Out Of Character.

[Vladd]

Well something has possibly attacked two NPCs and another one appears to be missing, the stormy night is only adding to the tension, everyone is a little on edge. Plus as players with some experience of CoC we are expecting something nasty to be outside, so although our characters seem to be over reacting, as players we know the balloon is about to go up.

[CrowTheAlmighty]

when was someone attacked??? When was someone missing?!??!?!?!

[Priest]

You have the girl Emilia found wandering the forest with a large bruise to her forehead, raving about a light. You have the lad, Billy Esterhouse, running in those same woods raving about, possibly the smae light. And the farmer, Jake Burns, who also raved about a light, running into the storm to his truck and then disapearing.

Please Crow, keep up.

[CrowTheAlmighty]

I am reading but I dont recall anyone 'dissapearing'

[Priest]

Okay just so that we all know where we are and what is happening here is a recap of the first twenty minutes orso;

Recap:

Travelling toward Bolton from Arkham the weather has taken a turn for the worse, rain that started as heavy has now reached almost torrential proportions. The road became more and more treacherous, the cars headlamps only just piercing the darkness. Suddenly the headlights picked up the form of a young woman on the road. The woman appeared in some distress, some superficial cuts and scrapes, soaked to the skin and appearing to be in shock. Someone remembered that there was a gas station and diner ahead and so you started your journey again with the young woman as a passenger.

Whist in the car the woman could be heard to mutter the words "Grandfather" and "the light", she remained unresponsive to questions. One thing that proved of interest to two of you was an old medallion that the young woman wore. Despite inspection (as detailed as the very dim light in the car allowed) could not shed any information apart from it appeared to be fairy old and not of anything familiar to the investigators, the medallion appeared to have some value $100 or so.

The wind and rain pick up as you travel towards the diner and gas station, the road getting worse, partly washed away and tree limbs partly blocking the road in places.

Some two miles from where you'd stopped the small township of Orchard run appears out of the gloom.

Two of the building are lit, the diner and gas station. The cars headlights also pick out the fact that a cattle truck has skidded and lies across the road. The cattle truck's cab door is open. You can see that the trucks wheels are deep in the mud.

There are two other vehicles parked here, a new-ish two-seater Ford roadster (outside the diner) and an older model Packard that's nearer to the gas-station.

The truck proves to be empty and hastily abandoned as evidenced by the open door.

The diner is open and has five people inside - as you enter a snippet of conversation is overheard:

“I tell ya it was on account of that ‘Dead Light’ that I ran off the road”.

The occupants of the diner are identified as:

Sam Keelham - the Gas Station Manager
Jake Burns - farmer and driver of the cattle truck
Mary Laker - waitress in the diner
Winnie - one half on an elderly couple waiting out the storm
Teddy - other half of an elderly couple waiting out the storm


Your mysterious passenger is identified as Emilia Webb, with lives locally with her Grandfather a doctor.

You order various drinks, and obtain a first aid kit and start to tend to Emilia's cuts and scrapes.

Sam Keelham tells you where Emilia (and her Grandfather live) - judging by his description it's back the way you came on a turning (the only one) leading into the woods. The phones are out - and no one knows if there's a phone where Emilia and her Grandfather live.

Jake Burns also mentions an odd light - this is what made him career off the road.

Emilia still babbles about 'the light'

You agree that someone ought to go get the Grandfather, at which point one of the old couple see something outside. No one else can make anything out however except Luther, who catches a fleeting glimpse of a light in the trees.

The lights suddenly fail... you hear the crash of breaking glass and a scream....

The diner is lit by flashes of lightning and the waitress (Mary) come into the main area of the diner, half supporting an injured boy. She identifies the person as Billy Esterhouse. A brief examination shows the boy to be soaked through... cold, covered in cuts and scratches... on the verge of exposure.

Billy starts to babble as Thomas tends to his cuts:

"Old man....box...light...Noooo! keep it away."

That causes the farmer, Jake Burns, to react badly... and he talks about 'getting out of here'.

The lights come back on briefly... but long enough for another sighting of 'the light' by the older woman.

No one else can make out the light.. which the old lady said was moving towards the back of the diner.

Billy has a lucid moment and all but yells out:

“Old man…the box…Goddamn light, gotta get away from here it’s coming!!” and tries to get to his feet.

With that Jake Burns bolts for the door and heads outside.

Soon after Doreen appears on the scene... Doreen appears to be the owner of the diner.

Doreen sees Emilia, asks about her Grandfather (the Doc) and wonders where Billy's friend (Clem) is... the two seemingly always together.

Suddenly a scream is heard from outside... in the direction of the truck... Luther saw Jake Burns get into the cab, but is no longer to be seen.

Luther and Lance head out into the storm, leaving the others inside the diner...

Tobias, Barty and Thomas are inside the Diner...

[CrowTheAlmighty]

I think the part that confused me was the guy getting in the cab. I think I may of thought you meant that he drove off

[Priest]

Game Cancelled due to lack of interest!!

[CrowTheAlmighty]

Aww... Really?