Call of Cthulhu: Terror in Neon

So often that which horrifies and preys on humanity shrouds itself in darkness. But there are terrors that hide in the light. This Call of Cthulhu scenario involving the radiant hues and pastel vibrancy of the U.S. in the late 1980’s shows that sometimes the bright makes for a perfect camouflage for monsters.

Introduction

This scenario is set for two to six players. It is intended to take place in any U.S. college town or small city in the latter half of the 1980’s. While written as a “one-shot,” creative keepers and interested players could use this as a starting point for an 80’s-themed campaign.

For the Keeper

Zachary “Roaster” Ross may be an aspiring chef, but his interests in lucid dreaming allowed him to travel far into the Dreamlands. While many of the dangers were obvious, the neon glow and serpentine grace of one of its creatures seduced his mind and used him to find a path to the real world, where they would have the chef make him a meal.

Zach knows the slaughtering of people is illegal and he may have once found it morally abhorrent, but the Hydrargyrum Ophidian have completely transfixed his mind with thoughts of greatness. Over half a dozen people have died by his hand as meals for the monsters, but they were strangers. What he didn’t mean to have happen was for his closest friend, Tiffani McKade, to get involved. Her discovery of the Dreamland creatures hidden in his kitchen meant her death, at his hands. And while the act of killing her is quickly eating away at his sanity, his already eccentric manor conceals that from others.

In keeping with the theme of the adventure, it’s important that the primary locations of investigation are depicted as bright and vibrant to an almost menacing degree. The days are bright and sunny and the nights shine like day, thanks to an abundance of pastel fashions and neon lights. Descriptions of locations can include words and phrases like blinding, dazzling, glaring, gleaming, washed out, or sanitized.

The Disappearance of Tiffani McKade

Tiffani McKade was a perky, pretty twenty year-old who partied with friends, helped at charity drives, worked at Express, and attended the local college. But she has been missing for a week and none of her family or friends seem to know where she went. If the investigators knew Tiffani before her disappearance, the Keeper may wish to describe or role-play a small scenario involving her. Suitable options may include a sorority party, mall exclusion, or charity dinner.

The investigators are called in by her parents, Bruce and Joanne, and their interactions with the characters may be different based on the positions of authority, or lack thereof, held by the investigators. Regardless of the nuance of the conversations, they want one thing: knowledge of what happened to their daughter, with the hopes that she is safe and well. They will allow the investigators full access to Tiffani’s room, as well as the rest their home, to help solve the mystery.

The youngest McKade, Grant, will not be as willing to assist. Though the fifteen year-old is also concerned for his sister’s well-being, the young Goth has issues with anyone in authority and will take umbrage to the investigator’s invasion of his sister’s privacy. Though his parents will chide his behavior they will not directly intervene on any obstructions he may present to the investigators. The parents, however, will not allow violence against their son and any actions to subdue the boy physically will result in the parents requesting the investigators leave. A Charm or Persuade roll can convince the teen to simply glower at the investigators.

Tiffani’s diary is in her top dresser drawer, beneath her underwear. The diary has a cheap lock that is easy to break or pick. The last few written pages of the diary are mostly banal young adult items describing college and work, but do mention a few pertinent facts:

• She was planning to break up with her boyfriend, Chaz Farrington
• She was worried about that her friend and sorority sister, Lisa Temple, may be partying and “using” (i.e., doing drugs) too much
• She had convinced her close friend, Zach “Roaster” Ross, to show her the kitchens where he worked and teach her a few cooking skills

Involving the Investigators

The investigators could be co-workers, college students, or faculty members who were friends with Tiffani McKade. They could also be police or private investigators brought in by the parents. It’s possible to involve a cross of professional investigators with amateur sleuthing friends. In this instance, the parents would have contacted the friends who better know their daughter to assist the professionals.

Hitting the Streets (Avenues for Investigation)

Once the McKade home examination is completed the investigation really kicks off. There are a number of possible suspects and red herrings. While the end goal should lead the characters to the kitchens of Dorcii, the trendy restaurant where Zach Ross works, a confrontation should be diverted or delayed until a few other investigations occur. During the scenario the Keeper and investigators should be encouraged to use 1980’s vernacular and references (in character).

Parental Units

If the investigators decide to examine the lives of Bruce and/or Joanne McKade, they will find very little of interest. Bruce works as an advertising executive and, despite the lifestyle of his co-workers, resists the temptation to join his co-workers in the use of recreational pharmaceuticals or trips to the strip club. He is a solid, if unexceptional, worker–he gets the job done and gets results, though doesn’t challenge the norms. Joanne has a background in finance and works as a business account manager at a credit union’s headquarters. The two are able to afford their comfortable two-story house and lifestyle without sinking into debt. They have a mortgage and credit cards, but their bills are paid on time. Beyond what is already found in the house, they will have no further clues or direction for the investigators.

Gothic Underground

If Grant McKade’s actions at the house are found suspect, he may be followed or intercepted at the only all-ages Goth hang-out in town, Gothic Underground. The club includes a dance floor and stage, tabled seating area, bar, and arcade. Though furniture and walls are a black as the occupants’ clothing, the environment is flush with stroboscopic luminosity and clamorous with noise. Neon lights, arcade consoles, pinball machines, colorfully-dyed hair, and pounding rock music all fight for the attention of the senses.

As he was in his home, Grant will be unwilling to help the investigators. If pressed or persuaded, he may offer one or more (but not all) of the following opinions on his sister’s lifestyle:

• Chaz Farrington is a dumb jock and he doesn’t know what his sister sees in him. If it’s mentioned Tiffani is planning to break up with Chaz, Grant will opine that the thug probably would resort to violence but isn’t smart enough to hide his sister away
• Lisa Temple is sexy, but vapid; how she got into or stays in college must be a matter of money. If mentioned that she’s a party girl Grant will be unsurprised by the revelation.
• Roaster is pretty cool and Grant has known Tiffani’s friend all his life. Grant suspects Roaster is gay, but can’t confirm.
• Compassion Outreach probably brings some good in the world, but why bother? It’s all going to end soon, anyway.
• The Mall and Express are for normies who have no original thought.
• The local college isn’t some place that Grant wants to go. As soon as he’s 18, he’s leaving this boring burg for a real city.

Despite the anti-authoritarian and counter-culture aspects of Grant, it should become obvious to the investigators that he and his scene were not involved in Tiffani’s disappearance.

Compassion Outreach

Compassion Outreach is the local charity where Tiffani volunteers. Though she used to donate more of her time, work and scholastics, have reduced her volunteering to one or two Sundays a month. The charity center functions as both a clothing and goods resale as well as a meal center and food bank. Tiffani usually assisted on the resale side of the center, organizing clothing, but was beginning to show interest in cooking and working at the meal center.

The building is brightly lit and clean. Overhead florescent lights reflect and sparkle off white tile floors and painted walls. Tiffani’s fellow volunteers will have very little idea of where she’s been. Due to her college lifestyle, not seeing her for a week is not unusual. They may suggest visiting her boyfriend, Chaz, as he’s often trying to get Tiffani to leave early the few days she can donate her time.

Track and Field, AKA The Man in Her Life

During the bright and warm day, Chaz Farrington can be found at the college’s track, running laps. Chaz comes from a wealthy family and though he performs well as a runner, would not have gotten into college were it not for the generous donations of his father. While a combination of snobby and belligerent, he still shows concern for his missing girlfriend. He won’t readily provide information unless asked, but has the following opinions:

• Tiffani’s parents: Nice folks, if he and Tiffani were married his parents would probably get along with Bruce and Joanne.
• Grant: A creepy kid. If the investigators haven’t considered him a suspect, they should. He wears black all the time and doesn’t like A-ha; that can’t be right.
• Lisa Temple: Cute, but way too much of a party girl. She’s probably going to get herself in trouble.
• Roaster: A weirdo artist type. Chaz doesn’t ask Tiffani to end the friendship between her and Roaster because he believes the chef to be gay (though Chaz may use more pejorative slang) and not a threat in any way.
• Compassion Outreach: A waste of Tiffani’s time. If the homeless and poor just got jobs they could stop being homeless and poor.
• The Mall and Express: The best place to shop. Chaz doesn’t visit Tiffani at Express because they just sell women’s clothes there, but they’ll sometimes spend time together at the food court during her break.
• College: Dad says Chaz has to get a degree to succeed in life, so Chaz is getting a degree in business administration. He’s still not sure what it means as a career or what he really wants to do, though.

If presented with the information that Tiffani was going to end their relationship he will, under no circumstances, believe the investigators. If the investigators attempt to persuade him or push the facts on him, Chaz will take a swing at a male investigator or forcefully push a female investigator. It’s possible this initial altercation could escalate in violence depending on the actions of the investigators.

Blind Drunk, AKA The Man in Her Nightlife

If sought out at night, Chaz Farrington can be found at a local college bar. While Phil Collins, Kenny Loggins, and Duran Duran blast through the jukebox, empty glasses and beer bottles surround the college athlete. A drunk Chaz is beyond belligerent, he is pushy and violent, taking any question as any potential slight or affront to his character or relationship. It will take no work on the part of the investigators for Chaz to initiate a fight. If Chaz is persuaded from violence his mood will shift from aggressive to sleepy. He won’t want to answer questions, just to go to bed–and bed could mean the back seat of his car.

If calmed down and sobered up, Chaz will express most of the same feelings that he would have if approached during the day, with one exception. An inebriated Chaz will admit to suspecting Tiffani wanted to break up with him and he suspects Roaster may be helping her hide and that her disappearance is a twisted method of ending their relationship.

Sorority Life and Frat Parties

Day or night Lisa Temple will be found at the college amongst Greek letters. During the day she will be found at the Theta Mu sorority house dancing in her room, high on cocaine and wearing next to nothing (and unashamed about it; she will not dress unless requested). During the night she will be at the Omega Zeta Tau fraternity party, wearing slightly more, but drunk as well as high on cocaine. Lisa will be forthcoming, but erratic, starting sentences, but not always finishing them and sometimes combining two trains of thought into a single utterance. Coaxing information from Lisa will be easy, making sense of it may not. Deciphering her gibberish may require a Psychology roll. Information is presented more plainly here, for the sake of the Keeper. Though high and nearly unintellible, Lisa is likely the most insightful person the investigators may question. She often sees people for who they are, not who they present themselves to be.

• Lisa doesn’t know where Tiffani is and she is worried about her, Lisa’s downward spiral into increased drug usage has only fast-tracked since Tiffani went missing.
• Tiffani’s parents are judging and harsh, when Tiffani does return Lisa still won’t want to join her for a family dinner.
• Grant likes to pretend to be counter-culture, but he’s a standard angsty teenager rebelling but still seeking conformity. He’s probably more worried about his sister than even his parents are.
• Chaz is a typical rich jock, whether he wants to believe it or not. Lisa is glad that Tiffani was planning on dumping that jerk, though she did worry that Chaz might lash out physically at Tiffani. She doesn’t think Chaz would go so far as to kill Tiffani or conceal it so well if he did.
• Roaster has probably had a crush on Tiffani his entire life, that’s why he doesn’t date any other girls. He might be an eccentric artist type of chef, but he’s been acting even weirder than usual over the past month or more.
• Compassion Outreach is a noble institution, and Lisa is impressed that Tiffani still manages to carve out some of her time to help the unfortunate. Lisa wishes she had that spirit of charity.
• The Mall and Express are the best, simply the best. Tiffani even lets Lisa use her employee discount at Express when they shop.
• College wasn’t supposed to be like this. Lisa was a straight-A overachiever in high school, she was supposed to be just as good as her life continued. But the parties were too plentiful and cocaine is just too easy to acquire.

Investigators may want to set Lisa on a path to sobriety, and this should be encouraged by Keepers, but it will require multiple Persuasion rolls for Lisa to remember and act on their advice.

Let’s Go to the Mall

The investigators may decide to visit Tiffani’s place of work at the Mall, Express. The mall is gleaming and almost sanitizing in its brightness, with saccharin muzak playing over the loudspeakers. The employees at Express will refer to Tiffani as a hard worker, one that stretches herself too thin trying to do too many things for too many people. Employees and management will wish the investigators the best of luck during their search and hope that Tiffani turns up OK, but will provide little information than Tiffani’s diary did.

Dorcii

Investigators should seek out Zach “Roaster” Ross during the investigation. If their trip to Roaster’s workplace, the trendy restaurant of Dorcii, occurs early in the game, Roaster may be too busy doing prep work or tending the kitchen to answer any questions. If pulled away he will be distracted and eager to return to the kitchen, asking that the investigators return later, after the restaurant has closed. If pressed for information on Tiffani, Roaster will first suggest they investigate Chaz; she was about to break up with her boyfriend and who knows what that brute may have done. If the investigators already believe Chaz is absolved, he will point them to her “creepy younger brother,” Grant.

Questioning other restaurant staff will reveal that Roaster’s position is sous-chef, but he has been acting head chef for the past two nights, as Millan Devereaux has not shown up–probably drunk. Investigations into Chef Devereaux will suggest he is actually missing as well. His car is in the police impound lot and he has not been seen at his apartment complex for the past two mornings (he usually enters drunk and loudly at 4am).

Dorcii is colorful and dazzling, a wash of pastels, fluorescent, and neon. Its tables are shaped atypically, a splash jutting angles and high-backed chairs. Plates are large, but the meals are small, the white space of the ceramic being used for designs in sauces and gravies. New Wave and Synth-Brit music pumps and pops from the speakers, providing additional ambiance.

Dorcii II

Be it at a return trip or once the clues have established Roaster as the most likely suspect in the disappearance of Tiffani McKade, the events at Dorcii will unfold much the same. If not already, it will be suggested that investigators return shortly after restaurant hours. Once questioned, Roaster will [still] be furtive and distracted, looking back towards the kitchen area. If asked why he will mumble, unconvincingly, that he needs to clean up. There is a detached madness in Roaster’s eyes, as if he’s not fully there. If Charmed, Persuaded, or Intimidated he will blurt out that “neon serpents of the Dreamlands are to blame” and point into the kitchen. It may also be that the investigators don’t fully bother with Roaster and move into the kitchen on their own. At this point, the game enters the final phase below, Humans Are a Designer Dish

The Clues Come Together

Through the investigation more and more clues presented should point to Roaster as the likely suspect. Despite suspicions of some, he is not homosexual, and was, instead, deeply infatuated with Tiffani. Though always artistic and eccentric, he has become more callous and unfriendly over the past month. The head chef at Dorcii, Millan Devereaux, has also been missing for two days. The Keeper may also want to insinuate that others, perhaps the homeless, have also disappeared around the restaurant’s radius.

Optional: Red Herrings

Depending on the game time available, the Keeper may want to include more red herrings or false witness. The Keeper can add a more sinister aspect to Grant’s Goth gatherings, making them drug-dealing ne’er-do-wells that also dabble in the occult. Chaz’s violence can be intensified and while he may lack the mental capabilities to hide Tiffani’s body, his parents are rich enough to hire someone that could have helped. Chaz may be acting or appear more guilty because he knew of the inevitable break-up between he and his girlfriend.

Humans Are a Designer Dish

The kitchen of Dorcii is pristine, but strange noises can be heard from the meat locker and preparation room. Inside the room are at least four corpses, each in various states of butchery, including the bodies of Tiffani McKabe and Millan Devereaux. While gory, the room is bloodless and washed out in white. The bodies hang on meat hooks and have been treated like any other form of food.

Just out of view and at the range of hearing, are knots of twisting turning colors and strange, lilting but alien voices. Attempting to focus on the that which is just out of view requires a Spot Hidden roll, a successful roll will see a mass of eight snakes of various neon colors, writhing and protruding from the wall. It will also result in a loss of 1D4 Sanity Points. A failed roll will nag at the investigator, and cost them 1D8 Sanity Points, as they try to see what they know is there, but cannot envision. Regardless of seen, failed to be seen, or attempted to ignored, investigators must win against the Hydrargyrum Ophidian’s Hypnotism, using either POW or Psychology. Failure will result in the investigator losing 1D6 sanity and wanting to kill their non-hypnotized investigators.

Conclusion

Once the conflict of investigator or investigator ends, what happens next will largely be up to the winners of the conflict. The hypnotized investigators will be directed to harvest more humans for Chef Roaster to prepare, ending the scenario. If the un-hypnotized investigators proved successful against the others, they will be able to decide what to do with these strange creatures from the dreamworld (if those creatures can even be perceived).

The Hydrargyrum Ophidian are polite and charming, though the longer investigators attempt to communicate with the creatures additional Hypnotism challenges will present themselves. If successful, it will be revealed that only their caller can send them away, through his death or his will.

If they attempt to kill him, Roaster will fight the investigators with one of the meat cleavers available in the kitchen. Roaster may also be Charmed or Persuaded to fight against the Dreamland invaders with a POW challenge, but it may prove too weak against the enemy. It will be up to the investigators how to ensure the neon serpents are dispatched. Investigators may be tempted to destroy the kitchen or restaurant. This will work, but will take an additional toll on their sanity (see Rewards).

Dealing With Roaster

If Roaster survives, he will be a broken man, consumed with guilt for killing others, especially the person of his long-held infatuation. The Dreamland creatures offered him rewards and riches of his wildest dreams if he served them a feast of flesh and promised he would win the love of Tiffani. But she came to the Dorcii kitchens too soon and too unexpectedly, and when she saw the creatures panicked, running into Roaster’s knife. All the aspiring chef could do was what he had done with the homeless: prepare her body for the Hydrargyrum Ophidian. When the head chef became suspicious, Roaster was too far gone to stop himself from making a meal of his boss.

Rewards and Retributions

Depending on the outcome of the investigators and their actions in game, apply the following rewards or retributions:

• Making applicable 80’s references: +1D4 Sanity Points
• Calming Chaz down when drunk and getting him to answer questions: +1D4 Sanity Points
• Putting Lisa on a path to sobriety: +1D6 Sanity Points
• Stopping the Hydrargyrum Ophidian: +1D8 Sanity Points
• Incorrectly accusing or imprisoning any friend or family member: -1d4 Sanity Points (per individual)
• Destroying or damaging Dorcii: -1D10 Sanity Points

Appendix: Characters and Monsters

I have refrained from writing the majority of stats for most of the characters, providing only what is necessary based on the above scenario. Keepers may choose to flesh out the characters as needed.

Grant McKade, age 15, anti-authoritarian Goth

Grant McKade is Tiffani’s younger brother. He is a good son and brother, in private, but in the face of others he is anti-authoritarian and counter-culture. Somewhat coddled by his parents, the lack of punishment for his rudeness has only increased his antagonistic demeanor.

Lisa Temple, age 20, college student and party girl

Lisa was a overachiever in high school and earned a full scholarship to college. Unfortunately, she was not meeting her expectations of success in higher education and turned to parties as a release. Parties introduced her to underage drinking and experimentation with cocaine.

Chaz Farrington, age 21, rich jock

Chaz grew up rich and wanting for nothing. He’s a good athlete, but not dedicated enough to earn a scholarship or make a profession out of it. He’s on the school team simply for popularity’s sake. He’s been Tiffani’s boyfriend for almost a year, but senses their relationship was coming to an end even before she went missing. The mix of emotions he feels about disappearance has turned his bratty and aggressive attitude almost violent.

STR 80
CON 90
SIZ 85
HP 17
Damage Bonus: +1D6
Build: 2
Combat: Brawl 75%, damage 1D3+1D6 (or improvised weapon)

Zach “Roaster” Ross, age 22, food artist and dreamer

Zach grew up with Tiffani and though she showed interest as a friend, the childhood days made her view him as a brother. Zach gained the nickname of “Roaster” from his first, pre-teen, attempt at cooking, where he dropped a piece of meat into burning oil on the stove. The splashback of scalding oil required hospitalization, but also, somehow only increased his love of experimenting in the kitchen. At the age of 18 he was introduced to the concept of lucid dreaming and began finding his way to the Dreamlands. It was there he met the Hydrargyrum Ophidian, who convinced him he could have everything he wanted… and suggested a new sort of meat to prepare.

STR 40
CON 50
SIZ 45
POW 45
SAN 00*
HP 11
Build: 0
Combat: Brawl 45%, damage 1D3 (plus knife)
*Permanently insane

Hydrargyrum Ophidian

From the Dreamlands comes a mass of snakes, each in a different bright neon color, speaking in many lilting voices but all saying the same thing in time. The Hydrargyrum Ophidian are irresistible and pleasing to behold and hear. They only want to eat, is that so bad? What they desire to consume is the flesh of humans. If invited, they can bridge the gap between the Dreamlands and the real world, but are tethered to a foci. They use their mesmerizing abilities to hypnotize others, including the dreamers, to bring them food. While they can bite and consume raw meat, the neon serpents in this scenario take a perverse pleasure in having their dinners prepared by a gourmet chef.

STR 95
CON 100
SIZ 85
DEX 95
INT 120
APP 120
POW 95
EDU —
SAN —
HP 19
Damage Bonus: 0
Build: 1
Move: 0
MP: 22
Combat: Attacks per round: 1d8 snakes bite at their targets; Fighting 50%, damage 2D6; Dodge 30%
Damage: Due to their ties to the Dreamlands, they cannot be damage by any corporeal form of combat. If their foci is destroyed or if their tie to the dreamer is severed (by POW or death), they will return to the lands from whence they came
Special Abilities: Mezmirize & Control acts like an agressive form of hypnotism, forcing the victims to do what they want. See Hyptnotism skill, effectively at 100% and can be resisted in a contest with POW or Psychology.