/9), damage 1d10 
  Shotgun 12-gauge 
  40% (20/8), damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 
  Pick 
   
  55% (27/11), damage 1d8 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Mining (55%), Geology (45%), Operate Mining Equip-
  ment (45%). 
  Stutts Miner 
  The life-blood of the Stutts mine operation and the majority 
  of Cumberton’s adult population, miners can be found just 
  about everywhere. With the exception of the cave-in area, there 
  are always dozens of miners around the investigators at any time 
  within the mines and about the mine site. Each miner carries a 
  utility knife as well as mining tools that can be used as weapons 
  if necessary. Within the mines, several are armed with pick axes 
  or sledge hammers. 
   
  STR 70 
  CON 75 
  SIZ 65 
  DEX 60 
  INT 45  
  APP 50 
  POW 60 
  EDU 45 
  SAN 60  
  HP 13 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 8 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  Shotgun 12-gauge 
  35% (17/7), damage 4D6/2D6/1D6 
  Pick 
   
  55% (27/11), damage 1d8 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Mining (40%), Operating Mining Equipment (45%). 
  Nasahari Brave 
  There are few dozen braves about the Nasahari camp site. 
  They are completely fanatical and have committed their lives to 
  the protection of the Shaman. Each brave is armed with a poi-
  soned dagger. 
   
  STR 80 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 80 
  INT 50  
  APP 55 
  POW 60 
  EDU 25 
  SAN 0  
  HP 14 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 12 
  Luck: 60 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  Large Knife 
  75% (37/15), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Speak English (50%), Tracking (50%). 
  Nasahari Woman 
  A small number of women are found at the camp site. They 
  are there mostly to tend to the needs of the Shaman and will also 
  defend him to the death. Each woman is armed with a poisoned 
  dagger. 
   
  STR 60 
  CON 80 
  SIZ 50 
  DEX 90 
  INT 65  
  APP 55 
  POW 70 
  EDU 35 
  SAN 0  
  HP 11 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0 
  Move: 9 
  MP: 14 
  Luck: 70 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  Large Knife 
  55% (27/11), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 37 - 
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: Speak English (60%), Treat Poison (55%). 
  Greater Serpent Men 
  All of the Serpent Men Priests and Scientists are of this class; 
  all others are considered Lesser Serpent Men. Outside of the 
  Serpent Man city, this is the only class of Serpent Man the inves-
  tigators will encounter. Each are clothed in ornately stitched 
  robes, and have a thick skin that adds a +2 bonus to all defensive 
  rolls. Unless noted otherwise in the scenario text, greater Ser-
  pent Men are armed only with large ornate daggers. If attacked, 
  they’ll use these and biting attacks in melee. Only priests carry 
  Cthughan Funnels and only scientists carry Death Rays. 
   
  STR 75 
  CON 65 
  SIZ 60 
  DEX 75 
  INT 105  
  POW 75 
  HP 13 
  Move: 8 
  DB: +1d4 Build: 1  
  MP: 15 
  Sanity: 0/1d6 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  Bite 
   
  45% (22/9), damage 1d8+Poison 
  Large Knife 
  50% (25/10), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: 1 (thick skin). 
  Skills: Intimidate (60%), Biology (40%), Chemistry (40%), Spot 
  Hidden (35%). 
  Magic: Contact Yig, Summon Child of Yig, Hands of Colubra. 
  Lesser Serpent Men 
  These creatures constitute your average, run-of-the-mill Ser-
  pent Man. They are only encountered in the Serpent Man city, 
  and then in numbers counted in the thousands. 
  The lesser Serpent Men are driven by their current duties in 
  preparing their city’s defense against the Great Old Ones’ immi-
  nent arrival. Unless interfered with, they ignore any investiga-
  tors. 
   
  STR 50 
  CON 50 
  SIZ 45 
  DEX 60 
  INT 75  
  POW 60 
  HP 9 
  Move: 8 
  DB: 0 
  Build: 0  
  MP: 12 
  Sanity: 0/1d6 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  35% (17/7), damage 1D3  
  Bite 
   
  45% (22/9), damage 1d8+Poison 
  Large Knife 
  35% (17/7), damage 1d4+2 
  Dodge 
   
  50% (25/10) 
   
  Armor: 1 (thick skin). 
  Skills: Intimidate (60%), Spot Hidden (35%). 
  Magic: Contact Yig. 
  Chthonians 
  If the investigators manage to encounter one of these other-
  worldly menaces, their best tactic is to run! The size of these 
  creatures approaches that of a train car, and their multiple pre-
  hensile tentacles can stretch forward out of its slavering maw for 
  a dozen yards. Chthonians attack by wrapping one of several ex-
  tended tentacles around its victim and pulling the prey into its 
  maw. Any prey that is too large to fit is crushed and snapped in 
  twain until it does. Killing a Chthonian out-right is out of the 
  question without high explosives. A trapped investigator’s best 
  bet is to cut through the ensnaring tentacle before it’s too late. A 
  tentacle’s hide is quite thick, and provides a +3 defense against 
  any attack. 
   
  STR 260 
  CON 200 SIZ 260 
  DEX 36 
  INT 90  
  POW 90 
  HP 46 
  Move: 6/1 DB: +5d6 Build: 6  
  MP: 115 
  Sanity: 1d3/1d20 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  75% (37/15), damage 1D3  
  Crush 
   
  80% (40/16), damage 1d8+Poison 
  Dodge 
   
  17% (8/3) 
   
  Armor: 5 (thick skin). 
  Skills: Hold & Drain, Regeneration (5 HP per round), Earth-
  quake attacks. 
  Fire Vampires 
  These small creatures only appear within Scales of Time as 
  part of the use of a Cthughan Funnel, unless the game master 
  wants to heat things up for the investigators. Fire Vampires ap-
  pear as a swarm of individual points of flame, floating cloud-like 
  about the summoner. When directed, they automatically ignite 
  any flammable material with which they come into contact. The 
  numbers summoned indicates the amount of damage done. 
  Poor summoning results may cause the arrival of too few or far 
  too many Fire Vampires! These creatures cannot be damaged 
  with normal weapons. They are only summoned for a limited 
  time and will leave once the purpose of their summoning has 
  been fulfilled. Any characters witnessing the attack of Fire Vam-
  pires on a victim and his or her flaming consummation, must 
  achieve at least good results on Will checks to avoid being struck 
  with paralyzing abhorrence. Characters being attacked may at-
  tempt to dodge these creatures, only. 
   
  STR 0 
  CON 35 
  SIZ 1 
  DEX 80 
  INT 50  
  POW 65 
  HP 3 
  Move: 11 
  DB: n/a 
  Build: -2  
  MP: 13 
  Sanity: 0/1d6 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Brawl 
   
  85% (42/17), damage 2d6 burn  
  Dodge 
   
  40% (20/8) 
   
  Armor: none. 
  Skills: none. 
  Special: Invulnerable to normal attack. May be extinguished 
  with water (1 hit poing per half-gallon of water or 1d3 per bucket 
  full) or fire extinguisher (1d6). 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 38 - 
  Pelycosaur 
  This predecessor to the Jurassic dinosaurs resembles a large 
  lizard, roughly the size of an alligator, with a box shaped head 
  and a large dorsal fan. It is easily recognizable as a carnivore by 
  the mass of sharp teeth, and two prominent fangs. It moves quite 
  silently, and can easily blend into the jungle when threatened. 
  When attacked, it will defend itself until substantially wounded, 
  at which point it will scurry back into the jungle to lick its 
  wounds. 
  STR 150 
  CON 120 SIZ 130 
  DEX 60 
  INT 25  
  POW 50 
  HP 28 
  Move: 8 
  DB: +2d6 Build: 4  
  MP: 10 
  Sanity: 0/1d6 
   
  Attacks per round: 1 
  Bite 
   
  40% (20/8), damage 3D6 
  Dodge 
   
  20% (10/4) 
   
  Armor: 2. 
  Skills: none. 
  Permian Wasp Swarm 
  This flying horror puts the modern threat of Killer Bees to 
  shame. These monstrosities are primitive versions of modern 
  wasps that grow to the size of a man’s fist, and have a wing-span 
  of up to eighteen inches. Fortunately for mankind, changes in 
  the Earth’s atmosphere did not allow these creatures to flourish!  
  They attack in a swarm of twenty to thirty individuals, and will 
  only attack a single individual at a time. Such an attack contin-
  ues until the victim is dead, at which point the swarm will feed 
  off the body until gorged. Anybody witnessing this frenzy must 
  make a Sanity roll (1/1d6). After feeding, the swarm will remain 
  lethargic for several hours, and then passive for half a day, after 
  which they go looking again in search of food. The only way to 
  escape a swarm is to outrun it, until the swarm loses interest. It 
  will pursue potential game for several minutes. In order to stay 
  ahead of it, the potential victims must roll successfully against 
  their Health, adding one level of difficulty to each subsequent 
  roll, until the victim is caught or escapes. Witnessing a Permian 
  wasp swarm causes a Sanity check of 1/1d6. 
  MAGIC 
  This section lists the eldritch lore that the investigators 
  might encounter and learn during the course of their investiga-
  tions. 
  Descendants of the Serpent (Book) 
  This journal is hand written by Walters in two composition-
  style notebooks. 
  The first volume details the rise of the Serpent Man civiliza-
  tion from its inception through the Permian period and up to 
  its near destruction and decline. The imagery is vague, as much 
  of the detail was imparted upon the author via dreams im-
  planted by Yig. There are no names specifically mentioned, the 
  Great Old Ones being referred to as “the Walkers from the 
  Stars.”  Beyond their arrival and the cataclysm it causes to the 
  serpent race, the eventual fate of the Old Ones is not really cov-
  ered. As far as Yig was concerned, they simply went away. The 
  only spell contained within this volume is “Contact Yig.” 
  The second book details the plan to bring new life to the race 
  through a melding with human-kind, and is written in dry sci-
  entific prose. The existence of degenerate bands of serpent men 
  are only briefly mentioned, as they are too far gone genetically 
  to be of any real use. Walters discusses the process to create the 
  new breed of serpent people in detail, including the spell “Create 
  Binding Fluid” below. He also includes the outline of the entire 
  plot 
  surrounding 
  Cumberton’s 
  populace, 
  including 
  the 
  Nasahari’s role. 
  Oddly, one would expect that Walters expected some high 
  post among the brood that he was attempting to create, but this 
  is not the case. He simply sees himself as a vessel of the serpent 
  man’s salvation, and is happy to serve that cause. He is (or was) 
  not an evil man, just an insane one. 
  Each of these volumes takes about a week to read, and can be 
  puzzled out with an extreme success roll against the reader’s In-
  telligence score. Add a character’s Cthulhu Mythos skill to the 
  Intelligence score to increase the chance.  
  (0/1d4 Sanity loss; +03% Cthulhu Mythos; spells as noted) 
  Create Binding Fluid (Spell) 
  This spell allows the creation of the special fluid that, when 
  combined with a human female's amniotic fluid, lets the chro-
  mosomes of a serpent man correctly bind with those of a human. 
  The key ingredients to this rather thick potion are the seminal 
  fluid of an adult serpent man and the menstrual secretions of a 
  nubile human woman. Processing the enough fluid for a single 
  host-female requires five days and a temperature within five de-
  grees of a normal human’s body heat. The fluid is then used to 
  fertilize the egg of a serpent woman in vitro, that is in turn placed 
  within the womb of the human host. 
  The unfortunate side-effect to this process is that the egg 
  binds completely to the host, and cannot be removed without 
  destroying the host’s viscera. To the race that created the sci-
  ence, this is a small price to pay, when the future of an entire 
  race is at stake. 
  Each casting creates one dose of the fluid at the cost of five 
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 39 - 
  Magic points and its use costs 1d3 Sanity points. 
  Dissemble (Spell) 
  Nobody likes enchanted items, particularly when they’re on 
  the receiving end. This powerful spell was created by serpent-
  mages of old, to counter their magically endowed foes. Practi-
  cally speaking, this spell will release the magic held within an 
  enchanted item, thus permanently neutralizing its power. As an 
  added twist, the magic is released explosively, damaging the 
  holder at a level proportional to the power of the magic item it-
  self. Exceptionally powerful items will explode bomb-like, dam-
  aging those near enough to the object along with its holder. Also, 
  as this is magic being released, no amount of armor will protect 
  the blast victims, and no person or thing is immune. 
  The catch is that a piece of the original material from which 
  the enchanted item was created is required. For instance, a 
  wooden wand could only be dissembled if the caster held a piece 
  of the tree from which the wood of the wand was grown. This 
  piece of material is symbolically crushed in the caster’s hand 
  while they enchant the spell. 
  The spell is conjured by pitting the caster’s available Magic 
  points against those contained by the item. Additional individu-
  als may add their own Magic points to the caster’s pool. If suc-
  cessful, the enchanted item explodes, causing 1d6 damage per 
  Magic point released. 
  As an added bonus, the caster of the spell receives 1d4-1 (zero 
  is possible) Sanity points for the destruction of that which 
  should not exist. 
  Serpent Man Death Ray  
  The serpent man death ray is made of bluish crystal, and 
  gleams strangely in any light. There is a twisted handgrip, that 
  does not fit the human hand well. A large blister of purple-
  veined blue glass surmounts the handgrip, and six thin rods of 
  silvery hue project forward from the weapon, forming a sort of 
  “barrel.”  Inside the blister sloshes a silver liquid, somewhat re-
  sembling mercury. When the death ray is fired, flashes and stac-
  cato shards of light race out of it to the target. The victim takes 
  damage equal to 30 minus his Constitution/5. If the character 
  has any sort of armor, it helps to dissipate the force of the ray. 
  By way of example, if the death ray struck a character with a 
  Constitution of 90, it would do 30-(90/5)=12 points of damage 
  to him.  
  The weapon can be fired twenty times before it must be re-
  charged with the silver liquid. If a human wants to try to use one 
  of these weapons, his basic chance to hit is only 05%. The weap-
  ons only have 4 hit points, and so break easily. 
  Cthughan Funnel 
  This item appears as a simple hollow rod, roughly five feet in 
  length, made of a jet-black basalt stone. Close examination re-
  veals thousands of small runic symbols that cover every inch of 
  the staff, and three small prongs that extend from one end. If 
  examined closely and studied for a long enough period of time, 
  a successful INTx3 roll will determine the runes to make up the 
  spells Summon and Bind Fire Vampire. 
  A Cthughan Funnel acts as a focus point for the summoning 
  and command of Fire Vampires. Each use costs the enchanter 15 
  magic points and a loss of 1d6 SAN. When the rod is invoked and 
  pointed at a victim, 1d6x10 Fire Vampires will appear, swirling 
  around the caster like large fireflies. They will then enter the rear 
  of the rod, and shoot out the front, blasting into the poor soul at 
  which it is pointed. The Fire Vampires will then feed mercilessly 
  until the victim has been consumed, and reduced to a charred 
  husk. 
  The only protection against this attack is the casting of a coun-
  ter-Bind spell, or the wearing of an elder symbol of some kind 
  The creation of this item requires the knowledge of the Summon 
  and Bind Fire Vampire spells, the Call Cthugha spell, and any 
  Enchant spell. The process may only be successful while Formal-
  haut is visible on the horizon, and requires a sacrifice of at least 
  50 POW points to Cthugha by burning sufficient victims at the 
  stake or other convenient location. The serpent folk typically 
  used their prisoners of war for this dreadful act, but humans will 
  work just as well. There is no magic point cost to the caster in 
  this process, but he or she will lose 1d10 SAN. 
  A GOOD CAST IS WORTH REPEATING 
  The images of the non-player characters found within this text 
  have been used with permission from SilentsAreGolden.com. 
  Here are the actors and actresses “portraying” these characters. 
   
  Andy Walgrew  .............................................................  Art Acord 
  Dick Finklestein ..................................................... Robert Agnew 
  Catherine Durrel  ..........................................  Eleanor Boardman 
  Henry T. Jefferson  ..............................................  Robert Edeson 
  Doug Jackson  .........................................................  Ralph Forbes 
  Edmund Willbury  ...................................................  Alec Francis 
  Dr. Xavier Griswald  ................................................  H.B. Warner 
  Shawna  ........................................................................  Ann Little 
  Shaman  ..........................  Chief John Smith (Gaa-binagwiiyaas) 
  Terrence Walters  ....................................................  John Gilbert 
  David Carleson  .........................................................  Tom Dugan 
  Wilma Carleson  ......................................  Marguerite Delamotte 
  Jim West  ................................................................  Wesley Barry 
  Lawrence Thompson  ........................................  Reginald Denny 
  Harold Thompson  ............................................  Reginald Denny 
  Albert Stutts  ...........................................................  Tom Forman 
  Gaby Hughes  ......................................................  George Fawcett 
  Henry Walbridge  ...........................................  Theodore Roberts 
  Arthur Clancey Puckett  .........................................  Larry Semon 
  Jack Tiley  ...............................................................  Ford Sterling 
  Lucky Grambolini  ...............................................  Conway Tearle 
  HANDOUTS 
  On the following pages are reproductions of the handouts 
  printed within these pages for easy access and reproduction. 
  Permission to print as many of these as needed is granted. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 40 - 
   
   
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 41 - 
   
   
   
   
   
  THE STUTTS MINING CO. 
  Cumberton, Tennessee 
   
  March 22, 1923 
   
   
  Sleuth Bi-Monthly 
  137 East Hannover Street 
  New York City, New York 
   
  Dear Sirs, 
   
  The unenviable task of writing this letter has fallen 
  upon my shoulders, as I am the only person in this small 
  community with the means to seek your assistance. 
   
  Over the course of several months, our small town has 
  been stricken with a rash of disappearances. At first it 
  was believed that the missing persons (little more than 
  children, in fact) had left owing to fear of being 
  forced to work in the local mines. If you must know any-
  thing of my business, please understand that it is not 
  our policy to force our employees to work under diffi-
  cult circumstances. Unlike many of our competitors, we 
  do not use coercion to get results, as our record will 
  show. It is, therefore, difficult to believe that fear 
  would drive these people away. 
   
  I must sadly admit, however, that I was almost convinced 
  that this was the reasoning behind the disappearances, 
  until one of the missing children was discovered by a 
  group of hunters. According to the reports that I have 
  seen, the boy was found far from any roads or trails and 
  carrying only the clothes on his back. This hardly 
  sounds like somebody who's purposely moving away! 
   
  Nevertheless, our local constabulary has chosen to ad-
  here to the expressed and unfounded reasoning, and has 
  given up their investigation. 
   
  To date, five children have disappeared (abducted for 
  reason or reasons unknown), the most recent of which a 
  scant two days ago. 
   
  I thereby formally request your assistance in locating 
  a party who may be able to locate our missing children 
  and capture the persons responsible for their abduc-
  tion. My business is prepared to offer a reward of 
  $2,500 plus expenses for a successful conclusion to 
  these difficulties. 
   
  Please respond as soon as possible. 
   
  Sincerely, 
   
  Albert J. Stutts 
   
  Albert J. Stutts 
  President 
  H. 
   
  You was write about yer boss sending for 
  some clowns from outta town. They got 
  here the other day if you don't know it al-
  redy. I'll be keepin an eye on um just in 
  case they get to close to the Rock. We 
  don't need um snoopin around like those 
  kids was and havin um disappear might be 
  noticed. I'll try to stick um with some-
  thin and ship um on there merry way. 
   
   
   
   
  J. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 42 - 
   
   
  
  THE SCALES OF TIME 
   
   
   
  - 43 - 
   
   
  Paper: New York Enquirer 
  Date: One Week Ago 
   
  "Fire in the Hole" 
   
  Reports have just come in this morning that ten lives 
  have been lost in a coal fire at the Stutts Mining 
  Company in Cumberton, Tennessee. Legendary for its 
  safety record, Stutts has refused to comment on the 
  accident, except to say that it is deeply saddened by the 
  loss of lives and is looking very carefully into the causes 
  of the tragedy. Sources close to the company state that 
  miners had recently made a valuable discovery in one of 
  its newer shafts, and were in the process of examining it 
  when the accident occurred. Speculation into the causes 
  of the fire have been narrowed down to either 
  overconfidence in safety procedures, carelessness on the 
  part of the miners involved in the accident, or, possibly, 
  a resurgence of Molly McGuires’ activity in the area. As 
  soon as definite facts are received, additional reports 
  will be forth-coming. 
  Paper: Charleston Gazette 
  Date: One Month Ago 
   
  "Missing Teenager Found!" 
   
  Yesterday, doctors at the Appalachian Institute for 
  Mental Health in Knoxville, announced that they have 
  finally made a positive identification of the young man 
  found lost in the woods several weeks ago. Jim West, a 
  fifteen-year-old from Cumberton, Tennessee, a small 
  coal town near the Tennessee border, was found by a 
  group of deer hunters. He was suffering from exposure 
  and near starvation, a condition that, according to 
  doctors, put his mind into such a state of shock, that he 
  could do nothing but rave incoherently. A week of 
  therapy and the good care of the doctors at the Institute 
  have calmed him down and almost completely brought 
  him back to normal. He is expected to be returning home 
  soon. Reports from Cumberton state that Jim 
  disappeared along with his fourteen-year-old girlfriend, 
  Elizabeth Johnson. She has not been found, and is 
  presumed dead. It was originally believed that the 
  couple had left the coal mining town in search of a 
  better life elsewhere, following in the footsteps of a few 
  other girls and the town's teacher, who were presumed 
  to have left the town for the same reasons. In light of 
  these new developments, inquiries are being reopened as 
  to the causes of these other disappearances. 
  NOTE: On the reverse of this 
  page is a sheet of advertisements 
  from an old National Geographic 
  magazine. Print that sheet on the 
  reverse of this one to provide a 
  more authentic handout. 
  
  TALES OF THE MONOLITH 
   
   
  - 44 - 
   
  
   
   
  
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu/Misc/Miskatonic Repository/CoC - Miskatonic Repository - Tales of the Monolith, Part 1 - The Scales of Time.pdf