Roots

It's the summer of 2017 in small town Virginia. The tranquility the residents take for granted is shaken by disturbing news: Karen Parker is missing. To some she may be a friend or neighbor. To others, a daughter. But regardless of the relation, the investigators set out to bring her home. But ancient evils lurk everywhere, and as the investigators are about to discover, some are very close to home...

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Re: Roots

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"Yes, it would be good to talk to him," says Catherine. It is interesting to her that the student from Geverlon is male, considering how few men were there.
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Re: Roots

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OOC:   I just realized how old Tobias actually is. Kind of wish I had set this game a few years in the past. Well, let's just assume he has really good genes. ;)  
When Tobias identifies himself, Morton's tone changes.

"Oh, Mr. Jenkins. I've read your work. It's considered something of a masterpiece by those who have studied cultist behavior. I'm not much for the subject understand, but I respect it is your field. And if you say there is a cult that has formed up in Geverlon, well this is quite concerning. I still have difficulty believing it has been active there for so long, but if you're willing to stake your professional reputation upon it..." he muses.

"I'd rather not get officially involved. I do have my reputation to think about. And I can't tell you the name of the student from Geverlon either, I am afraid. On an unrelated note, you should head to a bar called Spotlights . I believe a young man named Peter Mount bartends there. You might find him to be useful to talk to."

"Just... keep my name out of it, whatever comes. Though after your investigation is over I'd be delighted to interview you as to your findings. Truth be told, there have been rumors about Geverlon for years. I never gave them much credence, thinking they were only ghost stories but if there's even a bit of truth to them... I need to go. Goodbye
." He hangs up quickly.

Spotlights Bar. Catherine and Daniel may vaguely know it as a bar in the city's university district, populated largely by the college kid crowd. For some reason, the name of the bar sounds slightly familiar to both Tobias and Catherine.
OOC:   Both of you ran into Spotlights earlier in your investigation. If neither of you honestly remember in what context, roll idea.  
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Re: Roots

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OOC:   Could I roll Idea or Luck on the off chance they may have mentioned it to my character? (this might be too far fetched tho)  
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Re: Roots

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"Very well. I'll arrange an interview date later on, then. Goodbye." Tobias said in disappointment. He turns to Catherine and said, "You do remember the bar Spotlights, right? I remember seeing a flyer in Karen's room about it, some of her favourite bands play there, I suppose."
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Re: Roots

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"Oh, that's right!" says Catherine. "I do remember now! Yes, we'd better head there and talk to the bartender."
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Re: Roots

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"Let's do that, then." Tobias said, nodding.
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Re: Roots

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Spotlights is in the hip and trendy area of town. Even this early in the evening the place is already pretty well packed, and posters of various bands none of the investigators have ever heard of line the walls. Eyes are exchanged at the trio's presence(especially Tobias) but provided they pay the entry fee all are allowed in.

A band is playing on stage when the team enter. It's a light rock affair, nothing too loud or aggressive, but the crowd on the dance floor seems to be into it. The people here seem to be largely college aged, though a few older people are sprinkled in throughout. What is worth noting is that many of the people around the club are drinking alcohol. Given Karen was underage, Daniel knows if she was coming here the club was technically breaking the law. It might give them some leverage if they need answers.

There are a few bar stools open near the bar, and the bartender can be seen chatting with one of the female customers. He's dressed in a black tee, with motorcycle gloves and camo pants. He's very muscular and bald, and frankly looks more like a bouncer than a bartender. He seems to be in his 20's, though it's hard to tell his age exactly.

If any of the trip approach, he addresses them. "Hey there. Guessin this is your first time. I'd uh, remember you. 'Specially you, Gramps." he nods to Tobias, though his tone is not hostile.

"What can I get you folks?"
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Re: Roots

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"Hi," says Catherine with a smile. "Do you know Karen Parker by any chance?"
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Re: Roots

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"Do you happen to know a young man going by the name of Peter Mount, young Monsieur?" Tobias smiled. "Apple cider for me. If possible."
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The bartender's smile drops, and it's obvious he's take aback by the question.

"Yeah, I'm Peter. Karen? I may have, may have heard her name mentioned once or twice, yeah. Let me get you the drinks." He quickly makes them and returns, hands them over, and then goes down to the other end of the bar to talk to a customer. It seems obvious he's not interested in further conversation with the investigators, and will likely require some persuasion.
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Re: Roots

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Tobias drank his apple cider for a moment or so, and got up to approach Peter again. "Young man, I'm her grandfather, and here to ask a few questions. I don't suppose you would mind answering them, now, would you? Karen is missing, and as far I can tell, it had something to do with Geverlon and this bar."
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Re: Roots

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Daniel gets up and accompanies Tobias. Although he is in street clothes right now, Daniel has his badge with him and is ready to back up Tobias if Peter tries to avoid answering them again.
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Re: Roots

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"We know she's been here before," says Catherine. "We've seen the posters in her room. Look, we don't want to get you in trouble. We just want to find Karen. Anything you tell us will stay between you and us."
OOC,Persuade roll (65% skill) to get [b]Peter Mount[/b] to open up about [b]Karen[/b]: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: Roots

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Faced with an onslaught from three people, one of them a cop, Peter quickly folds.

"Alright. I may know of her. But look, believe me when I tell you people you don't want to get involved in this. You don't have any idea what you're dealing with."

"Karen's missing, you say?" A troubled look crosses his face. "Look, I had no idea. I just told them she was from Geverlon. I recognized her birthmark, see
?" He shows off the same red birthmark the investigators had seen on everyone else from Geverlon. "We get them just after birth. They mark us as part of the town. And tribe. If anything happened after that, it's not on me, alright?."
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Re: Roots

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"Young man, I'm well aware of what I'm dealing with, perhaps even more than you think possible. There's a cult in Geverlon, isn't there? The disappearances aren't linked with any worship of an All-Consuming Mother, is it?" Tobias blinked, looking at the young man with an intensity that implied strong emotions. "I know Karen's from blasted place, and she disappeared. Possibly with her life in danger. Help us! Help her."

Tobias stared at the man, as though determining whether he was human or not underneath that skin.
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Re: Roots

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Tobias really can't tell if Peter is human. He looks it, certainly, though he also seems rather pale. If he did not look so athletic it would probably be a safe assumption that he was ill.

The mention of the town's deity leads Peter's eyes to widen, and he looks around, suddenly fearful.

"That's not... we can't talk about this here, all right?" He motions to a room in the back. It seems to be some sort of break room, and he quickly leads you all inside. Thankfully it is empty, and he takes a seat at a stool.

"You people really don't know what you're messing with. But fine. Yes, I'm from Geverlon. For as long as our history goes back we've worshiped the All Consuming Mother. I don't expect outsiders to understand. There are two kinds of people in Geverlon. The normal townsfolk are what you'd expect, largely, if mostly female. We're mostly what you'd expect from a normal town. That's because boys in the village are generally taken to the forest to be raised by the forest folk, who are almost all men. They've been touched by our Mother, and made in her wild likeness. They are given great gifts of strength and immortality, though at the cost of being unable to pass as human. Most of them don't want to." His voice is patient, but his gaze is that of a fanatic, and it's clear he is still a believer in the god of which he speaks.

"On occasion a mother does not want to part with her son. They're allowed to be raised in the town. They also are who the girls will one day mate with. Those who live in the woods cannot impregnate women. And a town without any men would raise questions, and we in Geverlon have learned how to interact with outsiders, after we were nearly wiped out several generations ago. We adapted.

"Occasionally, a villager will leave the town and go into the outside world. This is allowed, is even encouraged. But we are always taught to keep an eye out for those who could find a place in our community. Karen came here on occasion. She was a sweet kid. Popular too, she and her friends snuck in here a lot. I thought nothing of it, until I saw her birthmark. Overtime I learned she was adopted and knew nothing of her roots, or of Geverlon. So I told the town about her. She must have gotten curious and headed off there to learn more about it. It was her choice
." He shrugs, but it's obvious he seems troubled.

"You say she's missing, though? If she went through the woods there's a chance she encountered The Wild Ones who live in the forest. People who are foolish enough to be out in the woods after dark often do. They are utterly inhuman, and even those of us who live in town keep a safe distance from them. If Karen has been taken by them, she will be kept and tormented until the night of the full moon, and sacrificed up to the Mother. It will be a horrific end for her. Every time someone was taken by the Wild Ones, the townsfolk of Geverlon would attend these rituals. It was an orgy of sex and destruction, a celebration of life and death.

"And the new moon is the day after tomorrow, if my math is right. Which means very soon Karen will be lost
." He looks conflicted. "Honestly, I never meant for any of this to happen. She was going to be inducted into the town of Geverlon, that was the plan! We worship the more civilized side of the Mother, the maternal cultivation. The Wild Ones though are all about the carnal side, fucking and killing and rejoicing through all of it.

"Since moving away from Geverlon, I've learned many things. I've learned enough to realize what we did back there wasn't normal. Enough that I don't really want to go back. I don't regret the things I saw. I've seen our Mother's works; I know she is real and powerful. But Karen was a good kid. She was always nice and smiling. I don't want to see her become a sacrifice, especially since she was never supposed to be.

"If you want to attempt to rescue her, know that it's gonna be dangerous. But The Wild Ones are constrained during the day. A curse was placed upon them, and they become as stone until the night. If Karen is being held by them, I know exactly where she'd be. But we'd need to go in during the day and be quick about rescuing her. And we need to be far away from Gerverlon and the woods by nightfall, or they will find us, and we will all be lost.
"

It was a lot of information for the investigators to take in. Did they trust Peter, and more than that, did they believe him?
OOC:   We'll start with San rolls.

Catherine and Daniel need to decide how much of Peter's words they beleive. If they think all of this is true, and there is some sort of hybrid race living out in the woods worshiping a pagan deity, they can roll 1/1d6. If they think he's mostly just nuts and the cult is entirely mundane(if no less dangerous for it) they can do 1/1d4. I think Tobias given what he's seen should do the former.

Second, feel free to ask any questions and make any rolls you like when speaking with Peter, and I'll provide you with the relevant information.  
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Re: Roots

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Catherine shudders a little when she hears Peter's description. "We've got to find her!" she says. "We haven't any time to lose!"
OOC,Sanity roll (current level 65) for hearing [b]Peter[/b]'s account: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: Roots

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Current Sanity 75%,[dice]0[/dice] SAN LOST: 1
"Is it possible to destroy the petrified ones during the day?" Tobias said, he had seen worse things in his life than crazed worshippers hiding out in the woods.

"Peter, I know you don't want to go back there, but in this situation, Karen's life is on the line. If you can found some shred of kindess and empathy there, I want you to come with us and rescue Karen. I apologise if I sound rude, but if I were to believe your words, then we have little time to act and we will need your assistance to prevent the ceremony from taking place should that happen." Tobias continued, looking at Peter with a searching gaze. He hopes that Peter will join and be of more assistance.
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Suddenly, Tobias leaned in besides Peter's ear and whispered, hoping that no one else will hear, "Peter, is it possible for me to be take the place of Karen as the sacrifice? I'm old, and I probably won't live past the year anyways with how frail and weak my body had become. Since this is a ritual honouring life and death, I don't suppose I could replace Karen as a sacrifice if worst comes to worst, would it?"
OOC:   What time is it In-Game?  
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Re: Roots

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OOC:   Let's say around 2 in the afternoon. The sun won't set until a little after seven, and it will take maybe an hour to reach the woods.  
"I suppose you could harm them," Peter says with clear reluctance. "They are like trees during the day."

"In any event, I will go with you. I'm the only one who knows the woods, and Karen's in this situation in part because of me. I feel responsible. But we'll need to be quick. I don't want to spend anymore time in those woods than I have to
." He suppress a shudder.

"It's kind of you to offer, but the Wild Ones don't discriminate. They'd gladly take you or her. They hunted all kinds, from my memories of them. But they'd never agree to a trade. If they find you in the woods and you're not from Geverlon, you will be sacrificed. Even being from the town does not offer absolute safety. The best thing we can do is hope to find her before they wake. I do know that until the night of the full moon she won't be killed or even harmed much. But she must be terrified just the same."
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Re: Roots

Post by Cotton »

Spoiler:
San: 59
[dice]0[/dice]
Daniel doesn’t believe that the woods outside Geverlon are frilled with monsters, but he could believe that the town housed some kind of dangerous cult. ”Alright. We should leave immediately if we’re going to get to Karen before nightfall. We’ll take two cars again. I need to gather a couple things before we head into the woods.”

After leaving the bar Daniel will be sure to gather all his police issued equipment (shotgun, taser, etc.) before meeting the others.
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