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Chaosium Digest Volume 25 Number 03
Chaosium Digest Volume 25, Number 3
Date: Sunday, April 12, 1998
Number: 2 of 4
Contents:
Return to the Monolith, Part Two (Mike LaBrossiere) CTHULHU NOW
--------------------
From: Mike LaBrossiere <Ontologist@aol.com>
Subject: Return to the Monolith, Part Two
System: Call of Cthulhu
[continued from V.25.2]
PLACES
The following section details the places the investigators will visit
during the course of the adventure.
Hungary
The team will fly to an airport in Austria and they will be provided
with suitable transportation (vans) at the airport. From Austria they
will drive into Hungary. Steiger Inc. Will have made all arrangements
so their trip will go smoothly.
Stregoicavar
Stregoicavar is not a real place, but Biscke is eighteen miles west of
Budapest. The trip to Stegoicavar will take the team past the ruins
were Count Boris Viadinoff who was killed long ago by the Turks. In
the 1900s, Stregoicavar was a quiet little town, still living in the
18th century. World War II, the following Cold War, and more recent
events have all but emptied the village. Most of the structures are
still standing, but the young people have mostly left in search of
better opportunities. Those who remain are mostly older people.
The Inn
The inn in Stregoicavar is still standing, although it has seen better
days. However, it is still well kept and the team has reservations
(they will be the only guests).
Laszlo Yukarskin owns and runs the inn and he knows a fair amount of
the local history. If he is treated well, and asked about Justin
Geoffrey, he will tell them that "local legend has it that some
English poet by that name went and looked at the stone. According to
old superstitions, the stone is said to cause madness. In the case of
the poet, it did its job. It is said he was found gibbering, drooling
and moaning."
If he is asked about the black stone, he will tell the team where to
find it. If asked what he thinks about it, he will say, "Well, they
say that the stone is...unnatural. I don't place much stock in ghost
tales and the like. Then again, I've no desire to visit the stone,
especially at night."
If he is asked about the people who went missing, he will say that all
three of them stayed at the inn and that he sent the belongings of two
of them home. If asked about the third person, he will say he did not
send his belongings because he was told that he had no relatives. If
asked about the third person, the innkeeper will check his records and
tell them that his name was Metz. If asked what he thinks happened, he
will say that he doesn't know. He is willing to speculate about the
mafia, but he will say they seemed like nice people.
Talking to the Villagers
Provided the investigators are polite (and speak their language) the
villagers will be willing to talk about the stone.
In general, the investigators will learn that the stone still has a
bad reputation and that people stay away from it. Local legend has it
that the stone was reared by some devil-worshippers who were killed by
the Turks. Local legend also has it that there have been attempts over
the years to destroy the stone. According to these tales, those who
harm the stone suffer from "fits, madness, and terrible dreams."
The best source of information in the village is Geoff
Stakuski. Stakuski served in a German SS armored unit (under a
different name) and retired (anonymously) to this small
village. Stakuski, who married a local woman, was fascinated by the
history of the area and learned a fair amount about it. He knows that
the village was originally called Xuthltan. He believes that the
monolith was reared by people who worshipped a "god not well known to
men." His wife's mother befriended an American who came to the village
in the 1900s. According to Stakuski, the American was part of a small
group of men who came to see the stone. The men stayed in the village
for some time and the American, named Sam Lorenzo, later returned for
a short while, leaving some books and other items. If Stakuski is
asked about the books, he will say that they were lost when the roof
sprung a leak. He will say that they still have a notebook and a
beaker of odd powder. The notebook is in English and is tattered and
worn. The following passages are the most interesting and relevant:
We have seen the horror that plagues this place on Midsummer's
Night. It is something that is not to be spoken or written
of. Dr. Harveld thinks that it is just an image from the past,
somehow electrically trapped in the stone itself. I think it is
something far worse.
...
I have returned again to the village to visit Mary again. She is a
fine woman, but the things I have seen and experienced prevent me
from asking for her hand. After all, how can I promise to protect
her, when there is no protection from Them? However, I can do some
small thing for her. I finally learned the secret in the Arab scroll
and found that the dust is as acid to the horrors. I have created a
beaker of the dust, sufficient for two uses, and I have left Mary
with instructions on how to use it. She seems skeptical, but she has
seen the stone.
I leave tomorrow in search of the island. I hope to someday return
to Mary.
If the investigators are persuasive, Stakuski will be willing to allow
them to read the notebook. If they are very persuasive, he might be
willing to allow them to take the powder. The powder is the Dust of
Suleiman, which does 1D20 worth of damage when thrown on a Mythos
creature, such as the Toade. Stakuski has two applications of the
powder.
Stakuski spoke extensively with Russell (then Metz) and his two
friends when they came to the village. Stakuski thinks that they might
have been killed by the mafia or that they had some sort of falling
out. Stakuski will say that Metz "had a look in his eyes..." and that
he might have done something. Because he knows that Stakuski might
recognize him, Russell will avoid him.
The Black Stone
The Black Stone stands on the summit of a mountain near the
village. The monolith is roughly octagonal in shape. It stands about
sixteen feet high and is about one and a half feet thick. The stone
appears to have been highly polished a marked with strange
symbols. The stone has been defaced and the symbols have been badly
damaged.
The symbols on the stone do not appear to belong to any known language
and they have been so damaged that is unlikely that anyone would be
able to even attempt a translation. An investigator who makes a
successful Archeology roll will note that the symbols seem vaguely
like those found on a large, apparently man-worked stone found in the
Yucatan. Most archaeologists have dismissed the Yucatan markings as
being idle scratches or perhaps some type of art. If an investigator
with Geology skill examines the stone and makes her skill roll, she
will be able to tell that the rock appears to be volcanic in origin,
but it definitely seems out of place in this area.
The stone is surprisingly resistant to damage, although the use of
modern equipment (powered drills) and explosives could break the stone
into fragments. Unfortunately, physically damaging the stone will
cause the stone to "yield" fragments and pieces of the horrible things
that happened on or near it. The effect is that as the stone takes
damage, people within 50 meters will have horrible images, feelings
and sensations invade their minds. In game terms, for every ten points
of damage done to the stone, anyone within 50 meters must make a
Sanity roll. If the roll fails, the person loses 1 Sanity Point. If
the roll succeeds, there is no loss. If the whole stone is blasted at
once, their will be a massive "shockwave" that will cause a 1D6/1D20
Sanity loss to everyone within 50 meters, 1D3/1D10 Sanity loss to all
within 100 yards, 1/1D6 Sanity loss to all within 150 yards, and 0/1D3
Sanity loss to all within 200 yards. The "shockwave" will cause bad
dreams in people within 100 kilometers of the stone itself. If the
stone is blasted to pieces, it will lose all its power and will simply
be normal stone.
Visiting the Stone During the Day
If the monolith is visited during the day, it will seem odd, out of
place and spooky. However, nothing will happen.
Visiting the Stone at Night
Visiting the stone at night is not a very good idea. Those in the
presence of the stone will feel a faint chill, as if something cold is
brushing their spines. The shadows falling in the area create a very
convincing illusion that the stone is at the center of a vast, alien
city of forbidding towers and dark, unnatural spires. Bringing
artificial lights makes the illusion even stronger, as the bright
lights will make the shadows seem somehow more solid. Spending time in
this area at night will cost one Sanity Point, unless the investigator
makes a Sanity Roll.
Visiting the Stone on Midsummer's Night
Visiting the stone on Midsummer's Night (June 23rd) is an
exceptionally bad idea. As mentioned above, the stone has been imbued
with the horror and madness that has occurred in its vicinity. This
horror and madness is partially released every June 23rd. Anyone in
the vicinity of the stone at this time will hear a faint moaning
noise, which sounds almost like the wind through the trees.
A scene from the past will be re-enacted near the stone by phantoms of
the past. At midnight faint images of people will begin to form,
growing more solid appearing as they move towards the stone. As they
grow more solid looking, a priest will begin to lead them in an
obscene ceremony. If a person watches the events that happen from
12:00 to 12:30, he will lose one Sanity point unless he makes a Sanity
Check. At 12:30 the ceremony picks up, with young women dancing about
the stone while the priest lashes at their bodies with a leather
whip. While the dancing is going on, the other cultists begin to lash
some terrified looking people to a wooden log, obviously in
preparation for a blood sacrifice. At 1:00, those still present must
make a Sanity Check or lose 1D3 Sanity Points. From 1:00 to 1:30, the
cultists continue their rituals, culminating in a bloody sacrifice at
1:30. When the blood spills to the ground, the image of a horrid
toad-thing will appear over the stone. Those seeing this phantom will
need to make a Sanity Check or lose 1D6 Sanity Points. A successful
roll still results in a loss of one Sanity Point.
The bloody sacrifice is, as mentioned above, merely a horrid phantom
from the past. While it can cost Sanity, the images are merely
reenacting a scene from the past and can cause no other harm. While
the images appear solid, they can be walked through. Moving through
the images will have no effect on the ceremony, but will cause the
person to feel the horror with even greater intensity. In game terms,
the person will need to make an extra Sanity Check each time she moves
through one of the images. A failed roll costs one Sanity Point.
The Ruins
The ruins where Boris Vladinoff died are still present, although they
have been covered with years of debris and plant growth. If the
investigators decide to muck about in the ruins, they will be able to
find some bones, but they will also be able to tell that the ruins
have been well picked over.
ACTION
The main action will center around Russell. Russell's general plan is
to get the team to the monolith, summon the Lesser Toade and kill them
all in a blood sacrifice.
Russell is very cunning and will try to determine which of the
investigators might be dangerous or armed before taking action. If
possible, he will try to damage any guns the investigators might have
brought with them.
If the adventure is not taking place near June 23rd, Russell will have
a plan to deal with the investigators. His specific plan is
this. First, he will talk the team into having a team picture taken at
night. When they agree, he will summon the Lesser Toade and have it
wait in a nearby cave. That night, he will say that he is going ahead
to set up the lighting. He will do this, but he will also visit the
Toade and tell it to attack when it sees the flash. Russell will rig
up the lighting equipment to create a powerful, blinding flash of
light. If the team members make a Luck roll, they will be only party
blinded for 15 seconds (half all visual based skill rolls, such as
combat skills). If they fail their Luck rolls, they will be blinded by
the flash for 15 seconds (all visual based skills at 25% of normal)
and partly blinded for another 15 seconds.
After the flash goes off, the Lesser Toade will tear into the nearest
person, ripping and biting. Meanwhile, Russell will pull out his 9mm
and start blazing away. The Toade and Russell will do their best to
kill everyone. If things go against them, Russell and the Toade will
try to flee.
If the investigators are visiting the stone in June, Russell will do
his best to get them to visit the stone on the night of June
23rd. Russell will hope the events will cause some of the team to go
mad, thus increasing his chances of defeating them. In this case, he
will summon the lesser Toade, which will act as if it is merely
another image from the past. The Toade will then watch the team,
waiting for the events and its presence (seeing the Toade will require
a separate Sanity Check) to take their toll on the team members. If
some team members go insane, the Toade and Russell will take advantage
of this to attack the team. The Lesser Toade will tear into the
nearest person, ripping and biting. Meanwhile, Russell will pull out
his 9mm and start blazing away. The Toade and Russell will do their
best to kill everyone. If things go against them, Russell and the
Toade will try to flee.
Conclusion
The adventure ends when the investigators defeat Russell and the
Toade, they flee, or they are killed (or go insane).
If the investigators defeat Russell and the Toade, they should receive
a 1D8 Sanity point award. If the investigators are able to destroy the
monolith, they should receive an extra 1D10 Sanity point reward.
If the investigators were working for Steiger Incorporated, they will
be paid if they are able to complete their jobs. Steiger Incorporated
will be very interested in hiring the investigators again in this
case. If the investigators are unable to complete their jobs or events
go badly (team members are killed, for example), then the Keeper will
have to decide what happens.
If the investigators flee without defeating Russell and the Toade,
they will lose 1D3 Sanity Points. Russell will acquire sacrifices to
bring back the "old religion" and he will soon gather a following of
cultists and expand his operations. The investigators may return to
face the greatly expanded evil at some point in the future.
NPCs
David Rolfe, Director
STR:14 CON:15 SIZ:14 INT:13 POW:14 DEX:13 APP:13 EDU:19 SAN:70 HP:15
DB: +1D4
Important Skills: Bargain 55%, Credit Rating 45%, Direct 65%, Fast
Talk 60%, Jump 45%, Law 15%, Mechanical Repair 40%, Occult 35%, German
25%, Russian 15%, Persuade 35%, Photography 27%, Psychology 37%, Spot
Hidden 41%, Swim 55%, Handgun 40%
Weapons: None
Description: Rolfe is a tall, middle-aged man. He has tanned,
weather-beaten skin, black hair, and a neatly trimmed beard and
moustache. He generally wears "outdoor" style clothing when in the
field. Rolfe is an experienced director and made his reputation
covering various wars and disasters. Because of this, Rolfe is very
good under pressure. He does not really believe in the supernatural,
but will aid the investigators should he become convinced of its
reality.
Brent Travis, Vocal Talent
STR:11 CON:12 SIZ:13 INT:11 POW:11 DEX:10 APP:15 EDU:15 SAN:55 HP:13
DB: None
Important Skills: Bargain 25%, Fast Talk 32%, German 45%, French 55%,
Japanese 45%, Russian 11%, Persuade 55%, Psychology 25%
Weapons: None
Description: Travis is a handsome young man, with perfect hair, a
perfect face, and a perfect voice. He dresses stylishly and favors
expensive clothes. Travis is rather empty-headed and does not believe
in the supernatural. If he encounters anything dangerous or
frightening, he will attempt to run away.
Christopher Russell, Insane Photographer
STR:12 CON:13 SIZ:13 INT:14 POW:12 DEX:14 APP:13 EDU:18 SAN:00 HP: 14
DB: +1D4
Important Skills: Bargain 21%, Fast Talk 35%, Hide 25%, Law 16%,
Library Use 45%, Listen 35%, Mechanical Repair 37%, Occult 45%,
Spanish 35%, French 25%, Persuade 24%, Pharmacy 15%, Photography 83%,
Sneak 25%, Handgun 35%
Weapons:
9mm Pistol 35% Damage 1D10 Range 20 yards Attacks 3 Shots 15 HP 8
Malfunction 99
Combat Knife 45% 1D4+2+1D4 HP 15, BlackJack 53%, Damage 1D8+1D4 HP 4.
Spells: Contact Lesser Toade, Summon Lesser Toade
Description: Russell (once known as Metz) is a thin, nervous looking
man. He has brown hair, which is thinning badly. He is clearly well on
his way to going bald. He smokes constantly and dresses in out of date
clothing, mostly army surplus. He always has at least two camera bags
with him (one of which holds his 9mm). Russell is a very good
photographer and clearly knows his job.
Russell is completely insane and is the loyal servant of his new
master. Despite his madness, Russell is extremely clever and is very
adept at tricking people into getting what he wants. Russell prefers
to deal with problems indirectly, through deception, tricks, ambushes
and such. He always desires to have an advantage in any situation and
will carefully plan his actions. Russell is very careful to maintain
his image as an eccentric photographer and is careful to never have
anything incriminating on his person or in his gear.
Sam Gussett, Camera
STR:15 CON:14 SIZ:17 INT:13 POW:12 DEX:09 APP:11 EDU: 14 SAN:60 HP:16
DB: +1D4
Important Skills: Fast Talk 22%, Electrical Repair 55%, Electronics
15%, Drive Motorcycle 45%, Hide 25%, Law 15%, Mechanical Repair 60%,
Operate Heavy Machinery 50%, Photography 65%
Weapons: Knife 35% Damage 1D4+1D4 HP 9
Description: Sam is a very large, overweight man. He has dark brown
hair, a thick beard, and blue eyes. He generally wears biker style
clothing (leather jacket, T-shirts, jeans, and heavy boots), a left
over from his days in a motorcycle gang. Sam is a skilled cameraman
and able to lug around a lot of equipment. Sam has been in some nasty
bar fights and is not afraid to have it out with people.
Diane Gussett, Camera and Sound
STR:12 CON:13 SIZ:11 INT:14 POW:12 DEX:14 APP:12 EDU:15 SAN:60 HP:12
DB: None
Important Skills: Fast Talk 25%, Electrical Repair 35%, Electronics
25%, Drive Motorcycle 35%, Hide 20%, Listen 55%, Mechanical Repair
35%,Photography 60%, Sound Recording 60%
Weapons: None
Description: Diane is a thin, wiry women, with sharp and harsh
features. She dresses like her husband, Sam. She has dirty blonde hair
and blue eyes. She found God a few years ago and made Sam leave the
gang and take up an honest life. Because of her religious beliefs,
Diane does believe in the supernatural.
Geoff Stakuski, Old Man
STR:09 CON:10 SIZ:12 INT:14 POW:12 DEX:14 APP:12 EDU:15 SAN:60 HP:12
DB: None
Important Skills: Bargain 45%, Electrical Repair 32%, First Aid 55%,
Hide 55%, History 48%, Mechanical Repair 75%, Natural History 35%,
Operate Heavy Machinery 56%, German 55%, English 24%, Handgun 28%,
Machine Gun 55%, Rifle 45%
Weapons: 12-gauge Double Barrelled Shotgun 60% Damage 4D6/2D6/1D6
Shots 2 Range 10/20/50 yards HP 12
Description: Stakuski is an extremely old man, with white hair. He
keeps his hair very short and does not have a beard. Stakuski was in
the SS during WWII, but he has long since put the war behind him. As
mentioned above, Stakuski has useful information for the
investigators.
CREATURES
Lesser Toade
Description: The Lesser Toades are hideous, toad-like beings. These
horrid creatures are servants of Tsathoggua and are related, in some
odd way, to the Formless Spawn.
The Toades are intelligent, speak many human languages and often serve
as emissaries for Tsathoggua when that horrid deity has business in
the world. They look like very large toads with oddly gelatinous
bodies. Unlike typical toads, the Toades are huge, have jagged black
fangs, and sharp claws. In battle, Toades attack with both claws and
bite at their foes with their crooked and jagged teeth. Because of
their odd, gelatinous composition, Toades sustain only half damage
from kinetic energy weapons, such as guns and knifes.
All Toades know two spells, Contact Tsathoggua, Contact Formless Spawn.
Characteristics Rolls Average Stats
STR 3D6+6 16-17 18
CON 2D6+6 13 16
SIZ 3D6+8 18-19 21
POW 3D6+3 13-14 15
DEX 3D6 10-11 12
HP 15-16 19
Damage Bonus +1D6 +1D6
Move: 7
Weapons: Two claws, 55% 1D6+db, Bite, 55%, 1D10
Armor: None, but a Toade sustains half damage from all kinetic energy
weapons.
Spells: Contact Tsathoggua, Contact Formless Spawn
Sanity Loss: 1/1D8
HANDOUTS
Handout #1
An aide brought to [the Count] a small lacquered case which had been
taken from the famed Turkish scribe and historian, Selim Bahadur, who
had fallen in the fight. The Count took therefrom a roll of parchment
and began to read, but he had not read far before he turned pale and,
without saying a word, replaced the parchment in the case and thrust
the case into his cloak. At that very instant, a hidden Turkish
battery opened fire, and ... the walls crash[ed] down in ruin,
completely covering the Count.
Handout #2
We have seen the horror that plagues this place on Midsummer's
Night. It is something that is not to be spoken or written
of. Dr. Harveld thinks that it is just an image from the past, somehow
electrically trapped in the stone itself. I think it is something far
worse.
-..
I have returned again to the village to visit Mary again. She is a
fine woman, but the things I have seen and experienced prevent me from
asking for her hand. After all, how can I promise to protect her, when
there is no protection from Them? However, I can do some small thing
for her. I finally learned the secret in the Arab scroll and found
that the dust is as acid to the horrors. I have created a beaker of
the dust, sufficient for two uses, and I have left Mary with
instructions on how to use it. She seems skeptical, but she has seen
the stone.
I leave tomorrow in search of the island. I hope to someday return to Mary.
--
