A Commissioned Odyssey was the seventh Down Darker Trails: Bag of Nails scenario, played in January 2020. What was intended to be a potential multi-part, slow-paced scenario became a single session, partially due to me fighting a cold at that time.
Scenario: A Commissioned Odyssey
Growing Roots
It’s been two weeks since the Investigators visited the Church of the New Lord and there have been changes both personally and to the town at large. It seems the Church has decided to stay in the area and acolytes are seen more frequently, traveling in pairs. While they still are extremely friendly and often speak in unison, they now carry guns. They claim it is for their safety as well as the citizens.
As for the investigators themselves…
Arlene Hunnell – Courier Hazel Owens has recently delivered a large package. This contains a number of books on the occult. The books, with a successful Library Use roll, will increase the researcher’s Occult skill (and, with a Hard success, reveal the Mythos skill). However, in reading the books, sanity may be lost and the reporter’s obsession with the strange will grow stronger.
Charlotte Thurman – Eleanore Swift has all but given Charlotte the run of the school and, with so few children left in town, classes are no longer divided between boys and girls. As first thaws of an early spring come in, so too, are plants sprouting. The botanist may notice a number of bioluminescent mushrooms throughout the town. The mushrooms appear to be strain Armillaria mellea—a unique, low-toxidity mushroom that glows from the base rather than the cap.
Corwin Blackstone – Tsang Kang, the primary representative between Chinatown and the white men, will inform the lieutenant that the land harbors many evil spirits. The recent bombings by the army have only awakened more. Violence begets violence and they need him to not bring more military in but make sure they’re kept out. Meanwhile, in the house he received as a gift from Dierdra Clemmons: strange, bioluminescent mushrooms are growing in the basement.
Ellis Gentry – Since Ellis nearly died and was healed by the Reverend he’s had continual nightmares, usually of the Serpent Men they fought in the caves. Also, food no longer has a strong taste and any alcohol consumed leaves an acidic, acrid aftertaste in his mouth.
Hiram Blake – The doctor may be conducting experiments on the plants from the Church of the New Lord’s greenhouse and, if so, may be offered help from both the school teacher and Madame Lucille Phelps, both of whom have scientific backgrounds. The latter is certainly becoming more romantically friendly with the doctor and, based on Charlotte’s actions, he may have a decision to make when it comes to courting.
Kathryn Plum – The socialite may remember meeting Dr. Emil Blankenthorpe during the Valentine’s Day party, but he had excused himself early and he and his fellow scientist had left for Nevada City that night, unaware until recently of the Valentine’s Day tragedy. The paleontologist has begun charming Miss Plum, both on a personal level and to seek her family funding for an excursion.
Levi Richmond – Levi is starting to find more and more “gemstones” in his panning and mining; while he can sell them, they are starting to bring in diminishing returns. He and Earl seem to be getting along well, but the dog has taken to barking at his jars of oddities.
Red Dove – Like Ellis, the scout has more nightmares than peaceful sleep. The hearing in her right ear is gone, replaced with the noise of a whispering cavern. And sometimes the whispers sound distinctly like voices, urging her to do dark things.
Gathering for an Expedition
Dr. Franklin Amasse and Dr. Emil Blankenthorpe are paleontologists who were forced to winter in Alder Gulch due to a delay and re-route in their expedition. As such, they’ve lost much of their crew and need both people and finances to resupply. The player characters along with additional NPCs may be in order. For the PCs, here are reasons would they might join the crew (along with their already stated thoughts on leaving Virginia City)…
Arlene Hunnell – The expedition to Red Lodge Mountain has the potential for multiple stories of value to the reporter, not the least of which being the dig itself if new fossils are found.
Charlotte Thurman – The school teacher seems to have fewer and fewer students daily and without students her job, even with the added responsibilities, doesn’t mean much. The trip would afford the botanist the opportunity to collect new plant life and increase her scientific knowledge.
Lt. Corwin Blackstone – While the army had ordered the lieutenant to act as a liaison with the Chinese in Virginia City, they have given the paleontologists permission to request additional security. With only a private (see NPCs) currently in the expedition, Corwin may be given dispensation to join the travels.
Ellis Gentry – The gambler’s been in Virginia City long enough and a trip to Red Lodge may be just the thing to take in some new sights (and new coin). He’ll be among friends for the journey and the strangers in the expedition’s crew may provide some game along the way.
Hiram Blake – The expedition is currently lacking in medicinal knowledge. Given the hardships of any enterprise that requires cross-country travel, the paleontologists are in dire need of a medic and are willing to pay top dollar. Dr. Blake may find the monetary offer too good to pass up.
Kathryn Plum – If Emil Blankenthorpe can convince the socialite to invest in the expedition then she may travel along simply to keep an eye on her investment. Even if she’s chosen not to offer funding, the protection included when traveling with the scientists will allow Kathryn to continue her travels to see more of America.
Levi Richmond – Dr. Franklin Amasse and Dr. Emil Blankenthorpe know their dinosaurs, but could use the support of someone who has a knowledge of precise excavation for the expeditionary crew. Levi’s past experience as a soldier provides the bonus of security for the journey, as well.
Red Dove – Red Dove had already been contracted (back in Issue #4) by the paleontologists to serve as a pathfinder and scout for the expedition.
Field Preparations
Dr. Franklin Amasse is returning from spending time at the Church of the New Lord, attempting to investigate tales of serpent people, but finding little more than scales (which he has collected for further inspection). The dig crew leader, Eugene Dawson, is still returning from recruiting members from the various Alder Gulch cities. This will give the Investigators time to prepare for the long trek to the foothills of Red Lodge Mountain.
NPCs
Dr. Franklin Amasse – The older (in his mid-60’s) of the two scientists, Dr. Amasse is a historical scientist whose knowledge includes geology, anthropology, archaeology, astronomy, philology, history, and paleontology. While not shy, Franklin (never “Frank”) is often quiet. The observant scientist is often studying and taking in all the information he can absorb; when speaking with him directly, it can be unnerving as his eyes rarely blink and never waver. Dr Amasse abandoned his tenured position at Harvard University in order to study history directly but lacked the funds to finance expeditions and the social graces to seek funding. For that he partnered with Dr. Emil Blankenthorpe.
Dr. Emil Blankenthorpe – The Georgia-based Blankenthorpe family’s fortune took a devastating loss in the Civil War, as their home and assets were set ablaze in the fires set by General Sherman’s army. While not destitute, the family has spent additional funds rebuilding their home. During the war Emil remained a student at Harvard University, completing his doctorate on paleontology. The young, gregarious scientist seeks to rebuild his family fortune on dinosaur bones. Emil is a charming socialite, adept at making friends and finding peaceful solutions to conflict.
Private Virgil Thomas – Enlisted at 16 and now 17 years old, the young soldier was originally part of a small outfit dispensed to the science crew to protect them as they dug for fossils near Crow territory. When the expedition was halted due to winter weather, the corporal and other troops stationed themselves at Fort Ellis, leaving the private behind. The other troops were then reassigned, but Virgil was given no new orders. Inexperienced and eager, Private Thomas is always willing to help and learn from others. If Lt. Corwin Blackstone is in the party, Virgil will follow him like a puppy.
Crew Leader Eugene Dawson – Hired by the paleontologists to find and manage an excavation crew, Eugene Dawson is a no-nonsense and gruff man with little humor. After the crew disbanded for the winter in Alder Gulch, Mr. Dawson has had to re-find and re-hire what he could. The crew leader prefers order and isn’t afraid to speak his mind. In fact, he rarely seems to be afraid at all–he doesn’t want to lose any sort of control.
Irvin James – Irvin left his home to become a gambler, but discovered that the poker players outside of his birth town in Oregon were almost always better than he was. The 24-year old now takes any small job he can, hoping to collect the funds needed to return back to his parents. Irwin shows some bravado, but his fight-or-flight response strongly favors running away on his long legs.
Hector Campos – Hector has made his way from Brazil to Montana as a laborer and entertainment wrestler. The Brazilian has extreme wanderlust and never stays in one location for long. Hector is never afraid to show his emotions, which can swing from merriment to hostile in the blink of an eye. He’s quick to correct anyone regarding his heritage—he’s not a Mexican, he’s a Brazilian.
Sylvester Hughes – Sylvester moved from Chicago to Alder Gulch, leaving his wife and daughter behind, in the hopes of making a fortune to send back home. Unfortunately, he arrived too late and found himself sending little more home than he was making in the Midwest port town. The muscular man sold his mining equipment and hires himself out as a laborer and bodyguard, working his way back home.
Anton Roche – What some mistake for slowness in Anton is actually dedicated precision. Anton’s German mother and Irish father were both fresh off the boat in New York when they married. Life on the East Coast was difficult, partially due to Anton’s heritage, and when his parents died, he made his way west. Anton has little formal education but a good head for figures and a strategic mindset. He often is employed in duties that require finesse and thought over speed—like the last stages of retrieving dinosaur bones.
Owen Lesser – The hyperactive Owen is the best friend of Gilbert Frog; sometimes considering himself the strong man’s manager. While the young man is handsome, his rapid-fire speech and wild gesticulation can irritate some. Like Gilbert, he was born in California and is traveling the country with the hopes of earning enough to go to New York or Boston where he hopes to work as a sporting manager.
Gilbert Frog – Tall and muscular, Gilbert could have been an athlete if he were a bit faster. Instead, the strong man works as a porter as he and his friend Owen travel eastward. Gilbert wants to be more than a strong man and hopes the diversity of a big city will provide opportunity, should his fast friend be able to navigate the sporting landscape.
One Foot Out The Door
The journey will cover over 200 miles from Virginia City to Red Lodge Mountain, due to the need to avoid traveling directly through Crow Territory. With wagons and equipment, it would take one and a half weeks of travel at best conditions and through the fastest route. Given the thaw, the difficulty of that “fastest route” would be in fording the Yellowstone River, so Red Dove has advised traveling south, through the mountains and forests of Wyoming territory. This adds miles and time (about half a week more), but is a safer journey overall. (Ideally, this should be a 2-3 issue adventure, featuring roleplay between the characters, a fight against elements, and some minor supernatural elements.)
The trek will eventually take them through a fossilized forest (if pacing runs right, this will be the scenario for Issue #8). The final destination of Red Lodge Mountain is extremely close to Crow land. Even the town of Red Lodge has more natives than whites. As they near the mountain, they will need to be on their guard, but who knows what else might occur during their travels?
Session Recap
The Investigators were eager to leave Virginia City; the constant new dangers faced and the growing presence of the Church of the New Lord overwhelmed any creature comforts of romance and new lodgings. When presented with the opportunity to journey with Doctors Franklin Amasse and Emil Blankenthorpe, in what would not only be a way to escape the town but also profit, the party jumped at the chance.
The journey’s beginning saw a fight against the elements. Traveling upwards in mountainous terrain during a thaw is difficult at best, especially when hauling excavation equipment on heavy wagons. But, thanks to the scouting of Red Dove and with the wagon under the supervision of Eugene Dawson, there were no major complications.
As the journey continued, the caravan found itself surrounded and under attack by strange, weasel-like creatures that had starfish mouths and a taste for flesh. With their rapid burrowing ability and large numbers, the Investigators found their firearms to be of minimal use. Thankfully for them, Levi always carried dynamite, and some of the other Investigators had stocked up as well. With a few lucky throws, they managed to frighten away the beasts. The crew was unsure of what sort of animals they saw and, while Dr. Amasse would have liked to obtain a sample, the risks outweighed the benefits of study. In the during the attempt to flee, Private Virgil Thomas fell from the wagon and rolled down the mountain. He was quickly swarmed by the creatures and put out of his misery by a well-placed shot from Corwin Blackstone.
The lieutenant couldn’t seem to escape his fate as a child-killer.
Despite treacherous terrain, the caravan moved with all haste the next few days, until arriving at what seemed to be a peaceful, petrified forest. With no sign of the dangerous rodents—or, indeed, any life at all—and with fatigue setting in, the convoy made camp for the night.
In the morning, a third of the crew found themselves completely paralyzed; while another third were incredibly stiff, finding it hard to move. Only a handful of the troop felt only minor effects. Whatever caused the forest to be petrified seemed to have a similar effect on all living things. The immobilized were moved into the wagons and everyone moved as quickly as possible to continue the journey, even if it meant passing through the rest of the forest. With luck, they would be able to leave before nightfall.
On the route through the petrified forest, they found evidence of others frozen into stone; some of the afflicted may have been there for hundreds of years, given their attire. While some of the Investigators were tempted to take samples or bodies with them, the ossified strangers proved far too fragile and time much too brief to make a proper accounting. On exiting the forest, the afflicted crew slowly regained movement. Many wondered what that could mean for those trapped inside the fossilized area.
It had been a harrowing two weeks, but the scientists, crew, and Investigators had finally made it to the dig site. Surely, the journey would be the worst part of the adventure, right?
Keeper’s Thoughts
Over the holidays, the players of Charlotte Thurman and Kathryn Plum decided that my game style and their playstyle were not compatible, so dropped out. These things happen. People have different expectations for what a game should be, especially one like Call of Cthulhu. I write my own scenarios and tend to keep more of a “TV show” pace while a number of the most popular CoC campaigns like Horror on the Orient Express or Masks of Nyarlathotep can take months to years to run, with some sessions lacking any action at all. When I wrote this scenario, I had more of a “slow down” in mind, but my personal style plus other factors kept even this adventure at a more rapid pace. I wish the players the best and hope they find a game that suits what they’re looking for.
I was fighting a sore throat during this session, which didn’t help my pacing at all. I couldn’t speak in character voices and kept descriptions down to a bare minimum, supplementing action in place of role-play and rushing a broad, open-ended multi-session write-up into a single session.
This is one of the potential pitfalls with a monthly game run at a scheduled reserved table; while it affords me the time to create custom scenarios, a game missed is a month gap. Not that the game wasn’t fun, but the session certainly didn’t move the way I planned.
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