The Sunflower Masquerade
Headline of the Arkham Gazette
Act I: The Stranger Arrives
Bicree: Who approaches?Stranger: Weary travelers, to a new home come we.
Bicree: Say, where are you from, anyway? How did you get past the city watch at this time of night?
Stranger: From the city of a great king come I.
Introduction:
Act I is a follow-up to Act 0 or the Prologue of the Sunflower Masquerade. This scenario takes place precisely 1 month from the previous game session, after things have seemed to return to normal. Investigators have time to touch base with their Sources of Stability and while their sanity may be scarred, their fortitude seems restored. Though this will not last, the Investigators are unwittingly near the shores of doomed Carcosa and the high tide is coming. The point of this scenario is to push the Investigators towards illicit activity against the cult of the Yellow King, which will get them into legal trouble with the authorities and is liable to end them up in Arkham Asylum by its conclusion. Astute Investigators may decide to pursue research into their opponents and could possibly even learn a ritual to stop the cult's main mythos weapon - the dreaded Byakhee. Possible discovery of the Harwich family's ancient corruption is a core clue that is presented during Act 1.Strange Portents:
Each Investigator who has read even a portion of the play "Le Rideau Final" should begin the session with a strange event. The Stability Test for these events is Difficulty 3. Keepers are welcome to create their own strange portents, the ones listed below are merely for convenience.- The Investigator is walking through a bad part of town and is suddenly approached by a veiled foreign woman whose dialect cannot be placed. The woman insistently thrusts a small bag of sunflower seeds into the Investigator's hands before departing. Later on, if these seeds are examined in detail, it will be found that the seeds themselves are black and rotting. Hidden away within the seeds are a handful of human teeth.
- Somewhere within the Investigator's home or flat, a water spot is spreading from a leaky pipe somewhere within the ceiling or walls. This water spot gets worse and worse as time goes on, eventually spreading out in a triple-spoke swastika in appearance to the symbol seen on the pages of "Le Rideau Final" or upon the blood stained barn floor on that cursed island...
- As the Investigator goes about their business in a wealthy part of the city, they discover the bloating corpse of a homeless man stinking in the sun. This dead hobo rots and releases foul odors, but none of the passing upper crust, in their suits and fine dresses, seem to notice at all.
- An Investigator discovers a dead seagull near their window, it appears to have choked to death on a portion of a sunflower.
Newspaper Headlines for November 10th, 1935:
The following are headlines for the date of November 10th, 1935.(* Core Clue Related, ^ Red Herring):
- * A wealthy anonymous benefactor has begun building the new "Sunflower Theater" on Arkham's River Street area. (see Headline Article) *
- ^ The Bishop of Arkham, Eleazar Waite, has been caught in a sex scandal. The Bishop was found to be consorting with prostitutes in several hotels of ill-repute in the Massachusetts area. The Vatican has yet to release a formal statement. ^
- ^ A bureaucratic nightmare has resulted in the rotting of 200 tons of grain and Food Aid which was bound for Europe. The food continues to sit in Boston Harbor following concerns over the ship's crew and paperwork, resulting in a loss of food aid. ^
- * Miskatonic University mourns the death of a student of the arts, Irma Porter Long, who was studying theater acting. Her untimely death has currently been ruled a suicide, though the Family of the deceased suspects foul play. Arkham Police are still looking into the matter. *
Avenues of Investigation
It should become obvious to the Investigators that events connected to their time on Muskeget Island are somehow connected to recent developments.- Investigating the Sunflower Theater - Investigators may revisit River Street and see the new construction [Investigative Skills needed: Accounting, Architecture, Occult]
- Researching the King in Yellow - Investigators may want to learn more about the King in Yellow, the terrifying doom of the play they have read. [Investigative Skills needed: Anthropology, Library Use, Occult]
- Investigating the Death of Irma Long - Investigators may visit Miskatonic University and discover that some horrors may not be forgotten easily. [Investigative Skills needed: Art, Cop Talk, Oral History, Forensics]
- Linking the Pieces - If the Investigators begin to suspect a connection to the properties being utilized by whatever madman hides behind the scenes, they can begin to examine property records and city planning files [Accounting, Bureaucracy, History, Oral History]
Investigating the Sunflower Theater
Being built on the exact site of the Kapur Imports Warehouse, which was most likely burned down during the Investigator's last visit or demolished shortly afterwards, this site is nothing more than a frame for the future structure at the moment. The foundation is being poured and wooden scaffolding erected by Polish immigrant laborers from the River Street community. Many of the workers don't speak English and can only point the Investigator's towards the Foreman of the site, a man named Lukas Bratumil. The Foreman has a small shack near the construction site where he makes his office.
Talking to Lukas Bratumil:
Unless the Investigators can convince Lukas that they are on official business, following up an investigation or can simply make it obvious they are not taking no for an answer - he will otherwise simply refuse to discuss the construction and say that he is too busy to talk [Bargain, Cop Talk or Intimidation 1-Pt Spend]. If the Investigators persuade Lukas to talk, he states that he simply doesn't know who is behind the funding of the theater construction, he's hired to do a job and does it without asking questions. He is willing to let Investigators take a look at the blueprints and the payroll receipts if they are inclined.
/During play, Investigators found it easy enough to bribe the foreman to look the other way as they investigated his paperwork./
/During play, Investigators found it easy enough to bribe the foreman to look the other way as they investigated his paperwork./
Looking at the Payroll:
Investigators with knowledge in monetary matters and accounting can quickly discover that the property is being built by Sunset Holdings based in New York City [Accounting]. By making some phone calls and verifying records at local Arkham Financial Institutions [Accounting 1-Pt Spend], it can be revealed that Sunset Holdings is little more than a legal name being held by a lawyer named Jean Kenneth. Without legal reason [Law], the lawyer in New York is unlikely to reveal any information about his clients over the phone. The records show a lot of the payroll is going from an account at the Bank of Arkham to the Polish workers. [Law 1-Pt Spend] If the Investigators can determine a legal reason to inquire into the accounts of Sunset Holdings, they can have a phone conversation with Jean Kenneth that doesn't end fruitless, the lawyer explains that Sunset Holdings is being entirely funded by a group called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" in Arkham. He'll read off their address but says the phone number is private, he can't seem to recall the name of any specific individuals he has dealt with from Sprecht Nicht, he'll admit its odd none of them ever used names. Following the convoluted money trail through the Bank of Arkham account again requires some finesse [Accounting or Law], but reveals that the account belongs to a local Arkham office called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" located on 589 Jenkin Street.
The Blue Prints:
Anyone familiar with construction can tell something is amiss with the design [Architecture] by looking at the blueprints. The theater is being built partially over water and extended into the Miskatonic River. Certain expensive decorations from private European collections are being purchased for decor and a lot of aesthetic design is going into the lavish theater, but at the expense of safety or utility. The main stage and the seating area will be suspended on a thin platform above the river itself.
What Next?
After uncovering clues at the "Sunflower Theater" construction site, the Investigators may be able to follow leads to the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" or they may decide to shut down construction of the theater once and for all. [See details of these actions near the end of the scenario material for Act 1.]
The most certain way to go about researching strange religions and forgotten texts about occult subjects, is a trip to the Miskatonic University Library in Arkham. If the Investigators have met Professor Armitage previously and have academic knowledge or Professorship, they have little problem accessing the forbidden section of the Library Collection. If the Investigators have very little academic ties, they find this as a harder endeavor, considering Professor Armitage is paranoid about the uses of some of the books and their forbidden knowledge [Reassurance 1-Pt Spend], so it is necessary that Dr. Armitage will allow them only limited access to their research materials. Either way, Professor Armitage will be be observant and log which books they happen to be reading and may even stay in the room with them during the research. The good Professor may even recommend some titles that are similar to what the Investigators are looking for. [Research 1-Pt Spend] discovers the book "Religious Cults of Eastern Asia," a Anthropological treatise written by a scholar-explorer named Ames Melvin III. Other references to the King in Yellow simply refer to the banned French play "Le Rideau Final" and offer very little solid information. Dr. Armitage will prefer to steer Investigators away from truly damaging books, such as the Necronomicon (Although if a Keeper wishes to introduce other Mythos-tomes into the story, this is a good point to do so).
/Being that Professor Armitage is a rather iconic figure in the Cthulhu Mythos, I've not presented stats or a write-up for him, Keepers are welcome to use him as they see fit./
Religious Cults of Eastern Asia
*Core Clue*
Along with various Anthropological stories about East Asian tribes, the book describes in detail the religious dances and masked ceremonies performed by a cannibal tribe in Indochina known as the Cho-Cho. Their tribe worshiped a being known as the "Golden Mask King," who supposedly dwelt in a mythical city that existed outside our world, described in the text as a sort of Shangri-La. The purpose of their ceremonies was to bring the city of the King into our reality for purposes of bartering for forbidden magical knowledge. The Shaman of this tribe was rumored to have his enemies killed by a mythical beast known as the "Servant of the King," a hideous winged beast that would appear from the night sky when the Shaman played a peculiar flute made of meteoric iron. The accounts of the explorer author are skeptical of the true powers of the Cho-Cho shaman and considers their tribe to be deluded, but his accounts are precise. A sketch of the flute and speculation on its creation is written in the academic pages, along with a recording of the words of power as spoken by the Shaman.
[This book imparts 1-Pt towards Cthulhu Mythos, 2-Pt pool towards Occult and provides the Investigators the ritual Summon/Bind Byakhee as listed on page 118.]
/During actual play, the Investigators would later use this ritual to summon their own "Servant of the King" as a way of counteracting the Byakhee that had terrorized them during Act 0. Getting Meteoric Iron should not be a easy process for the ritual. The Investigators decided to watch the paper for stories about meteors landing in the Massachusetts area and eventually wandered out to the Hills of Dunwich to barter with hillbilly farmers to allow them to dig in their field. An alternative option to this could require the Investigators break into a museum themselves, stealing a fragment of a space rock and melting it down into a flute of the ritual's design./
Talking with the Family
*Core Clue*
Irma Long's mother and father live in Arkham's Northside on West Curwen street in a small cottage home. Jonathan and Maria Long are both overcome with grief over their daughter's recent death. Investigators may need some official reason for inquiring into the death of their daughter, otherwise Jon Long is quick to toss them to the curb or threaten to call the Police, [Cop Talk or Reassurance 1-Pt Spend] convinces them to take time to hear out the Investigator's questions. Talking with them is difficult, since Maria continually breaks down and cries - causing her husband the need to console his wife. [Shrink Difficulty 4] is needed to calm the Longs down to talk without hysterics, otherwise the couple continue to lament over their beautiful daughter and her horrible death. They will say that it would be unlike their daughter to commit suicide and that in fact, she was very excited about being cast in a new play being hosted by a local group called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" in Arkham. The family believes the theater group was being funded by a European group of playwrights but doesn't know much more. Irma Long was planning on going to California to become an actress after graduation.
Talking with Mrs. Alice Turner
Speaking with Professor Alice Turner of the University Players, a campus Theater club, is easy enough as long as the Investigators have a reasonable excuse to do so. If asked about Irma Long's death she is very grieved but doesn't believe there was foul play. She says that all drama actors and actresses have depression guiding their core, its what makes them good at what they do, but unfortunately makes them susceptible to such actions as suicidal behavior [Assess Honesty], Mrs. Turner really believes her theory and isn't lying. She may direct the Investigators to attend one of the University Players meetings to talk with Irma's fellow thespians and learn more.
Meeting the University Players
*Core Clue*
The local theater students are still continuing their practice of a school performance, a rendition of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," though it is obvious that many of the students are still grieving the loss of Irma Long. Two of the actors, Jordan Bradbury and William Dalton, were both cast along with Irma Long - with small parts in the play "The Last Masquerade." They spoke with a man from a group representing the theater, his name was never given and he found them on campus between classes. The students say that the meeting was very strange wearing a robe and a mask as some sort of gag, he was passing out casting calls. The students later did auditions for the man in an office called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" and were cast in the role of guests at the Masquerade. They were told the major roles had already been assigned to a professional troupe of thespians being brought from Europe. [Intimidation] If the Investigators hint that Irma Long's death may have not been natural, both students become paranoid that they will be the next to die and choose to turn down their minor roles in the upcoming play at the Sunflower Theater.
Investigating Irma Long's Dorm Room
*Core Clue*
The Dorm room is a mess, filled with books and copies of classical theater plays scattered about. The small apartment opens to a balcony that overlooks Independence Square. Searching through her books and papers, an Investigator may uncover the latest copy of the script she was cast in for the Sunflower Theater [Arts or Library Use]. The play copy is incomplete and only lists lines for her part, as she was cast as one of the guests at the masquerade in "The Last Masquerade." It appears whoever was distributing copies of the play was restricted in the information they were releasing to cast members, since it is largely incomplete. Anyone who has read "Le Rideau Final" can confirm it is from the same source material as the dreaded play. Investigators who go out onto the balcony may find more disturbing clues [Forensics or Evidence Collection], the railing of the balcony has been damaged and on outward facing side is covered with small scratch marks and flecks of blood. It is clear to anyone looking at the scene that she was pulled by someone or something over the balcony at an angle and that it was no normal suicide. [Biology 1-Pt Spend] the talon marks on the railing of the balcony are similar to the cuts found on the bodies of the thieves from Act 0, they appear to be made by carrion birds of large size but seem to be arrayed in a way that would seem to indicate that they had been clinging to the outside of the railing or climbing it vertically.
Examining Irma Long's Body
Irma Long's body is currently being held in the morgue at Arkham Police Station and is set to be buried in a day's time [Cop Talk 1-Pt], some finesse and legal authority is likely needed to be able to view the body in the morgue. Although if the Investigators met Detective Mickey Harrigan before and were cordial with him, he may let them in to see the body without much need to persuade [Cop Talk no expenditure required]. The Detectives have had to rule the death suicide for legal purposes, but the Arkham Police are no fools, the death of Irma Long is suspiciously close to the animal attack they've seen previously on the thieves from Boston (see Act 0: The Prologue). [Evidence Collection or Forensics] the cause of death is clearly from falling from a great height, but the body contains defensive wounds such as from talons of birds on the arms and neck. It appears that something very large and powerful grabbed her body from the balcony.
/In play, this scene reinforced the fears of the Investigators that the flapping beast from Act 0 was still out there somewhere and still deadly as ever. They then searched for a way to stop it, leading them to research at the library and the ritual for binding the "Servant of the King"./
[Accounting or Bureaucracy 2-Pt Spend] - By delving into forgotten records of the Arkham City Archives or by piecing together property tax records from the county, it can be discovered that the trail of money for the properties in question all lead back to one source: The Harwich family.
[History or Oral History 2-Pt Spend] - Searching old newspaper records, interviewing elder members of Arkham's community or following up on leads at the Historical Society of Arkham - all lead an Investigator to the conclusion that the Harwich family name reoccurs in events surrounding the properties in question most frequently.
/In play, this discovery did not occur until the very end of Act 1, following an allowance for any final research and attempts by the Investigators to correlate the clues they'd already found./
What Next?
After uncovering clues at the "Sunflower Theater" construction site, the Investigators may be able to follow leads to the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" or they may decide to shut down construction of the theater once and for all. [See details of these actions near the end of the scenario material for Act 1.]
Researching the King in Yellow
The most certain way to go about researching strange religions and forgotten texts about occult subjects, is a trip to the Miskatonic University Library in Arkham. If the Investigators have met Professor Armitage previously and have academic knowledge or Professorship, they have little problem accessing the forbidden section of the Library Collection. If the Investigators have very little academic ties, they find this as a harder endeavor, considering Professor Armitage is paranoid about the uses of some of the books and their forbidden knowledge [Reassurance 1-Pt Spend], so it is necessary that Dr. Armitage will allow them only limited access to their research materials. Either way, Professor Armitage will be be observant and log which books they happen to be reading and may even stay in the room with them during the research. The good Professor may even recommend some titles that are similar to what the Investigators are looking for. [Research 1-Pt Spend] discovers the book "Religious Cults of Eastern Asia," a Anthropological treatise written by a scholar-explorer named Ames Melvin III. Other references to the King in Yellow simply refer to the banned French play "Le Rideau Final" and offer very little solid information. Dr. Armitage will prefer to steer Investigators away from truly damaging books, such as the Necronomicon (Although if a Keeper wishes to introduce other Mythos-tomes into the story, this is a good point to do so)./Being that Professor Armitage is a rather iconic figure in the Cthulhu Mythos, I've not presented stats or a write-up for him, Keepers are welcome to use him as they see fit./
Religious Cults of Eastern Asia
*Core Clue*
Along with various Anthropological stories about East Asian tribes, the book describes in detail the religious dances and masked ceremonies performed by a cannibal tribe in Indochina known as the Cho-Cho. Their tribe worshiped a being known as the "Golden Mask King," who supposedly dwelt in a mythical city that existed outside our world, described in the text as a sort of Shangri-La. The purpose of their ceremonies was to bring the city of the King into our reality for purposes of bartering for forbidden magical knowledge. The Shaman of this tribe was rumored to have his enemies killed by a mythical beast known as the "Servant of the King," a hideous winged beast that would appear from the night sky when the Shaman played a peculiar flute made of meteoric iron. The accounts of the explorer author are skeptical of the true powers of the Cho-Cho shaman and considers their tribe to be deluded, but his accounts are precise. A sketch of the flute and speculation on its creation is written in the academic pages, along with a recording of the words of power as spoken by the Shaman.
[This book imparts 1-Pt towards Cthulhu Mythos, 2-Pt pool towards Occult and provides the Investigators the ritual Summon/Bind Byakhee as listed on page 118.]
/During actual play, the Investigators would later use this ritual to summon their own "Servant of the King" as a way of counteracting the Byakhee that had terrorized them during Act 0. Getting Meteoric Iron should not be a easy process for the ritual. The Investigators decided to watch the paper for stories about meteors landing in the Massachusetts area and eventually wandered out to the Hills of Dunwich to barter with hillbilly farmers to allow them to dig in their field. An alternative option to this could require the Investigators break into a museum themselves, stealing a fragment of a space rock and melting it down into a flute of the ritual's design./
Investigating the Death of Irma Long
The death of theater and arts student Irma Long leads the Investigators to Miskatonic University. They may explore the grounds of Miskatonic University campus and discover where she was killed. [Oral History] Asking local students about what happened is relatively useful, the Investigators learn that Irma Long was a well-liked theater student who acted in numerous plays on campus. The night she died, her screams could be heard all over campus. She was found to have fallen from a great height, presumably having jumped from the balcony of her dorm room. Her Professor was Mrs. Alice Turner, head of the University Players Theater club.Talking with the Family
*Core Clue*
Irma Long's mother and father live in Arkham's Northside on West Curwen street in a small cottage home. Jonathan and Maria Long are both overcome with grief over their daughter's recent death. Investigators may need some official reason for inquiring into the death of their daughter, otherwise Jon Long is quick to toss them to the curb or threaten to call the Police, [Cop Talk or Reassurance 1-Pt Spend] convinces them to take time to hear out the Investigator's questions. Talking with them is difficult, since Maria continually breaks down and cries - causing her husband the need to console his wife. [Shrink Difficulty 4] is needed to calm the Longs down to talk without hysterics, otherwise the couple continue to lament over their beautiful daughter and her horrible death. They will say that it would be unlike their daughter to commit suicide and that in fact, she was very excited about being cast in a new play being hosted by a local group called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" in Arkham. The family believes the theater group was being funded by a European group of playwrights but doesn't know much more. Irma Long was planning on going to California to become an actress after graduation.
Talking with Mrs. Alice Turner
Speaking with Professor Alice Turner of the University Players, a campus Theater club, is easy enough as long as the Investigators have a reasonable excuse to do so. If asked about Irma Long's death she is very grieved but doesn't believe there was foul play. She says that all drama actors and actresses have depression guiding their core, its what makes them good at what they do, but unfortunately makes them susceptible to such actions as suicidal behavior [Assess Honesty], Mrs. Turner really believes her theory and isn't lying. She may direct the Investigators to attend one of the University Players meetings to talk with Irma's fellow thespians and learn more.
Meeting the University Players
*Core Clue*
The local theater students are still continuing their practice of a school performance, a rendition of William Shakespeare's "The Tempest," though it is obvious that many of the students are still grieving the loss of Irma Long. Two of the actors, Jordan Bradbury and William Dalton, were both cast along with Irma Long - with small parts in the play "The Last Masquerade." They spoke with a man from a group representing the theater, his name was never given and he found them on campus between classes. The students say that the meeting was very strange wearing a robe and a mask as some sort of gag, he was passing out casting calls. The students later did auditions for the man in an office called the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" and were cast in the role of guests at the Masquerade. They were told the major roles had already been assigned to a professional troupe of thespians being brought from Europe. [Intimidation] If the Investigators hint that Irma Long's death may have not been natural, both students become paranoid that they will be the next to die and choose to turn down their minor roles in the upcoming play at the Sunflower Theater.
Investigating Irma Long's Dorm Room
*Core Clue*
The Dorm room is a mess, filled with books and copies of classical theater plays scattered about. The small apartment opens to a balcony that overlooks Independence Square. Searching through her books and papers, an Investigator may uncover the latest copy of the script she was cast in for the Sunflower Theater [Arts or Library Use]. The play copy is incomplete and only lists lines for her part, as she was cast as one of the guests at the masquerade in "The Last Masquerade." It appears whoever was distributing copies of the play was restricted in the information they were releasing to cast members, since it is largely incomplete. Anyone who has read "Le Rideau Final" can confirm it is from the same source material as the dreaded play. Investigators who go out onto the balcony may find more disturbing clues [Forensics or Evidence Collection], the railing of the balcony has been damaged and on outward facing side is covered with small scratch marks and flecks of blood. It is clear to anyone looking at the scene that she was pulled by someone or something over the balcony at an angle and that it was no normal suicide. [Biology 1-Pt Spend] the talon marks on the railing of the balcony are similar to the cuts found on the bodies of the thieves from Act 0, they appear to be made by carrion birds of large size but seem to be arrayed in a way that would seem to indicate that they had been clinging to the outside of the railing or climbing it vertically.
Examining Irma Long's Body
Irma Long's body is currently being held in the morgue at Arkham Police Station and is set to be buried in a day's time [Cop Talk 1-Pt], some finesse and legal authority is likely needed to be able to view the body in the morgue. Although if the Investigators met Detective Mickey Harrigan before and were cordial with him, he may let them in to see the body without much need to persuade [Cop Talk no expenditure required]. The Detectives have had to rule the death suicide for legal purposes, but the Arkham Police are no fools, the death of Irma Long is suspiciously close to the animal attack they've seen previously on the thieves from Boston (see Act 0: The Prologue). [Evidence Collection or Forensics] the cause of death is clearly from falling from a great height, but the body contains defensive wounds such as from talons of birds on the arms and neck. It appears that something very large and powerful grabbed her body from the balcony.
/In play, this scene reinforced the fears of the Investigators that the flapping beast from Act 0 was still out there somewhere and still deadly as ever. They then searched for a way to stop it, leading them to research at the library and the ritual for binding the "Servant of the King"./
Linking the Pieces
This part of the Investigation is optional and may not necessarily be resolved at the end of Act I. If the Investigators start to look into property records of where the Sunflower Theater now rests, the office of the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" and compares it with Muskeget Island - they may start to connect the pieces of the puzzle. Several avenues are presented to discover that the sinister Harwich family of Arkham is behind the strange events surrounding the play.[Accounting or Bureaucracy 2-Pt Spend] - By delving into forgotten records of the Arkham City Archives or by piecing together property tax records from the county, it can be discovered that the trail of money for the properties in question all lead back to one source: The Harwich family.
[History or Oral History 2-Pt Spend] - Searching old newspaper records, interviewing elder members of Arkham's community or following up on leads at the Historical Society of Arkham - all lead an Investigator to the conclusion that the Harwich family name reoccurs in events surrounding the properties in question most frequently.
/In play, this discovery did not occur until the very end of Act 1, following an allowance for any final research and attempts by the Investigators to correlate the clues they'd already found./
Uncovering the Harwichs:
*Core Clue*
The current Patriarch of the household is James Harwich, a city alderman with a seat on the Arkham Chamber of Commerce. James Harwich is well respected as a member of the community, he has a son Neil Harwich who studied abroad and a living father named Graham Harwich who is institutionalized at Arkham Asylum. Graham Harwich was institutionalized in 1909 following a string of disappearances and murders of young negro women and allegedly his use of their dead bodies for foul scientific experiments. James Harwich had a wife named Mary Ashton-Harwich, who has been deceased for 3 years following a bad case of pneumonia. The family gained its wealth from the early settler of Massachusetts, Abel Harwich, who had a farm on Muskeget Island in 1877. The family's stature in the community makes them hard to bring official pressure against, as the City Alderman James Harwich holds considerably political sway and credibility. Little is known of Neil Harwich other than he is the youngest male of the family, an academic loner and that he spends much time traveling in Europe.
Visiting the Sprecht Nicht Art Society
Visiting the office at 589 Jenkin Street should provide the Investigators a sense of menace. No amount of shadowing or surveying the property will reveal anyone arriving or leaving the scene. The office appears to be locked and empty, however, anyone getting close to the building will hear soft jazz music playing from a radio inside. A painted sign on the glass window states the name of the office "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" with no explanation of what they do. Curtains and blinds have been pulled over the windows to prevent viewing inside. Unknown to the Investigators, they aren't the only ones watching the office. Two G-Men from the FBI have belief that the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" is a front for Anti-American activities by fascist sympathizers to the Nazi party in Germany. [Sense Trouble Diff 8 to notice the men with binoculars staking out the office from an apartment across the street.] While the G-Men are mistaken, they will be keen to note the faces and activities of Investigators who are snooping around the office.Inside the Offices
[Locksmith] Getting into the Offices is easy, but requires breaking the law and is best done at night when the streets are empty in the commercial district of Arkham. The offices are small and cramped, containing a entryway and a lobby where jazz music plays from a radio on a desk. There are lines of empty filing cabinets and desks with stacks of flyers advertising the "Sunflower Theater" and its first show, "The Last Masquerade." A further locked Manager's Office lies at the end of a short hallway.
The Manager's Office
[Locksmith 1-Pt Spend] The locked door can be broken into by someone with appropriate skill, alternatively an Investigator can use mechanical knowledge to remove the hinges [Mechanical Repair Diff 3]. Inside the Manager's office is a large desk and a chair with a figure sitting in it, facing away from the Investigators towards the back wall of the room. Examining the figure reveals a motionless manikin wearing black robes, a pale yellow mask and yellow leather gloves. The masked figure does not move and may be dead [Medic Difficulty 4]. If examined in detail, the "man" is made entirely of human skin from various victims, stitched together over a wire frame manikin similar to those used by dress-makers [Forensic Pathology]. The interior of the Manikin has been stuffed with sunflower petals and is hollow otherwise. The mask is a design that is similar to those used by Japanese Kabuki plays [Art History 1-Pt spend]. Discovering this grisly manikin is unnerving to say the least [Stability Test Difficulty 3].
The Stranger Arrives
[Antagonist Reaction]As soon as the Investigators look away from the Manikin, it begins to animate. Observant Investigators may be able to hear the creaking of the chair or sounds of footsteps [Sense Trouble Diff 6] as it moves to attack them. The Stranger is a dangerous supernatural foe and as it swings improvised weapons (made of lamps or other objects in the office), it begins repeating lines from the dreaded play: "Have you seen the Yellow Sign?" "The King is coming," "Carcossa rises..." "Take off your mask!" "He hunts and eats the gods, the dead King" "The Lake of Hali is still..." Encountering the Masked Stranger is a shock to human senses [Stability Test Difficulty 4] but for those who have read the play, its spoken lines are maddening [Stability Test Difficulty 6].
The Stranger (Masked Herald)
General Abilities: Athletics 4, Scuffling 8, Weapons 10, Health 8
Hit Threshold: 3 (Ungainly)
Alertness/Stealth Modifier: +0/+2
Damage Modifier: Unarmed (-1 damage), Improvised Weapon (+0 damage)
Armor: -1, all attacks that do piercing damage such as knives or guns, do only 1 damage. Shotguns do 2 points of damage. Blunt objects or axes will do normal damage.
FBI Surveillance
The FBI agents who are watching the scene may pursue the Investigators if they have broken the law during this scene by breaking and entering or who go about firing off their weapons, burning down the offices in a fit of madness, etc. For further information see the section of the scenario below [Legal Complications].
Talking with the G-Men
If the Investigators approach the Agents or if the Agents approach them, they may be asked about their ties to "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" and their political leanings. If the Investigators are foreign, talk about weird ideas like the Occult or zombies or if they seem to be hiding something - they may end being jailed and get a few bruises for their trouble. This is especially a possibility with Investigators that have the Criminal or Hobo occupations. Investigators with high Credit Rating are likely to be treated more cordially and might be allowed time to contact a lawyer. [Law or Cop Talk 1-Pt Spend] may be enough for the G-Men to figure they have better things to do than harass the Investigators, although this spend is not allowed if the Investigators have blatantly broken the law while being observed.
/During actual play, the Investigators ran from the office, luring the Stranger into the street. The Investigators were carrying weapons and immediately stopped by Federal Agents pointing guns and asking lots of hard questions. However, this all fell apart when the Stranger continued to attack and pursued them into the open streets. The FBI Agents were able to help the Investigators destroy the masked manikin, but the group was arrested quickly afterwards. The FBI Agents saw a lot of things they couldn't explain, so they were more lenient on the Investigators during the interrogation process of Legal Complications. Several Investigators were also wounded and mentally unbalanced during the process./
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Suspicious G-Men
Names: Agent Harold Quinn & Agent Dane Mack
Three Things: Unoriginal attire, gruff attitudes, suspicious lines of questioning
General Abilities: Athletics 8, Driving 6, Firearms 8, Scuffling 8, Health 10
Hit Threshold: 4 (well trained)
Damage Modifiers: Unarmed (-2 Damage), Baton (-1 Damage), Colt 1911 Pistol (+1 Damage)
Alertness/Stealth Modifiers: +2/+2
Stopping the Construction of the Theater
Investigators may decide that stopping construction of the "Sunflower Theater" is a priority. To do this they may turn towards legal or illegal methods for its destruction. A couple options based on play-testing are presented here, some methods will work, others will not.
Building Code Violations [Bureaucracy or Law] - By using a copy of the blueprints or otherwise bringing attention of the construction's design flaws up to authorities in Arkham, this avenue is a legal one and seems to bear fruit at first. However, their efforts are quickly thwarted by the Chamber of Commerce. Investigators who push harder discover that James Harwich, the city alderman, has an invested interest in keeping the project on track. The alderman promises the Chamber of Commerce and city authorities that the unsafe designs will be fixed before the theater is ready. Countering the influence of the City Alderman is a hard feat and may require multiple spends of abilities or the footwork of seeing various city authorities in person [An equivalent of 3 investigative point spends should be required at the very least to counter the reputation of James Harwich]. If the Investigators begin pushing in this direction, they may attract the attention of local authorities investigating into their activities. If the Investigators have broken the law, they may face repercussions, see [Legal Complications] later on.
/During play the Investigators decided to deceive the FBI Agents by mentioning that the Sprecht Nicht Art Society was controlled by Nazi sympathizers and that they were planning on creating the theater to raise money for their foreign war efforts. After this lie, mentioning the shoddy building and safety violations was all they needed. The Feds had the theater construction halted and were able to override the local bureaucracy of the city. Keepers are welcome to consider this an option for clever investigators./
Blowing the Theater Up [Explosives] - Investigators may decide that burning the theater down with petrol or blowing it up with dynamite is a good idea. Depending on when they decide to perform this feat, they may be stopped by Polish workmen or locals on River Street (use the River Street Thugs from Act 0 if necessary). Arranging the theater to be detonated with Dynamite or other explosives isn't too hard if not pressed on time [Explosives Difficulty 5], but may not fully collapse the structure. If an Investigator participating in the arrangement of explosives is skilled with architectural design, the group has an easier time of it [Architecture] and the difficulty goes down to 3 for Explosives. Obtaining explosives like dynamite can be bought in 1935 at any hardware store, but the names and information of the purchasers are recorded for legal purposes unless this is done illegal [Streetwise 1-Pt Spend]. Additionally, Criminal characters with connections [Streetwise 1-Pt Spend], may be able to hire a pair of underworld figures to commit arson on the theater project. The Investigators aren't directly involved and the effect could still be the same - the destruction of the theater project.
/During play, the Investigators purchased dynamite from the Criminal character's Irish mafia connections and were planning on using this to destroy the theater. They were arrested before they could enact their plan successfully./
Legal Complications
[Antagonist Reaction Scene]If the Investigators have performed any illegal activities: arson or demolition of the Sunflower Theater site, committing breaking and entering, firing guns or assault during an investigation or otherwise in blatant violation of the laws of Arkham - this scene occurs very quickly with the arrest and apprehension of Investigators. They are either apprehended by the FBI G-Men during the "Sprecht Nicht Art Society" office scene or by Arkham Police anywhere they happen to be staying in town (there will be 3 Arkham Police officers for each Investigator implicated). If the Investigators haven't broken the law but are engaged in stopping the theater construction legally, they attract the attention of James Harwich and his son - they will still be arrested for false accusations, see below about the "Yellow Manifesto."
Suspicious Gear:
If the Investigators are carrying around pockets full of handguns, knives and dynamite - their activities tend to look far more suspicious and they are more likely to face legal repercussions. Again, this is Keeper caveat.
Get a Lawyer:
Investigators with a Credit Rating 2+ may be able to get a lawyer if they think to do so [Law or Cop Talk]. Investigators without money are told that they'll get a Public Defender, but the police are in no hurry to provide one. Investigators who have a Lawyer can be sure to frame their answers to the interrogations by police in a more legal-minded framework and are more likely to get off without jail sentences - although ultimately its up to the Keeper based on what the Investigators have done during the session.
Police Interrogation:
Investigators will find themselves under scrutiny from Detective Mickey Harrigan during an interrogation about their activities over the course of the scenario. If the Investigators formed a bond with the Detective from Act 0, allow it to work in their favor. If the FBI Agents were the ones to make the arrest, the Investigators may also have to sit through additional questioning and Detective Harrigan has less authority in the legal matter to help the Investigators.
A Note on 1930s Racism:
Yes, in the 1930s being a non-white and being arrested would have been an ordeal a lot more severe. Whether or not you as a Keeper feel that your players can handle this kind of scene is up to you. I have presented no rules for it to effect this scene. Realistically however, Credit Rating should probably serve as a better guidance, a respectable Black Doctor would probably be treated better even in 1930s Massachusetts than one of the shuffling masses of the Hooverville homeless, even if they are white.
Convictions:
The Investigators may face various jail sentences depending on their crimes. For Investigators who've committed murder or assaulted Law Enforcement, the Investigator may effectively be removed from the scenario due to long prison sentences. For other lighter offenses, the Keeper may be lenient - since after-all this is only Act 1. For Investigators who talk about strange cults and corrupting plays banned by the Vatican, talk of monsters or zombies - they are most likely to be sent to Arkham Asylum (see below).
Arkham Police
Three Things: Spiffy shiny uniform, baby-faced young officer, rookie cop mistakes
General Abilities: Athletics 6, Scuffling 8, Weapons 8, Firearms 4, Health 6
Damage Modifier: Police Baton (-1 Damage), .38 Revolver (+1 Damage), 12 Gauge Shotgun (+1 Damage)
The Yellow Manifesto
As an attempt to further frame the intrepid Investigators, Neil Harwich has anonymously submitted a document in one of the Investigator's handwriting styles to the local Arkham Gazette. This document has caused stirs and was given over to the Arkham Police rather than having been published. A return address on its envelope was the home residence address of another Investigator or of one of their Sources of Stability. The letter contains a strange but familiar twisting symbol of the Yellow Sign on its stationary. The manifesto is a raving mad claim that the "King" is coming and that Arkham will soon become one with doomed "Carcosa." The details of the letter can include things that the Investigators have done, further damning them at Keeper option. The letter claims that no-one is safe and neither faith or reason can protect Arkham from its damnation. The Manifesto contains the names of all the Investigators and their Sources of Stability, each of them has been cast as a role in the dreaded play "The Last Masquerade." Police will present this document to the suspected writer of the document and ask hard questions about their mental psyche. Reading the Manifesto imparts the following [1-Pt in Cthulhu Mythos and a Stability Test Difficulty 3]. The FBI Agents, if present, may believe that the Manifesto's design is a swastika and that it is proof of their involvement in Anti-American activities.
Proof of Forgery
[Cryptography 1-Pt Spend] Allows the Investigator to provide handwriting samples and prove that they were not the authors of this strange and threatening document. This should help their case in showing that there are other menacing forces at work in Arkham.
/In actual play, the Investigators were able to prove that this document was a forgery and it justified their case that Nazi sympathizers and madmen were planning some kind of dastardly act in Arkham. Keepers are welcome to sprinkle the Yellow Manifesto with additional clues if they feel the group has gotten off track./
A Trip to Arkham Asylum
Investigators who have failed to defend their sanity in the face of Law Enforcement are likely to have themselves institutionalized in Arkham Sanitarium. The Investigator is checked into a padded cell and undergoes various types of treatment depending on their perceived disorders. Lucky Investigators who prove themselves cooperative in treatment may receive visits from Sources of Stability and begin to recover. Particularly zealous Investigators may suffer from shock therapy or other experimental treatments for their various insanity disorders.Encounter in the Psychward
During their time in the Asylum, Investigators are likely to discover the elderly Graham Harwich during activities at the arts and crafts room. Graham Harwich speaks only in lines from the dreaded play and enjoys fingerpainting the same reocurring symbol of the Yellow Sign again and again [Stability Test Difficulty 3]. If an Investigator is particularly rude to him, he may attempt to attack and bite them [Stability Test Difficulty 4]. Graham Harwich's room is scrawled with verses from the play and Yellow Signs painted lovingly across any available surface.
Graham Harwich
Three Things: Speaks only in lines from the King in Yellow play, graying hair and dark eyes, smiles knowingly at the Investigator
General Abilities: Athletics 4, Scuffling 8, Cthulhu Mythos 3, Magick 4, Health 5
Hit Threshold: 3 (spry for an old guy)
Damage Modifier: Unarmed (-2 damage)
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