The Strange in Seattle

Game Master Jalopy

The Estate is headquartered in Seattle. Is it any surprise that the city draws so many Strange things to it?


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Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System

"The one that is referencing the Deep Ones all over the place." Kari says as she inches closer to Jennifer while staying well clear of the the goo.

Then she continues to speak to Jennifer confidently, as Jennifer is a rockstar to have held off eldritch influences the way she has under such trying circumstances. Kari will continue to expend her action to Spin Encouragement.


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams
Brian Kincade wrote:
"Charlie? Any ideas?"

"In the story, there's no going back. Being a Deep One is the result of breeding with them. It's a miscegenation metaphor. But I don't think this story necessarily works like that one...Mason's writing his own Lovecraft fanfic, and in fanfic you can modify the specific rules you don't like as long as you stick with the broader genre conventions!"


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

"'Deep Ones,'" repeats Brian. "Thanks, Kari."

Brian looks for the ritual with lots of references to Deep Ones.

I don't know if the GM wants any rolls out of Brian at this point.


GM of Many Names

The information you guys find in the laptop, even with Kari's hacking, only points to rituals that open gates for the Deep Ones and influence people around it. The best sense you get is that some people go mad, and other people go mad and are physically altered by the gate being opened.

There is not a ritual that undoes this. However...

Please roll me a d20!


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Super Secret D20 Roll:
1d20 ⇒ 20
Brian's streak of good rolls continues.


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Trained in puzzle solving and knowledge collecting
1d20 ⇒ 11


GM of Many Names

Charlie looks through the available ritual information, also taking into consideration his rather impressive knowledge of Lovecraftian lore. Brian looks over his shoulder, and while Charlie thinks aloud, offers an observation that sort of align all the stars for the group.

A ritual opened the inapposite gate in the salvage yard to the east. You will need to reverse the ritual in order to close the gate and help revert the changes that some of the people in Duvall are undergoing via their nightmares and other brushes with Lovecraftian nonsense they've experienced recently.

Brian:

With you in the group, it is guaranteed that you will succeed in closing the Lovecraftian gate. You'll know just what to do, what to say, and how to say it. You are also immune to madness for the duration of this adventure.

As though sensing your investigation's success, Baruchiel pops her head in through the door of the tavern. She looks at Jessica on the floor, then back to your group.

"We should talk. Maybe outside." She wrinkles her nose. "It smells a little like burning hair in here."


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

Terry puts some money down on the table, pockets a salt shaker, and gets up to follow Baruchiel outside.

He has a second thought, and goes back for the empty cat carrier.


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System
Jalopy wrote:

As though sensing your investigation's success, Baruchiel pops her head in through the door of the tavern. She looks at Jessica on the floor, then back to your group.

"We should talk. Maybe outside." She wrinkles her nose. "It smells a little like burning hair in here."

Kari looks up at the door from where she is murmuring to Jessica, "Do you have a stasis or anything that can help her? She went green really quickly."

She blinks at the empty cat carrier, "What happened to Jenkin?"


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

"He left via ... special courier" Terry frowns a bit and shows Kari the Lovecraftian rune burned into the bottom of the carrier.

"After he ate all the pretzels."


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

"Brown Jenkin got away?" Charlie swears. "The paper cut that doomed the world, I guess."


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

"I'm going to go out on a limb and guess, based on Jenkin's last words, that he's made his way back to Mason. So we're going to have to hurry if we're going to shut this mess down."

Brian kneels by Jessica to check on her.

"We can close the gate if we can get to the junkyard."


A Spiritual Vector who Shepherds the Dead

At Kari's request, Baruchiel moves into the tavern and crouches down next to Jessica on the floor. Leaning over, very close to her ear, she begins to whisper.

Int/Perception - CR 4:

A bit of a chill goes up your spine when Baruchiel starts whispering. You see Jessica's body glow faintly for a moment.

Jessica's body relaxes further, and Baruchiel stands.

"I have… convinced her to stay her change." She looks at Kari and Brian. "She'd already been encouraged to remain as human as possible until the situation is corrected." A little smile. "And we both appreciate your concern."

She holds the door open, politely gesturing for the group to come outside with her. "Fenwick and Abigail are waiting."

When Terry passes by with the crate, she glances into it and wrinkles her nose again. "I hope that wasn't a pet?" She says, a little bit of concern evident in her voice that isn't matched by her stoic countenance.

Charlie:

Make an Investigation/Lovecraft Lore check for me! I'm gonna say, knowing your background based on what Charlie has displayed so far, this will probably be CR 1 for him


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Perception (trained) CR4
1d20 ⇒ 12

Charlie goes with everyone.

GM:
1d20 ⇒ 11


GM of Many Names

Charlie:

The envelope, before you opened it, was written to Mason without a return address. That there was a summoning symbol in the letter within tells you that Brown Jenkin was very likely not recalled to Mason's side. It's more likely it was returned to the recursion it was stolen from.


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 7


GM of Many Names

Baruchiel walks with you to meet Fenwick and Abby at the clock. The two are engaged in what appears to be a heavy discussion as you approach.

"… need to go now," Fenwick urges. Abby looks up in time to spot you all before she responds, and turns on an over bright smile.

"Ah, my newest friends! What did you discover?"

Fenwick checks the clock above you all, then tries to relax the frown creasing his forehead.


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

"Lots," says Brian. "The short version is that we need to close the gate Mason's opened up, and we know how to do it."


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 17

"Thank you, Baruchiel." Kari says, relieved at the woman's assurance. She runs back to the table, closing the laptop and slipping it into her bag.

Quote:
"I hope that wasn't a pet?"

Brown Jenkin we found at Mason's house."

Brian Kincade wrote:
"Lots," says Brian. "The short version is that we need to close the gate Mason's opened up, and we know how to do it."

"Also a full list of all the people Mason had recruited or manipulated into cultist, so we can follow up after the gate is closed."

Intellect/Sense Motive CR1:
Subterfuge: 1d20 ⇒ 4

There is absolutely other things that were discovered that Kari is not mentioning. She seems guilty about it.


GM of Many Names

Baruchiel nods when Kari thanks her, and Fenwick sags in relief after Brian speaks up. "Good, because the only options Abby and I could come up with when we saw the mess at the salvage yard involved just blowing the entire thing up and hope we got the gate in the process."

Abby's smile tightens, and it's clear she didn't want this particular opinion shared.

"Lovecraftian recursions do pose more than the normal amount of problem," she agrees, sugarcoating the "quit talking" tone in her voice. "And don't worry, we would have evacuated everyone first." She adds.

Sense Motive: 1d20 ⇒ 14

She looks to Kari, searching her eyes for a moment before responding. "That's excellent, thank you! There will be some cleanup needed even after the gate is closed. Some ideas are poisonous."

"It looked like Charlie lost at least one of his marbles inside the tavern," Baruchiel says, straight faced. "I have no extra cyphers on me."

"I have one I'd be happy to give up, if you want?" Fenwick offers Charlie. "There's bound to be something weird for you to pick up in the yard, too. Which we should head towards right now."


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Charlie shakes his head. "It's fine."


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

Terry goes over to Brian, quietly offering back the cat carrier. "Did you buy or borrow this?"

Terry pulls out his phone, fiddles with it, puts it back in his pocket. More loudly, to the group in general, "Okay, I'm ready."


Male Kind Paradox who Leads
Terry-with-a-Y wrote:
Terry goes over to Brian, quietly offering back the cat carrier. "Did you buy or borrow this?"

Brian shakes his head. "You guys already had it when I got back from talking to Ms. Ashby. I have no idea where you got it."


GM of Many Names

Abby takes point and guides you back towards the salvage yard, just a few minutes away from the center of Duvall. You all hear a brief bwooop of a cop car's siren behind you.

"We're going to have to Man in Black this whole town," Fenwick complains, voice low.

"It's Men in Black. And yes, we might have to do something like that, depending on how much Mason has brought in." Abby replies, biting her lip as she focuses on the salvage yard before you.

Rusted fencing surmounted by twisted barbed wire surrounds the hundred-some acre footprint of the apparently abandoned iron salvage yard. It's at direct odds with the quaint housing and cute stretch of businesses you just left behind.

Signs warn that the area is closed due to toxic contaminants, and requires extensive clean-up. Inside you see a jungle of twisted machinery, dozens of decrepit buildings, standing pools of rusty-looking water, and mountains of junkyard metal blocking sightlines.

It's the perfect place in which to be lost to Cthulhu. And, apparently, the perfect place for a young man to be wandering around and taking pictures. He's on the shorter side with short, dark hair, cell phone in hand.

"Hey! Are you guys here to investigate too? I don't mind sharing info or whatever."


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams
Jalopy wrote:

It's the perfect place in which to be lost to Cthulhu. And, apparently, the perfect place for a young man to be wandering around and taking pictures. He's on the shorter side with short, dark hair, cell phone in hand.

"Hey! Are you guys here to investigate too? I don't mind sharing info or whatever."

"He with you?" Charlie asks.


GM of Many Names

Abby shakes her head.

"Not one of ours." She says, voice low. "Probably best not to have him running around in there, if we can manage it."

The man waves again, accepting an invite to come over and talk to you guys that no one gave.

"I'm writing a blog, there's some crazy shit happening, right? I have a cousin in town who mentioned it when I was visiting her. I write blogs, I think I said that, so like, this is right up my alley. Hey, can you smell that?" When he gets close to you guys, he gives you another, and closer, look.

"You guys aren't with the feds... are you?"


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Charlie hefts the "make run away really fast" button, and raises a speculative eyebrow. Then he pockets it, turning to the man.

"We are Feds, as a matter of fact. Agent Wolf Richards. We're here investigating the Knife Alien. Tell us everything you know."


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System

At almost the exact same moment, Kari shakes her head, "Nope." She smiles, "I'm just here to do some research on utilizing garbage to generate power as a re-use friendly avenue for trash."

She shrugs, "Which is about the most interesting story you'll find in this place." She snaps her fingers, "I did hear about something odd happening in the city park, near the children's playground."

Trained in Persuading, Not trained in deceiving: 1d20 ⇒ 9

Charlie's word sink in and she looks utterly lost. "You didn't tell me you'd finally gotten hired, Richards."


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

Terry looks at Brian, and declines to open his mouth. He shifts the cat carrier so that he is between it and Blogs McFayden.


GM of Many Names

Blogs McFayden looks around, catching the disorder of the explanation, seeing Fenwick clapping a hand to his head before Abby pulls it away.

Charlie, make an Int/Persuasion/Deception check for me, CR 3. Kari is not eligible to help with this one. Terry/Brian can roll after Charlie if they'd like to speak up and assist in whatever lie you guys wanna tell!

*Or you can cypher him, if you'd like. That works too.


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Charlie isn't trying to be pleasant here, so I imagine his flaw doesn't count. HOWEVER, he is trained at any task that involves coming up with a story, and the book specifically mentions this includes deception under the right circumstances!

1d20 ⇒ 3


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

Terry realizes that he can assist in Charlie's story by letting Blogs McFayden catch sight of the eldritch symbol mystically etched into the bottom of the cat carrier ... at the appropriate juncture.

Secret Dice Is Secret:

1d20 ⇒ 18


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Brian is trained in all social interactions.

Brian walks up to Blogs, giving a self-deprecating chuckle. "We obviously have to work on our team segues." Then, taking a more assertive tone, "now, son, would you mind answering Agent Richards?"

Dice:

Deceptive Persuasion, trained: 1d20 ⇒ 12


GM of Many Names

The way Terry tips the crate gives a full view of an eldritch symbol burned into the bottom of the crate. It's a long enough view that the man gets a good look at the burnt hair. He stands up straight, eyes wide.

Terry:

The silent type thing is really working for you. For your 18, if you spend some time talking to Gavin after this is all wrapped up, I'll give you a chance to earn him as a permanent source of information/item fetcher for you while you're on Earth and local to the Seattle area. No obligation to do so, and no time limit to talk to him, either.

"Uh... it's Gavin. Mister. Sir. Gavin Pearce." He looks considerably more excited, and nervous, than before. "Sandwich?" He offers up nervously, pulling a wrapped sandwich out of his bag.

"No, of course you don't want a sandwich. Idiot." He says to himself. Still holding the sandwich. "Well," he seems unable to figure out where he's supposed to settle his gaze, so he looks at Charlie. "I don't know much. Weird sounds, and lights, usually at night, which makes sense. Smells like… meat, gone bad. And burning rubber. And this is the second time I've visited the yard," he jerks his thumb towards the land beyond the fence.

"I heard something back there last time. It growled, so I ran. Figured it was a guard dog or something. No way did I want to go in there alone." He looks at you all again, including the three that have stepped back from the conversation to speak amongst themselves.

"Um, if you're going to go in there, I don't want to get in trouble or anything. I think I'm still on public property, right?" He looks at his feet, then back to Charlie. "I could um…. I mean, do any of you need anything? Coffee?"

His voice cracks on the word 'coffee'.


GM of Many Names

When no one else volunteers, Fenwick walks over towards Gavin.

"I'll chat with Gavin here. You guys go ahead, I'll meet you inside."

He escorts the chatty person away from the entrance.

"Let's go," Abby says, pulling away a section of fence that had previously been cut. "Fenwick and I didn't go inside when we scouted the place, so we're not sure what to expect." She keeps her voice low. "We sensed an inapposite gate nearby. Makes my stomach a little topsy turvy." She gestures in a southerly direction.

Once you step through the gate, you sense what Abby is talking about. There's a sense that something isn't quite right, like maybe one moment you might float away from the Earth, and another, you feel a buzz along your skin, raising the hairs there, an energy you've only felt in the Strange.

The aisles are narrow between towering scrap heaps of cars, washing machines, and unidentified rusted bits of metal that have clearly been sitting around for a long time.

Everyone make a Perception check, CR 3


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System
Abby wrote:
"Fenwick and I didn't go inside when we scouted the place, so we're not sure what to expect."

"At least one monster that came through the gate that is all rotting meat and burning tires. Or multiple ones that combine for that."

Untrained Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 10


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 20

Brian calmly enters the salvage yard with the others, his senses, as XTC might say, working overtime.


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Perception (trained) CR3
1d20 ⇒ 3


GM of Many Names

Abby taps her nose and points at Kari. "Right you are. And it probably smells a lot worse up close."

Brian:

For your 20, your senses are extraordinarily keen in the salvage yard, in part owing to the previous amazing rolls you've dropped, including an immunity to madness. There is a monster ahead of you that you're getting a strong sense of, and it stands between you and Mason's warehouse.

If you want, you can go the long way around the salvage yard, which will likely take you past some smaller challenges, and you'll need to pass the inapposite gate on the way to where Mason is working. So you have two paths to take the group on - one is shorter, but passes a greater challenge. The other is longer, and slightly more unknown to you.

I'm going to let you lead the first steps, and when you update with a path you're picking, I'll move you guys through it.

As Brian comes to a halt, looking around the yard, Baruchiel and Abby watch him.

"What are you thinking, Brian?" Baruchiel asks, following Brian's gaze around the narrow aisles of the salvage yard.


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Brian takes a moment to collect his thoughts.

"I'm thinking that Mason is expecting us to come the direct way. I think we have something big and nasty between us and his warehouse."

Brian is obviously weighing the different options in his mind. He comes to a decision.

"I think we should go around the yard, the long way. It'll mean going past the inapposite gate, but I think it's safer than barreling straight into the monster Mason posted as a guard ahead."


GM of Many Names

Baruchiel watches Brian, saying nothing. Abby tilts her head, squinting her eyes, as if this will help her see through the towering junk pile ahead of the group. She shakes her head.

"I can't pick up on what you're sensing, but I'll trust you."

She smiles, looking around at the rest of you, brushing a stray bit of hair away from her face. "And away we go!"

Abby lets Brian take point, staying with the middle of the group while Baruchiel follows up in the rear, shepherding everyone forward.

You take the leftmost path, and you all hear a grunt, and a noise that sounds reminiscent of a rusted bit of metal shuffling around on the path you didn't take, confirming Brian's comment about the monster between you and Mason. Or maybe it's just rats in the salvage yard. Either way, your path takes you to a rather more open area.

Pools of orange water are scattered all over the salvage yard, formed by a broken drainage system and rain runoff. It's impossible to tell how deep they are from where you're standing.

Perception/Investigation - CR 3:

The pools are moving. It's not the normal ripples you'd expect to see in a pool of standing water, but it looks very clearly like there are small living things in the pools.

Piles of rusted junk loom over you, and there's very little dry ground around and between the pools.

In order to pass through here, characters will need to make a CR 3 Speed defense roll to successfully navigate these pools to get past them. If you'd like to take a different action to get through, that's fine too, just spoiler me!


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Happy Dice Rolls of DOOM:

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 2
Speed defense: 1d20 ⇒ 8


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams

Perception/Investigation (trained) CR3
1d20 ⇒ 14

Speed defense CR3
spend 3 speed

1d20 ⇒ 2

sigh


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System

Untrained Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Speed Defense: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Kari fingers the obnoxious silver fanny pack, but how bad can orange industrial chemical really be?


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

untrained perception: 1d20 ⇒ 11
trained in speed defense (and not wearing armor): 1d20 ⇒ 15

When he's actually paying attention to what he's doing and how he's doing it, Terry moves with surprising grace -- each piece of motion adding a logical increment to a physical equation that ends with him on the other side of the orange puddles.


GM of Many Names

Baruchiel: 1d20 ⇒ 15
Abby: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Both women find their footing and hop, skip, and jump their way to safety on the other side. Terry joins them, with Baruchiel giving a little nod when he lands gracefully past the rust puddles.

Kari, Charlie, and Brian are not so lucky, finding themselves soaked in rusty, foul smelling water. Mud squelches beneath you as the three of you struggle to find your footing in the oddly-deep pools.

There's something else in the water, too. Something alive.

All three of you take one point of damage from your Might pool as you are preyed upon by creatures that look like a cross between leeches and tadpoles

"You all will be happy to know that the Estate has spa-grade facilities?" Abby offers it in the form of a question, looking equal parts guilty and amused as she offers her hand to anyone who needs help finishing their struggle to the other side of the pools.


Creative Paradox who Awakens Dreams
Jalopy wrote:
"You all will be happy to know that the Estate has spa-grade facilities?" Abby offers it in the form of a question, looking equal parts guilty and amused as she offers her hand to anyone who needs help finishing their struggle to the other side of the pools.

On the other side of the pool, Charlie makes sure to divest himself of any monsters that might have hung on.


Lucky Spinner who Hacks the System

As Kari slips into the indescribably dirty water she twists, pulling off her messenger bag. On the far side, she's drenched and rubbing at a muscle in her arm but the bag is mostly dry.

Jalopy wrote:
"You all will be happy to know that the Estate has spa-grade facilities?"

"At the moment, not really. I'm sure it will be well worth it." Her tone is dry.


Resilient Vector who is Licensed to Carry 2

Terry winces as he watches the others climb out of the dirty puddles. "It might rain," he says, and "I have some salt if any of those things are like slugs."

He stretches his neck one way and then the other.


Male Kind Paradox who Leads

Brian grimaces as he extricates himself from the puddles and removes any lingering beasties.

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