: March 2007

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Episode 26: The Tree

The heroes do some research on Thomas Moth in the library and make a disturbing discovery. As night falls, they drive to Moth Park to meet the strange man, and the killer...

GM: Right, let's begin. John, roll for McMurdoch's research.

McMurdoch: [1d20+7] - [1,7] = (8)

GM: You spend the late afternoon and early evening at the local library, and the archives, searching for any relevant information about Moth Park, or Lenore White. Outside, the sun becomes a fading ember in the west, and the shadows of Laketown swell into murky pools.

GM: You find little of interest.

GM: What are both of you going to do now?

McMurdoch: McMurdoch wakes up with a start and lifts his head off the library table. "Nothing!" He mutters. "There's absolutely bloody nothing."

Ethan: Ethan folds his arms and leans against one of the bookcases with a sigh. "What now, then?"

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch picks up his cup of coffee and snifs it. "I'm all burnt out." He mutters and gets up to find a refill.

Ethan: Ethan sighs and picks up one of the books. "This is going to take awhile..."

Ethan: [1d20+2] - [20,2] = (22)

GM: Woodward finds in the archives an old yellow tattered newspaper clipping with a bold headline, dated May 16th, 1900. Wealthy industrialist Thomas Moth came home to find his wife Felicity and children Millicent and Edmond shot to death in their beds. The murderer was the estate’s head gardener, Henry Creed, who was seen by Moth fleeing the grounds with a pistol in hand, and blood spattered on his clothes.

GM: He finds another article, about Moth slowly sinking into bankruptcy later in life, and spending the final years of his life in an asylum, a shadow of his former self.

Ethan: "I found something! Take a look!"

McMurdoch: "I've tried everything. Births and deaths, the Laketown Tribune all the way back to 1893."

Ethan: "%$_." Ethan mutters to himself as he reads the text.

McMurdoch: "There's nothing!"

McMurdoch: "Whaddup?" Mcmurdoch rubs his bleary eyes and saunters over to Woodward.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch peers over Woodward's shoulder. "Good spotting, dude."

Ethan: "Now, what do we do with this?"

McMurdoch: "So he was a nut job." Mcmurdoch pulls a cigarette from behind his ear, puts it to his lips, lights it and starts to puff thoughtfully.

McMurdoch: "Where's the asylum?"

Ethan: "Huh, dunno. Think it'd be worth looking into?"

GM: He'll be long dead. This is over 100 years ago.

McMurdoch: "I wonder what flipped him over the edge?"

McMurdoch: "Is there any info on what kind of business he ran?"

Ethan: "If I remember correctly, the gardener and the wife had their names carved into the tree. Why would he kill her...?"

McMurdoch: "How do we know he killed her? All we have is the rantings of that guy we met last night."

GM: Plus the newspaper archive, which states that Henry Creed killed them.

McMurdoch: "He didn't seem like the most reliable source to me."

McMurdoch: "Why did Moth build the park?"

Ethan: "...According to this, the gardener was the murderer. There's an old rhyme about Henry Creed killing her and Moth's children."

McMurdoch: What kind of business did Moth run?

GM: Moth was into a lot of things, textiles, mainly. General industry. A wealthy man.

McMurdoch: Why did he build the park? Philanthropy? Or for some more nefarious reason?

GM: Quote from on of the plaques in the park which you have seen: "When Thomas Moth donated his estate to the city, the land included several dozen trees that Moth had planed over the course of 20 years. An amateur botanist, Moth collected seeds and cuttings from all over the world with the intent of creating a vast arboretum that would be of interest to scientists and nature lovers alike. Unfortunately, he suffered a reversal of fortune before his dream could be fulfilled."

Ethan: Well, I don't know what to do next other than go back to the park and check out the plants and stuff

Ethan: Except to check out the mysterious new plants across the street

Ethan: Find out why they are there now! Who planted them?!

McMurdoch: Possibility: Moth imported some kind of 'loco-weed' tree that poisoned the mind of Creed and drove him to his crime, as well as driving

GM: Well, that's a good idea, the broad shouldered, strange man, told you to return to the park after dark to find out more.

McMurdoch: Possibility: Moth imported some kind of 'loco-weed' tree that poisoned the mind of Creed and drove him to his crime, as well as driving

McMurdoch: Moth mad

GM: NEXT SCENE: Outside Moth Park at Night

GM: The late Autumn twilight turns to nightfall, and there is a hazy, dark cloudcover.

GM: You arrive back at the gates of Moth park. Night has fallen over laketown, and the nearby streets are mostly deserted, except for some vagrants shuffling along across the road from the park, a few black and yellow taxis racing past, and a couple of leather jacketed, rough looking young men across the road, engaged in conversation, and looking over their shoulders.

GM: You are standing outside the gates, and it is a few minutes before your planned rendezvous with the broad shouldered man you met near the large sycamore tree, whose name you do not know. They are wrought iron, black., and high. They are locked with a thick padlock and chain.

GM: Some four storey tenement blocks loom behind you, across the street from the park entrance. Gargoyles leer down at you from the 19th century facades.

GM: Before you is Moth Park, or at least, the entrance. It is locked.
GM: What now?

Ethan: "Looks like they're not going to just let us in."

Ethan: Ethan appraises the gates with some apprehension. "Think we'll have to climb...?"

McMurdoch: "Not necessarily." Mcmurdoch pulls his double barrelled shotgun out from under his trenchcoat and points it at the lock on the gate.

Ethan: "Don't you dare."

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch grins and winks at Woodward. "Just kidding."

McMurdoch: He puts the gun back, spits on his hands, jumps up and grabs the bars and starts to climb.

McMurdoch: [1d20+7] - [9,7] = (16)

GM: McMurdoch's over.

McMurdoch: How high is it?

Ethan: "I don't know about this..."

Ethan: [1d20] - [2] = (2)

GM: Typical park gate size, maybe a little larger. About 10 foot I suppose.

GM: OK, that's a fail.

Ethan: "Give me a hand here, somehow..."

GM: Yes, but the roll was so bad...

GM: Have any of you guys got lock pick skills?

GM: Maybe McMurdoch might have to pull out his trusty shotgun after all...

GM: And run like the clappers...

GM: I just had an idea.

GM: You could drive your VW Jetta up to the gate, and climb on the roof, and hop over that way.

McMurdoch: Are there any trees near the fence that could be climbed?

GM: That's another option.

Ethan: "I'm going to try it again. Help me this time."

GM: Not to get in, but maybe McMurdoch could hack off a limb and throw it over, so Woodward could use it as a ladder.

McMurdoch: "Hey. I think there might be a rope in the boot of the Jetta."

McMurdoch: In which case there are two options. One: use the rope to climb over. Two: tie the rope to the gate and use the car to pull the gate down.

Ethan: Let me make an on hand wealth check

GM: No, that roll is for something else. :)

Ethan: "I'll go check if there's a rope in the back. Be right back."

Ethan: Ethan rummages through the volkswagon.

Ethan: [1d20-4] - [2,-4] = (-2)

GM: The leather jacketed men across the stree move off down the T junction, away from you, glancing at you with mild curiosity. They disappear out of the street lamp light.

Ethan: "Ah, is this it... No, ah, how about this...? Darn it, I can't find anything..."

Ethan: Ethan heads back to the gate. "No go. I'm going to try climbing it again. Give me a lift."

Ethan: "Seriously, give me a hand. Here we go..."

Ethan: [1d20] - [6] = (6)

Ethan: Ethan barely avoids landing on his butt. "%$^#... %$^#er..."

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch takes a close look at the lock.

GM: [1d20] - [13] = (13)

Ethan: [1d20] - [19] = (19)

GM: [1d20] - [4] = (4)

GM: OK, Woodward's over.

Ethan: "Holy crap, watch out!"

Ethan: Ethan pulls himself over and falls to the other side.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch dives out of the way as Woodward almost falls on him.

Ethan: He wipes the dust off of his pants. "Yikes."

GM: You're inside the park. A path leads ahead. The wind has picked up and you can hear the trees waving their limbs restlessly, but only just make out their macabre outlines against the sky. The air wheezes through the branches.

GM: Where to?

McMurdoch: To the rendezvous point with the guy from last night.

GM: You follow the path into the park. You follow a near pitch dark path to the arboretum. Every fifty metres or so there is a dim diamond shaped victorian lamp, its tiny glow struggling to throw back the blanket of darkness that has covered the park. It casts a feeble oasis of light, a murky sphere of about 3 metres.

Ethan: Woodard gazes back and forth as they travel, his eagle eyes spoting out for trouble in the dark night.

GM: Beyond that, all there is, is cloud above, and the distant overflow of the lights of Laketown, which right now, seems as far away as the clouds.

GM: You pass what you think are the sports fields, and enter a wooded area again. You are surrounded by trees.

GM: You come to a fork in the path. The park seems do different now, in the dark. You don’t recall this fork…
GM: Which way are you going to choose, right or left?

Ethan: "Which way was it? @&$^..." Ethan looks back and forth, before peering down the right path.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [2,10] = (12)

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch takes a coin out of his pocket and looks at Woodward. "Dunno. Heads says we go left."

GM: You can see little but darkness and tree limbs...

Ethan: Ethan looks down the left path.

McMurdoch: 1-2 = heads. 3-4 = tails.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [2,10] = (12)

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch flips the coin and catches it...

Ethan: Ethan shrugs. "All right, you're on."

McMurdoch: to reveal....

McMurdoch: [1d4] - [2] = (2)
McMurdoch: a head.

GM: You head left. The woods thin out, and in the darkness you can sense you are in an open area now. Woodward’s right foot hits something and he stumbles, perhaps a tree root....

Ethan: His eyes widen and he quickly glances towards the ground

GM: It's almost pitch dark, you can't see anything. The wind gusts suddenly.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch stops dead still and listens intently.

McMurdoch: [1d20] - [19] = (19)

McMurdoch: That was a roll for the Listen skill.

GM: You just hear the whistling wind.

GM: OK, head further on?

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch puts his fingers to his lips and starts to tiptoe.

Ethan: Ethan draws his flashlight from his coat into his left hand.

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [15,2] = (17)

McMurdoch: That was a Move Silently roll.

GM: Woodward sees what looks like a small head, a dolls, head sticking out of the ground, It looks eerie and wrong, in the light of his torch.

Ethan: "Holy #^&@...!" He exclaims as he steps backwards.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch's lanky frame is tip toeing away in exaggerated slow motion.

McMurdoch: He freezes, with one foot off the ground.

GM: You head on, further, further into the forbidding dark night, towards your rendezvous.

GM: Finally, you enter the arboretum which you recognise. The darkness is almost absolute. You think you can hear some scurrying sounds in the trees, but it may just be the wind.

GM: In the centre of the arboretum, you pass the culvert where the body was found.

GM: You can see the large sycamore tree, silhouetted against the sky.

GM: You see a large man, standing there, in the darkness, next to the tree. He is staring up at the sky, the cloudy sky.

Ethan: Ethan's shifty eyes dart around the arboretum.

Ethan: They narrow and stare at the man.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [12,10] = (22)

Ethan: spot

GM: It is the broad shouldered man, standing there, as he said he would be.

GM: He looks at you blankly, dazzled by Woodward's flashlight.

GM: His eyebrows rise questioningly.

Ethan: Ethan points it down.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch's hand reaches under his coat to pat his trusty shotgun.

GM: Somewhere, beyond the park, you can hear the sound of a car horn, like the faint mewl of a monster from another world.

GM: The man stares up at the sky again. His hands are buried keep in his large coat pockets.

Ethan: Ethan moves up to McMurdoch and pushes him towards the man.

McMurdoch: "Whadda ya doin?" Whispers Mcmurdoch.

GM: He looks at McMurdoch, with a puzzled expression, He looks back up at the sky, and does not answer for several minutes.

Ethan: Ethan sighs and moves towards the man. "Yo."

Broad Shouldered Man:"The killer will arrive shortly. " He crosses his arms and stares up at the sky again.

Broad Shouldered Man:The tree, the same one you saw earlier in the day, is the largest in the park, standing about 150 feet, looming skyward, dark leaves and limbs sprawled.

Broad Shouldered Man:"The killer will arrive shortly"

GM: Woodward's flashlight catches a glinting plaque at the base of the tree.

Ethan: "Killer...?" Ethan says questioningly, taking a short step back and casting a searching glance around the area.

Ethan: He looks at the plaque.

GM: "American Sycamore. Perhaps the oldest tree in the park, this sycamore is said to have been present before Thomas Moth purchased this land and built his estate. Its true age is unknown."

GM: Spot check

Ethan: Ethan narrows his eyes.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [19,10] = (29)

GM: You notice one withered limb, that juts out on its own, and looks diseased, or dying.

GM: Minutes pass.

GM: The man announces, "The killer is here."

GM: He points to the ground. "There."

Ethan: Ethan quickly looks over there.

GM: He is pointing to a shadow of the tree on the ground.

GM: "Look there, …"

GM: You can see a strange shape in the shadow.

Ethan: Ethan tries to make it out.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [20,10] = (30)

GM: You can see on the ground, the silhouette of a hanged man dangling from the dead limb, dangling in the breeze.

GM: Woodward can see eleven more bodies, two child sized.Some hang limp like wet laundry, others twitch and jerk like bugs caught in a web.

Ethan: "Holy #$^@!" Ethan exclaims, making a short backpeddle once again.

Broad Shouldered Man:"The killer."

Broad Shouldered Man:"Behold the killer."

Ethan: Ethan shines his flashlight into the tree branches.

Broad Shouldered Man:He looks at you, and the whites of his eyes almost glow in the light.

GM:Spot check.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [12,10] = (22)

McMurdoch: [1d20] - [13] = (13)

GM: Woodward notices, not in the tree (where there are no dangling bodies), but in the shadow, out of the cornder of his eye, one of the silhouettes pointing at him.

GM: Listen checks both of you.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [7,10] = (17)

McMurdoch: [1d20] - [1] = (1)

GM: Woodward hears the soft pad of running legs behind him, the gait of...

GM: A four legged animal

Ethan: "#$&@!" Ethan exclaims, whirling around and moving to draw his colt python.

GM: Roll intitiative.

GM: [1d20+2] - [7,2] = (9)

Ethan: [1d20+1] - [18,1] = (19)

GM: Woodward sees four dogs with slavering mouths, white fangs, and black sleek bodies, racing towards him at full speed.

GM: THey are about 30 feet away.

GM: Let's place things on the map

McMurdoch: I take it Mcmurdoch doesn't roll for initiative because he didn't hear anything?

GM: McMurdoch was suprised, so roll initiative, but you wont get a hit in first round.

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [15,2] = (17)

GM: The map shows the sycamore in the middle, and the very rough outline of the arboretum boundary. You notice the Broad shouldered man is sprinting silently away.

GM: Place your minis

GM: OK, Woodward's move

Ethan: Ethan pulls out his gun as he surveys the creatures.

GM: Four slavering, sleek black, fanged dogs, which have a murderous rage in their eyes.

GM: But they are strangely silent, not barking, or howling.

GM: They are running at breakneck speed towards you.

Ethan: Ethan levels the gun to the nearest beast and whispers lowly to himself. "Consider this your warning shot...!"

Ethan: [1d20+5] - [11,5] = (16)

GM: hit

Ethan: [2d6+1] - [4,4,1] = (9)

GM: The nearest dog takes a bullet, and is knocked off stride. It makes no sound.

GM: The dogs charge and attack, both of you!

GM: Two take on McMurdoch, two Woodward.

GM: [1d20+3] - [19,3] = (22)

GM: [1d20+3] - [5,3] = (8)

GM: [1d20+3] - [9,3] = (12)

GM: [1d20+3] - [14,3] = (17)

Ethan: AC 14

GM: [1d6+3] - [6,3] = (9)

GM: One hit on Woodward for 9 damage.

GM: This could get ugly

GM: The dogs rips at woodward's throat, drawing blood and tearing his collar.

McMurdoch: AC 12

GM: [1d6+3] - [6,3] = (9)

GM: wtf

GM: One hit on McMurdoch for 9 damage.

Ethan: "Augh...! My god!"

GM: What are your HP?

Ethan: 12 left

GM: OK, for now, but you may need to think about other options if things get bad...

GM: Mcmurdoch?

McMurdoch: 7 left

GM: HO?

GM: OK.

GM: Now, you both get to retaliate.

Ethan: Yikes

GM: Or do something else...

GM: Oh, roll for init, Mcmurdoch.

GM: If you haven't already, if you have, let me know what you rolled.

Ethan: he rolled 17

McMurdoch: I did earlier. I got a 17.

GM: OK, Woodward's turn.

GM: The dogs are silently leaping at your throats.

GM: I think pistols are OK for close combat, but McMurdoch's shotgun will get a minus four because it is a long arm. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Ethan: Ethan takes a quick step back and swings his colt python into the beast's face and quickly pulls the trigger in rapid succession.

Ethan: [2d20+3] - [15,4,3] = (22)

GM: hit

Ethan: oops

GM: OK, try again

Ethan: rolled that wrong

Ethan: [1d20+3] - [4,3] = (7)

GM: crap

GM: miss

Ethan: action point

GM: OK.

GM: 1d6

Ethan: [1d6+4] - [4,4] = (8)

GM: Plus four?

Ethan: faith, +wisdom to action point rolls

GM: Nice one.

GM: Hit.

Ethan: [3d6+1] - [6,1,3,1] = (11)

GM: The dog nearest woodward is hit with a bullet, and reels backwards, blood spurting from the black fur.

GM: McMurdoch?

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch unloads both barrels at the head of the nearest dog.

McMurdoch: [1d20-2] - [18,-2] = (16)

McMurdoch: -4 for close range and a +2 modifier

GM: Hit!

McMurdoch: [2d10] - [8,7] = (15)

Ethan: yikes

GM: The head of the dog nearest to McMurdoch is blown clean off its shoulders, black fur, brains, bone, fangs, and blood black in the moonlight fly asunder.

McMurdoch: "Take that ya filthy butt sniffing, turd licking little mongrel!!!"

GM: [1d20+3] - [12,3] = (15)

GM: [1d6+3] - [6,3] = (9)

GM: wtf

GM: [1d6+3] - [5,3] = (8)

GM: McMurdoch takes a hit from the remaining dgo

GM: 9 damage

GM: [1d20+3] - [1,3] = (4)

GM: [1d20+3] - [9,3] = (12)

GM: Two dogs jump at woodward but miss

GM: Woodward's turn

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch's world goes black as he slumps to the ground.

Ethan: "McMurdoch!"

GM: OK, Woodward;s turn

Ethan: Woodard backs up again, his gun blasting out light into the dark night as he tries to subdue the canine attackers

Ethan: [1d20+3] - [13,3] = (16)

GM: hit

Ethan: [3d6+1] - [3,6,1,1] = (11)

GM: A bullet careers into one of the wounded dogs, and it curls into a heap.

Ethan: Action surge

GM: OK

Ethan: Ethan, not finished with his assault, moves his gun towards the dog nearest McMurdoch.

Ethan: [1d20+3] - [18,3] = (21)

GM: hit

Ethan: [3d6+1] - [2,2,5,1] = (10)

GM: The dog near McMurdoch makes the faintest whimper as a bullet pierces its heart. It collapses on top on Mcmurdoch's body.

Ethan: He yells out in rage as he sends a steady stream of bullets into the canines. He continues his assault on the last one, but sadly, all that comes out of his weapon is *click* *click* *click* "%#$^..."

GM: The remaining dog charges Woodward...

GM: [1d20+3] - [3,3] = (6)

GM: It's leap falls short however.

GM: Woodward's turn

Ethan: Woodard's hands reach into his pockets to grab his speed loader and bullets as fast as he can.

GM: The sound of McMurdoch's shotgun must surely have been heard...

Ethan: AOO

GM: [1d20+3] - [1,3] = (4)

GM: As Woodward hurries with the speed loader, the last dog makes a failed leap at his throat.

Ethan: Woodard manages to keep the dog at bay as he swings his revolver shut.

GM: Shoot!

Ethan: He brings it around and nearly shoves it into the beast's vicious gaping jaw as it lunges for another attack!

Ethan: [1d20+3] - [12,3] = (15)

GM: hit

Ethan: [3d6+1] - [6,5,4,1] = (16)

GM: The bullet from Woodward's revolver enters the beasts mouth and pierces his brain, exiting the other side of his black head.

GM: The dog collapses, twitches, and is still.

GM: There are four dog corpses, one lying across Mcmurdoch.

GM: There is no sign of the broad shouldered man. The breeze rustles the sycamore's leaves, but there are no more unreal shadows.

Ethan: "^$&* oh %^$^ oh ^%#& oh $^*#!" Ethan yells as he runs over and pushes the dog away, pulling out his medical supplies as fast as he can.

Ethan: "Stay with me, man!"

GM: Woodward has to heave the heavy body off, but he manages it.

Ethan: First, stabilize

GM: OK

Ethan: [3d20+10] - [9,7,20,10] = (46)

GM: Crikey

Ethan: crap

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [3,10] = (13)

GM: Fortitude check

GM: 15+

GM: OK, roll two fortitude checks, Mcmurdoch

McMurdoch: [1d20] - [1] = (1)

McMurdoch: [1d20] - [9] = (9)

GM: you were on -2, so you're now on -4

McMurdoch: Bummer...

GM: OK, do now WOodward attempts to stabilize

Ethan: Okay, now I make my treat injury check

GM: Treat injuryy...

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [16,10] = (26)

GM: Which kind of treat are you doing?

Ethan: stabilize

GM: OK, Mcmurdoch is well stabilized.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch will continue lying there, breathing raggedly.

Ethan: He becomesconscious again after 1 hour with a DC 20 foritude check

GM: OK, going to wait one hour?

Ethan: And he heals naturally as normal

GM: You hear feet approaching.

GM: It is the broad shouldered man.

Ethan: Ethan raises his gun towards the man.

Broad Shouldered Man:He looks down at Mcmurdoch. "You're friend, badly hurt. The tree tried to kill him."

Ethan: "Yeah. And so did those crazy attack dogs from hell..."

Broad Shouldered Man:"The souls in the tree are suffering. They need release from their torment."

Broad Shouldered Man:His eyes tear up. "When I sleep in the park , I dream of them crying out for help."

Ethan: "What should we do? Burn it down?"

Ethan: "Call a priest?"

Broad Shouldered Man:"BUt the tree won't let them go, it makes them kill when it's hungry for more."

Broad Shouldered Man:"Are you willing to go further?"

Broad Shouldered Man:"I have done all I can."

Ethan: "Right now I want to get my partner safely out of here."

Broad Shouldered Man:"I wish you friend well." He reaches deep inside his coat pocket, and pulls out something that appears to be wrapped in newspaper and greasy fast food wrappers.

Broad Shouldered Man:"This is all I could find out about the history of the tree. Maybe you can do better."

Ethan: Ethan eyes the object he's pulling out.

Broad Shouldered Man:He hands Woodward the wrapped object.

Ethan: Ethan keeps his hand on the gun as he moves to take the object.

GM:It's heavy, and wrapped in newspapaer and fast food wrappers.

Broad Shouldered Man:He turns and walks away.

Broad Shouldered Man:"I've done all I can," he mumbles.

Broad Shouldered Man:As he departs, he appears to start talking a foreign language. It sounds like....

Broad Shouldered Man:Knowledge check ?

Ethan: Untrained knowledge check

GM:OK

Ethan: [1d20+2] - [1,2] = (3)

GM:Sounds like an old language.

GM:The man disappears into the darkness.

Ethan: Unless streetwise would be appropriate

GM: No, that won't help.

GM: The sounds of gunfire have surely been heard....

GM: But the sounds of gunfire are common on the streets of Laketown at night.

GM: And deep within this park...

GM: However, who knows what else is in this park.

GM: Wait till Mcmurdoch wakes up?

Ethan: Ethan moves back to McMurdoch, setting the object down next to his flashlight discarded there earlier. "$^_."

GM: Wait till Mcmurdoch wakes up, or something else?

Ethan: Ethan sits down next to his fallen comrade and reloads his gun as he gazes out into the night for danger.

GM: [1d20+3] - [9,3] = (12)

GM: [1d20+3] - [13,3] = (16)

GM: An hour passes.

GM: Mcmurdoch awakes.

GM: Woodward, are you going to unwrap the object now or later?

Ethan: Later

GM: OK

McMurdoch: McMurdoch sits up groggily. As he recalls what happens, his hand reaches for his throat.

McMurdoch: Happened.

Ethan: Ethan, hunched over on the ground and slightly nodding off, quickly jumps to his feet and whirls around as he feels McMurdoch stirring behind him.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch tries to get up and staggers.

McMurdoch: He sits back down.

GM: You see the flicker of flaslights approaching.

GM: Flaslights flickering through the woods.

McMurdoch: "The dogs? You got them?"

GM: They are a good 300 yards away.

Ethan: "%^_, someone's coming this way."

GM: What now?

Ethan: "Stay still."

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch gets onto his hands and knees and tries to stand.

GM: They appear to be coming through the arboretum, toward your clearing.

McMurdoch: He gives up and rolls onto his back with a groan.

GM: You are bathed in darkness, but you're in a clearing, next to the large tree.

Ethan: Ethan puts his magical medical fingers to work as he quickly moves over McMurdoch's wounds.

GM: Not a good place to hide.

Ethan: Take 10 on restore hit points, no kit, it's 16

GM: OK

Ethan: [1d4] - [4] = (4)

Ethan: He gains 4 hp

Ethan: So now he's at 4 :)

GM: Sweet

GM: The flashlight glimmers are getting closer, and you can hear the faint sound of hushed voices.

Ethan: Ethan takes his hands out from underneath McMurdoch's clothes. "Sorry for the invasion of privacy, but here comes trouble."

GM: The distance to the edge of the clearing is about 80 feet.

McMurdoch: "That's OK dude. They didn't bite anything below the neck."

McMurdoch: "But thanks..."

Ethan: He crouches low, drawing his revolver and backing up towards the tree.

GM: You can see the flaslight beams now. They are just about to reach the edage of the clearing.

Ethan: Woodard tries to make out what they're saying.

GM: They are heading for the clearing in the arboretum.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [6,10] = (16)

GM: Too far away to distinguish.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch gets up and half walks, ahalf crawls to the trees after Woodward.

GM: So you are standing in the middle of the clearing, next to the big tree?

GM: The flaslight beams now swoop into the edge of the clearing.

GM: There are two of them. They are heading your way.

Ethan: I'm using it as cover.

GM: OK.

GM: The voices stop.

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch crawls behind the tree.

McMurdoch: He lies down and trains his shotgun on the approaching flashlight beams.

GM: The flashlights slowly jump and jolt, and swoop left and right as they approach the tree.

Voice 1: "S**t. Bit of carnage here, chief."

Voice 2: "What have you got?"

Voice 1: "Dogs. Mutilated. Shot up real bad.'

Voice 2: "Get your weapon ready, they might stil be around."

Voice 2: ONe of the flaslights is approaching the tree.

Voice 2: [1d20+3] - [12,3] = (15)

Voice 2: It is within 5 metres.

Voice 2: [1d20+3] - [7,3] = (10)

Voice 2: It is within 2 metres.

Voice 2: [1d20+3] - [1,3] = (4)

Voice 2: It is a man.

GM: It is circling the tree.

GM: It is about to step on Mcmurdoch, who is prone.

GM: What are you going to do, in your split second that you have, Mcmurdoch?

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch tries to roll out of the way, as quietly as possible, asnd remain out of the flashlight beam.

GM: [1d20+3] - [18,3] = (21)

Voice 2: "What the!"

McMurdoch: Move silently:

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [10,2] = (12)

GM: He spotted you.

Voice 1: "We got company!"

Voice 1: "Put your hands up!"

GM: The flaslight is pointing right at Mcmurdoch.

GM: Light into his eyes.

Voice 1: Your move

Gm: (you guys should have just run into the trees and would have saved yourselves some bother)

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch decides that discretion is the better part of valour and puts up his hands.

GM: You’re close enough to see that it is a policeman.

Voice 1: "What the hell are you doing killing defenceless animals in the middle of the goddammed night, you creep?!"

Ethan: Crouched at the base of the tree, Ethan lazily puts his gun down and pulls his badge out of his pocket. "Investigating."

Voice 1: "Investigatin' my ass. More life killin'. We're patrolling this park, due to the recent killin' of Lenore White, and we didn't expect any animal killers. Now put down you're weapons, We're taking you in."

GM: The other policeman approaches.

GM: "You heard the man. Turn around so we can cuff you."

McMurdoch: Mcmurdoch points to his wounded throat repaired by Woodward's stiches. "They attacked us." He rasps, playing up the damage to his throat. "It was self defence."

GM: One of the cops shines his flaslight on the wounds.

Ethan: "No, I won't go. There was nothing defenseless about them. Some guy told us to come here, in the middle of the night, to hear something about the murder of Lenore White, and when we meet him, he runs off, and these four dogs attack us."

Cop 1: "Shees."

Cop 1: "Looks bad."

Ethan: "They would've killed my partner if I wasn't a skilled medical practionier."

Cop 2: "Got what he deserved. Now put those cuffs on."

Cop 2: Cop 2 approaches Mcmurdoch, with handcuffs open.

Cop 2: Cop 2 puts on the cuffs. Do you resist?

McMurdoch: No. It would be foolish. Even if he had more than 4 hp.

Cop 2: OK, you're cuffed.

Cop 2: Cop 2 approaches Woodward.

Cop 2: Do you resist?

Ethan: Woodard puts his badge and gun away. "There's an object, I don't know what, wrapped in newspapers and food wrappers. The guy left it behind. I don't want it staying out here all night."

Cop 2: "You can keep it."

GM: You can put it in your coat pocket.

Ethan: Ethan stands up and lets the cop cuff him.

GM: The cop cuffs Woodward.

GM: They lead you out of the clearing, along the dimly lit path, through the woods, with the diamond shaped victorian lamps, past the sports fields, and out of the gate.

GM: The rest of your night is spent in the cells.

GM: END OF SCENE

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Episode 25: The Body in the Park

Woodward has a strange vision. The heroes head to Moth Park to search for clues...

GM: During the night, Woodward dreams that a woman is standing at the foot of his bed. She clutches at her throat and appears to be choking.

GM: When Woodward awakes, his window is open.

GM: There are wet leaves strewn about the room, and they lead to the open window.

GM: A harsh gust of wind blows out the curtain.

GM: It is morning.

GM: NOW

GM: McMurdoch and Woodward are at work.

GM: It is later that morning, about 8:15 AM

GM: Business as usual.

GM: Galloway's hat is on the hatstand, but he is not around.

GM: You hear the traffic noise outside, and the blare of a horn out on the lake.

GM: The radio is on. National Public.

GM: A deep voiced man is reading the news.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch sits at his desk, half shaven, in an unironed shirt. He is leaning back in the chair with his feet on the desk, is reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee. A cigarette dangles between his lips.

GM: You catch snippets of the news.

GM: "... body of a woman..."

Ethan: Ethan seems to be reading something intently on his computer screen. Every so often, the sound of his fingers pressing heavily on his keyboard can be heard somewhere beneath the radio.

GM: "... Park..."

Ethan: He suddenly stops and looks over at the radio.

GM: "... forensic..."

GM: suddenly a crash of static comes over the radio

GM: "ZXZX ZXZXZXZX"

Ethan: Woodward pushes his chair back and stands up, moving towards the radio.

GM: You hear a faint, rasping, voice...

McMurdoch: McMurdoch lowers the paper and looks across at Woodward. "Wassup?" He queries, while blowing twin jets of smoke out his nostrils.

GM: " HAAEEELP AAAUUUSS!"

GM: " HAAEEELP AAAUUUSSSS!

Ethan: "Holy %^&@."

GM: Suddenly you hear a bang from behind.....!

GM: Galloway has entered the room, and let the door crash shut behind him.

Galloway: "Morning!"

McMurdoch: "Mornin' boss."

Galloway: He dashes into his office, retrieve something, and leaves again.

Ethan: Ethan turns around quickly, hand shoved deep in his coat near his hidden gun, before sighing with relief and turning back to the radio.

GM: The news turns to other affairs. Something about a gangland slaying.

GM: Revenge tit for tat killings in the Withers.

GM: Hispanic and Italian soldiers going head to head.

Ethan: "%^@&..." Ethan curses to himself silently, returning to his desk.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch gets up warily and walks across to the radio. He bends over and looks at it suspiciously, checking that it is tuned to the right station.

GM: Your emails have plenty of FBI work to do this morning, the usual stuff to do when you have nothing else. Reference checks, pattern matching, etc.

GM: Plenty of boring work to be getting on with this morning

GM: The door to the lavatory opens.

McMurdoch: He starts muttering to himself, reaches into his pocket and extracts a vial from which he taps out two small blue pills into his palm, which he then quickly swallows.

GM: You hear the sound of a flushing toilet.

GM: Bruce, your colleague, greets you, zipping up his fly.

GM: He goes to the coffee machine.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch shakes his head rapidly from side to side, making a "Brrrrrrrrr!" sound.

GM: The phone rings.

GM: It is Woodward'

GM: 's

GM: phone.

** Ethan picks it up. **

GM: You hear a woman's voice.

GM: "The tree, please help us, the tree..."

GM: click!

GM: The phone goes dead

Ethan: "^$_!"

GM: Suddenly you feel a slight tremor.

GM: The building is shaking, mildly at first, but it's getting stronger.

Ethan: Ethan shoves his phone into his pocket and gets up, heading towards the door.

Ethan: "McMurdoch, we're going."

GM: Now it's really rocking.

GM: Bruce jumps under his desk.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch suddenly lurches into action.

Ethan: Ethan hurries into a doorframe.

GM: Slowly, the earthquake subsides.

McMurdoch: He yells "EARTHQUAKE!!!" and dives for the floor.

McMurdoch: Curling up into the foetal position under a desk.

GM: A little cracked plaster flutters from the ceiling, but it seems that the building has come through fine.

Ethan: "We're _really_ going. _Now_."

GM: This time....

McMurdoch: A smoke ring floats up from under the desk McMurdoch is cowering under.

GM: Bruce gets out from under his desk.

Bruce: "Boyo, that was a jolt!"

GM: Bruce gets back to work.

McMurdoch: "Watch out for the aftershocks."

McMurdoch: "This could be the calm before the storm."

Ethan: "I don't have time for aftershocks. I'll explain on the way."

Ethan: Ethan heads for the exit.

McMurdoch: "We're due for the BIG ONE, man!"

GM: Laketown seems none the worse for the quake. The humble town seems peaceful this fine morning. Poplars line the boulevards, and birds sing. But what lurks beneath?

GM: Tectonic movement no doubt. Simple plate slippage. Of course.

McMurdoch: "Statistically, Laketown should get a quake of 7 or higher on the Richter scale every 50 years. We haven't had one for over 200. IT'S DUE, MAAAN!"

GM: What else?

GM: What else indeed?

McMurdoch: "I'm not leaving this desk!"

GM: Where are you , outside or inside the office?

McMurdoch: Inside

Ethan: "Don't blame me when you get strangled in your sleep!" Ethan yells behind him as he leaves.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch's voice calls form under the desk. "I'm out of smokes. Woodie... could you do me a favour and get me some more?"

McMurdoch: A hand reaches out from beneath the desk, waving a ten dollar bill.

GM: Woodward steps outside the office. Across the road, away from the quayside, there is a small green, with some trees.

GM: Woodward notices something he hasn't seen before.

Ethan: "Hmm, what's that?" Ethan tries to make it out

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [5,10] = (15)

GM: The green us full of brownish, globe like objects.

GM: He can't quite make them out from across the road.

Ethan: "What the hell?"

Ethan: Ethan steps up to the road and checks for traffic before crossing.

GM: A car whistles by. Woodward steps out.

GM: Upon closer examination, the objects appear to be fruit, on thin stalks.

GM: Some are attached to zigzag shaped twigs.

McMurdoch: "Oi, wait up!"

McMurdoch: A flushed and panting McMurdoch comes running up, his gangly frame all elbows and knees.

GM: Roll intelligence check, Woodward.

Ethan: [1d20+2] - [9,2] = (11)

GM: OK

GM: Next scene?

GM: Move to next scene, yes/no

GM: ?

Ethan: What next scene?

McMurdoch: Does McMurdoch get an intelligence roll?

GM: If you want to do something, feel free. Otherwise, the next scene we will fast forward to is lunchtime.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch has a look at the strange plants and trees to work out what they are.

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [18,2] = (20)

GM: McMurdoch recognises the fruit.

McMurdoch (whispering): What are they?

GM: He has seen something similar littering the floor of Moth Park, which you visited the other day, when you met Robert Dalmas.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch bends down and points to the fruit. "Woodward... check these out. Weren't there some of these the other day at Moth Park?"

McMurdoch: McMurdoch picks one of the fruit, sniffs it, and then puts it in his pocket.

Ethan: "I don't know. But it makes me even more suspicious..."

McMurdoch: McMurdoch suddenly stands up and starts to walk back in the direction of the office. He appears agitated.

Ethan: Ethan jogs after him. "Where are you going?"

GM: For the sake of pacing, let me know when you want to skip to the next scene. But spend as long in this scene as you want.

McMurdoch: "Let's get the lab boys to check this out."

McMurdoch: I've got nothing more to add to this scene

GM: OK, McMurdoch arranges to the lab to check it out.

GM: They can look at it in the afternoon.

Ethan: "Sure, why not. More importantly, though. We need to go to that park. Something... happened there, and I'm not sure what, but..."

McMurdoch: How about using the acronym EOC (for End Of Scene) to tell the GM when we're ready to move on/bereft of ideas for current scene?

McMurdoch: If both players type EOC, we move on.

McMurdoch: EOC

GM: Good idea

McMurdoch: Or the GM throws something new at us in the current scene.

McMurdoch: Just an idea.

GM: I think you've got all you're going to get out of this one.

McMurdoch: OK, EOC

GM: You jump into you're VW Jetta and drive off to the park.

GM: It is a crisp, sunny morning.

Ethan: Ethan explains. "I had this nightmare last night. About that I woman we saw there, I think. She was dying, and... Just now, you heard that on the radio, didn't you...?"

GM: McMurdoch is driving.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch turns towards Woodward, his eyes widening. "The same voice?"

GM: Do you have the radio on playing rock music as usual, or the news?

GM: Roll intelligence checks, both of you.

Ethan: Ethan switches the radio on to the news.

Ethan: [1d20+2] - [14,2] = (16)

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [20,2] = (22)

GM: OK, you have the news on.

GM: You hear a report this time, more clear now that you're listening for it./

McMurdoch: The boys have their thinking caps on today :-)

GM: The report states that a park worker found a body in a culvert in the arboretum in Moth Park early this morning.

GM: It is the body of a young woman.

GM: She has been identified as Lenore White, a Laketown resident who worked in a nearby office building.

GM: The police estimate that she died four days ago.

McMurdoch: "Are you saying that the woman in your dream was the same on we saw at the park... and the voice on the radio was also her voice?"

GM: Her body had been covered by leaves, branches, and other debris, possibly stirred up by the inclement weather.

GM: The cause of death has not been released.

Ethan: "I don't know if it's her or not. But there must be a connection."

GM: You are approaching the park entrance in your VW Jetta.

Ethan: "We'll see when we get there..."

McMurdoch: "And maybe the body they just mentioned on the radio is this same woman's body?"

Ethan: EOC

McMurdoch: EOC

GM: OK, I assume you are going to go to the arboretum?

McMurdoch: Yes

McMurdoch: Yes

GM: The arboretum is the middle third of the park is covered with trees, providing shade and a pseudo forested experience for those who walk the area’s trails. There are several park benches and picnic sites among the trees.

GM: At the head of the trail that leads into the wooded area, a marker reads:

GM: “When Thomas Moth donated his estate to the city, the land included several dozen trees that Moth had planed over the course of 20 years. An amateur botanist, Moth collected seeds and cuttings from all over the world with the intent of creating a vast arboretum that would be of interest to scientists and nature lovers alike. Unfortunately, he suffered a reversal of fortune before his dream could be fulfilled.”

GM: As you enter a clearing, you hear the crackle of a police radio, and see some blue shirted local Laketown PD officers.

GM: There are some men in white coats, and some yellow tape.

Ethan: Ethan gives the sign a passing glance as he heads towards the police officers.

GM: They are standing hear a depression, a few dozen metres away.

GM: You can see Gerald Findlay, your old 'friend', talking to a man holding some hedge clippers.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch follows Woodward, anxious and hunched over.

GM: There is a depression, off to the left of the path, where the crowd has gathered around the yellow tape.

GM: Police men are telling people to move along

GM: The leaves a wet underfoot.

GM: Are wet.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch stares morosely at Findlay, slowly drawing on his cigarette and tapping the ash on the ground.

Ethan: Woodard moves towards the depression, ducking down under the yellow tape if he has to get a better look at goingons.

GM: Findlay has his notebook out, and does not notice McMurdoch.

GM: OK, roll a hide check, to see if you are noticed slipping under the tape.

GM: (If hot a hide check, then something else relevant)

GM: (Woodward)

Ethan: (Hide check? I have no intention of hiding, I'm going to find out all I can!"

Ethan: err italics

Ethan: gather information

Ethan: [1d20+7] - [20,7] = (27)

GM: Well, if you don’t' roll, you are guaranteed to be spotted by the police if you go under the tape/

McMurdoch: McMurdoch walks in a slow arc until he is behind and to the right of Findlay. He tries to walk slowly up to within earshot of Findlay's conversation with the man who is presumably one of the gardeners.

McMurdoch: , without being noticed.

GM: OK, do you try gather information on the authorities, the press, park regulars, or friends and colleagues of the victim, Woodward?

GM: Findlay is questioning the gardener.

Ethan: Authorities first, park regulars second, press third, friends fourth...

GM: McMurdoch hears Findlay asking him about how he found the body, what he was doing that morning, the previous night. Where he had been gardening over the last week.

GM: The gardener is mouthing off about homeless people, and the park going to wrack and ruin.

GM: He is very defensive, and red in the face.

Ethan: Woodard moves around the scene, trying to find out all the information he can.

GM: OK, roll your first gather information check, Woodward.

Ethan: I did roll one

GM: OK.\

GM: You approach a policeman who is unknown to you.

GM: He tells you that the woman died of a broken neck.

GM: A rope mark around her neck suggests she was strangled, but no fibres have been found on her skin or clothes, or at the scene, They could have been washed away by the rain.

GM: The position of the body wasn't consistent with a fall, the ground was soft, and there were no bruises or other indication of a fall. There were no other injuries or indications of abuse.

Ethan: Ethan pulls out his usual pad of paper as he takes notes.

GM: Lenore's purse, containing a credit card and cash, was found bear the body.

GM: Roll a spot check, both of you

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [17,10] = (27)

GM: Woodward sees a young woman dressed in a dishevelled grey raincoat with a partly open umbrella, standing among the policemen.

GM: The policeman is still talking to Woodward.

GM: He tells him that Lenore was last seen at lunchtime by her co workers.

Ethan: Ethan nods at the policeman, paying attention to his story as he keeps one eye on the woman in the raincoat.

GM: Lenore typically walked thorough the park on her break, even if the weather was bad.

GM: The woman holds her head at an angle, sometimes tiling it to one side so that her left ear almost touches her shoulder.

GM: The cop tells Woodward that her failure to return that day was noticed by her supervisor, who called the apartment.

GM: Keeping his eye on the woman, Woodward sees that her dark hair hangs loose, and seems to be tangled with leaves and sticks. Her coat and hair look wet, despite the weather.

Ethan: "Thank you very much for the information you've given me," Ethan says, tapping his pad with his paper before putting it back into his coat.

GM: The woman slowly points to the large sycamore tree that's a few yards away from the spot where her body was found.

Ethan: He nods politely at the policeman and walks towards the woman.

GM: She walks slowly towards the sycamore tree.

GM: She steps behind the tree.

Ethan: Ethan tries to keep up with her.

GM: Woodward steps behind the tree, and sees.....!

GM: A clearing, more trees, and no woman!

Ethan: "%_*. I knew something was odd about her."

GM: There is a man with spectacles, a laptop bag, and a notebook, making some notes. He looks like a journalist. There are also a couple of punks, a man and a woman, with Mohawk haircuts.

GM: There are some winos,

GM: There is a large man in a tracksuit with a German Shepherd.

GM: Also a red haired woman with a poodle.

Ethan: Ethan scans the crowd. He spies the man in the tracksuit and moves over towards him.

Man in Tracksuit: The man spots Woodward approaching.

Man in Tracksuit: The Alsatian glares at Woodward.

Man in Tracksuit: "Awful huh?

Man in Tracksuit: He has curly locks, and a bald pate.

Man in Tracksuit: His belly is not insignificant, spilling from his white t shirt over his track pants.

Man in Tracksuit: He has a three day growth.

Ethan: "Yeah. It's really not something you want happening. Not to you of course, but also not around you."

Man in Tracksuit: "Yeah, I walk my dog here all the time. Gotta be real careful."

Man in Tracksuit: "Still, Blackie will keep a look out.

Man in Tracksuit: He pats his dog.

Ethan: "I understand the poor woman spent a lot of time here, too. What can you tell me about her?"

Man in Tracksuit: "Well, yeeah, I've seen her. Two or three times a week. Don’t remember seeing her that day though. It was raining, so I didn't take Blackie for a walk."

Man in Tracksuit: "There are some places in this park I don’t' go even in the daytime, Them woods, they ain't right. Sometimes around sunset, I see people looking at me from that big old tree."

Man in Tracksuit: You hear Findlay speaking close by.

Ethan: "Oh really? What do you mean? That's kind of creepy."

Man in Tracksuit: "Weird, I know. Weird. But tree. Optical effect? Sunset? I don't know."

Man in Tracksuit: Blackie barks.

McMurdoch: Who does?

Man in Tracksuit: Blackie the dog.

McMurdoch: Can both McMurdoch & Woodward hear Findlay speak? Are they near to each other?

McMurdoch: near

GM: McMurdoch can do what he wants, or at least try.

McMurdoch: Meanwhile McMurdoch has been chain smoking his way through a packet of cigarettes, waiting for Findlay to finish interviewing the gardener.

GM: Detective Inspector Gerald Findlay thanks the gardener, and moves away to speak to a police officer.

GM: A white coated man approaches the culvert.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch sidles up to the gardener. "Hello there, buddy. I hope the inspector wasn't his usual abrasive self." McMurdoch grins.

GM: He kneels and examines what looks like a body.

GM: The man steps back.

Gardener: "Who are you?"

Gardener: He is red faced, and looks harassed.

Gardener: He is wearing blue overalls, has a whiskey nose, and yellow teeth.

Gardener: "Who are you?", says the Gardener to McMurdoch.

Gardener: Still there, McMurdoch, or have we lost you?

McMurdoch: McMurdoch offers the man a cigarette. Do you mind talking to me about what happened." McMurdoch flashes his badge. "McMurdoch. Paranormal investigations. If there's something weird that's happened, and you're afraid to tell the cops 'cos they'll think you're nuts... then don't be afraid to tell me." McMurdoch grins at him. "I've heard it all buddy."

Gardener: Are you there Pi, or is it me?

Gardener: OK

Ethan: ?

Gardener: "Yeah, I've heard all that stuff. I don't know the truth of it."

Gardener: "I like a glass of whiskey, but the people who tell those stories like a bottle of meths for breakfast."

Gardener: "They should lock up them homeless people, and make the park safe for homeless people."

Gardener: "and make the park safe for DECENT people" (typo)

McMurdoch: "That can be arranged." McMurdoch slips his hipflask out of his shirt pocket and winks. "Let's take a walk, and you can tell me all about it."

Gardener: It is only a matter of time before Detective Inspector Findlay sees McMurdoch.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch indicates the coffee stand with it's chairs and tables in the near distance.

Gardener: The gardener has a simple face, and it brightens noticeably. Perhaps the glint in his eye is the reflection off the stainless steel hip flask, perhaps not....

McMurdoch: "We can sit down over there."

Gardener: He steps away, with a confused, but eager eye on the flask, towards to bench.

Gardener: Away from the determined eye of Inspector Findlay...

McMurdoch: McMurdoch saunters over to one of the benches which is slightly obscured by trees and sits down, his back to Findlay and the other police.

McMurdoch: He takes a pull on the hipflask, wipes the mouth of the flask on his sleeve and passes it to the gardener.

Gardener: The gardener takes a sneaky swig, looking over his shoulder before taking the plunge.

Gardener: "Thanks, that's swell whisky."

Gardener: "Ahhh!"

McMurdoch: "Only the good stuff, amigo!"

McMurdoch: "So what happened... that was bad enough to drive a man like you to drink?"

Gardener: "I like a drink, friend, but I'm no wino. We have the worst sort here, winos, druggies, homeless men who sleep on the benches."

Gardener: "I haven't seen what they claim they've seen."

Gardener: He shrugs.

McMurdoch: "And what do they claim?" McMurdoch raises his eyebrows.

Gardener: McMurdoch hears footfalls approaching.

Inspector Findlay: "McMurdoch? Agent McMurdoch? Who asked you to come down here?"

Inspector Findlay: "You've got your pal Woodward with you, too, I see! God help us, we're going to have another prison breakout on our hands?"

McMurdoch: "Democracy did, INSPECTOR. Democracy asked me to come down to Moth Park and exercise my constitutional right to go wherever the $%#^ I like."

Inspector Findlay: "Inspector Woodward, come over here please!" Findlay shouts over to Woodward.

Ethan: Ethan looks up from his conversation with the man in the track suit. "Excuse me." He says as he heads over towards McMurdoch.

Inspector Findlay: "OK, you're allowed to be here, but I don't want you screwing up my case. Goddamit, you're walking disaster areas. And the mess you leave behind, you blame it on, what? The "paranormal"!

Ethan: Ethan hears the tail end as he walks over. "You wouldn't say it like that if you've experienced half the things I have."

McMurdoch: McMurdoch puts on his sunglasses. "Not everything has a rational explanation, inspector."

Inspector Findlay: "Save it for the police complaints authority, Woodward, when you finally get to font up for your messes."

Inspector Findlay: "OK, I've got a case to solve, so keep behind the tape, don't tamper with evidence, no harassing the witnesses about ghosties or whatever other phantoms keep you awake at night, and entertained, and keep WELL OUT OF MY WAY!"

Inspector Findlay: Findlay storms off.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch turns back to the gardener. "So... where were we?"

** No match found

Inspector Findlay: Could we have a 3 minute timeout

Ethan: Ethan shakes his head at the inspector as he storms off.

GM: Could we have a 3 minute timeout

Ethan: sure

GM: Be right back

McMurdoch: OK

GM: OK, I'm back

GM: Do you want to question the punks, or the journalist? You've got all you will get out of the gardener.

Ethan: Not me

GM: There is also a wino here, a long bearded man with a shabby greatcoat.

Ethan: "What do you know about that tree at sunset?" He nods at the one the runner pointed out.

GM: OK, well, you rolled for it, so I'll give you the information anyway.

GM: The police received an anonymous call from a self proclaimed psychic who claimed that the killer was the park's headless statue come to life.

McMurdoch: You mean McMurdoch wasted good whiskey for zero info?

GM: There are indications that Lenore White was strangled.

GM: This isn't the first time, that a body with a broken neck has been found in Moth Park

GM: You are getting this information from the spectacled journalist with the laptop computer and the notebook.

GM: There have been seven others, the most recent was in 1952.

GM: Two others were found in 1931, another in 1920, and three from 1915 to 1918.

GM: The journalist has been researching background stories.

GM: A children's rhyme made the round of the city at the turn of the last century.

McMurdoch: "I wonder..." McMurdoch mutters to himself.

GM: Thomas Moth, your children bleed.

GM: Your wife was stabbed by Henry Creed.

GM: All your silver, all your gold

GM: Can't keep their bones from growing old.

GM: "Creepy, huh?" winks the journalist from behind his glasses.

GM: The punk tell you that they saw a tall man in a black coat walking three big dogs, that night.

GM: End of scene?

GM: Use the code...

GM: I've forgotten what it was.

GM: EOS?

McMurdoch: EOC

GM: End of scene. Sweet.

McMurdoch: EOS

Ethan: EOS

GM: The morning wears on, as you conduct your questioning and try to keep out of Findlay's way. He glares at you from time to time, but by and large, is tolerating your presence so far.

GM: The forensic team continue their work, but the police presence is minimal by lunch time.

GM: After lunch, the body is removed, and the bystanders, nothing left to gawk at, have moved on.

GM: As the crowd thins and disappears, you see a man, standing some way off, away from the police cordon. You have not seen this man before, he is a newcomer.

GM: He is a broad shouldered man, perhaps in his late 40s. He has grey hair and a grey beard, and is a little stooped. He is dressed in the nondescript uniform of the homeless, tattered coat, torn shirt, wrinkled trousers, tired and worn out shoes.

Ethan: Ethan keeps a steady gaze on the man.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch saunters up to the man and raises his hand in greeting. He proffers an open pack of cigarettes.

GM: He is mumbling to himself.

McMurdoch: "Mind if we have a word, buddy?"

GM: He looks up at McMurdoch. His eyes look distant and distracted. Suddenly they fiercen.

GM: "What do you want?"

** Sorry, don't understand what a /Broad is...

McMurdoch: "I want you to have one of my cigarettes, have a smoke with me, and talk to me for a little while."

Broad Shouldered Man: The man's eyes soften, and he takes a cigarette.

McMurdoch: "We're not cops." McMurdoch indicates himself and Woodward.

McMurdoch: "There've been some strange goings on recently..."

Broad Shouldered Man: He accepts the light from McMurdoch, and puffs. His fingers shake violently.

Broad Shouldered Man: "The voices, it was the voices. If you don’t leave now, they’ll be telling you too."

Ethan: Ethan moves closer to the two of them.

McMurdoch: "The voices. I don't hear any, but I'm hearing you. And I believe you."

McMurdoch: "Go on, buddy."

Broad Shouldered Man: "If you don't leave the park now, they be talking to you. Telling you to do things you dot want to do. Leave!"

Broad Shouldered Man: "Get out of here!"

Broad Shouldered Man: He wails mournfully.

McMurdoch: "What kind of things?"

Broad Shouldered Man: He pulls out a wine bottle from beneath his coat and takes some gulps, the red juice spilling down his chin.

Broad Shouldered Man: "Shit, I don't know. Voices, man! Speaking to me!"

Broad Shouldered Man: He waggles his hands, like scissors, like puppets speaking to each other.

Broad Shouldered Man: "VOICEES!" he wails.

Broad Shouldered Man: He points the puppet hands at McMurdoch, almost nipping his nose.

McMurdoch: "Do they talk to you now?" McMurdoch looks up at the sun. "Or later, after sundown?"

Broad Shouldered Man: "Questions, questions."

Broad Shouldered Man: "They're just voices. Voices. I killed her, don't you get it."

Broad Shouldered Man: "I murdered the woman."

McMurdoch: McMurdoch proffers another cigarette.

Broad Shouldered Man: "I killed her. The voices told me to. That's all there is to it. Now go home, before you kill someone too."

Broad Shouldered Man: He sighs as if exhausted, as if...

Broad Shouldered Man: Roll a sense motive check.

Broad Shouldered Man: Both of you.

Ethan: Ethan stares at the man's face, trying to get a sense of his words.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [20,10] = (30)

McMurdoch: [1d20+2] - [3,2] = (5)

Broad Shouldered Man: ... he sighs as if exhausted, as if.... lying is just such hard work, so tiring....

McMurdoch: It looks like McMurdoch is a sucker for whatever's coming next...

Broad Shouldered Man: He returns the wine bottle to his coat.

Ethan: "I don't believe you at all. If you killed her, tell me how you did it."

Broad Shouldered Man: The man swears.

Broad Shouldered Man: "Shit!"

Broad Shouldered Man: "OK."

Broad Shouldered Man: The man raises his hands theatrically, waving them about.

Broad Shouldered Man: He appears drunk, but he's not off balance.

Broad Shouldered Man: "You don't want to be here, in this Park!"

Broad Shouldered Man: "The dead walk the park. During the night!"

Broad Shouldered Man: "Restless spirits take the lives of the unwary who walk through here at night. Those with no abode."

McMurdoch: McMurdoch turns to Woodward. "Remember the Strangeways case... Death by broken neck... Lenny Hobbs..."

McMurdoch: He turns back to the wino. "These voices... do you only hear them everywhere? At home? On the street? Or only in the park?"

Broad Shouldered Man: The man sighs. "There are no voices. I made that up."

Broad Shouldered Man: "But I'm not making this up. Follow me. You don't want to go? You follow me then."

Ethan: Ethan shrugs.

Broad Shouldered Man: The mans steps away and walks towards the sycamore tree.

Ethan: He offers no comment as he follows the man.

Broad Shouldered Man: "Look at the tree. Tell me what you see."

Broad Shouldered Man: Suddenly, you get a feeling that you are being watched.

McMurdoch: "A tree. Sycamore, I think."

Broad Shouldered Man: You get the momentary feeling that there are human faces looking down at you from the tree.

Ethan: Ethan stares at the tree intently.

Ethan: [1d20+10] - [13,10] = (23)

Broad Shouldered Man: ...but it seems that these are just patterns from the texture of the bark.

GM: Woodward sees some initials carved into the bark.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch shudders, then shakes his head vigorously and stares at the tree again, to check if what he thought he saw was real.

Ethan: "Hmm, what does this say..."

GM: The initials are "HC + FM" There is a valentine heart carved into the bark.

Ethan: "HC + FM..."

** Sorry, don't understand what a /Broad is...

Broad Shouldered Man: "Look!"

Broad Shouldered Man: There are some blackbirds sitting in the branches.

McMurdoch: "Henry Creed and FM?"

Ethan: "Could it be Moth and... What?"

Broad Shouldered Man: "There are always twelve blackbird, no more, no less."

Broad Shouldered Man: "From dawn to dusk."

Broad Shouldered Man: He looks at you with dark brooding in his eyes.

Ethan: "Oh really?"

McMurdoch: "Creed and Moth's wife? Crime of passion?"

Broad Shouldered Man: "Up until four days ago, there were always eleven."

Broad Shouldered Man: "Eleven birds."

Ethan: Ethan takes out his pad casually and scribbles something down.

Broad Shouldered Man: "If you return to this spot after dark, you'll see who murdered the girl."

Ethan: "I suppose the birds symbolise people who have died here...?"

McMurdoch: McMurdoch turns to the man "Who the hell are you. What's you're name?"

Broad Shouldered Man: The man raises his eyebrows. "Symbol? A sign, a mark of the devil. I don't know. But if you return to the park after dark, you will know more.:

Broad Shouldered Man: "Things happen, after dark."

McMurdoch: "OK... thanks for that..."

Broad Shouldered Man: The man walks away, taking another swig from the green wine bottle as he leaves.

Broad Shouldered Man: As he departs, you can hear him mumbling...

McMurdoch: "But you killed the girl..."

Broad Shouldered Man: "after dark, things, happen..."

Broad Shouldered Man: "...bring me in! "

Broad Shouldered Man: "I MURDERED LENORE WHITE!" he screams at the top of his lungs, turning around, and laughing!

McMurdoch: McMurdoch turns to Woodward. "You think we should turn him in to Findlay?"

Broad Shouldered Man: "HA HA HA HA HA!"

Broad Shouldered Man: "I KILLED HER!"

Broad Shouldered Man: His bright eyes, lock onto McMurdoch's.

Ethan: "He didn't kill her."

McMurdoch: McMurdoch slides his hand into his coat pocket for the comforting feel of his gun.

Broad Shouldered Man: He grins, and raises the bottle in salute.

Broad Shouldered Man: He then turns around, and walks away.

McMurdoch: And looks at his watch to check the time.

Ethan: "He's just crazy."

GM: It's late afternoon now. The day has raced past. Winter shadows are stretching across the paths, the trees almost leaning into the sun.

Ethan: "A cot and three hots. Well, maybe just one. Prison has a lot more to offer than this park, especially haunted as it may be."

McMurdoch: "You fancy staking out this place after dark?"

Ethan: "Yeah."

McMurdoch: "OK let's do that. But first I think we should arm ourselves with a little knowledge."

Ethan: EOS

GM: Sweet.

McMurdoch: McMurdoch heads to the library to research anything relevant.

McMurdoch: EOS

GM: END OF SCENE