'Fall Out' a Call of Cthulhu scenario - Keepers perspective (Spoilers, Spoilers and more Spoilers)

Play report – Blackwater Creek SPOILERS 

Session 1 – approximately just over 3hrs of play

Description of events, some notes and insights SPOILERS!

• System: Call of Cthulhu
• Scenario – Blackwater Creek
• Played on: RPG Nook Discord server / VTT Roll20
• For preparation information refer to blog entry published on 11th June.

Scene 1 – Meeting with Prof McTavish

The investigators all were present at 11am for the meeting with McTavish in his office in the Archaeology Dept. at Miskatonic University.  After the investigators had all introduced themselves, McTavish gave them the overview from the scenario and asked them to find and bring back Prof. Henry Roades and his wife Abigail.

The investigator Prof Wolforth was being played as a dour curmudgeon who clearly felt superior to all those around him, and was resentful on how his academic career had turned out.  From my point of view as the Keeper it was a joy to have him appointed as the official leader of the expedition, considering how cantankerous the PC was. 

As a Keeper this kind of interaction is gold – the investigators now had to roleplay the interaction between themselves while being required (in theory) to follow the lead from this particularly dour Professor.  In my mind this played out perfectly well in terms of imagining that McTavish was very pleased to be rid of this particularly problematic and ‘should be retired by now’ Professor, so I really emphasised that Prof Wolforth’s role was the ‘Expedition Leader’.  Also, it gave an excuse for Wolforth to be particularly belligerent to the two students (Nathan and Johan), an aspect which both players really ran with resulting in some great interactions throughout the scenario.

What narratives and clues did the players pick up on?

1. Mission was to find Henry and Abigail and bring them back safely
2. Details of the previous expedition led by Roades
3. Three students were involved and their names
4. It involved a place called Cades Rest from 17th century
5. Letter from Roades to McTavish during the original expedition earlier in the summer
6. Letter of introduction to Walt Gerig from McTavish.

What did they miss?

They did not ask to go to Henrys office – so missed the prosthetic leg, map (to help with navigate rolls) and library reminders for the two books.

I could have offered them the keys to Henrys office, but on this occasion having them lost for a bit on the way to Blackwater Creek seemed entirely rational from the Keeper perspective, and would result in them arriving at Blackwater in the middle of the night, rather than earlier if they had the map.

Scene 2 – meeting two of the students

Johan was being played as a bit of a drinker and someone who’d been in trouble with the university authorities – the player was also highlighting the fact that he did not like Prof Wolforth so that dynamic was being played very well. Johan had left the meeting with McTavish early to find one of the students, Agnes. He made out that Wolforth was going to try and make her go back to Blackwater Creek.  This lay the ground perfectly for Wolforth to then walk into a prepared Agnes who didn’t take too kindly to the tone of Wolforth once they met and he started questioning her.  Nelson also called her ‘girl’ which certainly made the rest of the conversation a little more difficult.

Nathan was being a good student and ensuring that notes were taken and pretty much following the orders being given by Wolforth.  He was also the only one thinking about what they may need for this expedition and went to the university expedition equipment store. 

The next student from the expedition they talked to was Clarence Welliver, I played him differently than as described in the scenario.  Basically, as a bit of a jock who hated every second of the original expedition, the ‘backward locals’ who wouldn’t leave them alone and were hassling Abigail, he resented Henry as he felt like those weeks during the summer in Blackwater Creek were wasted and now he had to pick up extra studies, as the expedition didn’t provide what he needed for his research project.  I made sure he mentioned a few times that Henry only had one leg but the players either did not pick up on this or did not think it particularly important.

What narratives and clues did the players pick up on?

1. Horrible local farmers, in particular some local brothers who were hassling the expedition
2. Prof. Henry Roades acting strangely just before they left and suddenly declaring they had to leave and the expedition was over.
3. The farmstead owned by the Jarvey family was nice and they could provide accommodation
4. There was a local store and the owner (Baxter) was a horrible old man and couldn’t be trusted.
5. During the expedition one of the students (Walt) started having nightmares about his mum and behaving a bit strangely a few days before they left.

What did they miss?

They didn’t get the name ‘Carmody’ in relation to the horrible brothers.

They didn’t find out that Henry had ordered dynamite via Baxters store.

Scene 3 – meeting with Walt Gerig

The meeting with Walt went pretty much as expected until Walt was returning from his mothers room and Wolforth fumbled his spot/hidden and bumped into Walt, who then dropped the tray of food he was carrying.  This resulted in Walt going mad and attempting to punch Wolforth.  Somehow he missed and in the fight back Wolforth cracked him round the skull with his walking stick, knocking him out (not in game terms but he done 4 damage and it was a good way to manage the ongoing story).  The Investigators then done two things I wasn’t expecting.

Nelson was quite insistent that they phoned the sanatorium to have him committed and then phoned the Police to report the incident.  In the meantime, Wolforth decided to leave and jumped into his car waiting for the others – demonstrating his disdain by continually sounding his car horn.  

The Police turned up and after some intimidation they took their notes and didn’t ask too many questions.  The Investigators were free to leave (Wolforth was still sounding his car horn).  

I kept this scene ending in mind when considering the ongoing issues the Investigators might face in the future in terms of their behaviours and potential consequences.  I foresaw future headlines like ‘Mad Professor Assaults Mentally Deranged Student For Not Getting Decent Grades!’.

The scene was played brilliantly, Wolforths impatience aligned with Nathans eagerness to get camping items, Johans need to get alcohol and Nelson wanting to ensure Walt was ok, was very entertaining from my perspective.

What narratives and clues did the players pick up on?

1. They identified that there was no mother upstairs
2. They found the death certificate of his mother

What did they miss?

Nothing really, it was evident that at least some of the players expected to find a ‘creature’ of some sort upstairs – maybe this is an option someone would like to consider to provide a change in pace as up until now it has been all general investigation.  It could take them completely off track though for a while so maybe only do this if you have the time to fit it in. I did consider that Walt had gone to the cemetery and dug up his mother and laid her out.  Maybe next time. 

Getting to Blackwater Creek

I wanted to add an encounter at this point in the proceedings, as so far the first two and a half hours or so had been spent investigating so I felt this point was a good place to inject a bit of pace to proceedings.  I planned for three local farmers to harass the group , maybe steal a few items and then let the PCs go on their way.  This was to increase the tension but ultimately was not meant to end in any conflict…the farmers all had shotguns after all, which in hindsight was maybe not such a good idea!  It was going to be quite late by the time they had the encounter – and then went onto Blackwater Creek (they didn’t get the map from Prof Roades office in scene 1).    Anyway, the encounter started and at first it was going as expected – the investigators were getting a bit roughed up and one of them had gone to the trunk of the car with Nathan to take some items that they felt would pay the toll for them being on ‘their road’.  Another farmer was leaning into the car roughing up Johan.  The other was standing to the side cradling his shotgun.  Then to the surprise of everyone Wolforth decided to reverse the car and make a getaway!  Nathan manged to jump out of the way but the famer fumbled his Dodge roll.  Now I could have played this as he got injured or something similar, but hey this is horror game and when things go wrong, they go REALLY wrong.  So instead I had the farmer fall over with the car running over the unfortunate farmers head.  Wolforth feeling the bump then went forward and ran over it again.  Of course, all hell broke out and shotguns were fired at close range.  Somehow all the shots missed the investigators and they managed to kill the other two farmers.  So, a totally innocent encounter went south very quickly.  

So, we ended the first session with the team standing in the middle of nowhere, guns smoking, blood, brains and other body matter scattered over the path and the quiet sound of cicadas in the background with the moon looking on.  

Until the next instalment next week when the PCs finally get to Blackwater Creek, remember Parrying Is For Wimps!