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Chaosium Digest Volume 30 Number 12
Chaosium Digest Volume 30, Number 12
Date: Saturday, March 25, 2000
Number: 2 of 2
Cat's Claw, Pt. 2
This time, however, the players cannot hope to solve the mystery through any
mundane means. There will be no clues within the newspapers - no strange
murders have occurred (although three old people appeared to have died in their
sleep of heart attacks - this is in fact the case, though it may mislead the
characters). If the investigators are not aware of the prophecy that was
unveiled n a previous adventure, or if they have simply forgotten it (as players
are wont to do), you may wish to remind them that Bast was an Egyptian goddess
of cats. Therefore, they may wish to peruse the occult and Egyptian sections of
a library (Miskatonic university's library will be excellent for this if they
are 'fortunate' enough to live in Arkham.).
If the investigators do decide to view the relevant section of the library, and
spend a few hours there, they will eventually come across an old and dusty book,
which is just about ready to be put in storage (where it will only ever be
chanced upon by cleaners, and people who request it specifically). (Since this
book is pretty important as far as clues go, you might want to leave out Library
Use rolls in case the players fail the rolls.).
The book title has long since faded away, and the pages are yellow with age. It
will take three hours to thumb through all the pages and skimming for useful
information, so if the players left the library visit until late in the day,
they may need to continue reading the book in the morning. Reading the book
will add 2% to the investigators occult rating, but will take five weeks.
Skimming it will lead the players to a prominent section, in which the prophecy
of Bast is detailed - that when the world is dying, Bast shall
take it upon herself to save it from its scourge, and that the cats will be the
new rulers, and the humans their slaves.
'And lo, there shall be the end times. The air and the sea and the earth shall
be as poison, and fire shall lurk in the souls of man. Man shall be as the Old
Ones, uncaring and ravening in monstrous delight. Bast shall see the plight of
her children, and the world from which they draw their life. And Bast shall
sweep the unworthy from the world, and the worthy shall be enthralled to her
children, and the world shall belong to her children, and the children of the
Outsiders shall be spited.'
As the investigators leave the library, when they eventually do, have them all
roll Spot Hidden, at 50% of the usual score. Find the investigator who passed
by the greatest degree, if any did, and take him aside from the rest of the
players. Tell the investigator's player that the character briefly saw a
hunched figure in dark over-hanging black robes stare thoughtfully at the group,
before hopping behind a particularly tall bookshelf. If the investigator breaks
off from the group to investigate, s/he will be unable
to find any sign of the figure.
Role-play another few days of mundanity, giving the players time to come up with
other methods of research they want to try. There isn't really anything they
can do in the mundane world, so now would be a good time to introduce an aspect
of horror into an otherwise ordinary scene. Is that cat looking at them in a
peculiar way? Is it just curious? Or is it a spy?
Of course, any investigators who took part in the Cat Song adventure may wish to
visit the old widow who lives outside town - she has about twenty cats, so she
may have noticed something.
If they arrive at her house, they'll find her sitting aimlessly on a small
chair, knitting aimlessly although she clearly hasn't knitted for years,
dropping stitches almost constantly. All twenty cats are lying around the house
sleeping, occasionally stirring in their sleep to wave a paw vaguely. If the
investigators do visit, she will be extremely pleased to see them, and ask them
why they don't visit more often (if the investigators have visited her often,
then she will merely greet them happily, while looking unhappy with recent
events).
In between chatting about this or that niece, or displays of family photo
albums, or offerings of biscuits, the old widow will reveal various snippets of
information.
1) She got a phone call from Ashari Elisha ('that nice Ashari girl', or the
police officer from Cat Song who went on to become a priestess of Bast) about
three weeks ago, saying that she should give up the cats and move into town.
[Of course, the old lady could never give up her cats, and as the
investigators will know if they played Cat Song, she would never give up the
house where she lived all her life].
2) Her cats started sleeping all the time about a week after that. Whenever
they did wake, they would never eat anything.
3) Strange saplings are growing in the cellar, she thinks they'll grow into
something exotic, although she has no idea how they could possibly grow their in
the dark. Still, she doesn't snub life, and has decided to encourage the plants
with water as they grow through the floor boards.
Keeper Information: The cellar of the old lady's home has strange connections
to space and time. In Cat Song, followers of Nyarlothotep (although the
investigators are unlikely to have learned whom the cultists served) had hoped
to draw him, and other horrors, through the portal there. However, the cellar is
also connected strangely to the Dreamlands, and the plants are exotic
dream-trees, which do not require normal things to sustain them.
The investigators will be welcome to stay and chat with the lady for as long as
they like, but eventually they will probably want to go home. When they do,
there will be a message on the answer-phone (if you're running in times prior to
the modern, then simply have the players get phoned, or a piece of
paper shoved under their door). A loathsome and thick voice will request their
presence at a drinking establishment in a bad part of town. If you run this as
a 1920s adventure, then you should arrange the meeting in a speak-easy.
As this is the only lead more or less that the investigators have, they should
attend the meeting. If they do not go, there is another lead which I will deal
with next.
There will be dangerous looking men on the door at the establishment, who will
eye them over, check them for weapons (any weapons must be left at the door,
though illegal weaponry won't be reported), and then let them in. They will be
directed to a table in the shadows, where a figure wrapped in
black robes will be waiting.
When they have sat down and ordered drinks (the drinks here are slightly
noxious, aimed more at getting people drunk then at appealing to the taste
buds), the robed thing will begin to speak.
'You have noticed strange things occurring, I imagine. Things regarding the
cats. And I know you have read of the prophecy. This is quite dire I am sure
you know.'
Ask a random investigator to make a Spot Hidden roll. If s/he succeeds, they
catch a glimpse of flabby gray skin in between the folds of the robes, and
possibly a large staring eye at head height. If the investigator has ever
encountered a Deep One before, have them roll an Idea check, and if that is
successful, follow with a SAN check for a loss of 0/1.
'The army of cats is being assembled beyond the walls of the waking land. I may
not go there, but you can and you must. If you prize your world, you must save
it. You must go to the land of dreams, and find allies to help you. Take this.
You will need to say these words in the cellar of the house that lies outside
[town where the action is occurring].'
The robed figure will then rise, and begin to hop and lurch out of the building.
If the other investigators have met Deep Ones before, this may be another
opportune time to have them make Idea and Sanity rolls.
Keeper Information: The Deep One is a representative of the Deep Ones that live
within the cyclopean and fantastic (yet shuddersome) walls of Y'ha'nthlie (which
lies near Innsmouth). Although they wait for the time of the Great Old Ones to
wipe the humans from the Earth, they resent the idea of anyone but them being
the ones to destroy the vermin. In essence, they want to prevent someone else
ending the human world, so that they themselves, and their patrons, can
personally end it.
[Keepers who like a bit of moral conflict could make players aware of this, and
force them to pick sides in the coming conflict. Work with the Deep Ones to buy
humanity a bit more time, at the risk of humanity succumbing to cosmic evil, or
wipe out the human race with the aid of Bast, but prevent
the Great Old Ones from arising with the loss of their servants? Save humanity,
or save the world?]
Alternatively, if the players do not - for whatever reason - go to the meeting,
there is another lead. The plants in the cellar of the old lady's house. If
the investigators take photos of the plants, the plants will show up on pictures
as only a vague blur. The investigators will be forced to sketch the plants.
Looking through botanical books, no matter how long the investigators search,
they will never be able to find plants corresponding to the plants they have
seen. Unless they look in (yes, that's right) the OCCULT section, where
dreamers have written of jungles and forests of alien, but beautiful, plants,
and of strange beasts which drink from lakes which glow purple from the light of
strange suns and moons. At this point, have a random investigator make a
Library Use roll, at half of its usual score. If the roll is successful, they
will find a passage with the incantations necessary to pass physically into the
Dreamlands. The incantation must be said at a point where the land of Dreams
touches upon the 'real world'. The combined reading of these books will grant
the investigators 2% in Dream Lore.
This done, the players should now, at their leisure, visit the old lady once
more, and ask for the use of her cellar. Leave it to role-playing, how the
players explain what they have to do, what stories they use.
In any case, once the words have been spoken, the plants in the cellar will
flourish, covering the walls, floor, and ceiling in exotic greenery and perfumed
flowers. Then the leaves across the ceiling shall part, revealing a strange
sky, with beautiful clouds which frame a group of strange and unfamiliar moons.
The stems and trunks at the walls shall move apart, revealing a forest through
which the investigators can move. The roots on the floor will recede and dig
down, revealing rich brown earth, wild fungi, and deeply green grass.
Whichever way the characters leave the forest, they will end up in the ruins of
Ulthar. It has been many months since the army lead by Bast passed through, and
the buildings - what few remain - are crumbling in a state of decay. In the
town square, where the cat-kin first read the declaration of war, sits a man in
a dark kimono, his black hair somewhat unruly. His skin is incredibly pale, and
his age indeterminate. His eyes are pure black, aside from two points of light
which shine like stars from within the darkness of his eyes.
"I have been waiting for you" he says ", you have a lot to do."
If the players ask what he means, he will shrug and say that the task of saving
the world appears to have fallen to them.
If they ask him for help, he will say that they have not earned help, and in any
case, he could not help.
He will suggest, however, that they find someone who can help defeat Bast. He
advises them to go to the centre of Dream, as he refers to the Dreamlands, to
the Castle of Dreams, where they will be given their help. If the players ask
where the centre of Dream is, he will smile enigmatically and say that it is
different for different people. But he offers them a map, which seems to change
before their eyes. The locations shift around, but the names remain the same.
The Forest of Nightmares. The Desert of
Nothing. The Mountains of Death. The Land of Hope. The Castle of Dreams. If
the players enquire at the odd movies, the man will simply say "That is what is
expected. Lucien tells me it is traditional."
If the players ask any further questions, the man will tell them that time is
slipping by, and that they should hurry lest they wake and find there is no
world.
Travelling Through the Dreaming
This being a dream, the investigators don't have to do all that boring 'Point A
to Point B' stuff. The main locations that have been listed on the map occur in
that order. Describe vague mentions of the journey in between these locations,
but as in the way of dreams, incidence is not entirely linear. That is, they
know they traveled, but mostly they just 'appear' at their destination. As a
result, this part of the adventure is somewhat episodic, but dreams are often
like that, and it saves you the hassle of describing a long journey. If you
have read 'The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath', you'll have plenty of fodder for
the journey. If not, describe 'splendid meadows of strange beauty...dark peaks
of mountains against a hideous horizon...forests of deep and primal colours...'
(I'm not quoting the story incidentally.).
The Forest of Nightmares
This is the first location that the players arrive at. The woods rise high into
the sky, twisted black oaks dominating the view. The trees are uniformly
monochrome, as though colour would never deign to dwell amongst this horror.
Unseen things dart between the trees, purposefully making noise to unnerve the
investigators. The journey through the forest will last one week. No harm will
come to the investigators, but the forest will do its best to scare the
investigators and make them go back to a doomed Earth. Therefore, do whatever
you think it takes to scare the investigators, short of actual harm.
Corpses of humans, and more unspeakable things, will be strung up from trees,
insects welling out from their orifices. Strange tracks will be left in the
mud. Vials of unearthly poison will be found amongst the belongings of friends.
Hideous shadows will be cast over-head. Evilly sounding chants
will spiral into the sky from the forest, and the trees will ooze a strange
black blood. If the investigators have had much experience of the mythos, hint
that the Great Olds Ones may have dreamt of this alien forest, and that their
horrific souls may reside here. Try and throw doubt upon the likelihood of ever
being able to leave this forest. If the players manage to go the whole seven
weeks without trying to leave the path and flee the forest, will be able to
continue with the journey. As they leave the Forest of Nightmares, having faced
the fearsome, the woods will wither, having lost all power over them.
The Desert of Nothing
The investigators will, somehow, find themselves within an endless desert with n
o other terrain visible upon the horizon. Suggest to the investigators that
here in the desert, all their lives seem meaningless.
All that they have done is futile, without meaning, for the universe is unkind,
and uncaring of humans, and that when they die, there will have been no lasting
achievement.
After four days of journeying (it is important that in the meantime you try to
maintain the mood), they will find a small wooden hut, the planks of wood
bleaching in the sun. Inside the hut is a middle aged woman, her skin tanned
from the sun and from heavy work. She will offer the investigators water and
clothing. If your players are good role-players, they should be able to have
their characters behave as though in the midst of despair. The woman will
notice this, and scold them, and ask them what is wrong. Now, the investigators
should confess that even though they have to save the world, there does not seem
to be any point, or any meaning to the universe. (Of course, your players might
not take the hint, and insist on playing relentlessly cheerful characters.
There's nothing you can do about this,
apart from have the old woman scold them for not accepting the world as it is.).
The woman will cheerfully admit that there is no meaning to the universe, and
that you could say that life is futile. 'But,' she will say, 'the trick is to
give it your own meaning. How can you expect the universe to be about anything
other then itself? Meaning comes from minds. Now, could you do me a favour?'
The woman will ask the characters to search for water in the desert. (Yes, this
is symbolic. They're supposed to find hope even when there is no concrete
reason to hope, to find their own meaning when the universe won't give them one
on a platter.). The woman says she'll help them out of the desert if they find
water (i.e., if they take her lessons to heart). As the players search, ask
them
how their character feel about the current state of affairs. If one seems to
have hope for the outcome of events, despite having regarded with an open mind
all that s/he has seen and heard, they find the water, and can return with it to
the woman.
Only one investigator needs to be able to find the water, as hopefully the other
characters will realize the significance of the event. (If the players aren't
good at taking hints from the way the most positive minded has found water,
offer them Idea rolls - an unsatisfactory method I know, but better than
nothing.). The woman will wish them good luck on their journey. 'I hope your
world doesn't end' she says. If an investigator, or indeed all of them, look
behind as they leave, they will see the woman watering the desert. As she does
so, the first beginnings of green shoots will rise through the grains of sand
(this may optionally restore 1d6 sanity). And the desert fades from view, as
the investigators arrive at their next destination.
The Mountains of Death
The peaks of these black mountains carve upwards into an unearthly sky that
promises death to intruders. Winds and blizzards howl down the slopes, and the
furs that the characters wear (where did these furs come from? Yet they are
worn, and always have been since the characters arrived) cannot wholly keep out
the cold. It takes several days to journey through into the midst of the
mountains. Rations of food are few, and the players are never entirely sated,
always hunger lurks within them. The hunger would go away if they eat the
deadwood members of the party...
In this bleak setting, the players are tempted with death. Suicide, to escape
this quest without end. Murder and cannibalism to sate their hunger. Emphasize
how strange the other members of the party seem to regard them. Describe the
lack of food, make the characters afraid that they will not escape this dreadful
land before the supply of food runs low, and finishes them all. Make sure all
the characters possess the means to kill. If they don't, provide them with
dream weapons (if anyone does die, they will wake up. However, if the group
fails to complete the adventure, they will wish they hadn't woken up.).
After much time, the group will come across an old crone sitting by a fading
fire, a small pile of twigs and wood covering the body of an old man. She has
no food.
If the players ask if they may join her, she will be grumpy and bitter, but
assent. If they offer her food, she will refuse, saying she won't need any. The
old woman accompanied her husband through these mountains, but he succumbed to
the cold and died. Inside she is hurt, and does not want to live, so she is
sitting here waiting to die. If the characters talk to her long enough, she
will reveal this to them. She will refuse any attempts to help her survive,
saying that she wants to die. If they say that she
doesn't have to die, she will reply that she wants to, that she doesn't want a
life without her departed husband, and that death isn't so bad. She looks
forward to it, there are worse things then death. In the end, she's had a good
life, and she's not afraid.
'Take my fur coat,' the woman says. 'It'll keep you warm, and I won't be
needing it. Just promise me you'll bury me by Edward. My name is Ethel, please
remember it. Live your life now, but don't be afraid when it's your time to
die.' She dies within five minutes after falling asleep, which she does not
long after she removes her fur coat.
If the players do as she asks, the mountains will dissipate once they have
finished burying her.
The Land of Hope
The characters arrive within a bright shining land. The grass seems to shine
from within, the blue lakes reflect a blue sky, which seems perfect in it's
beauty and simplicity. It seems a place where you'd want to live. But every
now and then the land seems to flicker, changing each time it returns. Sometimes
it disappears for longer periods than others, and when it is gone the characters
are standing above a deep pit, the bottom of which cannot be seen. If the
characters maintain hope in the near end of their quest, the land will seem to
fix itself, and it will remain, although it warps slightly. It might help if
they remember the two women that they have met, who were full of hope in the
face of hopelessness.
Now is a good time to find out what hopes the *characters* have. Ask the
players what these hopes are, and how strong the character holds these hopes.
Then accordingly distort the hopes, for the Land of Hope is no less a challenge
then the other lands. There are two stages to the Land of Hope.
1) Shattered Hope: The hope of the character manifests in a corrupted form. For
example, if the character dreams of a world where the third world countries have
been given their share of the world's wealth, show a world in which the people
of these countries have become corrupted by obtaining
wealth beyond that enjoyed in any other country, how sympathetic people have
become human monsters. Or if the character dreams of a world that is just and
without crime, show a world in which all deviations from the norm are quashed,
in which people must be what is expected of them.
2) Perfect Hope. Now give them the hope they have dreamed of. Make it as
unreal and perfect and dream-like as possible. Make them want to stay, and
never return to the real world. This is the real danger of the Land of Hope -
that the characters will forsake the real world for a fantasy world that does
not truly exist. Dreams are wonderful, but sooner or later we must awake and
deal with our problems and our joys. (e.g.: the character who wished for a just
world: all the neighbors smile and say hi. They ask how the children are
doing. Hitler never existed, there are no fields full of graveless dead.
Everyone finds their true love, and no crime happens. Who could want to live in
a world unlike this? who would want to return? Who would willingly wake up?)
If the players successfully persuade themselves to forsake paradise in order to
save the real world, they arrive at the culmination of their quest.
The Castle Of Dreams
A bright and glistening wall of pure innocence surrounds a perfectly beautiful
castle, which almost seems a citadel. The ivory and horn gate is the only way
to enter into the Castle of Dreams, which appears to be made of clouds, hopes,
and desires. On either side of the gate is a griffin, whose
plumage shines golden in the soft sunlight.
'Why are you here?', the gargoyles ask. The correct response is too be honest,
which will cause the gates to be opened. Under no other condition will the
characters be allowed to enter.
A crow will fly down from an upper balcony within the castle. There are
innumerable halls and corridors leading from the foyer where the characters have
arrived. The crow lands a short distance from the characters. 'I'm Matthew'
says the crow. 'You want to see the boss? You want to see Murphy?'
If the characters assent, he will lead them away. If they ask who Murphy is,
he'll say 'Oh, his real name is Morpheus, he's the lord of Dream. But I call
him Murphy.' and then he will lead them away.
They will arrive at an office, like a reception area for the dentist. A
spectacled stern looking woman waits behind the desk, tapping meaningless
numbers and names into a computer. 'Who are you?' she asks. This is the point
when the characters should introduce themselves. 'Ah yes.' she says. 'You're
here to save the world. Wait a moment please. There are magazines on the
table.' Matthew the crow leaves.
After 15 minutes, the office dissolves, and they appear to be standing in a dark
ballroom. Standing there is the man dressed in black that the characters saw in
Ulthar, his star-eyes shining as before. Naturally the characters will want to
ask many things before the adventure continues, so I aim her to answer a few of
those possible questions.
Why did you send us on this adventure? You could have helped us then!
- If there is no quest, then in what heroes may humanity hope? You must learn
what is inside yourself before you can have a hope. You must have something to
build upon once evil is banished, or you will have accomplished nothing.
Who are you?
I am Dream.
Do we have much time?
No. Bast has laid waste to the Dreamlands. There are not many places where
people survive, and the cats are nearly ready to wake up, and bring the cat kin
and Bast into the world.
Can you help us?
No. Dreams cannot defeat the substantial, only the dreamers can. I know someone
who will help you.
All this felt so real... but its just a dream isn't it?
There's no such thing as just a dream.
If the characters have any more questions, I'm afraid you'll probably have to ad
lib it. Fortunately Morpheus, Dream, is very enigmatic, and will not give out
any hard and fast answers, just thoughts to ponder over.
At this point, having said he knows someone who can help, he will wave his hand.
The old widow will appear, having gone for a nap while the characters were down
in her cellar.
'Hello dears.' she says, 'would you like a cup of tea?'.
Morpheus makes another gesture, and the room flickers, to be replaced by a
once-green field. Fires and ash are scattered across it, as well as the gnawed
bodies of human warriors. The cat army stands in front of the characters, with
Morpheus and the old lady standing between the cats and the characters. After
some time, Bast and Ashari (the priestess character from Cat Song) come forward.
Ashari looks miserable, bent to Bast's will, yet wishing she could rebel against
her cruel mistress.
Bast bows towards the old lady. 'Martha' she says 'My children and I owe you
much respect. Always you have cared for them, like few other humans have. To
repay our debt, I will allow you to live, and other humans shall kneel before
you.'
The old lady, Martha, sneers. 'I'll have none of that from you. You're
ungrateful! Maybe we're not all nice people. Damn it, we've done some hideous
stuff. My husband Harry killed people in the war for his country. My country
dropped a bomb on Hiroshima. And the people kill and cheat each other. But
they're the few. The others just want to live in peace, living what they think
is a good life. How *dare* you say they are unworthy of life? We risk the life
of the planet, but it's our life to screw up! We have the right to our
mistakes, and you can't decide that you don't like what we've done, and
perpetrate your own horrors! We have problems, but we have to solve them, not
wipe out the good as well. I'm not taking this from you. You owe me, and you
owe humanity.' With that she slaps Bast.
Bast is enraged, and leaps upon the dream self of the old lady, killing her. The
characters can intervene if they wish, but any that do so will be killed (that's
not such a bad thing... wait a bit longer). A look of
determination will come across the face of Ashari, and she will grab a spear
from a cat-kin, and run Bast through. Bast will spin around, unhurt, yet with a
look of shock upon her cat-face. Something seems to occur to her, and she
disappears. The cats disappear also, as their corporeal forms awaken and they
return to their normal life, free of Bast's command. The dead bodies stir, and
get up as they return to full life. The old lady does also, and any killed
characters. The cat-kin, looking disappointed, return to whatever home realms
where they bide their time. The world is saved.
Epilogue:
As the troops go home, the field is empty, save for Morpheus, the lady, Ashari
and the characters. The old lady speaks first: 'what now?' Morpheus says 'you
may go home. Or you can stay here. There is a man named Harry who waits for
you in my sister's realm. Your work is done, you can rest if you wish.'
The old lady says 'not just now, I have my cats to feed, and my nieces to think
of. Ask your sister to tell Harry I won't be much longer.' Morpheus turns to
Ashari 'I suspect you will need no punishment for your part in this. Your guilt
will be enough, and maybe in time you'll forgive yourself. Still, there is no
permanent harm. I shall reform those who died in the battles. You may go.'
Morpheus then turns to the characters: 'Now, do you wish to remain in my lands,
or do you wish to return to the world? Ulthar and the other lands will always
be there for you when you dream in either case.' The characters, as their reward
get to choose. If they learned anything from the adventure, or if they are
common sense people anyway, they will decide to leave the land of Dream, and
return to the real world of their lives. But if they wish to dwell in sweet
dreams, Morpheus will also allow that, for their work and strife. Even if the
characters choose to return to the world, all the dream world, including the
Land of Hope will be available to them in their sleep (although the Shattered
Hope aspect will have
dissipated now that the quest is over.).
As the characters leave the plain, they'll hear Morpheus say 'as for Bast, I
think she will have learned something important from humans. If not, let the
world remember that stories have heroes.'
And the characters return to the world they have saved. Life goes on as normal.
It isn't perfect, but it's theirs'. A week after they wake up (the old lady
smiling at them knowingly as they leave the house), a note will be pushed under
the door of each character's abode. It is quite simple.
'I'm Sorry' it says.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Characters completing this adventure should regain 1d10 sanity, although they
will not have lost much at all during the adventure (you can increase sanity
loss in locations such as the Forest of Nightmares if you wish to increase the
apparent horror in terms that effect the players). The old lady will live out
her few remaining years at her house, caring for cats,friends, and family. Then
she joins Harry. Ashari will probably rejoin the police force, having lost her
faith in Bast, having seen her cruel side. Bast will retreat from the world for
some time, to ponder the suffering she wrought upon the caregivers of her
children,
and on what she forced her children to do in her name.
The characters? What they do is up to them, but do not shy away from the fact
that somehow they made a difference. Maybe Call of Cthulhu does not ordinarily
have heroes or happy endings, but Dreams have often defied this.
I hope you enjoy this adventure, or at least approve of it in someway. I put a
lot into it. : )
Andy Clements.
--
