THE OUTER ONES

B Y J USTIN F ARQUHAR
Where an investigation into a sinister Vermont sect reveals connections that run deep into the dark history of the region

ABOUT THIS SCENARIO

The Outer Ones takes place in Vermont sometime between 1920 and 1926 and is closely-related to the two Lovecraft stories The Haunter of the Dark and The Whisperer in Darkness, both of which it predates. Reading these stories before running the scenario is highly recommended.

Ones from the warren of caves that hollow the domed hills and a secret pact was formed. The following year, the charismatic Raymond Flagg bought a second home in the village of West Townshend, close to Dark Mountain and secretly began to spread the doctrines of the Starry Wisdom sect. The young Abednego Akeley, the son of a Congregational minister was one of those he came to influence. When his father died, Abednego took his place at the Church as expected. He then travelled in southern New England, to Boston and Providence, for several months. This was, in fact, the completion of Abednegos training as a minister, not in Protestantism but in the Starry Wisdom sect. On his return, to great controversy, he began to preach the Starry Wisdom doctrines and transferred his own church the West River Valley Church from the Protestant parent body to the Starry Wisdom sect. The Church was condemned and attacked regularly, and over half of the congregation deserted it, but a core of devotees remained, and grew steadily, bolstered by a trickle of new converts. The sect appeared to offer communion with The Divine, directly or through a race of mysterious beings referred to by Akeley and Flagg as The Malakhim, a communion that granted knowledge of the secrets of cosmos. A select few were even offered transcendence of the physical body as a reward for their devotion and Abednego Akeley and Raymond Flagg could seemingly summon these disembodied spirits and make them speak to the congregation from a special curtained box. After three years, the Starry Wisdom Church at West River Valley closed down after a series of vigilante actions culminated in the Akeleys death. The church was restored to Congregational Protestantism. Most of the congregation fled to join the Freewill Church in Providence, but a few stayed, some of them passing the secret doctrines onto their children. A few years later, Rev, Baker, the new Protestant minister, beat a woman to death with a Bible and injured several other congregants before being restrained. He was hanged at the State Prison and House of Correction in Windsor, Vermont in 1908. Baker was superseded by Rev. Aster, a minister who had once been part of Akeleys congregation and secretly ordained in the Starry Wisdom Church. The sect known as

RUNNING THIS SCENARIO

This scenario is non-linear: there are many clues leading to different locations and lines of enquiry, not all of which are essential. This scenario can be run as a stand-alone adventure or can be treated as a sequel to The Haunting. There are clues relating to this scenario which can be placed in the records of the Chapel of Contemplation. If used in this way it can be run immediately after that scenario or after an interval of few months or even years.

KEEPER'S INFORMATION
THE STARRY WISDOM CHURCH AND THE MILLION FAVORED ONES
From time immemorial, the Mi-Go or Outer Ones have fulfilled their pact with Nyarlathotep, The Haunter of the Dark, making sacrifices in return for knowledge. The name for their cult can be translated as The Million Favored Ones. Since man has walked in the Americas, a few individuals mostly eccentrics and outcasts have served the Outer Ones in Vermont, helping them to spy on mankind while keeping their outposts secret, in return for their promises of power and wisdom, fulfilled and otherwise. There are two major outposts of the Outer Ones near the village of West Townshend, one at Round Hill, a domed mountain to the east of Townshend. And one at Dark Mountain to the south. In 1862, guided by insights gleaned from their communications with Nyarlathotep in his form of the Haunter of the Dark in the steeple of the Freewill Church in providence, Professor Enoch Bowen, leader of the Starry Wisdom sect, his daughter Aseneth Bowen and Dr Raymond Flagg, travelled to Dark Mountain in a remote region of Vermont. There on the mountain-top they performed an arcane rite that brought forth the Outer

The Million Favored Ones based on Starry Wisdom beliefs and alliance with the Outer Ones continued in secret for two generations. Another branch of the Starry Wisdom sect The Chapel of Contemplation was based in the North End of Boston. Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy industrialist, at 18, was the last minister to be ordained there. The Chapel was raided and closed down in 1912 and the Pastor, Michael Thomas, was imprisoned. Five years later, with the aid of sorcery and his allies, he escaped and fled the state. Taking the pseudonym Malachi Sethom (an anagram of Michael Thomas), he travelled to West Townshend where he was a lay preacher, staying with Rev. Aster until Aster and Noyes help him to purchase a small house in Townshend. When Aster retired, Noyes became the minister at West River Valley Church, however increasingly he allowed Malachi Sethom to preach and hold services at his church (even though Sethom is not an ordained minister of the Congregational Church). Meanwhile Noyes focused his evangelism on the remaining congregation that meets at his house in Boston and on the refurbishment of the old Bayfriars Church in Arkham.

the stars. This involves being taken away by the Outer Ones to have their brains removed and placed in metal canisters which keep the brain alive more-or-less indefinitely and which can survive the journey through space to the planet Yuggoth or the Outer Ones colony on the moon. In fact, unknown to most cult members, the Outer Ones are quite indifferent to humanity, and are quite neglectful and the majority of these Chosen Ones are either incinerated or after being placed in brain canisters are abandoned in storage rooms in the colony. But enough Celestial Voyagers return with stories of their travels to inspire the faithful. The Pastor appears to have miraculous powers. Among other things, during Spiritualist-style ceremonies, he summons the spirits of people who have supposedly 'ascended to the Heavens' and has them speak with strange voices from within a curtained box. These voices seem to have knowledge of personal things, seemingly confirming their authenticity and they relate incredible tales of being carried by Outer Ones to a fantastical city hidden in the mountains. And from there, travelling through the void to other worlds.

Rites of the Million Favored Ones

The cult holds rites with the Outer Ones on certain nights. Rites dedicated to Shub-Niggurath are not open to humans and tend to take place at the circles of standing stones that crown the hilltops, with May Eve being the most important date. Rites to Nyarlathotep are held at the same sites on Samhain (Halloween) with a select few attending rites deep in an abyss in Dark Mountain called The Temple of the Black Gulf. Both Outer Ones and human beings are offered in sacrifice at these ceremonies human victims being stray children or vagrants and prostitutes from around New England, particularly Boston. Through its political connections, the sect has some influence in the area, an influence that is steadily growing. The cult has a network of spies and agents some of whom have sorcerous powers of mind-control that exerts its influence as far as Newfane. The cult has a superficial appearance of being an ordinary church which, like some other rural churches, has some queer customs. The sect has a hierarchical structure a public congregation and an inner circle who see themselves as among The Million Favored Ones and who are granted esoteric secrets from their Lord. They are also in the process of perfecting techniques for prolonging life beyond its natural end based on methods developed by Orin B Eddy, Rev. Michael Thomas and others in Boston and Providence. This is a sort of mummification process which actually more resembles a living death. Other initiates are occasionally rewarded for their life of service with The Celestial Rapture or joining

Action Against the Cult

Rev. Bill Walsh, a feisty Baptist minister, has come to conclude that there is something sinister about the practices of another church in the village of West Townshend the West River Valley Church. He observes their sermons and services and some of their suspicious activities. He sees the sermons of a preacher known as Malachi Sethom as especially dangerous. He has heard rumours of strange cries coming from the church in the middle of the night and connects them to the disappearances that have occurred in Massachusetts over the past few years. After reporting some of these concerns to the Baptist church-body, a second minister Rev. Bradford Duganne is sent to assist him. Both ministers have heard local folklore of ceremonies in the hills and devilish creatures consorting with humans. Walsh begins to preach against the church, declaring that it is in league with Satan. A newspaper story appears claiming that the church is heretical or even Satanic. The Congregational Church eventually launches an investigation but finds nothing untoward. And from this point on the Congregational Church views these attacks on West River Valley Church as attacks on Congregationalism itself by a crazy, rural Baptist bigot. Duganne begins to find out deeper secrets of the history of the Chapel and the Starry Wisdom sect. It isnt long before he runs into trouble.

Investigators can travel by train to Brattleboro from Boston or [Arkham how?]. In Brattleboro it is possible to hire a car or catch a bus. The road journey from Arkham or Boston, takes travelers through Brattleboro, then up into the mountains through Newfane, the hamlet of Harmonyville, Townshend then West Townshend. The roads are poor and the journey will take about five hours in total.

As the investigators arrive, a Ford Model-T is pulling out. The driver a jovial, red-haired man in his 30s stops and greets the new arrivals. This is Reverend Bradford Duganne. He is probably surprised to meet the investigators, but friendly. If they relate why they are here, he will giddily share that he is following up on an exciting new lead, that Walsh is inside and will attend to them and that he will catch up with them later this evening. Reverend Walsh greets the investigators warmly. He is a tall, fair-haired and friendly, middle-aged man. And perhaps not the harsh firebrand they might have expected. Walsh relates his own story When Walsh discovers hes not returned the following morning he begins to get worried. Duganne has been to meet (for possibly the 2 nd tim), a local Indian man. This strange loner (who sees himself as a sort of guardian) has told him that there are Red Spirits that protect certain mountains. And that these spirits possess some men in order to serve them. The West River Valley Church has been possessed by Red Spirits. He shows him a cave with paintings of humans and winged Red Spirits. He also shows him a circle of monoliths where he says the Red Spirits come up from the earth to dance to the Great Mother. When they are there, they are attacked, Duganne is captured and the native American man escapes.

TOWNSHEND
TOWNSHEND CHURCH
Common Road The minister of this church is partially under the influence of the cult via the Freemasons, but it is a regular Christian church and there is no direct connection to the story.

MASONIC LODGE
There is a Freemasons Hall called Blazing Star Lodge #23 on the road into Townshend. Several key members of the Spiritualist Church of Astral Wisdom and the [Church of the Outer Ways] are here and freemasonry is one of the key ways in which they can influence local authorities and individuals. The Freemasons have no formal allegiance however and the majority of the members know nothing about it. There is no special evidence to be found at the lodge.

SCOTT COVERED BRIDGE

En route to West Townshend is a large covered wooden bridge, the Scott Bridge, spanning the West River on the investigators left.

INCIDENTS AND INVESTIGATIONS

INITIAL LEADS
tbd

WEST TOWNSHEND
Four or five miles from Townshend heading north-west up the road and with the West River flowing on the left hand side, is the village of West Townshend, which has a post-office/general store and a church (West River Valley Church). Windham Hill Road, leading towards South Windham Baptist Church, branches off to the north, heading up through forest to higher ground. South Windham Baptist Church is about three miles up the road.

LIBRARIES, AND NEWSPAPERS

RESEARCHING WEST RIVER VALLEY CHURCH
Built as a Congregational church and remains that way until Abednego Akeley transfers it to the Starry Wisdom Church. 1868-1871: The West River Valley Church is a branch of the Starry Wisdom Church until Akeleys death. 1871-1880: It is restored as a Congregational denomination church, Akeleys replacement is Rev. Walter W. Baker who is from elsewhere in Vermont. In 1880 Rev. Baker apparently goes insane during a service, rabidly accusing members of the congregation of being sinners. He beats one woman to death with a Bible

SOUTH WINDHAM CHURCH

This is a quiet, rural white-painted Baptist church, built in 1850 with an extensive yard and a separate parsonage where the minister lives. The church serves the scattered hamlet of South Windham and surrounding small farms. Nearby is a small post office and a general store.

SOUTH WINDHAM CHURCH

and injures several other congregants before being restrained. He is hanged at the State Prison and House of Correction in Windsor, Vermont in 1908. 1880 - 1920: The new minister is a local man, Rev. Samuel Aster. 1912: Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy Boston industrialist is ordained as a minister by Rev. Michael Thomas at the Chapel of Contemplation at the age of 18. 1914: Noyes is ordained as a minister of the Congregational Protestant Church at the age of 20. 1917: Malachi Sethom arrives in Townshend and Aster allows him to stay with him. Sethom is a lay preacher 1920: Aster retires. His replacement is Rev. Charles Noyes, a young minister from Boston. Meanwhile Sethom continues his lay preaching. Increasingly Noyes allows Sethom to preach in the church while he is away apparently in Boston. 6. 5.

7.

RESEARCHING REVEREND SETHOM

No record of his history can be found.

8.

RESEARCHING THE STARRY WISDOM CHURCH

At a clipping agency or library in a major town or city, Library Use will reveal each of the following points: 1. The Starry Wisdom was started by a Professor Enoch Bowen in 1844. The main sect was located at the Free-Will Church, Federal Hill, Providence. Looking up Enoch Bowen uncovers an 1844 article by a rival archaeologist. This archaeologist claimed that the study of archaeology had to be maintained as a science, and should not be used as a cover for opportunists and adventurers to exploit the population. He cited Enoch Bowen as a prime example of the latter sort of archaeologist. He said Bowen was an occultist who was more interested in starting a cult than serving science. He detailed how Bowen claimed to have found the ancient tomb of a forgotten pharaoh, and brought forth a crystal that shines in the dark. A successful Cthulhu Mythos roll suggests that the reference might be to the fabled Shining Trapezohedron of Nephren-Ka. The skill user also recalls that the crystal could supposedly summon a demon of darkness that enjoyed blood sacrifices of children. With successful Luck and Library Use rolls, an interesting book is uncovered. Mystical Sects, published in 1857, lists numerous cults across the United States, including a small entry for the Starry Wisdom Sect. They owned a crystal found 9.

2.

10.

11.

3.

12.

4.

13.

in Egypt. They held this object sacred, and by gazing upon it, the members believed they could call up a being known as the Haunter of the Dark, who shared dread secrets with the faithful. This being could be summoned only in absolute darkness, and if it was exposed to light for any period of time, it would be banished. July 1844 The Providence Bulletin mentions the purchase of the Free-Will Church on Federal hill by Professor Bowen. The Italian community is outraged due to the cults location. A priest named OMalley of Spirito Santo Church claims the cult worships the Devil himself. August 1853 The Providence Bulletin mentions an investigation into the Starry Wisdom sect. The investigators find no connection to the disappearances of numerous children in the area. October 1865 The Providence Bulletin notes the death of Professor Enoch Bowen from natural causes. A surviving daughter, Aseneth Bowen, is mentioned. March 1872 The Providence Bulletin publishes a story concerning witch cult rumors among the Italian populace of Federal Hill. The article hints at blood sacrifices by an unnamed cult in the region, but no arrests or indictments have been made. April 1877 The Providence Bulletin includes a small item on the forced break-up of the Starry Wisdom by the authorities. It refers to public pressure on the authorities to enforce this closure. June 1878 A book written by Father OMalley is found, The Coming of the Beast. It details numerous theories regarding the prophecies of the Antichrist. It lists the cult of the Starry Wisdom as modern day Satan worshippers who desire the Beast to rule the earth. Investigators going to Providence to search for the Free-Will Church will find the place much as Blake finds it in the story Haunter of the Dark go to the Providence chapter for more details. Investigators may want to check out the church records of Spirito Santo in Providence. Father Angelo is the present priest of Spirito Santo. He will allow investigators to see the records with a Persuade roll. He himself has heard only rumors of the evil cult. Reputedly, they worshipped the Devil. He helps investigators find Father OMalleys writings of the 1850s: The Starry Wisdom - the stars of Hell - summoning from those stars a shade from Hell itself, but feared the power of God as manifested in Light. Investigators who possess books pertaining to the Cthulhu Mythos can search them for information on the Haunter. To find it, a player

must roll D100 equal to or less than the books Cthulhu Mythos points x3. The information is this: the Haunter was spoken of as holding all knowledge. The Haunter demanded monstrous sacrifices, its favorite being human children. Light could banish it back to its dark realm. With a special success roll, the book calls the Haunter The Bringer of the End Times, the Avatar of Nyarlathotep. (At the keepers discretion, investigators can roll separately to find the Ancient History information on pages 129 130; such information ends at Nitocriss death or the books date of publication, whichever comes first.)

LOCAL RUMOURS & FOLKLORE

From asking around, the investigators hear various rumours: 1. 2. There have been witches/Satanists in the area for generations There have been a number of disappearances in this part of the state over the past few years: mostly runaways and vagrants There are devils living in the hills During the 19th century, the Old Church in West Townshend was taken over by a Satanic cult. The Satanic minister was killed and the cult was driven away. There are strange standing stones in the hills. No one knows where they came from Devils living in caves in the wooded hills According to their grandparents, in remote places there are devils that speak to people in strange voices. They sometimes possess people, especially people who live alone on the higher hills The Old Church at West River Valley is cursed. Bad things happen there due to blasphemous things that have happened there in the past

3. 4.

5. 6. 7.

If the investigators ask enough people, they will find [Name] who claims to have seen Duganne and this other person meet there. If the person is traced, she will initially deny all knowledge, then later contact them, admitting it was her. Duganne was investigating the Satanists in the area. The contact knew about certain standing stones in the hills that they used for their unholy practices and she took them. Once they arrived, Duganne thanked her and offered some money which she declined. Duganne said he wanted to look around some more and asked the contact to go back. That was the last she heard. She did not contact anyone about it as she was afraid. The Satanists have many eyes and ears she says. And she was afraid something bad would happen to her. She is not so scared of the investigators as they are from outside. Psychology to notice that she is nervous or not telling the whole story. If requested, she will agree to show the investigators what she showed Duganne, but she will stress the need for utmost discretion. [Walsh wont come] It is actually a trap. She is a member of the Starry Wisdom cult. The story is almost true. But her story to Duganne lured him discretely into the woods where he was captured by the cult. She has told her fellow cultists about the situation and they have set up an ambush. She will lead the investigators into the forested hills, their cars following a rough track. She will lead them to a real set of standing stones. There are off footprints around if they look. Their car(s) will be disabled and the cultists will attempt to surround and capture them. They can probably manage four armed men at short notice. [Does it matter if this comes before or after the incident at the priory?]

A FEELING OF BEING WATCHED

They soon realize they are being followed, spied upon, their correspondence etc is intercepted etc. If one or two characters explore the woods or hills by themselves they hear buzzing voices tempting them with secret power and knowledge. Meanwhile sect members are trying to tempt the minister with strange promises. [Detail events]

8.

DUGANNE DISAPPEARS
Duganne simply disappears one day. A police investigation finds nothing. According to Rev. Walsh, Duganne was meeting someone who said there were things in the hills he could show him. Apparently the person wanted to meet at the Scott Covered Bridge. In fact he met [name] there who took him to a circle of standing stones at the top of Round Hill. Duganne asked to be left there alone and he was captured by cult members who turned him over to the Outer Ones. [name] didnt want to contact the police as he/she is fearful of being punished by the cult.

INVESTIGATING DUGANNES DISAPPEARANCE

TBD If the site of Dugannes abduction can be traced, there is a notepad there which includes information about his last lead as well as contact details for Henry Akeley and other matters.

THE MONOLITH ON ROUND HILL

TBD

DUGANNES NOTEBOOK
This is a simple notepad containing a few notes and contacts. Notes include details of Dugannes Contact, Rev

Sethoms home address, the address of the spiritualist church and a local folklorist called Henry Akeley (The Akeley House, Townshend). TBD

HENRY AKELEY
Henry Akeley is retired folklorist who has collected many local legends especially about the Outer Ones. He has a wax cylinder recording that he made near a cave entrance blocked by a boulder near the base of Dark Mountain. He has photographs of the cave entrance, of a ring of standing stones on the top of a remote hill and of a strange footprint. He also knows about strange rites that occur around these stones on certain nights. Akeley will offer none of this evidence unless he is both impressed with the sincerity of the investigators (eg. Credit Rating) and sees clear relevance of it to their investigation. Akeley is not a man of action and likes to keep a low profile but he will share what he knows with those he trusts. By speaking with Henry Akeley, the characters will learn the old stories about creatures in the hills. If they earn his trust he will play them the recording he made a few years earlier near the mouth of the cave. He can give them directions to find the mouth of the cave. It is closed with a 20 ton boulder. He will also tell them he has heard of standing stones in the hills. TBD

basement. They go down some steps and through a door. Looking for something heavy to block the door, someone moves an ancient bookcase revealing a hidden door. They pass through into a cave with remains of an ancient Indian site dedicated to the Outer Ones, and possibly also Nyarlathotep and/or Shub Niggurath. Pictographs show red spirits with wings and many arms bearing fire, thunderbolts, wind or totems of power. They are shown living in the sky and in caves and worshipping Coyote, Atahensic (Sky Woman), Ya-o-gah (the North Wind in the form of a Bear) (and possibly Hahgwehdaetgan, the Evil One). Buried in the rubble are ancient human bones. Some skulls have a perfectly circular hole cut in the top. There is a third door leading to the church building itself, from which they can make their escape. They can also simply shelter in the chamber. Later they find strange footprints in the snow and how oddly localized the extreme weather was. If not already captured, there will be another attempt to capture (or failing that kill the minister). He disappears and reappears again apparently having had some sort of stroke and/or religious experience. Now confined to a wheelchair, he says that the sect in fact speaks the word of God. He is flanked by a local nurse called Nurse Brown and at times by a Bostonian friend called Charles Noyes. He attempts to persuade the investigators to join him and the Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion. If they refuse he speaks against them. If confronted about the Outer Ones, he says that they are real but want to share their wisdom. He invites them to travel the stars with the Outer Ones. He has brain cylinder (who? Abednego Akeley or someone else?) who claims to have witnessed all sorts of wonders in space. If they still refuse, his friends appear and they try to overcome the investigators. The investigators may find strange standing stones in the hills with odd markings on them. They may see strange footprints around them or on certain nights even witness strange ceremonies of the Outer Ones there. They are also used by the Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion for special initiation ceremonies and festivals at which one or more Outer One may make an appearance (perhaps wrapped in robes much like an angel?).

INVESTIGATING THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

They may manage to infiltrate the Chapel at least superficially and witness its ceremonies. They may witness (or at least speak to witnesses) people going out onto the hills on certain nights. Perhaps they are able to break in. Inside they find records, religious texts, artwork and equipment hinting at the churches strange affiliations. They are preferably unable to access the hidden parts of the basement (hidden, locked, interrupted?)

THE SIEGE OF SOUTH WYNDHAM CHURCH

The Reverend requests their help. The remote church compound (South Windham church) is cut off by snow (its January) [or thick fog?] . Investigators may have to walk there, or if they drive their cars are disabled. It is surrounded by something. The phone line is cut. The heating system breaks down. They receive phone calls tempting them to help then threatening them, then tempting them again to hand over the minister. The temperature continues to drop. Anyone going outside faces gunfire and spotlights as well as freezing air. The minister suggests that it may be warmer/safer in the

THE CONVERSION OF REVEREND WALSH

If Walsh is not protected, the minister disappears and then reappears a changed man. He relates a profound religious experience that transformed his life. He makes comparisons with Paul on the road to Damascus. An angel appeared to him and revealed the truth. Saying that there was a place in the Heavens for him if he stopped preaching against the new sect. He is now preaching the benign or benevolent nature of the new sect and wishes to hand the church to the new

sect. He invites Rev. Braswell to Townshend for a great revelation. In actual fact Walsh , seen as too much of an ongoing threat to the new sect, was kidnapped (from his house? His car?) and has been replaced by an Outer One. Rev. Walsh is now confined to darkness and pushed around in a wheelchair by a somewhat sinister doctor from Boston called Doctor Clarence Haynes who claims to have saved Walsh s life and who never leaves his side. His speech and movement appear to be affected. There are other rural and urban characters including a farmer called Walter Brown and a well-bred Bostonian called Mr. Noyes who seem to linger around the house. At Walsh s house, Braswell is told that Walsh will surely be ascending to the Heavens and he is made an offer to join the sect. He refuses and tries to leave. The Outer-One posing as Walsh kills him.

[There may also be a brain cylinder here with sensory-vocal apparatus.] THE BOOK OF THE DEADSanity loss: None; Occult +3; Spells: None MICHAEL THOMAS NOTEBOOKSin English. Masquerading as copies of the Proceedings of the Society of Scholars of Biblical Rectitude, these three volumes described Thomas magical techniques and experiments. Sanity loss 1D4/1D8; Cthulhu Mythos +4 percentiles; Occult skill check; 10 weeks to study and comprehend/20 hours to skim. Spells: Hardness of Flesh (Flesh Ward), various hypnotic techniques (Dominate), Contact He Who Waits in the Dark (Nyarlathotep), Ectoplasmic Manifestation. ON RESURRECTIONin English. Enoch Bowens notes on mummification and the preservation of the soul allowed the cult to preserve many of its more powerful members in secret underground chambers, awaiting the return of the Old Ones. The techniques inside have been lost for millennia; if the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh ever found this book, it is likely that they could reconstruct the ceremonies used for their most potent mummifications. The cult leader keeps these in a safe-deposit box at a local bank. Sanity loss 1D3/1D6; grants an Egyptian Hieroglyphs skill check; Cthulhu Mythos +3 percentiles; 8 weeks to study and comprehend/16 hours to skim. Spells: Apportion Ka, Hardness of Flesh (Flesh Ward).

CONFRONTING THE CULT

Approached that the investigators could use include: infiltrating Church services Searching the Church Searching Sethoms house Presenting collected evidence to the local authorities Presenting collected evidence to locals

CONFRONTING THE OUTER ONES

See The Colony in Dark Mountain

REV. MALACHI SETHOM

Rev. Sethom is a white haired old man with a Bostonian accent. He says that he was born in Vermont, in Claremont to the north. He used to run a Spiritualist church in Boston. He wanted to go somewhere quieter and return to his roots before he died. [No record of this man can be found]. In fact he has returned in order to continue the practices of Starry Wisdom and in order to find a way to avoid true death altogether. He has established a church here, associated with the existing cult, and they have captured many people here, taking them to the Temple of the Gulf to be sacrificed to The Haunter of the Dark in exchange for secrets of preserving human life. Combined with his notes, he believes he has perfected the method. He has built himself a tomb under his house. And Dr Hayes and Mr Noyes have been trained in the processes. [If he dies during the course of the investigation this process will kick in] . Who is going to succeed him? Anyone seeing his handwriting, who has seen his Michael Thomas handwriting at the Chapel of Contemplation can make an INTx3 roll to recognize its familiarity (special success means they recognize it at Thomass immediately).

LOCATIONS
REV. SETHOMS HOUSE
The investigators may wish to confront Michael Thomas or investigate his house. His possessions include keys to open the gate to Dark Mountain in the cellar of the Church and a key that opens the Boulder Entrance and the Spring Entrance. Rev Sethom lives in a medium-sized wooden house not far from his Church. The basement of his house has a nearly complete, walledoff area with a laboratory containing surgical equipment, desiccating chemicals, and preserving balms and notes on Egyptian funerary practices. Also here is a copy of Enoch Bowens On Resurrection. The centre of the room has a stone sarcophagus on a raised platform. The sarcophagus has maps of the Otherworld painted on it.

Rev Malachi Sethom (Michael Thomas)

Sorcerer and friend of the late Walter Corbitt. Age 79 in 1923 STR 12 CON 14 SIZ 15 INT 17 POW 18 DEX 15 APP 17 EDU 14 SAN 0 HP 15 Damage Bonus: +1D4 Weapons: Sacrificial Knife 60%, damage 1D4+2+db.Derringer 45%, damage 1D6. Skills: Bargain 45%, Cthulhu Mythos 15%, Fast Talk 70%, Occult 50%, Persuade 75%, Psychology 65%, Sleight of Hand 55% Armor: Thomas has usually put five magic points into Flesh Ward for the day. Seeing him shrug off a cut or stab costs 0/1 Sanity. Spells: Contact Deity/Nyarlathotep, Contact Mi-Go, Dominate, Ectoplasmic Manifestation, Flesh Ward, Summon/Bind Dimensional Shambler, Telekinesis.

the Moon, Outer Space and Yuggoth). These minds are now quite unhinged. They also suffer from a profound longing to return to the stars. (What will they say if re-attached ?) . These minds also possess a significant degree of Cthulhu Mythos knowledge. Detail There are also symbols of the Tri-Lobed Eye and artwork of people being taken by multi-armed angels whose faces are a mass of coloured light and of people travelling among the stars. A church record describes Aseneth Bowen commanded by Our Lord Granter of Secrets to protect the Free-Will Church (i.e. the Trapezohedron) until the time is right. There is also correspondence with Rev. Robert Gills branch of the sect which he is establishing in the old Bayfriars Church (540 E Church St, Arkham, location #714). A locked door leads to a room [describe it] . An alcove in the room has a pitch black archway. Its not clear whether it is a archway or a mirror nothing can be seen beyond it and it reflect no light. In fact, it is a gate created by the Outer Ones. Stepping through it at a cost of 1 magic point, an investigator will find themselves in an almost completely unlit tunnel in the depths of Dark Mountain near to the Temple of the Gulf.

THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF ASTRAL COMMUNION

The West River Valley Church (aka The Old Church) is on the main West River Road from Townshend, backing onto the river. It dates from 1817. This was originally the main church in Townshend. Next door is a building that includes a small store and a post office. At first glance this appears to be an ordinary village church. The Chapel has a bad reputation and people avoid it. Close inspection reveals that the cross above the altar on the stained glass windows is a shining star, those windows also bear a curious three-lobed eye symbol and images of people being borne away by unusual, manylimbed angels. Behind the church, beyond some trees, and a swampy area, is an island in a bend in the West River. There are a number of boulders in the river on either side of the island, making it possible to ford here and cross over to the area of Dark Mountain. The basement contains a number of mythos texts including Latin and several copies of the new English versions of The Book of Eibon and De Vermis Mysteriis, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, plus Aleister Crowley's (flawed) English translation of the Black Book of the Skull, all published by Starry Wisdom Press (registered office in Romania).

THE DOCTRINES OF THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF ASTRAL COMMUNION

Most of these can be understood by listening to services: When the Tower of Babel fell and the people started to speak many different languages, contact with the Divine Principle was lost. A small group of Magi who had resisted the building of the Tower could speak the Divine Tongue. They distilled their celestial wisdom before dispersing around the world especially to Egypt. The Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion is a successor to that tradition. Their services include Egyptian Psalms as well as Christian ones and Bible readings. They have the power to commune with the Divine Principle directly using Dark Mirrors. During these ceremonies, participants speak spontaneously in the Divine Tongue. The Dark Principle shares secret wisdom with them. A new Covenant had been formed with the Divine. The time had come for ancient secrets to be revealed to those who are ready, in preparation for a time when the Primal Unity would be restored. The Church can also contact the Malakhim or Angels of the Divine Principle who share wisdom with them. A select number of the faithful are taken up by the Malakhim into the heavens where they learn the secrets of the universe and exist forever.

THE GATE IN THE BASEMENT

Also in the basement, next to a curtained wooden box, are two brain cylinders containing the immortal souls of initiates who have returned from the Heavens (names and details). On certain occasions they are brought up to the altar and attached to the Speaking Device which allows them to tell tales of their wonderful journeys and the sights they have seen (the Mi-Go colony in Vermont,

BOSTON
Rev Charles Noyes runs a Spiritualist Church in Boston called the Church of Astral Communion. He is also a Son of Yog-Sothoth at the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight and a close friend of Carl Sanford. The doctor' likewise is the vice-leader and a Knight of the Outer Void. Leads at the Church of Astral Communion might include the location and significance of the Free-Will Church and some secret that is kept there. Rev. Noyes will also have a key that gives access to Round Hill/Dark Mountain.

THE SPIRITUALIST CHURCH OF ASTRAL COMMUNION, BOSTON

TBD

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Rev. Walsh
Age STR 11 CON 14 SIZ 13 INT 12 POW 14 DEX 11 APP 9 EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills: Armor:

around 1800. The lawn is well-kept with a stone bordered path leading to a Georgian doorway. At this time he has a housekeeper. A retired anthropologist from the University of Vermont. The folklorist is present in his house on the side of the hill and is already gathering information about the strange creatures of the area. He has a recording made in 1915 near the mouth of a cave of buzzing and human voices. Akeley cannot be persuaded to join the characters investigation but he is willing to show them where the cave is. There are indeed footprints there. He also has photographs of a footprint of an Outer One, the mouth of a woodland cave blocked by a round boulder with similar tracks in front of it and another of a circle of standing stones on the summit of a wild hill Age STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills:

Rev. Duganne
Age STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills: Armor:

Dr. Haynes
Middle-class Bostonian cultist and sorcerer. Age STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills:

Walter Brown
Rural cultist and sorcerer. Lives in a rundown hillside place near the deep woods. Aseneth Bowens son Age STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills:

Unnamed sorceror
Sandy hair?

Suicide cultist Reverend Charles Noyes

Middle-class Bostonian cultist and sorcerer. Age STR CON SIZ INT POW DEX APP EDU SAN HP Damage Bonus: Weapons: Skills:

Henry Akeley
To the south of Townshend is Henry Akeleys farm. A trim, white house with two storeys and an attic, built

APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1: ABOUT THE OUTER ONES
THEIR BUSINESS ON EARTH
TBD

1846: Disappearances begin in Providence that rumors link to the Starry Wisdom Church. The Haunter had decided to allow its links to this realm to grow through these rituals, so that it might find the most suitable host for its essence. It told its followers it awaited the proper time and place to come forth in the shape of man. 1851: A minor schism within the Starry Wisdom Church results in Rev. Orin B. Eddy setting up in an abandoned church in the North End of Boston with financial and practical aid from Walter Corbitt and with part of the Starry Wisdom Churchs collection of artifacts, occult texts, especially their collection of Egyptian funerary texts. It is called Chapel of Contemplation & Church of Our Lord Granter of Secrets. The practices of the Chapel are in the style of a Spiritualist Church with sances, sometimes aided by sorcery such as Telekinesis or by information gathered from the Haunter of the Dark in Providence, but mostly through various forms of fakery. With the aid of certain ancient funerary texts, Orin B. Eddy makes progress rediscovering Ancient Egyptian techniques for everlasting life. 1852: Walter Corbitt is sued by neighbors, who petition to force him to leave the area "in consequence of his surious [sic] habits an unauspicious demeanor." The Starry Wisdoms power grew as Bowen received direct guidance from the Haunter. In return for the blood sacrifices, the Haunter gave the cultists information by means of which they obtained various artifacts and numerous dread tomes. They collected copies of the Necronomicon, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Liber Ivonis, Cultes de Goules, De Vermis Mysteriis, Pnakotic Manuscripts, and the Book of Dzyan. 1858: A growing feud between Orin B Eddy and the main body of the Starry Wisdom Church ends in the death of Eddy. His body is cremated and buried in the crypt. Rev. Elisha Bishop is placed in charge of the Chapel of Contemplation. He discovers and continues Eddys Afterlife work. The Chapel becomes quite influential in Boston due to the patronage of powerful people as well as access to potentially damaging information on certain influential people. 1863: A branch of Starry Wisdom opens in Townshend, Vermont, based at a vacation home owned by Dr. Raymond Flagg. Flagg comes to influence the young minister Abednego Akeley, who initially challenges him but is impressed by the power that Flagg can invoke. At this point, the Starry Wisdom Cult in Providence had over 200 members.

THEIR OPERATION IN VERMONT

TBD

CASTES
TBD Worker Soldier Priest Scientist Thinker

SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT
In H.P. Lovecrafts The Whisperer in Darkness, the Outer Ones are described as travelling abroad only in darkness. The Outer One that disguises itself as Henry Akeley is sitting in a darkened room. The planet Yuggoth (Pluto) itself is almost lightless. All this strongly implies that the Outer Ones not only can navigate without light, but that they are sensitive to even moderate light. Prolonged exposure damages their visual tissues and in the short term they experience pain and impaired vision.

Light conditions

Effect

Dim light (twilight or a brightly lit room) Skills at -10 Moderate to bright light (daylight) Skills at

APPENDIX TWO: TIMELINE

1832: Abednego Mesach Akeley is born in Windham County, Vermont 1835: a prosperous merchant builds the 'Corbitt' house, but immediately falls ill and sells it to a Mr. Walter Corbitt, esquire, the owner of a successful, local furniture shop. 1843, Egypt: Professor Enoch Bowen, archaeologist and student of the occult, found the Shining Trapezohedron in the Labyrinth of Kish. 1844: May Professor Enoch Bowen ceases his excavations of Nephren-Ka's tomb upon finding the Shining Trapezohedron, and returns to Providence. Bowen founds the Starry Wisdom sect, buying the old Free-Will Church for its headquarters. This cult used the crystal to summon the Haunter, to whom they made blood sacrifices of infants and children.

1865: Enoch Bowen dies. Dr Flagg takes over the central sect. Bowens daughter Aseneth is vice-leader and pastor of the Providence branch. Enoch Bowen is mummified and entombed in the crypts of the Freewill Church. Whether the rituals designed to maintain life after death were successful or not is not entirely clear. 1866 Evidently Corbitt wins the lawsuit. His obituary in 1866 states that he still lived in the same place. It also states that a second lawsuit was being waged to prevent Corbitt from being buried in his basement, as provided by his will. Executor of Walter Corbitt's will was Reverend Michael Thomas (age 22), pastor of the Chapel of Contemplation & Church of Our Lord Granter of Secrets. 1868: The Reverend Samuel Shadrach Solomon Akeley, father of Abednego Akeley, dies. Abednego succeeds him as reverend, but immediately after the funeral he left Vermont and travelled in southern New England. On his return, he begins preaching the doctrines of Starry Wisdom to his flock and converts his church affiliation to the Church of Starry Wisdom. In fact he was already a convert and was simply awaiting his fathers death to complete his training in Providence and Boston. The church is renamed as West River Valley Church of Starry Wisdom. Controversy and scandal follow. 1869: A group of Irish vandalize the Starry Wisdom Church in Providence, apparently in retaliation for their perceived involvement in kidnapping a fellow. 1871: Abednego Akeley dies at the age of 39 and his church closes. Rev. Akeley was killed by an unknown assailant. And seriously wounded, he asked to have his brain removed that he might explore the mysteries of the cosmos. He leaves behind a son, Henry Wentworth Akeley, conceived hours before his death. The mother is Sarah Elizabeth Phillips, a servant in the Akeleys household. After Rev. Akeleys death most of the congregation move to Providence, others remain, continuing to consort with the Outer Ones and passing their secret doctrines from parent to child. Meanwhile, some community leaders are gradually brought under the influence of the Outer Ones or replaced with those who are already. A branch of the Starry Wisdom sect in Chicago known as the Celestial Providence sect is disbanded by the Great Chicago Fire. 1872: West River Valley Church is restored as a Congregational denomination church, Akeleys replacement is Rev. Walter W. Baker who is from elsewhere in Vermont. Meanwhile, the Starry Wisdom doctrine survives to some extent among former members of the congregation.

1876: Policemen showed up at the Chapel of Contemplations doorstep in search of a sacred golden box (once the property of Nephren-Ka) from Egypt which had vanished from the British Museum shortly after Bishop made an unsuccessful bid to purchase it. (This box would eventually show up in the hands of Rupert Merriweather, with whom it will be found at the start of the rulebooks The Edge of Darkness scenario.) The authorities, upon searching the Chapel, found the false panels and secret doors used to stage sances and trick congregants. 1877 May: The Starry Wisdom cult in Providence is disbanded after threats from the locals. The cultists leave town by year's end. Aseneth Bowen was commanded by the Haunter to leave the Shining Trapezohedron in the church for safekeeping. Empowered by the Haunter, Dr. Flagg and Aseneth Bowen wove a spell casting an aura of dread and fear over the building. The crystal was left in the church, along with some of the sects library of occult texts. No one in the neighborhood dared to explore the church. [Alternatively, Elder Signs left on the doorways prevent their re-entry?] The Townshend and Boston sects are reinforced by refugees from Providence. The Townshend sect is now about 40 strong, but is forced to practice in secret. Others migrate to Boston, where they swell the attendance at the Chapel of Contemplation. Many others head west, to California, where a branch is established in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, remnants of the sect continue secretly in Providence under the leadership of Aseneth Bowen. Elisha Bishop dies. While a coffin went into a plot in Mount Auburn, his body rested in a small, secret chamber beneath the Chapel of Contemplation. Spiritualist manifestations within the chapel picked up considerably, as Bishops spirit made itself manifest. Thomas revives the sect with the aid of Elisha Bishops spirit. 1880: Rev. Baker of the West River Valley Church apparently goes insane during a service, rabidly accusing members of the congregation of being sinners. He beats one woman to death with a Bible and injures several other congregants before being restrained. He is hanged at the State Prison and House of Correction in Windsor, Vermont in 1908. The new minister is a local man, Rev. Samuel Aster. Aster was once a member of Rev. Akeleys congregation, initiated into the Starry Wisdom doctrine. After his Protestant ordination, he was secretly ordained in the Starry Wisdom Church at the Chapel of Contemplation (the Free-Will Church has been closed). He incorporates Starry Wisdom doctrine into some of his sermons and has

a secret inner circle of initiates known as The Million Favored Ones who continue to consort with the Outer Ones. c. 1880: Ghost stories centering around the former Starry Wisdom Church begin around this time. A Yorkshire branch of the cult arises, possibly founded by Dr. Raymond Flagg. It is active until around 1890. Winter 1881: Marrion Allen, an amateur occultist from Arkham, and leader of a group calling themselves The Dark Brotherhood joins The Chapel of Contemplation in Boston. Feb. 1882: Marrion Allen steals two items from the Chapel, both artifacts from the tomb of Nephren-Ka: a miniature sarcophagus and an ancient Egyptian trumpet. August 1883: Marion Allen flees from members of Starry Wisdom to New Orleans where he sells the Trumpet of Ptah at a curio shop in an attempt to raise funds to flee the country. Soon after, he is killed by agents of Starry Wisdom on the docks. 1890: By this time, the Yorkshire Starry Wisdom cult has fallen apart. Dr. Flagg seems to have disappeared after this. 1892: Aseneth Bowen dies. Her body is mummified in a chamber beneath her house in Providence by Rev. Michael Thomas. 1893: The spell around the original church prevented anyone from entering the building until a reporter from the Providence Telegram, Edwin M. Lillibridge, possessed of great force of will, made his way into the building to investigate stories of the church being haunted. He found the crystal and accidentally summoned the Haunter. The Haunter killed Lillibridge in a failed attempt to merge with the hapless human. 1895: An edition of De Vermis Mysteriis is supposedly published by Starry Wisdom Press, (registered office in Boston) but no copies have been found. 1909: Starry Wisdom Press allegedly releases a version of Unaussprechlichen Kulten as well, but no copies are ever found. 1911: A New Orleans jazz musician and trumpet-maker called Lightning Billy Watkins spots the Trumpet of Ptah in a curio shop and noting its unusual tones, converts it into a modern trumpet. 1912: Charles Noyes, the son of a wealthy Boston industrialist is ordained as a minister by Rev. Michael Thomas at the Chapel of Contemplation at the age of 18.

Secret raid on the Chapel of Contemplation & Church of Our Lord Granter of Secrets occasioned by affidavits swearing that members of the church were responsible for the disappearances of neighborhood children. Chapel is closed. During the raid, three policemen and seventeen cult members were killed by gunplay or fire. Autopsy reports are singularly undetailed and uninformative, as though the coroner had not actually performed examinations. Though 54 members of the church were arrested, all but eight were released. The records hint of illegal intervention in the proceedings by important local official, offering an explanation of shy stories of the battle - the biggest criminal action in the city's history - never appeared in print (the existence of the cult, the details of what was found and the bloodbath that ensued were so embarrassing that the whole thing was covered up). Pastor Michael Thomas (age 71) was arrested and sentenced to 40 years in prison on five counts of seconddegree murder. Rev. Charles Noyes (who later also becomes a member of the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight) takes nominal charge of the remnants of the Starry Wisdom sect in Boston. 1914: Noyes is ordained as a minister of the Congregational Protestant Church at the age of 20. 1917: Thomas, aged 73 vanishes from his cell one night, leaving two guards torn apart and five prisoners insane. He uses sorcery stealing copper pipes he making a copper dagger and uses it in a ritual to summon and then bind a dimensional shambler. Charles Noyes and Samuel Aster help Thomas slip away to Vermont without a trace. He begins to preach thinly-veiled Starry Wisdom doctrine in the Townshend area under the pseudonym, Rev. Malachi Sethom. Aster allows him to stay in his house and then with Noyes help assists him to buy a small house of his own. Knowing that his end is near, Michael Thomas works determinedly to restore the now-endangered art of perpetual life. 1919: Lightning Billy Watkins is committed to a mental hospital after mysterious events during a New Orleans funeral march. 1920: Aster retires. His replacement is Rev. Charles Noyes. Meanwhile Sethom continues his lay preaching. Increasingly Noyes allows Sethom to preach at the church, while he looks after business interests in Boston and begins to establish a new church at the old Bayfriars Church, 540 E Church St, Arkham. Aleister Crowley's (flawed) English translation of the Black Book of the Skull is published by Starry Wisdom Press, with offices in Los Angeles. People have begun to disappear in Vermont.

1921: Rev. Walsh arrives, hears rumours of strange practices in the area 1920s: A Los Angeles-area branch of the Starry Wisdom Cult reaches the peak of its popularity, lasting through the 1930s New York jazz musician Leroy Turner buys Lightning Billy Watkins unusual trumpet from a curio shop in New Orleans. May Eve 1922: Rev. Duganne witnesses ceremonies in the hills Walsh and Duganne believe there is a survival of witchcraft in the area Walsh begins to preach against the Spiritualist Church of Astral Communion and to publish sermons and letters in the press about it A correspondence possibly begins with one of the investigators. Walsh starts to be spied on and intimidated. He is not sure who to trust any more. Walsh asks the investigators to help.