The Stars Are Kight

Seven Modern Horrors

H. P. LOVECRAFT lSgo - lg37

 TI{E

ARE RTGI{T!
Seyen Modern Horrors

Richard Watts John lynes

AndrS Bishop Fred Behrendt
Steve Hatherly Gary Sumpter
Kevin A. Ross Steven G. Rasmussen
D.l{. Frew

cover painting JoHN T. SNYDER

interior illustrations BLAIRREYNoLDS
interior maps ToNY sANTo
astrologicalchart illustrations PETRAPlNo

editorial KEIT]I HERBEB

design and layout LES BRoOKS
cover design cHARLIEKRANK
copyreading JoHN TYNES
...O

-*
z:
-v> @
GHAOSTUMtNC.
THESTARSARERIGHTis published byChaosium Inc.
@'1992by Chaosiumlnc.;all rightsreserved.
THESTARSARERIGHTis copyright
CALLOFCTHULHUis the registered
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of Chaosium, Inc.

Similarities
betweencharactersin THESTARSARERIGHTandpersonslivingor deadarestrictlycoincidental.
H.P.Lovecraft's worksarecopyright@1963,1981,1965by AugustDerlethandarequotedfor purposeof illustration.
Coverpaintingof Cthughamanifesting overSanFrancisco is copyright
@1992by JohnT.Snyder;all righb reserved.
lnteriorillustrations, drartillustrations
interiormaps,andastrological arecopyrightO 1992by BlairReynolds,
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allrightsreserved.
of materialfromwithinthisbookfor thepurposeof personalor corporateprofit,by photographic,
Thereproduction electronic,
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Addressquestions his bookas wellas requestsfor freecatalogsof Chaosiumbook,games,andsupplements

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ChaosiumPublication2337.Publishedin June 1992
tsBN 0-933635€&5
 Contents
Loveb Lonely Ghildren .....................4 Fractal Gods.......... ........71
RichardWatts SteveHatherly

Nemo Solus Sapit......... ...................t9 Tlre Gates of Delirium .....................84

John Tynes Gary Sumpter

Tlris Fire Shall Kill... .....35 Tlre Music of the Sphercs ..............99
Andr6 Bishop KevinA. Ross

Tlre Professionals...... ......................54 When The Stars Came Bight Agaln ..............122
Fred Behrendt SfevenC. Rasmussen& D.H.Frew

Introduction
55 tnat is not dead which can eternal tie,
And with strange aeons even death may die. t
fihe Necronomicon
HE secondmillennium draws to a close as the
hoary starstrack their ancientcourses.Soonthe
time will be right, a time foretold in many a for-
gottenbook, a time when mankind perceivesits end and
theworld eruptsin chaosandflame,the Old Onessinging
and dancing,reveling as they did before, extinguishing
mankindasthoughno more thanthe flame of a candle.In
the early part of this century discoverieswere madethat
warnedof the corningchanges.As this centurydrawsto a
close,the warnings come true as first one, then another
prophecyis fulfilled. The dawn of a new ageis uponus,
thestarsareright!
Thc StarsAre Nght! containssevendifferent Call of
Cthulhuadventwe*., all setin themodemera.Althoughmost
have been specifically locatedsomewherein the United
States,a little keeperingenuityeasilyconvertsmostof them
forusein otherlocations,eitherin America,Europe,orsome
otherplaceof the keeper'schoice.
"lrve's LonelyChildren"beginswiththe brutalmurder
of a teenageprostitute.Followingup thestory investigators
encountera rock band, the pervertedownersof an adult
bookstore,andfinally theGreatOld OneY'golonac.
"Nemo SolusSapit(Noneis Wise Alone)" involves
the investigatorsin the schemesof an insaneCalifomia
psychiatrist.Looking into a fellow investigator'sinsanity
and treatmentat the facility, they discoverthe doctor's
unorthodoxtreatrnentmethodsinclude both sorceryand
cannibalism.
"This Fire ShallKill" beginswith thedestructionof the
investigators'home. Followingup,the investigatonleamof
an ancientfre cult and are wiuressto severalfiery deaths
beforea final confrontationwith cultist lremen takesplace
atopa bumingskyscraperin downtownSanFrancisco.
"The hofessionals"introducesinvestigatorsto thesub-
terfugeof the nationalpolitical arena.Hired by shadowy
figuresto besmirchthe reputationof a popularu.s. Senator,
the investigatorssoon find themselveshopelesslyentan-
gled in a web of intrigug counterplot,and death.
"Fractal Gods" leadsinvestigaorsinto the dark com-
plexitiesof a mmputerizedhorror.Followingthemyslerious
suicideof a computergraphicsenthusiast, investigatorscon-
front bizarrealienentitiesand ultimatelyencounter the frac-
tal form of theOuterGod Yog-Sothoth.
"The Gatesof Delirium" takes investigatorsto New
York City wherea deviouspsychiatristis usinghis patients
to testa mysteriomdrugcalledLiao.Visionsof otherworlds
brings abouta deadlyencounterwith Daoloth.
"The Music of the Spheres"takesplaceat the siteof a
Sbangesignalsfrom a
radio telescopein rural Nebrasl<a.
distant,dark starstir long-hiddenemotions,panicwildlife,
and eventuallycreatehavocin the srnall town of llayden.
This extra-terrestrialentity, Ghroth, signalsthe coming of
the new ageandthe endof mankind.
"When the Stan CameRight Again" is an astrological
treatisechartingthe positionsof the planetsat the time of
R'lyeh'srisingin 1925.
_K.H.
Gall Of Cthulhu 5th Edition
The StarsAre Right has beenpreparedusingthe skills
list from the sth editionof Call of Cthulhu,whichdiffers
slightlyfrompreviouseditions.
A/ewSkills Old Skills
Art Sing
Biology Botany,Zoology
Conceal Camouflage
Locksmith PickPocket
MartialArts new
Medicine DagnoseDisease,Treat
Disease,TreatPoison
NaturalHistory Botany,Zoolqy
Navigate MakeMaps
OtherLanguage RfA/Language
Own Language R/WEnglish
Persuade Debate,Oratory
Physics new
 The Stars Arc Right

55 Fot those who read of evil and search for its cialist contacts. Through one of these he obtained a pho-
form within their minds call forth evil, and so tocopy of the ill-rumored twelfth volume of The Revela-
may Y'golonac return to walk among men. . .99 tions Of Glaaki. Long hours he spent pawing over the
book with sweaty hands, a feverish study that continued
The Eevelalions ol Glaaki, on into the early hours of the morning. Af0er some months
Volume XII he unravelled the secrets of the text. Not so much a book,
the writings were more truly a gateway to forbidden
HIS scenario takes place in a large city. Un- pleasures.
named, the exact city is left to the discretion of Hammond now has that for which he hungered-new
the keeper, the best choice probably the home sensation. His flesh hosts a dreaming alien conscious-
town of the investigators. ness. Hammond is possessed by the Great Old One
Y'golonac.
Keeper's Information
The line that separates petty human evil from ravening Investigators' Information
horror is easily crossed. Colin Hammond, a pornogra- The scenariobeginswith the gruesomedeathof a young
pher, is a case in point. Weak and greedy, encouraged in prostitute,Kathy Hammond,the only child of Colin and
degeneracy by his gargantuan, domineering wife, Ham- Edith Hammond.Fleeingthe horror and abuseof her
mond long ago exhausted the range of pleasures open to home,Kathy escapedonehell only to find herselfin an-
saner members of humanity. A resourceful man, he other-the living hell of heroin addiction.Forcedinto
sought further afield for the delights he craved, employ- prostitution to support her drug habit, Kathy wursgone
ing in turn drugs, sadism, Satanismand worse. from home nearly eight months before her father man-
The proprietor of a bookshop specializing in pornog- agedto track her down. No strangerto the city's flourish-
raphy gave Hammond a wide range of shadowy and spe- ing illegal nightlife, Colin Hammondsecretlyfollowed
her to CaulfieldPark,Kathy'sregularworking site.
The next morning Kathy Hammond'shackedandmu-
WOMAN BRUTALLY MURDERED tilated body is found stuffed into a half-dozengarbage
BY DERANGED KILLER canslining theperimeterof thelake.The LonelyChildren
Papers#1 below is a newspaperstory that appearslater
Dism.embered Body Fotstd. that day. The keepermay prefer to presentthis informa-
in Caulfield Park tion in the form of a televisionnews story seenby the
investigators.The story is completewith on-the-scene
CAULFIELD PARK-The ble jaw c facial &formity of dis- interviewsand moody shotsof CaulfieldPark at dawn.
body of Katherine Louise Ham- tinctive appearance.
mond, a seventeenyear old pros- Early examination shows
Some keepersmight prefer to have the investigators
titute of no fixed ad&ess, was that the causeofdeath was due ro stumbleupon the honible evidencethemselves, directly
discoveredearly this morning in loss of blood, and shock Al- involvingthemin thecase.With CaulfieldParkwreathed
downtown Caulfield Parkby city
though final tests are yet to be in fog and shadows,the discoveryof the brutally dis-
workers. Pieces of the body
made, a preliminary check
wrapped in black plastic bags patchedcorpsecostsinvestigators1/lD4 Sanitypoints.
showeda large amount ofheroin
were fowrd in several garbage
in the victim's bloodstream.
cans along the edge of the park's
Hammond is believed to have
ornamental lake.
died sometime between the
Further Developments
Police spokesperson Detec-
hous of 1l PM last night and I By lateafternoon,SpiderHolloway is releasedfrom cus-
tive Sergeant Margaret O'FIal-
eu this moming. tody. The evening news updatesthe story announcing
loran said that the corpse had
been crudely dismembered with Hammond's boyfriend that althoughno chargeshavebeenfiled, the youngman
a heavy insnument, possibly an David "Spider" Hollowan a mu-
sician with a popular under-
is still considered
a suspect.Televisionnewsshowsa thin
axe. The body was also marked
by numerous savage bite ground band called The Rising is young man dressedin tatteredblack hurrying down the
wounds. These wounds, although currently assisting police with stepsof a police stationto a waiting, decrepitcar. He
definitely human, indicate a pcsi- their enquiries. holds his coat up, coveringhis face but not his red mo.
hawkhaircut.
The Lonely GhildrenPapers#1

It is also revealed that Kathy Hammond had a crimi-
nal record with convictions for soliciting, for prostitution,
and for possessionof heroin.
Cautfield Park
EVERAL acresof greensqueezedin at the edge
of the city's financial district, by day Caulfield
Parkis pleasantandrelaxing.Partiallyovershad-
owed by towering office blocks of glass and steel, its
rolling lawns are spottedby sunlight,its tree-linedave-
nuesandornamentallake a havenfor nearbyoffice work-
ers who descendupon the park during lunch hour to
stroll, eat their sandwiches,and feed the ducks.None of
thebe-suitedandpower-dressed businesspeoplewho fre-
quentit by day cometo thepark afterdark.
Investigations by Day
Inquiries among the office workers brings no informa-
tion. Almost all have heard of the murder but none are
familiar with the characterof the park after dark. To them
Kathy Hammond is just another statistic. If evidenceof the
park's nightlife is looked for, discarded condoms and syr-
inges are uncovered in the flower beds and garbagecarn.
The Gardener
Investigators who paw through trash cans or tread on the
flower beds in searchof clues draw the attentionsof over-
all-clad Harold Lambert, a city gardener.A grizzled man
in his late fifties, Harold's
weathered face is a map of
wrinkles and broken capil-
laries, his angry bloodshot
eyes half hidden by a thick
mop of dirty grey hair. A
bitter alcoholic, most peo-
ple stand well back when
talking with Harold; his
breath is beyond excuse.
Investigators who tread on
the carefully tended flower
beds earn themselves the
sharp edge of his tongue.
Patrick, Harold's only
son, died of a heroin over-
Harold Lambert
dose twenty years ago and
the old man has never recovered from the shock. He
blames the people who sold his son the drugs and has
come to hate all drug dealerswith a passion. If he had his
way, he would happily tie up any dealerhe could find, inject
"their own filthy dope an'watch 'em die."
them with
Harold is confronted everyday with evidence of what
goes on in Caulfield Park. As he cleans up the previous
Love's Lonely Childrcn
night's sordid remnants-wearing rubber gloves-
Harold is only too happy to complain about what goes on
after dark. As he has no one to talk to most of the time' he
unburdensall his sonows and rage in a rapid-fue tirade upon
the fint person who seemseven vaguely sympathetic.
Nightlife
Once the sun sets, Caulfield Park takes on a new guise.
The trees which seemedpleasantly leafy by day block out
much of the glow from the streetlights, while the lapping
of the lake takes on a sucking, menacing sound. In
autumn and winter the trees are skeletal, the fog hanging
wraith-like between their hoary trunks. Cars prowl the
edgesof the park, their taillights glowing in the darkness.
Hidden by shadows,drug dealersand prostitutescarry
out theh illicit transactions catering to society's baser
needs.Violence is common; youthful gangsfight murder-
ously over imagined dishonors while cheated clients ar-
gue for the retum of their money. Wrapped in newspapers
and huddled in cardboard boxes for warmth, homeless
people settle down amidst the shrubbery.At night, Caul-
field Park becomestheir home.
Investigators who come to Caulfield Park after dark
find that the action doesnot heat up until well after 10 ptvt.
Thereafter over-dressed prostitutes and feral youths in
gang colors drift about beneath the trees and occasional
street lights. Both good times and trouble await those
who visit Caulfield Park.
Having already answeredthe police's none too gentle
inquiries, most of the park's evening inhabitants respond
to questions about the Kathy Hammond murder with
either sullen silence or threats. If investigators succeed
with Persuaderolls-or offer a $20 bill-someone points
them in the direction of Honeysuckle Rose,a working girl
and a friend of Kathy's.
Honeysuckle Rose
A slim woman in her late thirties, after dark and with
judiciousmakeup,Roselooksabouttwenty.Rosedresses
in tight jeans,high heelsandlooseblouses.Adeptat cas-
ual, meaninglessconversa-
tion, Rose grows sharp and
tense when questions be-
come more personal. Her
hard life has taught her to
look out for number one
and she does her best to
keep her working life sepa-
rate from her personal life.
If the investigators wish to
talk with her they must pay
at least $40. Time is money.
If male investigators pay a
little more, Rose offen to
"why they call me
show
Suckle, honey."
HoneysuckleRose
 The Stars Arc Fight
As far as Rosecould ascertain(for Kathy was secre-
tive about her past) the girl had a desperatelyunhappy
childhood.She said she had run away from home five
yearsago,but Rosethinksthis wasa lie; Kathy seemedto
know little aboutlife on the street.Rosesuspectsthat she
had only recently run away from home when she first
showedup at the parkaboutsix monthsago.
Rosehasmet SpiderHolloway,"thatpunk boy,"once
or twice. Shesaysthe two seemedvery much a couplg
inseparablefrom one another.Rose dislikes Spider and
doesnot botherto hide the fact, mistakenlybelievinghim
to be the one who introducedKathy to heroin.
On thenight of Kathy's death,Roselastsawher talk-
ing angrilywith a thin weasel-likemanaround10:30pr',r.
She saw the sameman, driving "a green car, a sedan"
muchlater in the night, around2 AM. Not seeingKathy
for most of the evening did not disturb Rose as the girl
had earliermentionedthat she was planningto leaveto
seeSpiderandthe bandplay.
Rosehasreportednone of this to the police; shesays
she does not need the harassmentsuch action would
bring. If any ofthe investigatorsarepolice or reporters,or
claim to be, Roseclamsup. Neithermoneynor smooth-
tonguedinvestigatorscan encourageRose to speak
openlyif shebelievespublicity will result.Like mostof
the after-darkinhabitantsof CaulfieldPark,Rosedoesnot
wantherrefugedisturbedmorethanit hasbeenalready.
Although she does not volunteer the information,
HoneysuckleRoseknowsthe addressof Kathy'shome,a
rundown squat. Investigatorswho ask her about its
whereabouts, and offer at leastanother$20, will be di-
rectedto a neighborhooda few blocks west of the park.
Rosealreadyknowsthe identity of Kathy's killer, or
at leasthasa fair idea.Havingmet Colin Hammondonce
or twice in years past, she easily recognizedhim as the
driver of the green sedanshe saw on the night of the
murder.OnceRoselearnsthe investigatorsare interested
in Kathy Hammond,and more importantly in her killer,
shevisits Colin andalertshim to thefact.Roseintendsto
blackmail Hammondand at no time doesshehint to the
investigators thatsheknowstheidentityof Kathy'skiller.
If theinvestigators
stakeout }lammond'sbookshoplater
in thecourseof thescenario,it is entirelypossiblethatthey
arewifiressto Rose'svisit, andpossiblyher death.
The Police
NY inquiriesaboutKathy Hammond'smurder
arepassedon to theofficerin chargeof thecase,
DetectiveSergeant TedMaclntyre.Rarelyin his
office, Mclntyre rarely returnsmessagesleft for him. In-
vestigatorsmay havedifficulty catchingup with him.
Detective Sergeant
Ted Maclntyre
Once a weight lifter and fitness fanatic, middle-age com-
bined with an excessivealcohol intake have renderedhis
solid build a bit flabby. Maclntyre's graying hair is
shaved short and his nose, broken several times over the
years, is badly set. His size is enough to make any at-
tacker think twice before tackling him.
Investigators who interview Mclntyre find him nar-
row-minded and abrasive.He has little time to follow up
on the murder of a worttrless junkie prostitute. In Macln-
tyre's narrow mind the obvious suspect for Kathy's mur-
der is her punk boyfriend, Spider Holloway a known
drug offender with prior offenses.
Little the investigators say or do changes his mind. To
Mclntyre's way of thinking people fall into one of two
distinct categories-those who are right, and those who
are wrong. He can usually tell one from another simply
by the clothes they wear or how they cut their hair.
The Kising
UITE possibly the investigatorsalso suspect
Kathy's punk boyfriend.Avenuesof obtaining
informationabout The Rising, and what that
informationis, areoutlinedbelow.
General Information .
AsuccessfulIdearoll allowsan investigatorto recallhav-
ing reador heardsomethingaboutThe Rising.An aggres-
sive punk band, their energyon stagehas been called
"phenomenaland exhilarating."The
Rising have gath-
ereda substantial
local following andtakea strongpublic
stanceagainstracisrn,sexismandhomophobia.
Music Stores
Investigatorsspendingtime in music storesare able to
trackdown theband'sthreesinglesandone EP.Themu-
sic is typified by a fastaggressive style,drumspounding
industrially,the bassa dark rhythm under two guitars
shrieking,the vocalswailing,biting, soundingout above
all. Political and socialthemesare commonto The Ris-
ing's lyrics.
TheRising'sreleases areall on onelabel,MeltedMir-
ror Records,an independent studiospecializingin under-
groundbands.SeeThe Lonely ChildrenPapers#2.
Newspapers
No mainstream daily containsanymentionof TheRising.
A studyof the local rock presscoupledwith Library Use
rolls uncoversseveralbrief but glowing articlesin the
 Love's Lonely Childpn

The interior decorof The Pit is bestdescribedas "de-

The Rising'sRecordingCatalogue signergrunge."Wallsarepainteda deepredandscrawled
with graffiti, the stained and threadbarecarpetspock-
Singles markedwith cigarettebums.Lighting is subdued,mainly
"KillThe Law" "Meat" reflectedfrom the spotlights focussedon the stage.The
dw
"Go HomeHomophobe" c/w "Shootlt (lf lt Thinks)" stageitself is fencedoff with wire meshand flanked by
"Disbelieve,Disobey,Destroy"c/w "Capitali$tic hugespeakers.
Xma$Orgy" The Pit's customersare a motley collection of sub-
EPs cultures,stereotypes, herd-beasts andindividuals.Punks,
SweetAnarchy,featuring"ThinkingAin't lllegal,""Don't skinheadsandgothsareseen,asareoccasionalslumming
Believe,""Lost And Lonely,""CannibalisticConsumer fashion victims. Some people do not attract a single
Culture,"and"SweetAnarchy."
glance-ordinary peoplewho like good music. Others
accumulatestareswhereverthey go. During the day,The
The LonelyChildrenPapers#2 Pit is closed, people gathering instead at the front bar,
with bikers, and bands and their followers making up
form of interviews and reviews. All praise the band for most of the Grand'sregular clientele. Once a month the
their raw contemporarysound. local tattoo club meetshere to compareand talk about
Beat magazine applauds The Rising for their their latestdecorations.
"stripped-backvitality, harkingback to the explosionof
punk in the late 70s." Nu-MusicX-Pressfavorablycom-
paresthem to The SexPistols,The DeadKennedysand
BlackFlag.Almostall thereviewsarepositive,exceptfor
Meeting The Kising
one crushing review of the EP in a more mainstream, BandsworkingThePit anive severalhoursearlyto setup
poporientedweekly magazine. andsoundcheclgusuallyaround7 pu. If theinvestigators
do not visit until afterthe bandshavesetup andthe club
Live Gigs startedto fill, they find The Rising is sequesteredin a
Any investigationinto The Risingrevealsthebandplays backroom. They will haveto wait until after the gig to
regularly around town at various independentvenues.
Flyersadvertisingtheir gigs aregluedto telephonepoles
andcomertraffic lighs, aswell asbulletinboardsin most
of the musicstores.Theflyers showthedateandlocation
of their upcomingappearance. This informationcanalso
be found in independentrock pressmagazineswhich
regularly feature gig guides advertisingband appear-
ances.The band'snext appearance is over the next four
nightsat a club calledThePit, a hotelin a bleakpartof the
inner city. The opening act is a band called Nutcracker
Suite.The Rising is scheduledto performaround11:30
PM.

The Pit
ESPITE its namethe place is not too hellish,
moreusedto nightsat the
althoughinvestigators
- opera may be taken aback by the style of The Pit
and its clientele. The hotel in which The Pit is found is
called The Grand, a shabby structure that backs onto a
busy set of elevated train tracks. The Pit itself is the larg-
ish back room featuring altemative bands Wednesday
through Sunday nights.
From outside, the hotel is a dreary seedy-looking
building of red brick Tom, outdated posters advertising
past gigs flap in the wind while trains rattle by late into
the night.
 The Stars Arc Right
speakwith them. If they come early, they may get a chance
to meet the band before they play.
Karl the drummer is the shortest of the four, and al-
lows no one but himself to touch his drum kit. Blonde and
spiked Baz, the guitarist, avoids doing as much work as
he can. Jamaican-bornDave busies himself canying gui-
tar casesand grows jealous if strangers talk to Baz, his
Iover, for more than a few minutes. Spider, the lead
singer, is withdrawn, almost oblivious to the world
around him. He spends his time staring blankly into
space.Chemistry and First Aid rolls can tell investigators
that he is not on drugs while Psychology rolls suggest
shock is responsiblefor Spider's withdrawn behavior.
Investigators who help carry instruments into the club
from the car eam the band's gratitude. Keepers may wish
to call for srR and DEXrolls when bulky objects are being
lifted. Besides being rewarded with a free beer when the
work is done, investigators helping the band may add 20
percentiles to any communication rolls they attempt with
members of The Rising. If interviews are conducted be-
fore the show see below, The Boys in the Band.
The Opening Act
Nutcracker Suite is the first act up, a band of three lesbian
communist skinheads. They come out at 10:30 ptrl and
between shockingly harsh bursts of feedback, verbally
abusethe cheering crowd. There is no drummer, insteada
percussionist grinds electric drills against microphones
The Rising rocks The Pit
and clangs a sheet of comrgated metal to obtain a beat.
Investigators will be required to make Listen rolls to hear
anything above the harsh screeches of the band. When
Nutcracker Suite begins, a crowd is already drifting in.
By the time they finish, The Pit is a madhouse.
The Main Act
At 1l:50TheRisingmaketheirwayontothestage,ac-
companiedby a wail of feedback.The soundis rapidly
amplifiedand distorted,soonaccompanied by the intro.
ductorynotesofthe bassguitar,loud enoughto resonate
a listener'sbody.Thepoundingof the drumsbeginsnext,
thentheshiveringnotesof the leadguitar.Thebeatgrows
faster, the crowd before the stagebegins to sway, flsts
flailing in the air while headsnod in time to the thunder-
ing beat.As the shriekedanddesperate vocalsbegin,the
crowd goes wild. 200 peopleslam dancein front of the
stage,hurlingandbouncingtheir bodiesaboutin the crush.
By this time ThePit is jam packed.Investigators need
to makesrn x5 rolls to force their way betweenpeople
andopx x5 rolls to avoidslippingin spilledbeer.Anyone
taking refuge in the toilets finds emaciateddrug-users
shootingup in the cubiclesanddrunkenteenagesvomit-
ing into sinks.
The Boys In The Band
If the investigators have a chance to speak to The Rising
before they play, it is likely while they are setting up
 Love's Lonely Ghildrcn

equipment. An interview t-shirt, and a ragged pair of formal coat tails adornedwith
after the gig is held eitherat badges,chains and hand-painted slogans. He is the lover
the front bar or in the back- of Baz, and quick to defend him should the need arise.
stageband-roomwith the Intense and obsessive, Dave is the member of the band
four exhaustedand sweaty most often in trouble with the police.
musicianspassingarounda
David "Spider" Holloway' 21t
bottle of cheap red wine
andjoints. Vocals and rhythm guitar
spidertat-
fromtheblack-widow
Gaininghis nickname
Karl MclvoJr 23, tooed on his left bicep, Spider sports a flaming red mo'
Drums hawk as well as two black eyes and several bruises ad-
"questioning."
His headshavedexceptfor ministered during the recent police
a singlelock of green-dyed Dressedhead to toe in tattered black, relieved only by the
hair, Karl sports a pierced silver of his earrings and
nose and heavily pierced studdedbelt, Spider is an
Karl Mclvor impressivesight, an effect
left ear. A light chain con-
nects the two. He wears Doc Marten's boots, tattered addedto by his height.
leather trousers held together with safety pins, a leather Still in a stateof shock
waistcoat, and no shirt. Karl is full of aggressive energy, over Kathy's death, Spi-
laughing, shouting and making sweeping gestures. He is der's attentionwanders,
somewhat overexcitable, and he is somewhatwith-
and when tired (as he is af- drawn. The other band
ter a gig), quick-tempered membersare well awareof
and initable. this, and do their best to
ttBaz" Elliott shield him from upsetting
Barry questions.Ordinarilya non-
19, Lead Guitar violent person,Spideris
Perhaps the most conserva- plotting unspeakablyviolent
tively attired member of the waysof killing Kathy'smur-
band, Baz dresses in torn derer should he ever dis- SpiderHolloway
jeans and t-shirt, a black cover his or her identity. Only when on stage does Spider
leather jacket adomed with come to life. Offstage he concentrateson getting drunk.
studs, and the ubiquitous Spider is egotistical, and somervhatselfish, a thin fa-
Doc Marten's. His bleached cade that hides a person really quite insecure and con-
blonde hair is spiked, echG. stantly seeking reassurance.Because he writes most of
ing the studded leather dog- The Rising's songs, Spider has come to think of himself
Baz Elliot collar padlocked around his as the most important person in the band.
neck. (The key is canied by Kathy and Spider had argued on the day before her
Dave,his lover.)Baz is the quiettype,oftenteasedby the death, parting on bad terrns. They had been debating
othersfor neversmiling on stage.Whenhe hassomething whether or not to be tested for Hwlens. He thought they
to sayit is rarelytrivial, andthe othermembersof theband should, she didn't. Kathy's usual way of dealing with
haveleamedto listento his infrequentbut insightfulsugges- problems was to ignore them. Spider now blames himself
tions.Conversely,if igtored, for Kathy's death; if they had not fought, he thinks, she
Baz sulks.He is the baby of would not have been working the night of her death, and
the group, and somewhat so would never have encountered her murderer. A Psy-
spoiled. chology roll recognizes Spider's guilt; a Psychoanalysis
roll can help alleviate some of it.
Dave Johnsonr 20,
Bass Guitar
Dave'sparentsarefrom Ja- The Facts of
maica,andhewearshis hair
in long dreadlocks,al-
Kathy llammond
thoughshavedat the sides. Having alreadyreceivedmorethan their shareof police
He wearssteel-capped Doc harassment, the band is loath to talk to strangersabout
Marten'sboots,multi- her. Persuaderolls must be madebefore Karl, Baz or
s t r a p p e da n d z i p p e r e d Dave feel comfortabletalking with the investigators,
bondagetrouses,a torn red modifiedif they helpedthebandbeforetheshow.
DaveJohnson
 to The Stars Are Right
Investigators are told that Spider and Kathy were very
much in love, so much so that she was attempting to give
up her heroin addiction for him. According to the band
she had not used the drug for a week. Cleady this contra-
dicts the police forensic report of Kathy's death, which
has establishedthat her body showed evidence of heroin
use in the hours preceding her death. The Rising can offer
no explanation for this.
According to the newspaper report, Kathy had no
fixed abode but if they think it will help catch Kathy's
killer, Spider and the band give the investigators the ad-
dress of the squat where she lived.
Everyone in the band knows that Kathy had run away
from home. None of them know why, and none of them
really care. None of The Rising have ever met Kathy's
parents.
Spider's Apartment
At theendof thenightthefourbandmembers maketheir
way home.After the equipment is loadedinto the car,
Spider remains at The Pit for a few more drinks while the
other three drive off. After purchasing a bottle of port,
Spider staggersaway into the night toward his one room
apartment nearby. Investigators who have alleviated
some of Spider's guilt are welcomed as possible drinking
companions,or just as company on the road home.
The entrance to his apartment is up three flights of
rickety fire-escape stairs at the rear of the building. His
solitary window provides a view over a gray sea of
rooftops.
In Spider's apartment investigators making a Spot
Hidden roll notice an issue of Naughty Schoolgirls maga-
zine lying beside his bed, half covered by a clutter of
comics, dirty clothes, used tissues,broken guitar strings,
and empty bottles.
The cover date of the magazine is twelve months ago.
Inside, amongst the collection ofsleazy photographsand
letters from fantasizing teenagersis a six-page spread of
Kathy Hammond. She is long-haired and young looking,
dressedin a girl's school uniform of white blouse, plaid
skirt, and knee socks. In each photograph the girl wears
increasingly less clothing. The photographs are credited
to a "Mr C. Hammond."
If the investigators do not make the connection, an
Idea roll suggests that Mr. Hammond might be related to
the deceased-a brother, father, or husband. A sticker on
the outside back cover of the magazine bears the address
of the shop where the magazine was purchased: "Ham-
monds Adult Books" and the address.
The Squat
IKE a cancerin an otherwisehealthybody,the
ramshacklehousethat was Kathy's squatstands
out clearly on an otherwiseordinarycity street.
Broken glass gleams in its windows, wooden boards
nailed behind the shards. Across its grey brick facade are
painted the words'Need a home? Here's one. Anarchy."
Instead of a front door a rusty slab of comrgated iron has
been nailed over the door frame. It can be lifted open at
one comer, providing entrance to the dark and dirty place.
If misery had an odor it would smell like the inside of
the squat-stale, damp and slightly rotten. As the investi-
gators step forward, eyes slowly adjusting to the noisome
gloom, call for Luck rolls. Those failing discover that
some of the floorboards have been ripped up. Those fail-
ing a oex x5 roll pitch forward to the floor, suffering 1D2
points of damage. Any investigator trying to arrest their
fall by clutching at the wall finds it coming away beneath
their fingertips in strips of damp wallpaper and rotlen
plaster.In the shocked silence which follows there comes
the sound of ras scrabbling somewhere inside the house,
then a low moan.
Matthew Piper, Addict
At the time of their visit the investigators find only one
person in residence.Everyone else has moved on or died,
their only lasting record in
the world a funeral notice
scrawledsomewhere on the
wall of thetoilet wherethey
overdosed.It is only a mat-
ter of time before this sole
inhabitant meets the same
end, to be found white and
cold sometime in the near
future. Most of his time
meanwhileis spenthuddled
on the saggingcouchin the
lounge-roomwatching the
rats play amongstthe ruins
of his life.
Matthew Piper
 Love's Lonely Childrcn lt

With his glazed and sunken eyes, bruised and pasty

skin, cracked and bleeding lips and matted hair, Matthew
is not a pretty sight. His emaciated frame is racked by
tremors. To his disordered mind one visitor is much the
same as another and he speaks to investigators as if he has
been expecting them. Matthew's voice is slurred and
wandering. He often forgets what he was saying halfway
through a sentence and will never be able to remember
the investigators' names.
Because of his addled state, investigators have to be
extremely patient to make any senseof Matthew's ram-
blings. He remembers Kathy well, and talks about her as
though she still lived in the squat, despite the fact that he
knows of her death. Where she lived before coming here
Matthew does not know, although the mutual friend who
introduced her to the household, Marco, thought that it
was her parents who started her on heroin to begin with.
Investigators who ask about Marco leam that he died
of an overdose about a month ago, in this very room. It
was Matthew himself who found the stiffened corpse ly-
ing curled up in a puddle of vomit on the floor, the needle
Marco used to inject the fatal dose still in his vein.
Matthew asks the investigators if they have bought
him any heroin and told no, he whines, pleading with the
investigators to front him some. Once he acceptsthe fact
that the investigators are not drug dealers, Matthew be-
gins sulkily searching among the litter on the floor for a
syringe, scraping powdered remains of heroin out of dis-
cardedfoils. Any conversation with Piper must be held as
he searchesfor a fix or before he injects it. Once he has
shot up, Matthew is beyond all questioning for well over
an hour.

Kathyb Room
The bedroom which was Kathy's seemslittle larger than
a closet. A stained mattress covers most of the floor, the
rest scattered with clothes, cosmetics and assorted rub-
bish. One wall is covered by a collage of faces cut from
magazinesand newspapers.
Spot Hidden rolls reveal two items of interest.
An issue of Girltalk magazine, a pomographic publi-
cation featuring photos of naked men in various provoca-
tive poses,lies in the mildewed folds of the bed linen. A
sticker on the outside back cover gives the name of Ham-
monds Adult Books along with an address.
It takes two Spot Hidden rolls to find this clue. The
first lies crumpled in the litter on the floor. It is a photo-
graph of three people, a weaselish man with thinning,
ginger hair, and a grossly overweight woman. The shape
of the third person has been carefully cut out of the pic-
ture. Part ofa store front appearsin the background ofthe
"Hammonds Adult
photo, on which parts of the words
Books" can be seen.
A second Spot Hidden roll finds the snipped portion
of the photograph pasted among the montage of rich and
famous faces glued to the wall. It is Kathy, in her school
Matthew boosts his lix
l2 The Stars Are Right

girl uniform, her hair in braids.APsychologyroll suggests

ttratthis representsKathy's atternptto escapefrom her real
life into a fantasywodd of rich andfamouspeople. Iilammonds
The middle-agedcouple in the photographare
Kathy's parents,as an Idea roll might suggest.Further
Idearolls reasonthat HammondsAdult Booksis possibly
Adult Books
ownedby Kathy's parenB,and is the shopin the back-
ground of the photograph.A Photographyroll identifies
the photo asbeing takenby an instamaticcamera. HIS street consists of small storefrontswith
apartmentsabove.Hammondsis sandwichedbe-
tweena butcher'sshopand a placespecializing
in electronic goods. A green sedanis parked out front.
The bookshop'sfront window is painted over, and the

trA
lfarnnfinds words "HammondsAdult Books" letteredupon it. A
hand-writtensign on the door warnspatronsnot to enter
"if nudity offends."The shopis openfrom 2 pu to 2 nu

s #
Book Store six daysa week.

The Rear Alleyway

An alleyrunsthelengthof theblock behindthebuildings.
Hammond'sis guardedby a stoutbackdoor (srn 14)and
a curtained,barred kitchen window on the first floor. A
secondstory bathroom window can be reachedby a
drainpipe.AsuccessfulClimb roll is neededto ascendto
the bathroomwindow but the investigator'sstz must be
marchedagainstthe drainpipe'ssrR of 14to avoid a col-
lapseandnastyfall.

ffi |EHrl ffi Inside the Store

Inside, the investigators find a fluorescent-lit store
ffi sroBE ffi stocked with inflatable plastic sex dolls, row after row of
shrink-wrapped magazines, clinically gleaming toys of
f f i f f i
ft!EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE;:l
m
plastic, leather and steel, and a glass-toppedcounter dis-
playing dope pipes, condoms, and lubricants. Presiding
over it all, leering at the investigators from behind the
counter, is the weasel-like Colin Hammond.
@66enl Floor
Investigators pretending to be customers can browse
and chat with Hammond without arousing suspicion.
Hammond is adept at making polite conversationwith his
clientele. Experience has shown him that most browsing
Bedroom customers prefer to be left alone, the majority of them
embanassed to be here at all. Only if the investigators
speakfirst will Hammond strike up a conversation.Those
who know him to be the father of the murdered girl take
note of the fact that he evidences no sign of distress or
anguish.
Investigators looking over the stock can spy, with a
successfulSpot Hidden, a recent issue of the sado-maso-
chistic magazine Dungeon featuring a photograph of
Mqste" Hammond on the cover. Though bound and gagged,
$g/room
enough of his face is visible for him to be recognized.
Posed with him is a grossly obese woman dressed in
black leather and carrying a whip. Neither person is iden-
tified on the cover. If the magazine is purchasedand the
Secotd Floor shrink-wrap removed, identification of the people in the
cover photo is found on the contents page.

Possessed Pornographer
Colin seemsquite unremarkable,a weak andunassuming
looking man. He is older and balder than he appearedin
the discardedphotographinvestigatorsmight havefound
at the squat. Hammondstrongly resemblesthe man de-
scribed by HoneysuckleRose as the last penon Kathy
was seentalking to on the night of her death.Shouldthe
investigatorshave forgotten this detail the keepermay
careto remind them of it with an Idearoll.
Y'golonac is always within Hammond, watching
through his eyes.Most of the time it lies dormant,but it
can control Colin's actions
whenevernecessary. When-
ever Y'golonac desiresto
come forth, or if Colin
speaksits name, the man
transforms into the Great
Old One within a single
round.
Although Hammondis
insane,the controlling in-
tellect of Y'golonac main-
tains a facade of rational
behavior.If successfulPsy-
chology rolls are made
againsthim, Colin seems
Colin Hammon6 only mildly neurotic. Cer-
tainly he does not come
acrossas a probable psychopath.Only if Y'golonac aban-
doned Hammond's body completely would the man be-
come the drooling, babbling maniac he really is.
Asking About Kathy
Hammondhimself is more than happyto talk to anyone,
usually to whine aboutsomething,or discussthe various
sordid pleasureshe is experiencedin. If askedabout
Kathy, Hammondbeginsto act out the role of a bereaved
If pressed,Hammondad-
father,but not too successfully.
mits that his love for his daughtersouredseveralyears
ago.
Kathy had alwaysbeena difficult child, he explains,
but asa teenagershebecamewild anduncontrollable. At
agefifteen shebeganlisteningto "that dreadfulpunk mu-
sic," andby sixteenwasaddictedto heroin.Sheranaway
from home shortly after her seventeenthbirthday,about
eightmonthsago.EversincethenColin andhis wife have
beendreading,but half-expecting,the worst.A Psychol-
ogy roll detectsthat,on this occasionat least,Hammond
is telling the truth. What he doesnot tell is how Kathy
wasdrivento her rebellionbv his own cruelties.
Meet Ilrs. flammond
Should the investigators spend more than a few minutes
inside the shop, successfulListen rolls detect heavy foot-
steps moving around upstairs. This is Edith Hammond.
She shouts down at Colin every lD6+5 minutes, usually
Love's Lonely Chlldnn t3
to nag him about some
householdtask. If he ig-
noresher,perhapsoccupied
talking to the investigators,
Edith stompsdownstairs.
She surgesthrough the
double doors behind the
counter, a great, blubbery
mountain of a woman,
dressedin a floral print
dressthe size of a small
tent. Her tiny eyesglareout
at the world from a red and
angry face. Although her
hair is long, while working
Edith Hammond
Edith wears it pulled back
in a tight bun. Edith ordersher husbandoff, servingthe
customersherself.
A Psychologyroll on Edith suggeststhat her domi-
neering attitude stemsfrom a barely-suppressed fear of
Colin, althoughsheis perhapsnot awareof this. If asked
aboutKathy,Edith tells a story similar to her husband's.
Wheneverthe Hammondsaretogetherand in public Mrs.
Hammondis very muchthe dominantpartner,Colin sniv-
elling ineffectuallyaroundher.
Although Edith haslong beenthe dominantpartnerin
this relationship,this haschangedsincethe couplefirst
contactedY'golonacfive monthsago.Now,whenthegod
comes to Colin she becomessubmissive,its devoted
slave,a completereversalofher usualrelationshipto her
husband.Edith grovelsnakedat its feet,her unboundhair
streamingdownto herwalst.Psychologyrolls while talk-
ing to Edith for morethana few minutesrevealthat sheis
violent, and insane.
It is possiblethat if Colin is killed, Y'golonac will
possess Edith.Evenunpossessed, sheis a formidableop
ponent.
The Hammonds' Private Life
In the privacy of their own home Edith becomeseven
bossierwith Colin, even overtly cruel, while his mood
slips from weakto completelypassive.Often he is pun-
ished,burntwith cigarettebuttsor slappedaroundfor the
eventhe slightestof misdemeanors.
On thoseoccasionswhenY'golonacis summonedor
manifestsiself, the Hammonds'relationship undergoes a
completereversal.Colin Hammonddoesnot really exist
whenY'golonacis present.The godmerelydresses in his
flesh,banishingColin to somementalprison elsewhere.
Honibly, Colin still experienceseverythingwhich the
Great Old One feels and seeswhen it possesses him,
furtherdestroyinghis alreadyshatteredmind.
In abject servitudeto Y'golonac, Edith spendsher
time when her God is presentfawning at its feet.What
thoughtsgo though her headareunknowable,otherthan
thosewhich hold her in unthinkingbondageto the Great
74 The Stars Are Bight
Old One.Unlessher God directlyordersher to do other-
wise,Edith remairnunmovingandsilentin its presence.
Watching the Book Shop
Staking out the Hammonds'book shop is not a difficult
task. The pornographer and his wife remain unaware of
the scrutiny unless it is blatantly obvious. Assuming the
investigators are subtle enough not to be noticed, they
spend several boring hours watching people enter and
exit the bookstore. Now and again Colin Hammond him-
self leaves the shop, usually on simple errands for grocer-
ies or Edith's favorite candies.
As the day draws on, astute investigators making suc-
cessful Listen rolls overhear her shrieked obscenities re-
sounding out the shop door. Soon after, Colin leaves the
shop; a Spot Hidden roll reveals he is nursing a bloody
nose.
A Woman Arrives
Well past 11 pvt a woman entersthe shop-rare in a place
whose customers are most often nervous adolescents and
skulking men. Wrapped in a coat and scarf, investigators
making Spot Hidden rolls recognize Honeysuckle Rose.
Moments after Rose enters, a
"Closed" sign appears in
the front window and Colin locks the door.
Inside, having said that she wants to talk about Kathy
and their involvement in her death, Rose is hustled up-
stairs by Colin and Edith. Under the pretext of being led
to a fictional parlor, she is insteadabout to be sacrificed to
Y'golonac. If the investigators do not immediately act,
Rose will be drugged unconscious within minutes.
Alas for Honeysuckle Rose, from outside there are no
obvious signs that she is in any danger. Strung up and
ravaged by Colin while Edith watches and chants the
Thirty-Five Abominable Adulations of the Bloated One,
Rose dies within ten minutes of her arrival at the home. In
her last moments of life she witnesses the tenible trans-
formation of Colin into Y'golonac.
Investigators have several minutes to act before Rose
is dispatched.As there is no immediate evidence of what
is about to happen, however, investigators might not act
until she is already dead, in which case se'eA Corpse
Leaves,below.
Suspicious investigaton might try to break in imme-
diately. As it is late atnight, any quiet attemptsat burglary
are unlikely to be noticed by the neighbors. Only if the
investigators are noisy and obvious will the police be
notified of a crime in progress.
Inside the house is dark and quiet. The only sounds
come from upstairs, faint groans and low muttering. In-
vestigators who burst in on the Hammonds as they go
about their secret pleasuresare confronted by the horror
of Y'golonac. For further details see Confronting The
Hammondslater in the scenario.
The next day for those who care to look, Rose's tom
and bloodstained clothing may he found in the alleyway
behind the Hammonds'home, eaming any investigators
who see it a 0/1 Sanity point loss. Meanwhile the Ham-
monds have another body to get rid of. Like that of their
daughter's, Rose's corpse will be dismembered and
wrapped in plastic, ready for disposal.
A Gorpse Leaves
LaterthesamenightasRose'svisit, aroundthehourof 2
nra, Colin and Edith leave the house and load the
wrapped,dismemberedprostitute'sremainsin the trunk
of their car. Those who realize that ttre plastic-wrapped
shapesareall thatis left of HoneysuckleRoselose l/1D3
Sanitypoins.
With the trunk loaded and closed, Colin locks the
front door of the shop and the couple drive off into the
night, their destinationa lonely pier, park, or construction
site, anywherea body can be dumped.With the house
abandonedfor at least an hour, the investigatorshave
ampletime to searchit for clues.
Inside the
filammond
tilome
OOMS behind and,abovethe shop are the home
of Colin Hammond and his gargantuan wife.
Swinging wooden doors behind the counter
open to reveal a short hallway ending in the stout door
which lets onto the rear alley. A coat rack is mountedon
the wall nearthe reardoor,severalcoatsandan umbrella
hangingfrom it. A staircaseleadsup from this hallway
while two doorsgive accessto the fint floor living room
and kitchen.Thereis no basement.
Both kitchen and living room are unremarkable.The
meatfreezercontainsno shockingrevelationsnor arethe
manymagazines scatteredaboutat all unusual.The large
record collection in the spartanand threadbareliving
room consistsmainly of Frank Sinatra,Julio Inglesias,
and Simonand Garfunkel.Small and dingy,the kirchen
smellsof cookingfat andfried onions.
Upstairs
There are four rooms upstairs, all of them small, the car-
pets theadbare and the furnishings dirty. Dtnt lies on
every surface.
The hall window at the front of the house overlooks
the street, as does the window in the Hammonds'bed-
room. From either of these windows it is a drop of only a
few feet to the shop awning; from the awning, a Climb or
Jump roll sees an investigator safely to the street. The

awningis only of light constructionwith a srn of 12which
mustbematchedagainstthe sz of theinvestigator. If it fails
the resistancecheck, it tears, depositingthe unfortunate
investigatoron the pavementfor 1D3pointsof damage.
Bathroom
This room is situatedat the rear of the housewith a nar-
row louvered widow looking out over the alley. Mold
clings to every surface,even creepingin gray blotches
acrossthe mirror. The Hammonds'medicinecabinetcon-
tains the usual frayed toothbrushes,razorscloggedwith
soapandbristle, andbottles of aspirin.
Investigatorsalso find two 20 ml syringesand a large
bottle closedwith a rubber seal. The label, printed in
Amsterdam,identifiesthe contentsasHeroin,pure,9lVo
solution.Asingle milliliter of the solutionwould bealmost
certainlyletlnl, asFirstAid, Chernistry,Pharmacyor Medi-
cinerolls show Unlessdiluted,this heroinsolutionis a por
l0 poison per I ml injected.A full syringe would inflict
200 pointsof damageif the target'scoN was overcome.
Keepersshouldnotethat if the investigatorshavebro-
ken in while HoneysuckleRose is being sacrificedonly
one syringe will be found here.The other,togetherwith
the heroin, are in the temple.
Kathy's Bedroom
Here Kathy grew up surroundedby floral wallpaper-
and hereKathy died, surroundedby the horror her par-
entshadbecome.
For a placethathasbeenwitnessto so muchpain,this
small windowlessroom is quite unremarkableexceptfor
the heavy manaclesand chains bolted to the iron bed
frame. Dried blood cruststhe manaclesand stainsthe
baremattress.If subjectedto analysis,thebloodprovesto
be the sametype as Kathy's, matchingblood samples
takenfrom her corpse.The only otherobjectofnote in the
bedroomis a one-eyed,fray-earedteddybearproppedon
the empty chestof drawers
The Temple
This room wasoncea spareroom, clutteredwith outwom
fragrnentsof theHammonds'lifeandmarriage.Now that
Colin hasgottenreligion,the room hasbeentransformed
into a temple-a monumentto humanperversity.
Whenthe door is opened,a gustof foul-smellingair,
tinged with decay,poursout into the hallway.Thereis no
light fixtue, eventhe light switchitself hasbeengouged
from the wall. The Hammonds'godis oneof darkness.
Manaclesandwickedhooksdanglefrom thick chains,
clashingandjangling disconcertinglyif disturbedby in-
vestigatonstumblingaboutin the dark.The chainsseem
to strain toward the pentaclebumt into the woodenfloor.
The shapelessremains of black candlesare carefully
placedaroundtheoutsideof thecrypticsymbol,thefloor-
boardsstainedwith driedanddryingbloodandlitteredby
decayingscrapsof food, emptywine bottles,and a mot-
ley collectionof whipsandpincers.
Love'c Lonely Childrcn t5
A large axe, encrusted with blood, stands in the comer
near a wooden lectern. This alone, if retrieved by investi
gators may alert police and instigate a search of the Ham-
mond's home. Forensic tests show the blood to be Kathy's
but only Edith's frrgerprints can be found, none of Colin's.
If the axe triggers a police investigation, this results in the
arrest and rapid institutionalization of the Hammonds.
Investigators who have entered the house to save
Rose are confronted with her nude body hanging in
chains. Edith kneels naked on the floor, her hair unbound,
passively awaiting the coming of the God, while Colin
writhes in ecstacyagainstRose's drugged and unresisting
body. The heroin and one ofthe syringes usually found in
the bathroom are now here. Edith administered the drug
to render Rose helpless.See Y'golonac Manifests below.
The Lectern
In one comer of the room stands a wooden lectem. Rest-
ing on it is a tatteredand dog-earedmanuscript, obviously
a photocopy, stapled down one side. It is entitled lie
Revelationsof Glaaki-Volume XII.It is openedto a spe-
cific page (see The Lonely Children Papers #3 below).
The photocopy is of handwritten pages in some kind of
lined exercise book. A successful Cthulhu Mythos roll
identifies this book as a powerful tome, but one of which
was said to consist of only eleven volumes.
Excerpttrom The Revelations
of Glaaki-Volume Xll.
"Beyonda gulfin thesubterranean nighta passageleads
to a wall of massivebricks,and beyondthe wall rises
Ygolonacto be servedby the tatteredand eyelessfig-
uresot the dark.Longhas he sleptbehindthe wall,and
those whicfrcrawl over the wall scuttleover his body
neverknowingit to be Y'golonac;but whenhis nameis
spokenor read he comesforth to be worshippedor to
feed and takeon the shapeand soul of thosehe feeds
uponfor thosewho readof evil and searchfor its form
withintheir mindscall lorth evil, and so may Y'golonac
returnto walkamongmenand awaitthat timewhenthe
earth is clearedoff and Cthulhurises from his tomb
amongthe weeds.. ."
The LonelyChildrenPapersf,l
The Sanitylossfor readingthe openpageis an autc'
matic I point. Refer to the nearbybox for further details
concerningThe RevelationsOf Glaaki. Keepersshould
take carefulnote of which investigatorsreadthis excerpt
of TheRevelntionsor speakY'golonac'sname;they will
be the focusof the GreatOld One'sattack
The Hammonds'Bedroom
Colin and Edith's bedroomis small and squalid,domi-
natedby a largeand ugly four-posterbed. Clotheslitter
the floor, as do emptycandyboxesandcigarettebutts.A
singlewindow looksout overthebusystreet.
t6 The Stats Aro Right
A successfulSpotHidden or carefulsearchuncoversa
photoalbumstashedundera pillow. Examinationreveals
it containsan unusualsetof family photos-almost every
oneof themof a sexuallyexplicitnature.Kathyis in most
of them,her agevarying over the yearsfrom aboutfive to
probablysixteen.Themostrecentsetoffive photographs
showsKathy as shewason the night shedied-hanging
from the chainsin the room next door.
Colin Hammondappearsin eachof theselast photo-
graphsbut one.Investigatorscannote the tattoo of a bro'
ken heart locatedjust above his groin. The last photo-
graph of the series,thankfully blurred, showsKathy and
somethingelse,somethingbloated,puffed flesh shining
with an unwholesomecorpse glow. Of rouglrly human
proportions, it is definitely inhuman in form. A closer
look reveals a tattoo of a broken heart just above the
creature'sgroin. Anyone viewing this seriesof photo'
graphssuffersa lossof 1/1D3Sanitypoints.
The flammonds Return
The exactlengthof time ttratColin andEdith areawayis
indefinite but they probably return in time to catch the
intrudersin their home. Listen rolls hear a car park in
front and doors opening and closing. Investigatorswho
hurry to the front window without taking reasonablepre-
cautionsare clearly visible from below, illuminatedby
the streetlight.Oncethey seethe investigators,Edith and
Colin hurry into the shopandupstairs.
Edith is the first inside, and stampedesupstairs;the
housetremblesunder her heavy feet. Colin follows be-
hind, and doesnot transforminlo Y'golonac until Edith
has enteredthe fray. Once Y'golonac is presentEdith
switchesinto her blank mode, slumping to the floor to
watchthe god and drool.
Y'golonac Manifests
While awaiting the coming of her god, Edith hansforms
from her normal aggressiveself into a homicidal maniac
and single-handedlyattemptsto kill the intruders who
threatenthe sanctity of her god. Leapingup the stairs or
from the floor, shrieking like a banshee,she grabswhat-
ever weaponis closestat hand,poker from the fireplace
or knife from the kirchen. Colin, meanwhile,begins to
change.If clothed,buttons scattereverywhereas he ex-
pands,his clothestearing,shredding,therentsexposingpal-
lid, spongyurd faintly luminousflesh. Colin throws back
his headandscreams-thenhis faceis swallowedby the
god'sbloating,glowingflesh.Wetredmouthsopenin the
palmsof its hands.At the beginningof the secondround
of combatY'golonacis presentin its full, mind-blasting
glory.All witnesseslose 1/1D20Sanitypoints.
Once Y'golonac is physically present,Edith loses
all animation,attackingone last time beforefalling back
to marvel at her god's devastatingfury.
Fighting Y'golonac
Unlessequippedwith aptomaticweaponsor a largeselec-
tion of devastating spellsthe investigatorsmay well find
themselves defeatedanddestroyedby theGreatOld One,
althoughthosewho have read the open pageon the lec-
tern, or spokenY'golonac's name out loud will suffer
first. Investigatorswho havenot reador spokenthe Great
Old One'snamewill be virtually ignoredby it while it
dismembers their morelitera0ecompanions.
Investigatorswho havediscoveredthe heroinandsyr-
inges can try to kill the avatar'sbody by overdose.A
successfulDEx x5 roll is neededto ram the needlesinto
the GreatOld One's flabby, phosphorescent flesh. Any
attackinflicting morethan75 pointsof damagebanishes
Y'golonac from Colin's form. Forcedto leaveagainstits
will, Y'golonac'sconsciousness eruptsfrom Colin's body,
honibly rupturinghis torso.All nearbyare spateredwith
lumpsof gelatinous,stinkingflesh,black blood,and lmps
of glisteningorgans.All losel/1D6 Sanitypoins.
Edith as God
If Edith is not dead when Colin-as-Avataris killed,
Y'golonacshifts its consciousness into her body and at-
temptsescape.If successful, it may comeback to haunt
the investigatorsat a laterdate, the Edith-thing appearing
at a front door grinning at them from a rapidly growing
numberof mouths.If theinvestigators alsodispatchEdith
the problemdoesnot occur.

When possessingEdith, Y'golonac's form is even
more hideous than before. As well as its headless,
bloated, glowing appearance,togetherwith fanged
mouths gaping in the palms of its hands,the Great Old
Onewill sproutanotherdrooling mouth,lined with teeth,
betweenwhat were Edith's thighs. The Sanity point loss
for seeingthis aspectof Y'golonacis2lLD2O+|.
Unlessinvestigators havereador spokenY'golonac's
nameit cannotpossessthem, but once theseconditions
aremet the GreatOld One is aware.Distanceis no object
andit will travelhundredsof milesto comefor them.
An Alternative
Investigatorswho favor a lessdirect approachthan those
outlined abovemay try to arrangefor the police to arrest
Edi*r and Colin Hammondfor the murderof their daugh-
ter. Without evidencesuch as that found in the house-
syringes,axeandblood-encrustedmanacles-the investi-
gatorshaveno case.As noted earlier in the scenario,De-
tective SergeantTtrd Maclntyre is unlikely to listen to
interfering investigators.If given concreteproof, how'
ever,he will be forcedto act.
Once anested,Edith and Colin are quickly declared
insane,their casenevercoming to trial. If handedinto the
policeasevidence,the albumof photographsfound in ttre
Hammonds'bedroomgoesmysteriouslymissing.Of its
whereaboutsnone ever know, save the solitary person
who takesit out from hiding late at night to gazelong-
ingly and lustfully over the final picture.Incarcerated,
neitherof the Hammondscan be of use to Y'golonac's
Love's Lonely Ghildpn l7
Manifestation
ol Y'Golonac
deadand dreamingmind and it withdraws its alien con-
sciousnessfrom them. Hopelesslymad, they rot within
the walls of the city's most secureinsaneasylum until
claimedby death,or somethingworse.
Conclusion
! F HoneysuckleRose survives this scenarioshe re-
I membersnothing of the inhuman horrors she was
I witnessto. Although grateful to the investigatorsfor
savingher from the Hammonds'murderous hands,sheis
not one to give rewards.Nonetheless,Rosemay be will-
ing to perform a favor for the investigaton in days to
come,making for an interestingand colorful ally.
If both the Hammondsare dead, investigatorshave
two corpseson their hands to disposeof. Buming the
housedown is one solution but investigatorsare sureto
come up with different methods.Murderers, thanks to
modempolice methods,rarely go uncaughtin this day
and age.Keepersmay care to be lenient in this respect,
althougha prison sentencewould make interestinghis-
tory for an investigator.
Aftermath
The keepermight bearin mind that any investigatorwho
hasreador spokenY'golonac'snamecanbepcsessedby
it. It neednot be immediate;having alreadyfought the
god at leastonce,it mightbe considereda trifle excessive
t8 The Starr Are Right

to expectthe investigatorsto then battle Y'golonac pos- Ba: Elliot, age 19, guitarist
sessingone of their own companions. sTB 13 CON12 SIZ14 tNT15 POW13
Investigatorswho have read or heard the Great Old DEX14 APP12 EDU10 SAN65 H P1 3
One'snameremaininfluencedby that eventfor years.In DamageBonus: +'lBl
dreamsthey catch glimpsesof palg, flabby flesh, realiz- Weapons:FisVPunch 50%,1D3+db;HeadButt5O%,1D4+db;
R&.45o/o,1D6+db.
ing only when they awakescreamingthat the thingsscut-
Skilfs: EfectricalRepair35o/o,l-aw
fio/o, MechanicalRepair
tling over its bulk and dwarfed by its size are ragged, 40%,PlayGuilar8Oo/o, Psychology 40o/o,Sing45o/o.
eyelesspeople-not ants.
At momentsof stress,or havingsufferedsomedevas- Dave Johnson, age 2O, bass guitarist
tating insanity, an investigatormight feel Y'golonac's sTB 12 CON13 SIZ13 INT12 POW10
alien consciousness sucking at their minds. The horrors DEX13 APP12 EDU12 SAN50 HP 13
of such a future event are left entirely in the keeper's DamageBonus:+1Dzl
hands. An insane ex-investigator now possessedby a Weapons:FisVPunch 50%,1D3+db;Kick45o/o, 1D6+db;Club
GreatOld Onewould makea forebodingenemyinde€d. 60%,1D6+db.
Skills: Climb50%,ElectricalRepdtr40o/o,
Listen50%,
lnsanities MechanicalRepair50%,OperateHeavyMachinery15o/o,
Oratory45%,PlayBassGuitar75%,Psychology 45%,Sing
Investigatorswho suffer temporaryor indefinite insani- 20%,SpotHidden4O7o, Throw4O%.
ties asa result of this scenariomay developa morbid fear
of overweightpeople,or of becomingoverweightthem- Spider Holloway, age 21, vocals and rhythm guitar
selves.Somemight developanorexia,wastingawayasan s T R1 3 C O N1 2 S I Z1 6 r N T1 6 POW't7
extremereactionto putting on weight. For male investi- DEX14 APP15 EDU12 SAN85 HP 14
gators who beheld Edith Hammond as an avatar of DamageBonus:+1Dzl
Y'golonac,Gynephobia(fear of women)may develop. Weapons:Fis{Punch50%,1D6+db;Kick35%,1D6+db.
Coitophobia(fear of sexualintercourse)might alsoresult Skills:FastTalk35%;Glare100%,Jump40%;Usten60%;
for any investigatormale or femalewho took part in this PlayGuitar45%,Sing85%.
scenario.Investigatorsmay also developunusualsexual
habits,drug dependencies and othersymptomsof degen- Golin Hammond, age 45, purveyor
eratebehavior,evenif they do not go mad. sTR 10 CON9 SrZ11 INT16 POW13
DEX14 APP8 EDU12 SANO HP 14
Rewards DamageBonus:0
Ensuringthedemiseor incarcerationof ColinandRlith, and Weapons:Fist/Punch 35%,1D3
theevil theycontain,earnseachinvestigator2Dl0+2 Sanity Skilfs: Accounting45o/o,
Bargain60%,CthulhuMylhos12%,
points. Investigatorswho savedHoneysuckleRose from GrovelTSo/o,Usten70%,Photography 70%,Rub Hands
Nervously 100%,Sneak30%,Whine80%.
deatheachgainanadditional1D3Sanitypoints.
Edith Hammond, age 42, domineering wife
sTR 14 CON15 SrZ19 tNT15 POW15

Statistics DEX10 APP8

DamageBonus:+1Dzl
EDU10 SANO

Skiffs: Accounting55%,Bargain700/o,
HP 17

Bully950/o,
Cthulhu
Mythos5%,Nag100%.
Honeysuckle Bose, age 39, prostitute Weapons:Axe45%,1D8+db; 1D3+db;Kitchen
Claw500/0,
Knife50%,1D6+db; Strangle45%,1D3perround(STRvs.
sTR 11 CON10 SlZ9 INT11 POW10 STRto breakfree).
DEX13 APP13 EDU11 SAN45 HP10
DamageBonus:0 Yrgolonac, Great Old One
Weapons:Fist/Punch 65%,1D3;Kick45%,1D6;Broken
Botrle60%,1D6. sTR25 CON125 SlZ25 lNT30 POW28
Skiffs:Bargain750/o,Chum
Customer80%,Listen60%,Pick DEX14 HP75 Move10
Pocket2io/o,
Sneak75%,StrutProvocatively,
80%. Weapons:Toucfr100%';Devour1@o/o,1D4*'.
SanityLoss: 1/1D20
*Thisis a psychicattack.Touched,thetaget mustmakea roll
Karf lfclvor, age 23, drummer
rNT11 POW12 of POWx5 or lessto avoidbeingovercomeand helpless.The
sTR 14 CON12 StZ10 victimloses1 pointof INTand 1 pointof POWeachroundunlil
DEX15 APP10 EDU9 SAN60 HP11 Y'golonacis eitherforcedawayor the victim'ssouland mind
DamageBonus:0 aredevouredand replacedby Ygoionac's.
Weapons:FisVPunch 65%, 1D3; lK,ck45o/o,
1D6; Broken *'Attackingwiththe mouthsin the palmsof its hands,
Boille60%,1D6. Y'golonaccausesl Dzlpointsof damagethat neverheals,
Skills: Bargain40%,Climb45%,Listen40%,Mechanical foreverremainingan openandsuppurating sore.
Repair35%,PickPocket30%,PlayDrums75%,Sneak30%, FurtherdetailsconcerningY'golonaccan be foundin the Call
Sneer100%. Of Cthulhurulesbook. f
 Nemo Solur Sapit t9

55 voyagers among the unknown find hideous
truth revelatory; for them, the realization of the
inherent meaninglessness of the cosmos
reveals horizons unknown. Although this vision
tends towards the unwholesome, those making
the discovery find it anything but. A landscape
of unguessed.at possibilities awaits them,
even as their former lives turn to dust.99
Tlue Magic,
by fheophilus Wenn
HIS scenario is nominally set near the fictional
city of Samson, Califomia, a metropolitan area
of nearly 4 million people located on the Pacific
Coastapproximately115 miles southof San Francisco
and 225 miles north of Los Angeles.This city was fea-
tured-and partially destroyed--inChaosium'sAt Your
Door.lf preferred,the keepermay easilymovethis sce-
narioto almostanv locale.
Keeper's Information
Locatedin the mountainsnortheastof Samson,Califor-
nia, is the famed Van Dyson Center,an innovative psy-
chotherapyclinic founded by therapist,researcher,
author,andtalk-showfavorite Dr. Petroff vanDyson.The
Centerspecializesin the study and treatmentof schizo-
phrenia,its radical methodsoften criticized by members
of the paychiatricestablishment.Van Dyson's treatment
callsfor an empathicbond to be established betweenpa-
tient and therapist.As describedin his published notes,
1,
YouAre this methodblursthe line between individuals,
the patients often coming to
believe that they and their
therapist are one and the
sameperson.
TWo years ago the state
of California committed to
the Van Dyson Center a pa-
tient named Damon New-
comb, a young man lost in
the depths of chronic
schizophrenia.A failed aca-
demic, Newcomb's secret,
intensive studies of the
Cthulhu Mythos had
brought about the gradual
Dr. Petrof Van Dyson
dissolutionof his mind. Attracted by Newcomb'scondi-
tion-and his mad ramblings-van Dyson took a per-
sonalinterestin the case.Over severalmonthsof therapy
Newcombrevealedendlesssecretsaboutthe true nature
of reality, and of the terrible entitieshe claimed lurked at
is heart.
Initially, van Dyson approachedNewcomb'svisions
asFreudianmodels.The doctor'snotestalk of dark Shub-
Niggurath, describedas a
model for lust, andmother-
longing; Nyarlathotep,a
representationof the many
social maskswe all wear;
Azathoth,Newcomb'ssub-
consciousabstractionof his
own self-destructiveten-
dencies.
But van Dysonfailedto
realizehow cunninghis pa-
tient was. Playing off the
doctor's own desiresand
fears-Dyson's history of
abuseas a child and his
failing marriage-New-
combslowly gainedtheup- Damon Newcomb
per hand.This finally cul-
minatedin a late-nighttrip to a secludedvalley nearthe
Centerwhere,with the aid of a group of heavilydrugged
patients,Newcombsuccessfullysummonedforth a being
he calledthe DaemonSultan.The sight of the monstrous
godsunoundedby its swirling,piping minionsdrovevan
Dyson mad, leaving his reasonin tatters.They survived
the summoningbut beforelong, NewcombandvanDyson
undertooka concentrated studyof the Mythos,vanDyson's
credentialsgaining them accessto sour@spreviomly de-
nied Newcomb,the doctor'smethodicalresearches balanc-
ing Newcomb'swobbly insights.
But eventhen van Dyson was driven by his desireto
undentandhumanemotions.Despitehis manysuccesses
therewere still thosepatientswho could not be reached.
It was obvious to him that some patientssimply would
not respondwithin the confinesof the clinic; their prob'
lems lay in the world outside.It was while studyingan
ancienttomethat van Dysoncameupon the solution-a
magicalspell,ConsumeLikeness.
Choosingoneof his lesstreatablepatients,vanDyson
carefullymurderedhirrqthenatetheman'scorpse,taking
20 The Statr Are Right
his time, usingthe samecarefulprecisionwith which he
approachedany experirnent.He then used the spell to
assumethe identity of the murderedpatientand ananged
for theman'srelease.Usingthe knowledgegainedduring
therapysessionsvan Dyson spentseveralweeksliving in
the man's home, sleepingwith the patient's wife and
playing with his children. Feeling that he had finally
learnedwherethe centerof his patient'sproblemslay, he
stageda relapseandreturnedto the clinic.
VanDyson was elatedby this naturalextensionof his
method. Psychologistshad always found a barrier be-
tweenthem and true understanding;they could never be
their subject.But now van Dyson could. Of course,the
patient would be unableto benefit from this new under-
standing-but suchis the way of science.
Newcomb walched all of this with sniggeringjoy'
While the doctor 'playedpatient,'Newcombhad nearly
the run of the clinic. His uncheckeduseof van Dyson's
pharmaceuticals left him increasinglyunbalancedwhile
his degenerate mind continuallysearchedfor new waysto
express his madness.
EventuallyNewcornb'ssecretmolestationsof several
patientscame to van Dyson's attention. Enragedat the
man'sbehaviorhe restrainedNewcombthenperformeda
quick andsimple lobotomy.Insertinga stiff wire through
Newcomb's tear duct, the doctor whipped it back and
forth, slicing up the forebrain. Newcomb was then
dumpedoff in downtown Samsonto join the other dere-
licts wandering the streets. Van Dyson retained New-
comb's special walking stick, a cane the madmanhad
dasignedto hold a substantialnumberof magic points.
Although incapableof rechargingthe item, van Dyson
doesknow how to tap its power.
Severalmonths ago van Dyson found an even baser
use for his new-found ability. A meeting with his es-
trangedwife, Candice[re, resultedin a heatedargument
that resultedin her deathat the handsof an out-of-control
van Dyson. Fearing the law, van Dyson devouredhis
wife's corpse then assumedher likeness, resignedher
professorship at UC-Samsonand'movedher out of her
apartment.Nowheredid he leavea forwardingaddress.
Most of Candice'sfurnishings arenow in a basement
room of van Dyson'shomenearthe clinic. Retiring often
to this place,van Dyson holds long, vicious,imaginary
conversations,switching betweenhimself and the magi-
cal likenessof Candice,arguingtheir differences,plead-
ing for her retum, and beratingher for leaving him. Fol-
lowing the trail of Candice'sdisappearance leadsto the
heart of this scenario,where the investigatorsmay con-
front whatPetroffvanDysonhasbecome.
Involving the Investigators
Although a secondoption is offered (seenearby boxed
text) the best way to begin this scenariois to have an
insaneinvestigatorcommittedto the Van Dyson Center.
The centerneednot be named,nor any specialaftention
broughtto it. It may evenbe engineeredso that the inves-
tigator is transferredhere from whatever facility they
were initially placed in-by whatevermachinationsthe
keeperseesfit. VanDyson is well-known amongthe psy-
chologicalcommunityand if he takesa charitableinterest
in the welfare of what seemsan otherwisehopelesscase,
few will deny him the opportunity.The necessarypapers
are signed,family permissiongratefullygiven, and the
patientquickly transferredto the WestCoast.This unfor-
tunatecharacter,after being pumpedfor his Mythos se-
crets,is killed and eatenby the mad psychiatrist.
Pronouncingthe investigatorcured, van Dyson then
anangesfor his or her release,notifyingtheotherinvesti-
gatorsthat their friend appean sufficiently cured of his
malady.Pickingup their friendat theclinic, theinvestiga-
tors do not meet van Dyson,nor are they able to make
arrangements Della,explains
to seehim. Thereceptionist,
that he is out of town on a vacation.
 Nemo Solus Sapit 2l

Van Dyson, disguisedas the nowdead investigator,

accompaniesthe group in an effort to learn more about
the Mythos, incidentally stealingany tomes or magic
items he deemsdesirable.Van Dyson's secretpresence
T[eVanDysonCenter
among the investigatorsrequires extensivecooperation
from the investigator'splayer who must be secretlytold
at the onsetthat his investigatoris deadandbeing imper-
sonatedby the mad van Dyson.
With the investigatorreturned to his or her friends,
sendthe group offon an unrelatedadventure.VanDyson
participatesflawlessly, though he may exhibit an occa-
sional partial amnesia(covering up gaps in his knowl-
edge).He may seemunusuallycurious,or evenoccasion-
ally absenthimself in order to take careof personalbusi-
nessin his normal guise.Oncehe haslearnedall he wants
to know, he stagesa relapse.If one or moreinvestigators
show an unusualsuspicionhe may evenattemptto stage
an accidentthat resultsin their deaths.
Whateverthe outcome,the investigatorreturnsto the
VanDyson Center,leavinghis or her friends puzzledand
upset, perhapseven vengeful. As far as van Dyson is
concemed,he's through with them, althoughthe investi
gatorsmay feel differently.
And somewhereon the streets of Samson,Damon
Newcombwandersin a dazB,his identity lost. He, too,
hasplansfor Doctor van Dyson.

The Van Dyson

Center
OW and where the investigatorsbegin trying to
find out what went wtong with their friend is
largely up !o how the keeper staged the released
investigator'srelapse.Van Dyson guaranteesthe charac-
;P
ter's readmittanceto the Van Dyson Centerby commit- -+
ting somesocially unacceptableact, probably out of the 9*
otherinvestigators'presence. Police calledto the scene :p
3
takethe unfortrmateone into custodyandwithin hourshe
is back at the center.
To begin with, the investigatorsprobablywant to find
out how andwhy their friend suffereda relapse.Checking
with the police, they are told that the personin question
wasexhibitingstrangebehavior(keeper'schoice)in pub'
lic. Whenthe police checkedhis recordsthey leamedthat
he hadrecentlybeenreleasedfrom the VanDysonCenter,
and quickly arrangedfor his return.
The patrolmanwho picked up their friend is Officer
Jack Pleack, an eamestyoung man from a small town,
still a bit amazedat the sightsof the big city. He recounts
the actionsof the investigatorhe arresledwith a straight
face and a level tone, professionaland all business.Suc-
cessful Psychologyrolls indicate that Pleackthinks the
22 The Stars Are Right
whole thing was kind of funny. One of those big city
things.Crazypeople.
A Visit to the Center
The investigators'nextstopis likely the VanDysonCen-
ter.Thetrip is likely their secondvisit to theinstitution-
but this time they'll probablyhavetheir eyesopena little
wider.
The VanDysonCenteris a modernthree-storyfacility
in the low mountains northeastof Samson.It rests in
isolation,on a largetract of tree-dottedland ownedby the
doctor.The Centeris reachedby a privateroadthat winds
through the occasionalstandsof treesand over shallow,
usuallydry, creekbeds.The wildernessis a placeof se-
renity,a placefor healing,for rest.
Within the clinic's threefloors arefacilities for sixteen
patientsincludingareasfor recreationandvisitingaswell
astherapyroorns,a nurse'soffice, a kitchen,andvarious
storageandmaintenanceroorns.
The building is in the shapeof a V, arms openingto
face a small parking lot. Among the cars parkedhere is
van Dyson's,a black MazAaMiata with the licenseplate
vAN Goco. Glass lines the front walls of the first floor,
providing a view of the long halls running the length of
the V. A wall of glassalso runs acrossthe crux of the Y
enclosingthe elevatorshaft(E).
The First Floor
RECEPTION/COMMON AREA: This servesas a visitor
receptionarea and cofilmon room for the patients.The
secretary,Della Atkins, keepsa firm handon accessto the
clinic but is alwaysunfailingly,almostcloyingly,polite.
The commonroom containsa tv and videotapes,an
audiosystem,andplacesto talk and eat.The back walls
of this room are glass-paneled, providing a comforting
view of the wilds sunoundingthe clinic. The doorslead
to a pleasantoutdoorpatio wherepatientscan rest and
chat.T[vostaircases leadto the floors above.
THE LIBRARY:Acozy readingroom for themore-capa-
ble patients.Thewalls aresoundproofedto drownout the
conversationand noise of the assemblyarea. Books
foundherearemainly fiction andsomelight non-fiction.
The westemsof Louis L'amour and novelsby Stephen
King are particularfavorites.Periodicalsincludemajor
news magazinesand others ranging from The Smith-
sonianto EntertainmentWeekly,the latterusuallyreadto
tattersby the staff.
UAN DYSON'SOFFICE:The door connectingto the li-
brary is customarilykept locked,thoughvan Dysoncan
releaseit using a button at his desk.The door from the
hall is lockedonly at night-the staffknowsbetterthanto
botherhim whenhe is meetingwith someone.
The office is decoratedin southemCalifomia'stypi-
cal High Sierralook, reflectingthe naturalsurroundings
of the clinic. Spanishartworksand wall hangingsaccent
thetasteful,thoughnot indulgent,fumishings.In cabinets
by his deskvan Dysonkeepshis patient'srecordedther-
apy sessions-alwayslocked.His desksportsa Macin-
toshpersonalcomputer.Only rarelydoesvan Dysonuse
this office for meetingswith patients;a room on the third
floor servesthat fiurction. In his office van Dyson works,
reads,and meetswith outsiderssuch as family members
of thepatients,their friends,andvan Dyson'scolleagues.
The sessiontapeswith Newcombrevealvan Dyson's
descentinto madness.Listeningto the entirecollection
takesover 200 hours,costing the listener a total of 2D6
Sanitypointswhile addingl0 percentilesto theirCthulhu
Mythos skill. If investigatorschooseto listen to only
somesectionsof the tapesthe keeperwill haveto judge
what exactlythey learnaboutNewcomband van Dyson
as well as Sanitypoint lossesand skill increases.Cer-
tainly there is little they need to hear to recognizethe
menaceof vanDyson;understanding all thathascausedit
takestime andtaxesthe mentalhealthof the listener.
Investigatorsexaminingthe Macintoshandmakinga
ComputerUse roll note that van Dyson has an internal
send/receivefax/modem.The numberfor the modemline
is not written down anywherebut is merely one number
differentfrom the normal phoneline: 555-9678for the
Center,555-9679for the modem.With this numbervan
Dysoncanlink up with a similar computerin his home.
Van Dyson'scomputerfiles provide informationas
well. The office computerholdsfinancialandaccounting
files for the Center,showing it to be tuming a tidy profit
both from its not-infrequentupscalepatientsbut also
from consultingfees,lectures,andseminarssponsored by
the Center.Medical records for all current patientsare
alsofound (non-cwrentonesare in thephysicalfiles), as
well as mundanebusinesscorrespondence.If accessed
via the modem,seethe descriptionof van Dyson'shouse
for informationheld in his homecomputer.
A closetliesjust outsidevan Dyson'soffice, contain-
ing a vacuumcleaner,carpetshampoo,and otherhouse-
keepingitems.
KITCHENAND PANTRY:A largefacility capableof pro-
viding threemealsa day for staff andpatients.
SIORIGE; Mundanearticlessuchastoilet paper,clean-
ing supplies,etc. No sensitivematerialsare kept here;
pharmaceuticalsarein a lockedcabinetin the krfirmary.
Second Floor
INFIRMARY:This is the domain of Nurse Wagner,and
containsan examinationroom, dispensary,and various
physical therapymachines.Wagnerand her assistants
Karen Lahti and Suzy McQuinney-both internsfrom
UC-SamsonMedicalSchool-see to the physicalhealth
of the patients,designingfitnessregimensand planning
dies. Medicinesand suppliesare kept here under lock
andkey,thoughthe specialpharmaceuticals usedby van
Dyson in his researchesare fourd in the sessionroom on
the third floor.

PATIENTROOMS;The rest of the secondfloor is taken
up by eight patientroomsand two largebathrooms.Each
pro-
room is decorateddifferently, often with accessories
videdby the patiens or their families.
Third Floor
fHE SESSTOwROOM: This is where van Dyson treats
his patients.Besidesseveralpiecesof comfortablefumi-
ture the room contains audio-visual equipmentfor the
recordingof sessionsaswell asfor presentinga-v stimuli
as required.Not insignifi€ntly, there is little else in the
room, and most of the equipmentis locked and bolted
down. A largelocked cabinetholds pharmaceuticals, syr-
inges,etc.,includingthespecialdrugsusedby vanDyson
in his therapy.
PATIENTROOltfS.'Theseare for the most part identical
to thoseon the secondfloor.
The Orderlies
A minimum of two orderliesare on duty at all times,
usually spendingtheir time strolling about the upper
floors,chattingwith nursesandpatients.Threeadditional
orderlies are assignedto the day shift, working down-
stairsin the kirchenandcommonroom. They areall well-
paid professionals,strong and capable,compassionate
andfriendly.
Like all the staff, they wear discreetbeeperswhich in
an emergencycanbe usedto summonhelp. If the beeper
is janed violently andrepeatedly(suchasduring a fight),
or is separatedfrom its wearer,an alert signal buzzeson
the otherunits and help responds.
Meeting van Dyson
Shouldthe investigatorsbe thoughtfuland makean ap
pointmentto meet with Dr. van Dyson,they'll haveno
troubledoingso.If theyjust showup,however,hopingto
get in, they'll needto FastTalk their way pastDella,the
secretary.Persuasiverequestsare of no avail, but using
someslick rusemight succeed.If they manageto get an
audiencewith Dr. van Dyson,he wavesoff Della when
shecomesby to checkup on the visitorsandtheir suspi-
cious-sounding claims.
Howeverthey arrangeit, the meetingwith Dr. van
Dyson is everythingit shouldbe: polite, informed,and
unproductive.The doctor volunteersonly the most basic
facts abouttheir friend's condition; asyet he hasreached
no theoryexplainingthe friend'ssuddenrelapse.
Toyingwith the group,vanDysonmay mentiona few
thingshe claimsthe patienthastalkedaboutrecently,and
begin tossingoff the namesof Mythos entities like they
were celebrities.He then launchesinto an extendeddis-
courseon how the ill personobviouslyis engagingin a
violentandoccult-oriented fantasylife. Allow theplayers
to laughat the good doctor'ssupposednaivet6;they are
welcometo shootknowinglooksbackand forth all they
Nemo Solus Saplt 23
like; van Dyson does whatever he can to encouragetheir
mistaken opinion of him.
It is likely that the investigatorswill wantto meetwith
their friend. VanDyson is agreeableto this. He tells them
that he haswork to attendto, but oneof his assistantswill
take them to meettheir friend. Van Dyson then takeshis
leave.
Hector Sim6ne
After a momentor two, the
assistant,Hector Sim6ne,
enterstheroom.Agraduate
studentat the University of
California-Samson'spres-
tigious school of psychol-
ogy, Hector is an honest,
straightforward man with-
out a clue to van Dyson's
wrongdoing. The good
doctor uses select
magicks-Dominate and
Claud Memory in particu- Hector Sim6ne
lar-to keep Hector in the
dark. Unbeknownsttovan Dyson,the unfortunateHector
is being simultaneouslymanipulatedby the insane
DamonNewcornbusingsimilarspells.
Hector leads the investigatorsout onto the patio
where a numberof patientsrecline in the afternoonsun.
They find their friend awaiting them.
lnterview with a Friend
At this point the playerwhoseinvestigatorvan Dysonhas
eatenneedsto get busy again and put on an appropriate
performance,claiming no memory of the eventsleading
up to his arrestandretum to the clinic. VanDyson,now in
the guiseof the investigator,wantsthe group to feel reas-
suredthat their friend is indeedinsaneaswell asinnocent
of malice.He exhibitsappropriate behavior,attemptingto
ape whateverphobias or afflictions the investigatorin-
itially suffered from. The investigatorsare welcome to
questiontheir friend, van Dyson providing whateverre-
sponseshe thinks will pacify the questioners.
SuccessfulPsychologyrolls during the interview sug-
gestthat their friend is not quite right and perhapshiding
something,but thesignalsareconfusing.What the inves-
tigatorsare picking up is van Dyson'snaturaledginess
during the interview. They will probably interpret it as
somethingelse, of course,and badgerhim accordingly.
Before too much of this goes on however,their friend
grows suddenly weary and Hector appears,requesting
them to let the patientrest.
Hector shows them the way to the front door. If the
investigatorsaskto seevan Dyson, Hector tells themthat
the doctor is with anotherpatient, but they may make
anotherappointmentfor the next day if they wish. If the
investigatorspersist,van Dyson rnay agreeto speakwith
24 The Starr Arc Fight
themin an hour or so.Of course,their friendwill haveto
be takenbackto his room beforevan Dysoncanreappear.
If the investigatorshave somehowremainedin the pres-
enceof their friend, the doctor stagesa mental attackof
somesort in orderto get awayfrom the investigators.
Asecondinterview with van Dysonrevealsnothingof
importance.Investigatorswho pursue the possibility of
gettingtheir friend out of the Centerfind itnearly impos-
sible to get the patient releasedto their care, or even
transfenedto a different facility. If, through legal chan-
nels, they are finally successful,van Dyson huniedly
stagesa suicide,making extensiveuse of Dominate and
Claud Memo,ryto confusethe varied stateand local offi-
cialswho ineviably becomeinvolved.
Van Dyson's Background
At somepoint during the adventurethe investigatorswill
probablywant to learn a little more aboutDr. Petroff van
Dyson.Allow eachto makea halvedKnow roll, investi
gators who are membersof the medical community
shouldbe allowed normal chances.Thosewhoseprofes-
sions are in the field of psychology should be awarded
automaticsuccess.Successrecallsthe following informa-
tion.
Now a well-known psychologisgvan Dysonwasbom
in Burton Green,England,46yearsago.He first became
somethingof a minor celebritywith the publicationof his
bookw NeyerAlone (l(nopf,1986),a personalandrnoving
accountof abusehe suffered as a child. The idea of a
psychologistdealing with his own problemscaughtthe
public's attention and soon van Dyson was making the
rounds of the talk shows, eventuallyserving a stint as a
paid sormd-biteon cabletelevision'sCNN (the 24-hour
CableNews Network). Tbvoyearsagq his book YouAre I
appeared,igniting a storm of controversywithin the
medical profession.Some said the fury arousedby van
Dyson's radical therapy methodswas due more to his
circumventionof the usual medical journals than the
techniquespromotedin the book.
If the Know roll was equalto or lessthanone-fifth of
the skill, the investigatoralso recalls that Dr. van Dyson
wasdivorcedshortlybeforeYouArelwas published.fite
divorcewasby and largeunpublicized.
Both van Dyson'sbooksarestill in print andavailable
in paperbaclgthey can be read in aboutsix hours apiece.
Of the lwo, NeverAlone is by far the more impressive,
relating Dr. van Dyson's sadchildhood and his efforts to
cometo termswith his pastby helping others.Making a
successfulPsychologyroll, the readerperceivesthatvan
Dyson shareda deep bond with his wife, the former
CandiceLee.He evencreditsher with his comingto grips
wi*r his past.The book is lovingly dedicatedto her.
YouAre / is less affecting. Van Dyson attemptsto
presentthe theory underlying his radical new methodof
treatmentin common language,gearedfor popular con-
sumption. Van Dyson's experimentsregarding the bie
chemical'spurs'thatcauseemotions,andhis furtherdis-
cussionof sympathetictherapy-becoming one with the
patient and then leading them out of their problem-is
fascinatingreadingfor the thoughtful. Perceptivereaders
(Idearoll) notethat van Dyson's methodsrely heavily on
the use of medication to diffuse the patient's senseof
reality, thereby attemptingto increasethe patient's per-
ceptionof his or her own emotions.
Library Research
Eachday of research,combinedwith a successfulLibrary
Use roll, uncoversa couple of minor articles about the
doctor,usually coinciding with his book releasesor tele-
vision appearances. If the investigatorsspendthree suc-
cessful days at the library, or specifically state they are
lmking for this informatioq they can find a few articles
aboutvan Dyson's divorce.One, an interview conducted
with JamesBrady for the ptntor syndicatednewspaper
supplementmakesbrief mentionof the divorceandcoyly
relatesvan Dyson's utter refusal to broach the subject.
"The woundsaredeep,"writes Brady with his usualper-
ception.
Articles from beforethe divorcementionCandiceLw
van Dyson in pleasantterms.Sheis often said to be hov-
ering about dwing interviews, bringing coffee, one ear
monitoring the questioningin a warmly protectiveman-
ner.It is mentionedthat Candiceis a professorof Astron-
omy at UC-Samson.
Following up on these leads, investigatorsfind
smaller articles dealing with the mysteriousdisappear-
anceof Candicel,ee somesix months following her di-
vorcefrom the doctor.The articlesrelatethat after resign-
ing her positionat UC-Samson,shepaid off the leaseon
her apartrnentandmovedaway.Parentsand friendshave
no ideaofher whereabouts.
Illlhere is
Candice Lee?
HOSE wishing to learn more about Candice
most likely begin at the Astronomy Departrnent
of UC-Samson(their seal is the constellationof
^I\e
Taurus with the inscription Sabiduria Estrellada).
Department'ssecretarytells them that ProfessorLre (she
reassumedher maiden name after the divorce) left the
University aboutsix monthsago.If the investigaton per-
sist, the secretarysuggeststhat they speakwith Dr. Tom-
linson,headof the department.Tomlinsonis probablynot
immediatelyavailablebut arrangementscan be madeto
meet with him later that day. In the meantimethey can
simplywanderaroundandtalk to anyhandyprofessors.
 Nemo Solur Sapit 25

Anyone asked about Tomlinson tells much the same story as outlined
ProfessorLee tells investi- above,adding only that ProfessorLee was a capableas-
gatorsthat shewasa warrrL tronomer and a welcome presencein the department.
penonable,gifted educator. Tomlinsonasks,somewhatoff-handedly,if the investiga-
Her colleagues,mostly tors haveany ideawhereshemight be.
male, have nothing but If pressed,Tomlinsonrevealsthat he haslearnedfrom
praisefor her-Psychology Candice'sfriends andparentsthat shortly after resigning,
rolls suggestthat morethan Candicepackedup her belongingsand movedout ofher
one was attracted to her. Samsonapartment,leavinga checksufficient to coverthe
Souring their recollections months remaining on her lease.She has not been seen
is the memoryof Candice's since. Her parentstalked with the police who checked
sudden and abrupt depar- aroundandfound nothing to suggestfoul play,odd asthe
ture from the University. situationmay be.
She spoke to no one other During the conversation,a successfulPsychologynll
than Tomlinson that day, suggeststhat Tomlinsonwasmorethana linle acachedto
Candice Lee
simply coming in, an- Candice.If one of the investigatorssuccessfullyPer-
nouncing her resignation,then later sending a moving suadesTomlinson to talk about his relationshipwith
"Diaz Trans-
companyto pack up her office possessions. Candice,his stuttergrowsmorepronouncedashe reveals
ports," one of the professorsrecalls. that he and Candicehad beenseeingeachother for quite
None of her associateslearnedof her resignationuntil some time (exactly how long he refusesto say). Upon
after shehad left, andnonehasspokento her since'Theo' resigning she said nothing about their relationship. He
ries abouther suddendeparturerangefrom boredomwith protestedbitterly but when he mentionedtheir feelings
her duties,to a bettersalaryoffered elsewhere.Her harsh for eachother sherecoiledstrongly,as ifshocked or dis-
severingof long personalties is still a sourceof hurtful gusled.Sherefusedto talk aboutit and soonafter angrily
speculation. left. Subsequentattemptsto contact her proved futile.
Any scientific researchCandice was involved with Wherever it is she went, she went quietly and without
has no bearing or the investigation,though suspicious leavinga trail.
investigatorsmay wonder otherwise.If they pressfor in- Tomlinsonhaslittle morehe canadd.If the investiga-
formation they leam that her work was almostentirely in tors havepried out all of the aboveinformation, he is on
the technicalside of astronomy,working to improvetele- the vergeoftears. It is apparentthat he caresfor Candice
scopesandoptical lens-grindingtechniques.For the most Ire deeplyandhasbeentenibly hurt by her actions.
part she simply enjoyed teaching studentsabout the
workings of the stars.
Further Leads
Dr. Tomlinson A numberof optionsexistfor the investigatorswho wish to
find out moreaboutCandiceLeeandherdisappearance.
Dr. Tomlinson is an aftrac-
tive if somewhatnebbishy Doetor van Dyson
man in his early forties, af-
However approached,van Dyson remains calm, saying
flicted with a slight stutter
only that their divorce was due to irreconcilablediffer-
that he has worked hard to
ences,andthat he sawher only a few times beforesheleft
eradicate.The stutter be-
the area.He hasno ideawhy shemight haveleft or where
comes more pronounced
shemight havegone.This is all he canoffer.
when he gets emotional or
He asksthe investigatorswhat interest they have in
excited.
Candice,privatelydisbelievingwhateverfabricationthey
First andforemostTom-
chooseto trot out. Contactingvan Dyson about his wife
linson wants to know what
accomplisheslittle exceptto warn him that the investiga-
interest the investigators
tors havean unhealthyinterestin him. Consideringwhat
have in ProfessorLee. A
their late friend may have told him about their methods
Fast Talk attempt succeeds
andobjectives,he takesthis very seriously.
only in getting a few ques-
tions answeredbeforeTom- Dr. Tomlinson Diaz Tlansport
linson thinks better of it Runningdown this little firm isn't difficult, but a Fast
andterminatesthe interview.Persuadewould be of much Talk or Persuade roll is neededto find out aboutthejob
more use.A successfulroll along with someconvincing they did for Candice[,ee.The companywashired to pack
(andhopefully truthful) argumentsfrom the investigators
up the contentsof her office then deliver them to
convincesTomlinsonto help them. Candice'sapartment.Here the office equipmentand her
 26 The Stars Are Right
apartment belongings were loaded into a rental truck. The
clerk easily recalls thejob as I.ee paid the entire fee cash
up front-highly unusual.
Gandice's Parents
Candice'sparentslive in SanFrancisco,a 150-miledrive
to the north. They canbe contactedby phoneor in person.
Edith and Timothy Lee are healthy, gregariouspeople
quite wonied about their daughter.FastThlk turns them
off, but a Persuaderoll convincesthem of sincerity.
Her parentssaythat Candicespokebut little abouther
divorce,only that shewasn'thappywith van Dysonany-
more and that the two of them didn't get along.A Psy-
chologyroll revealsthe father'smild distastefor the doc-
tor, though the reason for this is hard to pin down.
Candice'sdisappearance cameasa completesurpriseand
her parentshavehad no contactwith her since.They feel
shemust havehad good reasonsfor leaving so suddenly,
but can't imaginewhatthey would be.Investigatorswho
makea Luck roll receive an offer from the couple: they
will help cover expensesif the group continueslooking
into their daughter'sdisappearance.
The Landlord
Candice'sformer landlord and neighborsprove happyto
talk. She lived at The Ventura,an upscaleapartment
building consistingof four floors surroundinga Spanish
courtyardand pool. Her landlord,WesDean,recallsher
as a good tenant,mentioningthat when she movedout
sheleft a checkto coverthemonthsstill remainingon her
lease.He saysthat sheseemedcalmandreasonable when
he last saw her. She gave no reasonfor her departure,
sayingonly that shehad a betteropportunityelsewhere.
Her neighborscanrelatethe samestory exceptto add
that shesaid little on the day shemovedout. If the keeper
wishes,investigatorswho poke aroundmay learnthat Dr.
Tomlinsonfrom the Univenity was a frequentvisitor.
Samson Police
TheSamsonpoliceareof little help.DetectiveJohnLowe
was in chargeof the caseand is curious as to why the
investigatorsare poking around. How helpful he is de-
pendson thekeeper;Lowe hasknowledgeof virtually all
the informationin the precedingsections,but isn't likely
to handout suchmorselswithout good reason.
Handwriting
Experiencedinvestigatorswho suspectvan Dyson of
somehowimpersonating his wife might wish to compare
handwriting samples.Plenty of early samplesof
Candice'ssignaturecanbe locatedat UC-Samsonbut the
only thing signedby van Dyson in disguiseis the work
orderfor Diaz Transport.
The signaturesdo not match in the sligh0est,a factor
overlookedby van Dyson and evidencethat could be
instrumentalin proving to the police that somethingis
amiss.Evenmoredamningis the factthattheDiaz signa-
ture reads"Candicevan Dyson," rather than "Candice
l.ee." Should a graphologist be consulted, he or she can
find definite similarities between the Diaz Transport sig-
nature and van Dyson's handwriting.
The Van Dyson
Property
CHECK at Samson'sHall of Recordsshows
that van Dyson owns eight square miles of
mostly undevelopedland in the mountainseast
of Samson.The deed is held by his corporation, Vangogo
Inc., which also bolds the copyrights to his books. Build-
ing permits for both the Center and his private home are
on file, dating back five years.
The property abstract shows the land was formerly
owned by a Morton Belmont who still owns a good por-
tion of the land bordering van Dyson's property.
Morty Belmont
Morty inherited his property from his grandfather who
long ago was among the first to settle in theseparts. Five
years ago Morton sold offa good piece of the property in
order to pay the back taxes due on the property he still
owns.Althoughonceagain
his taxes are overdue,he
has so far refused to sell
any more land to van
Dyson.
The investigatorsmay
wish to approachBelmont
about his neighbor. Bel-
mont's homeis on the same
road to the Centerand van
Dyson's home, but about
six miles further on. His
rambling cabin, parts of it
sixty yearsold, is theabode
of a lifeJong bachelorand
nearhermit. Incongruously
Morty Belmont a black television satellite
antennadecoratesthe front
yard.
Belmontis almostalwaysat homq readingor watching
his impressivelylarge library of soft- and hard-coreadult
videotapes. Belmontis sixty-fiveyearsold andreferredto
as "a character."He is the baneof local county meetings,
showingup for everysessionto rant abouttaxesandlack
of services.Investigators find it isnl difficult to get him
startedtalking.
If askedaboutvan Dyson, Belmont hasplenty to say.
First and foremost,he swearsneverto sell anotherpiece

of propertyto "that stuck-upson-of-a-bitch."Besidesbe-
ing rude,van Dysonhasnot takencareof his property,the
virgin hillsidessold to him by Belmont.
The Blasted Valley
Shouldthe investigatorsask him to elaborate,Belmont
takes them for a walk, showing them a sight that is as
stunningasit is disturbing.The hike takesaboutlen min-
utes and during this time Belmont takesthe opportunity
to gripe about governmentinterferenceand the way
things have gone downhill sincethe daysof his grandfa-
ther. Soon they arrive at the boundaryof Belmont's and
van Dyson'sproperty.Crestinga rise an openvalley ap
pearsbeforethem.
Thereis nothing but scorchedearthfor a quartermile
in each direction, the ground blackenedand hard-
charred,desiccatedremainsof treesthrustingupwardlike
rotting, black bayonets.Eventreeslining the circle,those
sparedthe wrathof the actualholocauslaredeador dying.
The birds are quiet here and observantinvestigatorsmay
noticethattheydo not fly overthe wastedearth(Idearoll).
"What do you makeof this?" asksBelmont,cocking
"This all happened
an eye toward the investigators.
abouta year and a half ago and still thereain't nothin'
growing out there. Tweren't no ordinary fire that
burnedthis placeup."
-eav"")u^
=.8+f
-=L
The J
Van Dyson
Propefty
Nemo Solur Sapit 27
Belmont recalls the night it happened. There was a
tenific thunderstorm that evening, but despite the wind
and driving rain, the suddenexplosion and massive after-
glow that pulsed and bumed lit up the sky like it was
daylight. He credits the storm for preventing the fire from
spreading, but by the same token questions how, in the
rain-soaked conditions, a fire could have started in the
flrst place. He speculates that the destruction was the re-
sult of a single massive blast rather than a spreadingfre.
Although Belmont lacks any evidence, he steadfastly
maintains that van Dyson was somehow responsible. Bel-
mont has already looked into the possibility of a meteor
or other heavenly body, but nearby Eastwood Intema-
tional Airport reported no sightings, nor did the Astron-
omy department at UC-Sarnson receive any reports of
"Van Dyson's to blame, sure as sttootin," Belmont
bolides.
says-then he launches into a diatribe against the doctor,
accusing him of being a liberal, a Democrat, and worse.
Investigators who approach closer to the circle detect
a faint, alien odor, a combination of vinegar and ash un-
pleasantto the nose. Examination of the circle shows the
edge to be quite distinct, thg .* where no growth meets
healthier soil cleanly-defined. The barren soil is hard
packed and requires the use of a tool if any appreciable
sample is to be retrieved for later analysis.The ruined tree
-E
B -
fio#"^,\
gglmo^Tt
'--Z/
2A The Stars Are Right
trunks are similar in that instead of brittle, charred re-
mains the investigators find tough, almost petrified, wood
and ash. Analysis of the soil shows an odd spectrum
(though dissimilar from that caused by a Colow from
Space) and a much higher than normal radiation level, al-
though not nearly enough to explain the absenceof growth.
Trekking back, Belmont says his several confronta-
tions with van Dyson served no purpose; the doctor as-
sured him he had no idea what had happened,thought it
was a tenible thing, etc. Belmont has no intentions of
selling more land to the man regardless of how bad he
needs money, and would be more than happy to see him
go. If the investigators play their cards right, Belmont
may help them by testifying to aknost anything, true or
false, as long as it promises to rid him of van Dyson.
The Awful Man
ITHIN a day or two of the investigators' in-
itial visit to the Van Dyson Center Damon
Newcomb, alerted by information gleaned
from the haplessHector Sim6ne, appearson the scene.As
the investigation progresses, Newcomb begins to con-
sider the investigators as a potential way of getting back
at van Dyson.
The Blasted Valley
In this matter, Newcomb's ideas are sound but sadly,
his execution leaves something to be desired. Although
the hasty lobotomy he suffered prevents him from ex-
pressing himself, somewhere inside he is still the per-
versely wicked Damon Newcomb. Outside he is unable
to communicate-or do much of anything-effectively.
The First Appearance
Newcomblikely makeshisfirst appearance at oneof two
places:eitherat the librarywhile the investigatorsare
researching,or at UC-Samson while they are interview-
ing faculty. In both caseshis actions are similar. He wan-
ders around the halls, poking his head in here and there.
Newcomb is dressedin a filthy sweatshirt and jeans,
and hasn't benefited from a bath for quite some time. His
hair is tangled and matted, his beard unkempt and clotted
with food or worse. Wherever he appears, he causes
something of a stir. He does not show any direct interest
in the investigators, merely plodding about as if at ran-
dom. Eventually, the library staff summon the police and
have him taken to one of Samson's street missions.
Should the investigators try to speak with Newcomb, he
mutters something under his breath and wanders off.
The Second Appearance
Newcombappears
nextwherever
thekeeper
wishes.
The
circumstancesshould ensureonly a briefappearance,and
discourage conversation. He might be seen with some
other homeless people gathered around a trash bin, or

perhapsbeing rougbedup by some concernedcops. He
shootsa nmdescript glanceat the investigators,but does
not otherwisepay attentionto them.
The Third Appearance
The third appearanceis somewhatdifferent. Ratherthan
allowing Newcombto show up in person,havean inves-
tigator's neighbor, relative, or other such acquaintance
commenton the stre€tpersonthat he sawloitering around
the neighborhoodwhile the investigatorwas gone. The
man, fitting Newcomb'sdescription,hung aroundthe in-
vestigator'shome or office for a while, then moved on.
But before he left he gave an envelopeto the neighbor
with the investigator'snamewritten on it. The rumpled,
dirty envelope contains an equally rumpled and dirty
pieceof paperon which is written in carefulandattractive
penmanshipa cryptic message.
"Ifound it lil<ely.Perhapsso.
Incidentsare rising.
Damon"
This messageis Newcomb'sincoherentbut preciselywrit-
tenpleafor aid, anda wamingof danger.It is quitelikely to
causesomecorstemationamongthepuzzledinvestigators.
Damon Newcomb Speaks
Wheneverthe investigatorshave done as much research
as is likely, but before they do somethingdrastic like
breakinginto the Centeror van Dyson's home,stagethe
following encounter.
While discussingtheir research(and hopefully ex-
pressing bafflement at the events), the investigators
should make Listen rolls. A successindicatesthat they
hearsomeoneoutside.The exactcircumstancesmay vary
dependingif ftey are in a houseor an apartrnent.Investi-
gating,they find Newcombcroucheddown facing a wall,
eatingsomething.His meal is a deadcat, freshly killed,
its neck snapped(lose 0/1 Sanitypornts).If the cat be-
longsto an investigator,so much the better(lose 1/1D2
Sanitypoins). Newcomblooks up with blood andbits of
viscerain his beardandlicks his lips.
"Mea culpa,"he says.
He then stuffs the carcassof the cat into a dirty paper
bag,thoughif preven0ed from doing so he offersno resis-
tance.If allowedto retainhis meal,he keepsthebagwith
him from now on, snackingon the contentsperiodically.
Whatever their reactionsto this event, Newcomb is
hereto speakwith them in his own limited fashio,n;hope'
fully the investigatorswill be cannyenoughnot to sic the
policeon him just yet.
The resulting conversationhas to be handledvery
carefully.Rememberthat DamonNewcomb,alreadyin-
saneanda worshipperof Azathoth,hasasa resultof van
Dyson'scrudesurgerylost all his basicsocialskills and
instinctsaswell. Althoughhe wantsto expresshis hatred
of vanDyson,he is thwartedby the fact thathe occasion-
ally thinksthathe dsvan Dyson,a leftoverfrom the sym-
Nemo Solur Sapit *t
pathetictherapythe doctor subjectedhim to. Newcomb
attemptsto communicatethe following:
tr Expresshis hated for his condition.This maybe accom-
paniedby intermittentsnackingfrom his sackof rended
cat,ifhe still hasit.
tr Explain that the investigators'friend died somewhile
back This may be hardfor themto believe.After all, he
wasthereduringtheir lastadventwe.
O ExplainthatvanDysonis dangerous andhasto bestopped.
Note that it is not necessaryfor all or evenany of these
pointsto be understoodby the investigators;the scenario
doesnot hinge on successfulcommunicationwith New-
comb.He talls almostcontinuouslyoncestarted,but makes
licle sensg as his note revealed.He eagerlyrespondsto
questioning,but againofferslittle of use.Keepin mind that
the objectiveslistedaboveareonly guidelinesfor the kinds
of oddballthingshemight say.
Newcomb's Departure
At some point Newcomb abruptly gets up and leaves.
Trying to detainhim only,make.shim angry,and he tries
to force his way out. He wantsto go get Hector Sim6ne,
and use Domiruteto communicatethrough him (it
doesn't occurto him to useone of the investigators),but
of coursehe is be unableto expressthis.
If the investigatorssummonthe police to pick him up,
he goes docilely. Doing so gains the investigatorshis
namefrom the cops,but preventshim from further aiding
the group. He endsup back at the clinic, in the handsof
vanDyson.
If allowedto leave,he goesto Sim6ne'saparhnent
building only to find van Dyson waiting for him. Not
surprisingly, Newcomb has been clumsy with covering
up his magicalintenogationsof Simdneand van Dyson
has learnedof his meddling. Van Dyson tranquilizes
Newcomband takeshim back to his housenearthe Crn-
ter. Hector Sim6neremembersnone of this, but as usual
wonderswhy he can't seemto get much studying done
thesedays.
llailing Newcomb
The investigatorsmight secretlyfollow Newcomb!o the
apartment-he refusesany offers of a ride. If they wait
outsidg they witness after a few minutes an apparently
semi-consciousNewcombbeing helpedout of the apart-
ment by van Dyson and Sim6ne,and loadedinto van
Dyson's Mazda. Van Dyson drives off leaving Sim6ne
standingin the driveway.
The investigators might follow the doctorbackto his
housebut if he spotsthemhe probablytriesto losethem
in traffic. If they try to interrogateSim6ne,he seemsto
have no idea what they're talking about,his memory
foggedby CloudMemory.He doesn'tevenrecall carry-
ing Newcombto the car, which should surely frustrate
and intrigue the investigators.A successfulPsychology
roll suggeststhat Sim6nebelieveshe is telling the truth,
but that he is curiouslyhesitantin his responses.
30 The Stars Arc Bight
Should the investigators follow Newcomb to
Sim6ne'sapartmentand accompanyhim to the door, he
doesnot protest. Inside, van Dyson instructs Sim6neto
surnmonthe police. He is confident that if Newcombis
pickedup, he can eventuallyget him back to the clinic
and finish him off. And of coursethe police will provide
trouble for this annoying group of investigators.Under
these circumstancesSim6ne will not open the door to
anyonebut the police.
The Doctor's
tilouse
AN DYSON'S home is located a scant five
minutes from the Center, located along the same
road as the clinic. Built on the side of a slope the
VanDysonsHouse
MASTgR
BeoRooaa Lr
l-ower Lenel
homeis a ne% splitJevelaffair with largewindowspro-
viding a view of the abundantscenery.
Inside it is apparentthat van Dyson likes to be sur-
rounded with nice things. Not necessarilyexpensive
things,but thingsthat arepleasantandtangible.The car-
peting is plush, the furniture comfortableand attractive,
tending towardsthe earthtonesof the outsidesurround-
ings. An interest in the exotic shows up n his objects
d'art,which includesmallrepresentative bits of statuary
and carvingsfrom many cultures,ranging from kachina
dolls of American Indians, to little jade statuesfrom Ja-
pan,to amuletsandjewelry of Celtic, Roman,and Rus-
sian origin. All of the piecesare of somevalue, in the
$1m-$500range,yet are clearlythe sort of thingsto be
handledand admired rather than placed on a shelf and
forgotten.
The Ground Floor
Enteredfrom the driveway,this level containsa living
room, kitchen,and dining room. The level below is
reachedby a short stairwayand featuresa cory den,mas-
ter bedroom,study,andguestbedroom.
The open areasQiving room, dining room, den) are
warm and pleasant,equippedwith high-end audio and
videoequipment.His collectionof compactdisksshows
an emphasison Russiancomposers-Mussorgskyand
Stravinskyare particularlywell-represented. Videotapes
andlaserdiscs for a recentlyacquiredplayershowa pref-
erencefor film noir and includecinemaphileeditionsof
classicsin wide-screen letter-boxformat.
TheStudy:In mostrespectsa duplicateof his officeat
the Center,it includesa computerand externalmodem.
Besidesmany otherunimportantitems,containedin his
file cabinet is the phone number that connectsto van
Dyson's computerat the Center.It can be found with a
successfulLibraryUseroll.
Van Dyson keepsmost of his referencebooks at the
clinic; thelibraryof his homeis moregeneral.No Mythos
tomesare found here,with the exceptionof any he may
havestolenfrom the investigators.Van Dyson'srecrea-
tional readingincludesWilliam S. Burroughs,J.G. Bal-
lard, JackKerouac,and John Updike. Somewhatout of
placearethrillersby ThomasHarrisanda few general-in-
terestbookson the occultincludingoverviewsby Colin
Wilson andsomeDover reprintsof E.A. Wallis Budge's
Egyptianworks.
The computerholds little of significanceother than
savedbitsof correspondence: mostlyrequestswrittento rare
book dealerslooking for suchitems as JohnDee'sNecro-
nomicon, The Book of Eibon, and Unaussprechlichen
Kulten.He apparentlyhashadno su@ess.
The Kitchen' Somewhatmessy,this room betraysa
bachelorneverusedto cleaningup much.A largefteezm
chestholdssurprises.Below a few layen of frozenvege-
tablesarethe dismembered partsof a corpse-two arms
anda torso,eachpackagedseparately. Othercutsofmeat
individuallywrappedmay be rightly viewedwith suspi-

cion. Witnqssing the remains of the corpse is worth a
Sanitylossof l/1D4+1points.
The unfortunateoccupantof the freezeris one Daniel
Kuhru a former patient of van Dyson's. Van Dyson took
him from the centera week ago (the staffbelieveshe was
released)and killed him with a lethal injection.He is now
in the processof eating the body (rinsing and cooking
carefully to remove the residueof the poison), making
himselfreadyto adoptKuhn's identity.He intendsto live
for a time as Kuhn, continuing to diagnoseand analyze
thenow-deadman'scondition.
Examining the refrigeratorturns up severaldishesof
leftovers. All consist of meat from Kuhn's corpsepre-
paredin a varietyof ways.Much of the bulk van Dyson
simply preparesas a liquid solution taken inftavenously
but the choicer cuts he savorsin spicy dishes.A nearby
file of index cardscontainsrecipesfor the consumption
of different partsof the body.The onefor broiled cerebel-
lum stuffedwith breadcrumbsin a white sauceis marked
with threestars.A platefulof this dish lies in the fridge,
shouldthe investigatorswish to sample.Discoveryof the
recipescallsfor a lossof 0/lD2 Sanitypoints.
The Master Bedroom: This room is fumished with
itemsseeminglydifferent from thosefound in the rest of
thehouse.Oddly enough,it seemsto be a facsimileof an
entireapartrnentin scaled-downsize. Rugsand furniture
denotethe entrance,bedroom,kitchen,etc.,all within the
limited spaceof the bedroom.
All of thesefurnishings camefrom Candice'sapart-
ment,which van Dysonhasattemptedto re-createhereon
a smallerscale.Having eatenhis ex-wife as part of the
ConsumeLikenessspell, van Dyson now spendshours
here eachwee( flipping betweenthe imagesof himself
and Candice,holding long argumentsbetweenthe two
(both himself, of course)in a futile and increasingly-de-
rangedattemptto leamwhy sheleft him. Shouldit come
to this, any of Candice'sneighborsor friendswill recog-
nize the furniture and layout of van Dyson's pseudo-
apartment.
Van Dyson is away from homeand at the clinic from
9 m,r until 6 or 7 pu eachweekday,during which time the
houseis left lockedbut unguarded.If by chancehe is at
homewhenthe investigatorssurreptitiouslyenter,thereis
a 25Vochancethat van Dyson is in one of his Candice
moods. He is in the master bedroom flipping between
Candiceand himself,arguingloudly.Investigatorsover-
hearingthe argumentmay cometo the enoneousconclu-
sionthatvan Dysonis holdinghis ex-wifeasanunwilling
prisoner.If caughtby surprisevan Dyson appearsbefore
them as Candice,beggingthem to help her escapethe
doctor'sevil clutches.He, of course,attemptsto elimi-
nate the investigatorsas soon as reasonablypossible,
eithersimply killing them or using his black magicksto
misleador misdirectthe investigators in an attemptto get
themanested. ClaudMemoryis the spellusedto muddle
theirminds.
llemo Solus Sapit
Finale
NCE the investigatorsfind out what van Dyson
has been up to, they will most likely want to
take the mad doctorout of the picture.The easi-
est way to accomplishthis is to involve the police; once
the cannibalisticactivitiesof van Dyson are revealed,a
thoroughinvestigationof his patientrecordsindict him in
themurdersof at leastfive more.The caseof C-andice Lee
is trickier. Certain that she was killed by the doctor, the
police will likely decidethat either van Dyson managed
to impersonateher,or hired someoneelseto do it for him.
But Van Dyson resists.If police cometo his door he
usesspellsto sendthem away convincedthat the doctor
hasprovided inefutable proof of his innocence.If neces-
sary,he accompaniesthem back to the station and there
useshis magicksto conftrsetheir superiors.In any event
vanDysonis clearedof suspicionandtheauthoritiesdrop
their investigation.The investigatorswill probablybe
forcedto take mattersinto their own hands.
But before any of this comesto pass,Damon New-
combhashis own cardsto play.
Newcomb's Plan
Newcombwantshis magicalwalking stick back,the cane
lovingly chargedwith 68 magic points, the cane van
Dyson stolefrom him. The item is hiddeneitherat van
Dyson'shouseor at the clinic, in a placeknown only to
Newcombandvan Dyson.Detailsof its exactandsecret
location areleft to the keeper.
Newcombneedsthe investigatorsto get him out to
van Dyson'sproperty.Alone,his fear is too greatandhis
capabilitiestoo limited.He would like to accompanythe
investigatorsout there.Then, while they deal with van
Dyson,slip awayandretrievehis cane.
Once Newcombhas the canehe caslsthe spell CalI
Azathoth,expendingenoughmagic points from the cane
to guaranteesuccess, then possiblyusing the restto cast
offensivespells or surnmonDimensionalShamblersto
attack anyonefoolish enoughto interfere with him. He
doesnot directly attackvan Dysonunlessforcedto. New-
combwantsthegooddoctorto live just a lirle while longer.
Newcomb does not attempt appeasementproceed-
ings, intending to let the Outer God destroyas much of
the areaas It wishes.This devastationcertainlyincludes
all of the van Dyson and Belmont propertiesand, at the
keeper'soption, may even crawl over the mountainsto
visit itself uponthe city of Samsonitself.
The Eye of Azathoth
The first sign of Azattroth'sapproachis a suddenstillness
thatfalls overthevalley;all wildlife falls silent.Thena wind
32 The Starr Are Fight
stin up and black cloudsappearin the sky overhead.The
cloudsbegin circling as the wind picls up, blowing about
leavesand small twigs. The air grows thick and heavy,
almostgreen,as the swirling cloudsspin faster,lightrdng
flashingbetweenthern Then a shrill piping fills the air as
a porc opensin the centerof the racing clouds,revealing
the reality beyond-the reality that is Azathoth.
Agreat shaftof sickly-greenlight lancesdownfrom the
openingin the sky, blastingand desiccatingseveralacres
abouta half mile from wherethe investigatorsstand.Flam-
ing whiteballsof plasm4theapparentsourceof thescream-
ing noise,spiral down out of the openingto cide theshaft
beforescreaminginto the woods,crashingin an eruptionof
flame.Bolts of lightningstriketheground.
All who witnessthe appearance of Azathothand his
senritorslose 1D3/1D20+2Sanitypoints.Thosedrivenin-
sanepanicandflee on foot, forgettingaboutvehicles.Those
not insanewill probablywantto usea car tioget out of the
area.Thosewho chooseto rernainfall victim to thegazeof
the Eye of Azatho0rand die a quiclg but painful deat[
witheringunderthegazeof the OuterGod.
The porecontinuesto openand close,the shaftof light
blastinganddestroyingwhateverit touchesasit drifts omi-
nouslynearerthe investigalors.Thosewho flee in vehicles
caneasilyoutdistancethe drifting Eye of Azathothbut are
still subjectto dangen.Four Luck rolls arerequiredto get
out of the area.The first failed Luck roll indicatesa near
lightningstrike.Ahugebolt lashesdownandstrikestheroad
right in front of thespeedingvehiclecreatinga smallctater.
A Drive roll is requiredto bypassthe obstacle.A failure
indicatesthe carhascrashedinto theholecausingeachpas-
sengerlD8 pointsofdamage.The car canbe pushedout if
the investigators'combinedsrR can overcomethe stuck
car' resistance of 32.
,d secondfailed Luck roll meansthatoneof the flaming
balls of fire landsnearthe speedingcar.A plasmic,super-
heatedservitor of the Outer Gods, this flaming creature
crashesto earthjustaheadofthe investigators'car,appear-
ing as a writhing heapof glowing, super-hottentaclesand
pseudopods. A Drive roll is requiredto avoid crashinginto
the monsterbut the car goesoffthe road and gets stucb
forcing the investigatorsto flee on foot asthe creaturede-
molishestheir vehicle. Further failed Luck rolls indicate
additionalencounters with Servion.
Thoseon foot mustmakea like numberof Luck rolls. A
nearlightningstrikeresultsin 1D8pointsof damaggwhile
anencounterwith a Servitor,baninga successfulLuck roll,
probablyresultsin death.
Azathothremainsfor fifteen minutes,rangingup and
downthe valley,blastingmassiveareasof forest,andpossi-
bly evenapproachingSamson.Playthis by ear;Azathothis
so monstrouslyhuge that he almostalwaysappearsto be
eitherdirectlyoverheador quickly approaching the investi-
gators.The serviton constitutea morepersonalthreat.Use
themat will; if ttreinvestigators aredoingtoo well with their
Luck rolls, call for Listenrolls to indicatethatoneis nearby.
The investigatorsshould,if at all possible,meet up with
at leastone Servitor.Wreck their vehicles.Blast the road.
Don't forget that the forest will be burning, a massive
blazeflaming out of control. Fire vehiclesfrom Samsorq
DelilatUandothermmmunitiesfind their way blockedby
flamesand massivecraters.
The destructivgchaoticfrrry of Azathothleavestheval-
ley a bumed-outwreck Survivinginvestigatorsshouldsuf-
fer an additional1D3/1D6s,lN loss for the experie,ncgal-
thoughthis shouldnot induceany immediateinsanity-as-
sumethe lms is spreadout over the entireflight from the
destruction.
Should any of the investigaton survive the honific
vengeanceof DamonNewcomb,their first sign of safety
will be a cttt{ cameracrew,hastilydispatchedto getfootage
of the worst fuestormsinceHiroshima.The reportersfrom
ctw will, of course,approachtheinvestigators andaskthem
hastyquestionsabouttheir experience.
"How do you feel?"
Conclusion
If the investigators put a stop to Dr. Petroff van Dyson's
hideous practices they receive a well deserved award of
1Dl0+2 Sanity points. If Damon Newcomb survived and
was returned to the care of the California Mental Health
Board they receive an additional 1D6 Sartity points. Fi-
nally, if they knew about the summoning of Azathoth and
prevented it, they are eligible for a 2D10 Sanity point
bonus. Candice Lee's parents reward them ($5000) if
they expose van Dyson's murderous exploits to the po'
lice. Morty Belmont thanks them but has no money to
dole out.
Statistics
Da Petroff van Dyson, age 46t
gifted but insane psychologist
sTR 12 CON14 SIZ13 INT19 POW19
DEX.I3 APP12 EDU21 SANO HP 13
DamageSenus;+1Dzl
Weapons:FisVPunch 60%,1D3+db;Grapple55%;Pistol
(gmmautomatic) 45%,1D10.
Skills:Accounting35%,Anthropology 10%,Archaeology 10%,
Chemistry85%,CreditRating75%,Cthulhu
Astronomy50/0,
Mythos300/o,DriveAutomobile45o/o,
FirstAid45%,History
35%,Law2O%,UbraryU*750/o, Medicine85%,Occttlt40%,
Pharmacy90%,Psychoanalysis 907o,Psycftology Talk
90o/o,
Eruditely100%.
Languages:English105%,German750lo, Latin35%,Russian
30o/o.
Spells: Summon/Bind Dimensional
Shambler,Shrivel,
Dominate,CloudMemoryDreadCurseof Azathoth,Voorish
Sign
Items:Van Dysonhasan enchantedcanethat currentlyholds
68 magicpoints.He doesnot knowhowto re-chargeit.
Nemo Solur Saplt

The Eye of Azathoth

34 The Stars Are Right

Damon Newcomb, age ft, lost soul DamageBonus:+1Dzl

sTR 14 CON15 SrZ14 rNT16(6). POW 21 Weapons:Fist/Punch 50%,1D3+db.
DEX12 APPI EDU21(6r SAN0 HP 14 Skilfs: Chemislry25oh,History30%,UbraryUse65%,
'numbersin parentheses reflecthisoutwardabilities,reduced Psychology 45%,ResistMindControl5%.
becauseof van Dyson'sefforts. Languages:Spanish90%,English75%.
DamageBonus: +1Drl
Weapons:FisVPunch 50%,'lD3+db;Switchblade 45%,
1D4+db. fipical Orderly
Skills: Anthropology 35%,Archaeology 30%,Astronomy45%, sTR 15 CON14 StZ16 tNT14 POW13
Chemistry20%,CthulhuMythos45%,History@%, Library DEX12 APP11 EDU14 SAN60 HP 15
Use45%,Ocolt 60%,BambleSenselessly 80%
Damagegenus; +1ryl
Languages:English95%(30%)',Spanish15%.
Spells: Summon/BndByakhee,SummorVBind Dimensional Weapons:FisVPunch 70%,1D3+db; Taser55%,1D3+CON
Shambler,SummorVBind Servitorof the OuterGods,Call resistancerollvs. 18 or unconscious.
Azathoth,Shrivel,DreadCurseof Azathoth,VoorishSign, Skills: RestrainPrisoner75%,Wsecrac*55%.
Dominate,CloudMemoryEnchantltem.
Notes: Becauseof Newcomb'slobotomy,a rollof Pow x3 or
lessis requiredfor himto successfully casta spell.The magic, llpical Servitor ol the Outer Gods
originatingdeepwithinhimand bypassingthe normalroutesof sTB 14 CON17 SrZ20 INT18 POW19
thoughtis not in itselfaffec{edby the lobotomy. The abilityto
instigatea spell,however,is hampered.Of course,the keeper DEX17 HP19 Move7
is welcometo assumeautomaticsu@essor failureof any Weapons:Tentacle45o/o, 2D6.
partiqrlarinstanceto servedramaticpurposes.Spellscast Armor: None,but normalweaponscan not harma servitor.
uponnonplayercharacters(especiallyHectorSim6ne)should Magicalweaponsdo normaldamage.A servitor,additionally,
probablysucceedregardless. regenerates 3 pointsof damageper rounduntildead.
Spells:All Servitorsknowat least1Dl0 spells.In addition,they
Hector Sim6ne, age 24t unwitting pawn arecapableof summoning at leastonetypeof beingby prprng
sTR 14 CON12 SIZ13 rNT16 POW12 on theirflutes.Seerulebooklor details.
DEX9 APP10 EDU18 SAN45 HP 12 SanityLoss: 1/1D10 I

55 Fot on that day all is right. The Tower of
Gold shall become the Plllar ol Fire and we
shall give the call. Let mankind be cleansed
by your powea Let the profane knoq as we
know, that on thls day the flre shall burn so
bright, burn into the memory of all men.9!)
The Letterc ol Nestar
HIS scenarioassumesthe investigatorsare resi-
dentsof San Francisco,California,and begins
with thebumingof oneof theirhomes.It is quite
likely that the investigatorsresideelsewhere.In this case
the keepermay engineera way for them to visit the city,
and in this event it is a friend's houseor hotel that bums
down-wherever the investigatorsare currentlyresiding.
Another possibility is to havethe investigatorsinvited to
San Franciscoto look into the recentdeath of a young
rookie fire fighter recentlyassignedto RobertHardman's
command.The rookie could be the son or nephewof a
friend,relative,or evena strangerwho hashired the in-
vestigatorsto look into the mysteriousaccident.
Perhapsthe best idea is to move the scenarioto the
investigators'hometown. This is accomplishedeasily
enough,the only requirementbeingthatthe new city have
at leastone high-risebank building. Simply ignoreany
referencesto the SanFranciscofire of 1906.
Keeper's Information
Robert Hardman,a lieutenant fire fighter with the San
FranciscoFire Departmentis secretlya high priest of the
fire god, Cthugha.His men, druggedand hypnotizedfor
so long they havelost all reason,follow his everycom-
mand. Together,using their knowledge of fire and the
city, they havemadea practiceof regularly settinginten-
tional blazesto honor their god. Invariablytheseflames
devourtheresidentsaswell, fitting sacrificesto Cthugha.
The scenariobeginswith the bumingof oneof the inves-
tigators' homes.Note that the actual location of Hard-
man's fire station is not given, allowing the keeperto
placeit wherehe will, most likely in the nearvicinity of
the investigaton'domicile.
Robert Hardman
Robert Hardman is a third generationfire fighter, a
twenty-yearveteranrespected
for his courageanddaring.
More thanone citizenoweshis life to this man.But that
Thir Firs Shall Kill 35
was the Robert Hardmanof the past. Five yean ago he
made the acquaintanceof the former high priest of
Cthugha,andsoonafter took up devotionsto the fire god.
Long fascinatedby fire, Hardmanwas taughtto wor-
ship and love it, rather than fight it. The lieutenantstill
performs his duties, and in all outward respectsis the
sameman he always was, brave and fearless.But the
secretRobert Hardmanis an arsonistand a killer, a fol-
lower of an alien god, a manwho inlendsto soondestroy
all of the city in a grandand frightful holocaust.
Hardmanandhis men areresponsiblefor a numberof
fatal fires, choosingtheir victims from lists of innocent
people subscribing to the
city's free fre extinguisher
inspectionservice.Sneak-
ing into thesehomesunder
the cover of darknessthe
firemen quickly overcome
the tenartts,preparethem
for sacrifice, then summon
fire vampires to raze the
house.Before vacating the
premises,the cultists loot
whateverjewelry and cash
is on hand.
Most of these fires are
set in the same district as
Hardman'sfirehouse,Sta-
Robert Hardman tion 1081,often allowing
the arsonistfire fighters to
be the first on the scene.Other fires are occasionally set in
different districts, in order to allay suspicion.
Investigators' Information
The investigatorsarrive homeone eveningto find their
housebumed,completelygutted,a black barehusk.Fire
trucksandpolicecars,lighs flashing,sunoundthescene.
Neighborspeer from porchesand from acrossthe street,
and Hardman'screw is there,wateringthe still-steaming
ashes.
A policeofficerapproaches andasksthe investigators
if theyareresidentsof the building.
"The firemensay it startedin your neighbors'house,
thenspreadto your place."
Althoughprobablyno bodieswerefound in the ruins
of the investigator'shome,theofficer carefullyquestions
themto makesure.
36 The Stars Ato Right
"Your neighborsweren'tso lucky',['m afraid.Wefound
thebodyof a manandwomanin theotherhouse.Ttrepeople
acrossthe streetidentifiedthe residentsas a Mr. and ldn.
ThomasWilrnont,in their fifties. Supposedto own a pawn-
shopin the city. Do you know if that'scorrect?"
Questioningthe offrcer gainslittle information,but he
saysthat a reportwill be filed andavailablein a few days,
shouldthey needit for insurancepurposes.He givesthem
a card with the name Officer Charles Maples and the
phonenumberof the local precinct.
Looking lor Clues
The fire fighters, finished with their worlg begin to pack
up the rucks. Investigatorsmay questionthem but they
have little to offer in the way of theoriesabout what
startedthe blaze.
"Whatever it was," says Phil Watsorq"it went up
quick.Yourneighborwasn'tstoringchemicals,washe?"
The investigatorsare warned to be careful prowling
aboutthe ashesand then the fire fighters leave.
Neighborsappear,offering their sympathyand a cou-
ple flashlights.Although the devastationlooks pretty
thorough,somethingof valuemight be salvaged.
The remainsarestill hot and any investigatornot tak-
ing properprecautionsruns the risk of burns,or possibly
impaling their foot on an exposednail. Steppingover
smolderingbeams,molten globs of plastic that were for-
merlyTvs andstereos,investigatonmaydiscoverhot metal
objectssuch as cutlery and tools waiting o injure them.
Anyone picking up such objects without
taking proper precautionssuffers a minor
bum of lD2 damagepoints.
During the searchaskeachinvestigator
for one or two osx x5 rolls, dependingon
how long they spendtrampingthroughthe
ruins.Failureindicatesan investigatorhas
tripped and fallen face first into hot coals,
or brokentheir fall with handson a red hot
metalplate or crushedappliance,eitherac-
cidentcausing1D4pointsof damage.
Thekeepershalldeterminewhiclt, if any,
of theinvestigator'sbelongingsmightbesal-
vaged.In anyeventthereshouldn'tbe much.
Investigatorslooking for the causeof
the fire might searchthe Wlmonts'prop
erty next door. Electrical Repair rolls rule
out the wiring; proper use of Chemistry
rolls find no traceof accelerants.However,
some of the remaining walls show odd
scorch marks, curving trails resembling
spraypaint graffiti.
Spot Hidden rolls made while search-
ing the Wilmonts'property tum up two
itemsof note.One,found alongthe bound-
ary of the property, is what remainsof
someodd facial shawl or cloth mask, ap
parently attachedto the headby a metal tiand. Although
the cloth is scorcheda symbol of somekind is still dis-
cemible paintedon the fabric. It is a flaming fireball sur-
roundedby threeconcentriccircles.
The secondobject, a partially bumed hollow wooden
cone,is carvedwith strangedesigns.An Idea roll identi-
fies it asa torch-bearing device.
This cottonfaceshawl is a ceremonialdeviceworn by
the Cthughaworshipen intendedto prevent them from
polluting Cthugha'sair with their mortal breath.The
torch is used in conjunction with the spell they use !o
summonfire vampires.Natural History determinesthat it
is made of sandalwood.A Cthulhu Mythos roll easily
determinesthe probable function of the torch but the
symbol on the shawl remainsmysterious.A successful
Anthropology or Occult roll suggestsit rnight be con-
nectedwith fire worship.
Researching this topic in a library Shouldprovidein-
vestigatorswith bits from the boxedessayCultsof Fire on
page39.
The Neighbors
Although eyewitnessesto the event, the neighborshave
little useful to offer.
"It was so sudden.Whoosh!Up went the house,huge
flamesandsparksleapingup throughthe air. Then,boom!
Yourhousewenttoo. ThentheFire Departmentshowedup.
They did what they could for the Wilmonts but. . ." Tears
well up. "Suchgoodpeople.How horrible,"etc.
 Thls Flro Shall Klll

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38 The Stars Ato Right

Whattheydidnot seewasPhil WatsonandAl Darvey The Deceased Neighbor

sneakinginto the housejust a short time before the fire
started.Tling Mr. Wilmont to a chair and gagging him
they then preparedhis wife for sacrifice.Summoningthe
fire vampires,the creatureswere first set upon the two
helplessvictims, then commandedto destroythe house.
The fire fighters were forced to beata hastyretreatwhen
the housewent up fasterthan expected.Scramblingaway
from the holocaust,Phil accidentallydroppedhis shawl
and torch holder. For now the fire fighters believe the
incriminating items were consumedby the blaze.
The Next Day
The moming Chronicle carriesa story and picture show-
ing the fire at its heighq fire trucks standingnearby.The
caption identifies the fire fighter in the foreground as
"Lieutenant Robert Hardman
directing his men" (see
Fire Papers#1 below).
By morning city work crews have already begun
cleaningup the investigator'sproperty.Police arepresent
and if the investigatorsenterthe propertythey aretold to
keep off. Once they have establishedtheir identities the
investigatorsreceive a mumbled apology followed by
questions.Will they be making an insuranceclaim?
Wherewerethey whenthe fire happened?And the like. If
the investigatorsask aboutthe causeof the fire, spontane-
ous combustionis blamed,possibly the result of rags
storedin a poorly ventilatedarea.
A Psychologyroll revealsthat the officer is hiding
something.With a successfulFast Talk he admits that
foul play hasnot yet beenruled out. He saysthebodiesof
Mr. and Mn. Wilmont strowedlittle or no sign of smoke
inhalationand that possiblythey were alreadydeadwhen
thefire started.
Any checkingthe investigatorsdo on the neighbors,Tom
Wilmont and his wife, fails to discoverany reasonsome-
one might want to kill them. The addressof the pawn
shopis found in the phonebook. The placeis locatedin a
shabbyneighborhooda few blockssouthof Market Street
near8th Street.Acall to theshopgetsno answer.
The Pawnshop
A visit to the premisesfinds a small storefront sand-
wiched betweena news store and a gaudy electronics
shop. If either of the stores'employeesare askedabout
Mlmont, they havenothing bad to say abouthim and ex-
presstheir regretsover the accident.However,a FastTblk
roll gainsthis cornnent "Sure,he hada few roughtypesin
the store,but you would expectthat in his line of work"
If the investigatorswant to break in and checkthings
out, they find the rearof the shopreachedby an alley.
The building is protectedby a standardheat-sernitive
alarm monitoredby a private security companywho, in
the eventof an alarm,notify the police. With a successful
ElectricalRepairroll the agingsystemis easilydisabled.
A failure triggers the alarm, or altematively disconnects
the audioalarmbut not the alert to the security company.
Inside,theinvestigators find nothingunusual:musical
instruments,radios, tape players,anything the desperate
haveofferedup in orderto pay for rent, fod, or drugs.In
thesmalloffice a safeis foundcontaining$3000cashand
nearly$6000worth of valuablejewelry.The safeand is
contentsremain undisturbeduntil Tom's brother arrives
from Chicagonext week to shut down the businessand
settlewith insurancecompanies.

Fire in the Park

HOMEOWNERS DIE IN FIRE

TIt:o llom,es Destrwyed in 1| FEW days after the investigator'shouseis

Early Evening Bloze
SAN FRANCISCO*Two peo
ple were kled in a tragic fire
yesteday that also destroyed two
homes. Pronormced dead at the
scene were Thomas Wilmont
and his wife, Edna Wilmont,
owners of the home where it is
believed the blaze staned Eye-
witnesses expressed amazement
at how fast the fue spread. "It
was terrifying," said John
l,andsdown, who livesacross the
street "There was a hemendous
whoosh and boom, we looked
out the window just in time to see
the fre spreading to the second
house."
Lieutenant fire fighter
Robert Hardman. leader of the
first crew on the scene echoed
that statement "There was noth-
ing we could do to save tlrc two
houses. We spent most of our
time trying to keep t}e fire from
speading any firther."
Occupants ofthe olher house
are believed to have been out at
the time of the fire.
It is currently believed that
the fre began in the basement of
the Wilmont home as a result of
oily rags stored in dre basement
in a closed container.
The Fire Papers #1
1!l bumed the insanefire fighters strike again. Late
hone aftemoon a fire erupts on the north side of
GoldenGateParkaround 10thAvenue.Investigatorsmay
bedrawnto thesceneby televisionandradiobulletins,by
the soundof manywailing sirens,or by the orangeglow
andtowering pall of smokerising over the westernendof
the city.
If the investigaton make their way to the scenethey
experiencethe following eventsdirectly. If for somerea-
son they do not attendthe fire, they gain the information
via newsreportsand video tapesshownon TV.
Green Inferno
Arriving on the scenethe investigatorsfind dozensof
acresalready in flames, muffled explosionsbooming
throughthe park as oil-laden eucalyptustrees explode
from theheat.Rumorscirculatingamongthecrowdindi-
 This Firo Shall Kill

catethat severalpeople-mostly homeless

people living in the park-have been
killed. Anotherrumor,unverified,saysthe
fire was intentionallyset.
All roads leading to the area are
blocked and fire equipmentis parkedeve-
rywhere,hosessnakingunderfoot.
Ragged, dirty forms intermittently
stumbleout of the parh displacedhome-
less,joggers, and others.Many are loaded
into ambulancesand whisked off. Others
receivefirst aid treatmentat the scene.A
group of hippies fleeing the fire push
through the crowd towards the investiga-
tors. A staggering,dreadlockedfiend in
scorchedT-shirt and baggy pantsstumbles
into them.The refugeeclutchesat an inves-
tigator,his eyeswild with fear.
"The fire man, geezit was alive, Oh
my God it wasalive, it went after her,man,
holy shit it went after her like it was a liv-
ing thing. Wentafterher,enteredherand.. ."
Rememberingthe event he screams
then pusheshimself away disappearing
into thecrowd.Friendsfollowing afterhim
"Sorry man,
apologize as they hurry by.
but thefire killed his girl."
The fire rageson throughthe night. Al-
thoughpolice and fire fightersordercivil-
ians out of the area,if the investigators
wish to sneakinto the park, it shouldnot be
too difficult; its borders are long and un-
fenced.Inside the park investigatorsrun
the risk of deathor injury or evenpossible
arrestshouldthey be discoveredby police.
Ask for occasionalSneakandHide rolls to
escapethe attentionof authorities.While
they explorethe buming park, the keeperis
free to stage any sort of encounterhe
chooses,or even to trap the investigators
wittrin the flames.Escapeshouldbe diffi-
cult and it may be that they are eventually
rescuedby RobertHardmanandhis crew.
Otherwise,the keepershould allow
them to eventuallystumble upon Hardmanand the men That evening and the throughout the next day news
of the 108lst. The lieutenant sits in a support vehicle services report that at least five people were killed in
talking on a two-way radio. If the investigators have Golden Gate park fire including a rookie fire fighter from
some means of monitoring the transmission they find it the 1741ststation house. All evidencenow indicates that
innocent, multiple orders given and received in the line the fire was intentionally set and a police investigation is
of duty. Robert and his crew remain on the job most of under way.
the night, the flames finally being brought under con- Later it is announced that a memorial service will be
trol shortly before midnight. conducted for the slain fire fighter, to be held on the plaza
No matter how long the investigators watch the crew, in front of City Hatl at 1 p.u.. Burial will be in Colma, a
nor how many blackened and bumt acres they search, the small city south of San Francisco whose principle indus-
investigators find nothing suspicious. trv is cemeteries.
40 Thc Starr Aro Rlght

sides the administration and executive offi@s, the arsur

investigation unit also works out of this building.
SuccessfulLibrary Use rolls reveal the following:
tr Robert Hardman joined the deparfrnent as a rookie 22
years ago.
tr Hardman has three times received citations from the de-
partment for bravery and has twice been credited with
mving a person's life at great risk to himself.
E Hardman made lieutenant twelve years ago and was
shortly after transferredto the 108lst.
tr Careful cross-checking shows that a somewhat higher
number of fatal fires have taken place in the l08lst's
distict in the last five years-a number high enough to
raise suspicion if anyone had ever taken the time to com-
pare. Further checking shows that the vast majuity of
these fires took place during periods when Hardman's
crew was on duty. Disceming these patternstakes at least
one e,ntireday of researching.

Newspapers
Examining back issuesof the Chroniclc md Examiner
GnouNofloon find a few soories
involvingHardmanandthe 108lst.One
ICf in particular,datedover five yearsago, creditsHardman
with savingthe life of an agedman trappedin a buming
hotel in the Mission district. Both Hardmanand the res-
cued man suffered severebums but were otherwisein
good condition. Photo portraits show the men in their
hospitalbeds:a smilingHardmangiving a"thumbs-up'to
the cameraandan old, wrinkled man,possiblyof Arab or
other Eas0ernextraction. It was this rescuethat eamed
Hardmanhis secondcitation.
sleEPN6
OUARTEAS
The Station House
' a At some point the investigatorsmay wish to visit the
tl tl a--T1
station.It is locatedin a part of the city nearthe investiga-
tors'pastdomicileand,of course,op€n24 hoursa day.It
Corvrrnor.,
Room is altematelymannedby two different crews,Hardman's
rql

E-'E) rr= ro
and another,on 72-hour shifu. Which shift is on duty
when the investigato'rsvisit should be decidedby the
keeper.The building is three stories high, sandwiched
betweenresidencesof flats. The front doors are usually
openandfire fighters can be seenmoving aboutwithin.
Ground Flaor: The ceiling hereis two storieshigh, al-
lowing for the equipmentracks,hosedrying towers,etc.
The company'stwo trucks, a pumperand a laddertruck
Kobert fitted with an articulatedboomareparkedat the two front
doors.A flight of metal'stairsleadsto a glass-enclosed

tilardman radioroomelevatedabovethefloor at aboutthelevelofa

I T is likely investigatorswill wish to do somecheck-
I ing up on Robert Hardman'sbackground.Although
I personnelrecords containing personal information
are confidential, many other recordscan be checkedby
visitingFire Departmentheadquarters nearCity Hall. Be-
secondstory. The radio is manned24 hours a day. Con-
siderableamountsof time arespentcaring for equipment
and trucks and more often than not severalfue fighters
arefound on the groundfloor engagedin suchactivities.
Tbp Floor: Three stories above the street, this floor is
given over to living quarters,bunks, and kitchen. For
three days the fre crews live, work, and eat together.
Everyonetakestheir turn preparingmeals,Hardmanus-
 This Firo Shall Kill 41

ing the opportunity to administerdosesof the drug he's try to take them captive, sacrificing them later in their
long-usedto keepfire fighten subjectto his will. secrettemplebehindHardman'shouseon TWinPeaks.

fblking with the Fire Fighters

Speakingwith the altematecompanybrings little infor-
mation.None of the menhaveany reasonto suspecttheir
countrerparB.If the investigatorsvisit when Hardman's
The Memorial
crew is on duty they are quickly recognizedasvictims of
the recenthousefire. Friendly hellos and sympathiesare Senrice
offered but the visit makes the cultists suspicious.Any
att€mptsto openconversationare met with cordially,but
Hardmantakesthe opportunity to establishwhat address HE public servicefor the rookie killed fighting
the victim is now staying at as well as pmsibly gaining the fire in GoldenGatePark is held at Civic Cen-
the namesand addressesof the other investigators' ter plazanext to City Hall on a sunny weekday
afternoon.If the investigatorsdo not attendthey may read
Sneaking Around the Station about it in the paperor seevideo-tapedportions on the
Investigatorsmight wish to sneakinto the firehouse,mmt eveningnews.
likely after an alarm has been soundedand most of the
fire fighters are out on a run. At least one fire fighter is
alwaysleft at the stationto manthe radio room. Sneaking
up to the top floor by way of the stairsexposesinvestiga-
tors to possiblediscoveryby whomeveris stationedin the
radio room, requiring numerousSneakand Hide rolls.
The fire pole is partly concealedby the fire truck parked
on the groundfloor and might be usedto reachthe upper
floor. A Climb roll is neededto scalethe pole, a failure
indicatinga slip and a failed Luck roll meaningthe slip
has causeda loud screechingnoise. Whoever is in the
contol room investigates.
Little can be discoveredupstain unlessthe investiga-
tors are willing to break ino the fire fighters' lockers
lining the walls near the dormitory. If lockersbelonging
to Hardman'scompanyarebroken,they arefound to con-
tain cotton face shawlsidenticalto the bumedone possi-
bly found at the original fire. Sandalwoodtorch holden
are also in abundance.
Inside Hardman's locker the investigatorsfind a
shawl,two torchholders,anda largeglassvial half-filled
with a brownishpowder.Properanalysisanda Chemistry
roll determinethat the drug is opium-based,but alsocon-
tains a number of complex organic compoundsdifficult
to define. Hardmanusesthe drug to soften the wills of
new men assignedto his company,making them suscep
tible to the hypnotic suggestionshe usesto convertthem
to Cthughawonhip. All the men in his companyhaveso
long beenconvertedthat they aretruly insane.Dedicated
to Cthugha,they requireno further encouragement. Hard-
man keepsa supply of the drug handy in casehe has to
converta new rookie. The drug is not foolproof. Last year
Hardmanwas forced to kill a new fire fighter who, after
resistingthe lieutenant'shypnotic influence,was closeto
blowing the whistle on the cultists. Hardmanmadethe
man'sdeathduring a fre appearasthough an accident.
If caught in the act of breaking and entering most
likely the police are called and the investigatorsplaced
under anest. If Hardmanand his followers have already
identifiedthe investigatorsas trouble-makers, they may
42 The Stars A]€ Right

The serviceis attendedby a crowd of aboutfive hun-

dred people.LieutenantHardmantakesa turn at the mi-
crophoneand gives a moving speechabout the young
recruit'sdedicationto his job, what a fine man he was,
andwhat a loss the Departmenthassuffered.
Although the crowd may make the investigatorsfeel
anonymous,if the cultists suspectthem they are spotted
by some of Hardman'smen and their presencemade
known. Hardmanfinishes his eulogysayingthat the man
will remain as an exampleto all thosewho knew him.
"His life was not wasted
but servesas an exampleto
others."Only if the investigatorssuspectHardman,and
only if they make an Idea roll do they recognizethis
double-edgedstatementas a possiblewaming.
If the investigatorshavenot yet madethe fire fighten'
acquaintance andchooseto do so now, they receivemuch
the sametreatmentasdescribedin the StationHousesec-
tion. Again, the suspiciousfire fighters take the opportu-
nity to establishtheinvestigators'names andaddresses.
It is possiblethat when the investigatorsleave the
service,Hardmanorderstwo of his men dressedin street
clothesto follow them-particularly if there is still a Willows' Apartment
questionabout where the investiga0orsare living. If the Willows'home is easyto locate.The streetis quiet, a
playersstatethey arewatchingto seeif they arefollowed, wind blowing throughthe rubbish gatheringin heapsby
allow a Spot Hidden roll to notice the men shadowing the curb. Willows' residenceis a typical three-story
them. If the menfollowing realizn,they havebeenspoted, stuccobuildingwith a flat on eachof theupperfloorsand
theyquicklytum offand try to losethemselves in thesfeets. a small studio apartmentand garageon thg ground level.
If by chancethe investigatorsshould captureone of As the investigatorsapproach,a Spot Hiddenroll reveals
thesemen,he is found to be carryingno identification.He a faint, orangeglow comingfrom a third storywindow.
doesnot admit to anything and at the first opportunity RingingWillows'doorbellbringsno response. ALis-
attemptsto summona fire vampireto attackhis captors.
ten roll reveals muffled screarnsof pain coming from
somewhereup the stairwaybeyondthe iron-grill exterior
Some lletp? door.This door is securedwith a solenoid-operatedlarch
The keepershouldstagethe following eventafterthe fire but can be wrenchedopen by applying as many as two
at Golden Gate Park, wheneverit seemsmost appropri- investigators'combinedsrns againstthe door's srn of
ate.A phonecall comesfrom SteveWillows, a second- 18. A dashup the stairwaybrings the investigatorsto
year fire fighter from StationHouse 1333."I saw you at Willows'flat (his secondstory neighborsare out for the
the memorial [or other appropriateplace]. They're on to evening).This door is alsolocked,srn 14.
you,theywantyou destroyed,I heardthemtalking.I've got
somethingto show you, somethingweird. Come to my Fire Fight
placetonight.29 BalfourRoadin theMission.Gottago." The door opensto reveala badly bumedSteveWillows
Steve has overheard furiously swinging an emptiedfire extinguisherat a dart-
things said by Hardman ing, sizzlingfire vampire.The creaturezips in, bumsthe
confirming suspicionshe man'sleg,thendartsbackout of reach.Willows screarns
carriesregardingthe death in pain and the fire vampire, seeingits chance,flies
of a friend-a fellow straight into his mouth and down his throat. Willows
rookie-in a fire last year. chokes,drops the extinguisherand clutcheshis chest,
The rookie hadonly shortly then explodesoutward,his super-heatedblood and flesh
before been assignedto burstingout into the room, spatteringthe investigators.
duty with Hardmanand his The fire vampire,.{reedof its human cage, flies to the
108lst. He has madea fireplaceand disappears up the chimney.Thoseviewing
practice of checking up on this hideousscenelose 1/1D6Sanitypoints.
Hardman and a few days
Patchesof the hardwoodfloor are burnedand the
ago capturedsome of his
wallsmarkedby thetelltaleweavingscorchmarksleft by
activities in Golden Gate
fire vampires.A strong odor of burnt flesh lingers in the
Parkon videotape.
air; what'sleft of Wllows'body still smolden.
Steve Willows
 This Fil.e Shall Klll 43

A search of the room tums up several things of inter-

est. Inside a backpack lying on the couch is a video tape
and a piece of paper with a couple addresses and some
"Golden
notes scratched on it. The video tape is labeled
Gate Fire-Enhancement?" One of the addressesis
"Hardman" and is found in an exclusive neigh-
marked
borhood in the Tlvin Peaks district. The other is unidenti-
fied but located in the old warehousesection a few blocks
south of Market Street. Beneath the addresses is what
appeamto be a book title, Worshipers of Fire, and a series
"
of three datesfollowed by 525 C.? Tower of Gold?" The
datesare those of the next thee days.
Before leaving the flat an Idea roll takes note of a
band scanner on a nearby table. Willow used it to keep
track of fire activities around the city. Investigators might
wish to obtain one of these useful devices, perhaps even
bonowing the one they've found here.

The lillarehouse
I F the addresssouthof Marketstreetis checkedout it
I is found to be a large,brick warehouse,like many
I othersin the areaempty and abandoned'Most doors
aresealedwith heavychainsand padlocksbut a tour of
the outsidefinds a back door that hasbeenbrokenopen.
Insideis darkanddirty,theconcretefloor litteredwith
debris.A searchof thebuilding requiresilluminationbut
first investigators'attentionis drawn to a flickering light
radiatingdown from somewhere atopa nearbystainvay'
The stairslead to a secondfloor row of rudely built
offices; the glowing, pulsing light comesfrom one of
theseparticleboard cubicles.Looking in, the investiga-
tors find an ancientman, clad only in raggedtrousers,
sittingon thefloor. Aglowing fire vampiredancesnimbly
over his fingertips.The man pays little attentionto in-
truders,contentto amusehimselfwith his fiery plaything.
The manlooks old, perhapsa hundredyearsor more.
His frame is emaciated,his teeth and hair gone.Most
terribly, his body is coveredby burn scars,some old,
some more recent. The
scene costs investigators
1/1D3 Sanitypoins.
An Anthropology roll
indicatesthe man originates
from somewhere in the near
or middle east, possiblY
Iran. Anyone who saw the
newspaper photos of the
old man Hardman rescued
several years ago recog-
nizes the individual in front
of them as one and the
same.

The Old Mobed The old Mobed passes the flame

44 The Stars Aro Right

"You've comelooking for him, I imagine,"

saysthe
old man, not looking up, his attentionriveted on the siz-
zling fire vampire skittering across his outstretched
palms."I am not he any longer.He is not here.My time
is comeandI will pass."
The old man'sspeechis disjointed,difficult to under-
stand.APsychologyroll confirmshim totally insane.
As the investigaton watch, the man holds his out-
stretched arms together, straight out in front of him,
palmsup, and allows the fire vampireto roll down them
to nestleagainsthis chest.The air fills with the stenchof
burning flesh as the fire vampire burns and blisters
through skin and meat. The man closeshis eyes,tilting
his headback in ecstasyandpain.
"Soon shall end the tower of gold
in a pillar of fire!
What I tried to do in 1906,he would it again.The starsare
right now, the stars were right then!" And wi0r that the
fre vampire leaps down the man's throat and destroys
him in an eruptionof flame and viscera.Witnesseslose
1/lD4 Sanitypoints.If left unchecked,the fire vampire

#DE than proceedsto set the building afire beginningwith the

piles of rubbishheapedaroundthe offices.With flames
quickly spreading,the investigatorsmay haveto flee for
their lives.With luck they will not be spotredfleeingthe
buming warehouse.

llardmall's
0roundFloo. ffome
OBERT Hardman'shouse is situated on a re-
mote wooded lot high atop TWin Peaks.Resi-
dentsof the city know the TWinPeaksarea!o be
an expensiveplace to live and an Idea roll makesthem
wonderhow a man on a fire fighters salarycanafford the
neighborhood.Investigatorswho attempt to learn more
aboutthis anomalyhear a story about an inheritanceleft
thelieutenantby an aunt enoughto allow him to buy this
place.This,of coursgis a falsehoodspreadby Hardman.If
the investigatorsdrive up therethey find the housenearthe
top ofthe 8OGfootpea( secludedandsurroundedby pines.
Only one neighborhasa view of the Hardmanhouse,
a youngishcouplewho admit to not having much contact
wittr thefamily on thehill. Their daughter,eight-year-old
Debbie,saysthat "Mr. Hardman'sa Fire Chief, I thinlq"
with some admiration. Their ten-year-oldson, Tirdd,
blurts out: "Veronica'sa meany,I don't like her at all.
She'salwayspickingon kids at school."Thefather,Mike
Thomas,puts a hand on Todd's shoulder.""That's
enoughfrom you son." He explainsthat Veronicais the
Hardman'sten-year-olddaughter,a difficult child with a
reputationfor not gettingalongwith others.

The family can't offer muchmore in the way of infor-
mation exceptto remark that the Hardmansoccasionally
hold gatheringsat the house,usually inviting ten or fif-
teenguests.*I think they're all fire fighterstoo," smiles
Mike. "The guyshe workswitlu I guess."
Only if the investigatorsvisit late at night do they
catchHardmanat home.If they find him therehe feigns
cordial but stayswary. If suspiciousof the investigators
and given any chanceat all, he tucks a .38 automatic
inside his clothing before answeringthe door to them. It
shouldbe noted that even if the investigatorscaptureor
kill Hardmanin an encormterat his home,the greatsum-
moning that concludesthis adventurewill be stagedany-
way. Fire fighter Phil Watsonwill act as high priest and
the keeperis within his rights to stagethe eventthis very
night, ready to begin within an hour or two. A dying or
capturedHardmanmay spill the beansto the investiga-
tors, sendingthem on a race acrosstown in an effort to
stop the cultists. But most likely the investigatorsdo not
encounterHardman.
A visit during the day or early eveninghoun finds the
carportempty and the houseapparentlyunoccupied.The
investigatorshaveno reasonto suspectthat the Hardmans
haveleft their ten year old daughterhomealone.
The House
Living Room/Inunge.'Thisopenareacontainsa dining
table, couches,and a kitchen. The fumiture is modern,
and a large entertainmentsystemoccupiesone wall. On
top of a cabinetareHardman'sawardsalongwith several
photosof him and his men in action.Abstractpaintings
decoratethewalls.The artist'ssignatureis indecipherable
but thestyle couldbestbe describedasMoneton acid,in
Hell. TWochunkybits of blackpolishedrock ornamenta
tabletop. AGeology roll identifiesthemasvolcanicslag.
The Study:This roomcontainsalargewoodendeskwith
inlaid leatherwriting surfaceand matchingchair situated
in front of a largewindow overlookingthe front yard.The
walls are coveredby large shelveshousingbooks,pic-
tures,and personaleffects.Agood manyofthe booksare
fre-relatedandincludeFire Departmentrnanualqcasehis-
tories,historicaltexts,anda copyof Worshipersof Fire.
Examiningthe floor, a Spot Hiddenindicatesa very
faint squarecut into the carpetunderthe desk.Removing
the squareof carpetrevealsa floor safewith an electronic
codeword combinationlock with a mini keypadandLen
display.The correct entry (Fahrenheit451) opensthe
lock Oveniding the lock requiresa successfulElectron-
ics roll. Breakingthe safeopenrequireshours.
Inside is $1100cash,a few personalpapers,and a
cloth bag containingceremonialshawlsand a crumbling,
antiquecodex.An Archaeologyor Linguisticsroll identi-
fies the writing in the ancientbook as Pahlavi(Middle
Persian),circa 6th century ap. The codex is titled The
Lettersof Nestar.If the investigatorsreadthis book they
This Firc Shall Kill 4a
lose 1D8 Sanity points and add 6 percentilesto their
Cthulhu Mythos score.The book containsthe spellsSzz-
mory'BindFire Vampire,Call/DismissCtlwSIa Enclwnt
Torchmd Draughtof Phan,thelaftera formulafor the&ug
usedby llardman.Thesespellshavea multiplier of x2.
Foundat the bottom ofthe safeis a transparentplastic
coveredswitch marked "Temple On/Off." The swirchis
in theOffposition,flipping it On unlockstheentranceto the
secrettemplebehindthehouseandactivatesits machinery.
Master Bedroorn.'A queen-sizebed tastelesslydecorated
in red satin sheetsand pillowcasestakesup much of the
room.Acloset containsordinaryclothesandshoes.
SecondBedroom: As investigatorsnear the partially
opendoor of this room a Listen roll revealsa soft rustling
from within. Inside, the room is like any other ten-year-
old girl's: toys cover the floor while picturesof horses
and fairies decoratethe walls. Quietly, the derangedVe-
ronica waits in the closet. She sits at the bottonr, sur-
rormdedby moretoys,just waiting for the door to open.
Ilome Alone
Hearingthe intrudersdownstairsandassumingthembur-
glars, the resourcefulVeronicahas prepareda little sur-
prise. In place and ready, cabbagepatch doll clutched
protectively under her arm, she holds a gasoline-filled
waterpistol in onehandanda lighter in the other,readyto
defendher home.If someoneopensttie door sheshouts:
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" andsquirtsthe investigatorin the
face and chestwith gasoline.Blinded, the investigator
barely has time to rcalizp what has happenedbefore Ve-
ronica flicks the lighter and tossesit, turning the unfortu-
natecharacterinto a humantorch.Insanelittle Veronica
thenlaunchesinto a fit of giggling.
The torchedinvestigatortakesan initial 1D4 damage
plus an additionallD3 pointsper roundfor thenext four
roundsor until thefire is extinguished. Investigatorshave
noticedthere is at least one fire extinguisher in every
room. Fabrics and fumiture are fire proof and can be
usedto smotherthe buming investigator.
Veronica watches with
a smile. Then, putting on a
serious face, she says:
"Don't you know it's dan-
gerousto play with fire?"
If threatenedVeronica
becomesscared and starts
to cry. "This isn't your
home,get out. My Mommy
andDaddywill getyou!" If
the investigatorstry to re-
strain her, she kicks and
screams,scratchesand
bites, all the time wailing
"Daddy! Daddy!" and
"Ifave mealone!"
VeronicaHardman
46 The Starr Aro Right
Veronica knows nothing about the safe or its pass-
word. Only if physicallyharmeddoessherevealthe ex-
istenceof the secrettemplebehindthe house.
Behind the House
The yard behind the houseis cut into the hillside and,
screenedby trees, invisible to any neighbors. A well-
tendedgardensurroundsa large, modem-styledgazebo
set atop a redwooddeck.
Nearingthe gazebothe investigatorsseea light switch
that illuminatesthe interior of the gazebo.However,if the
switch insidethe safein the study hasbeentumed to the
On positiona tiny greenlight next to the switch flashes
off and on. Thus activated,flipping the light switch on
results in a grinding, rumbling sound as the entire deck
swings back out of the way to reveal the cult's secret
undergroundtemple.The smell of burnt and decaying
fleshassailsthe investigator'snostrils.
The Secret Temple
This hidden structurewas built with money gainedrob.
bing the housesHardmanand his men have bumed, the
samemoney that purchasedthis houseandproperty.The
temple is a concretepit, twenty feet in diameterand
nearly twenty feet deep.An industrial-typeiron staircase
is boltedto the wall, giving accessto the bottom-a ce-
ment floor marked with three concentriccircles. In the
centerof the circlesis a large iron grill mountedover a
fre pit. Aburnedanddecayinghumancorpseliesatopthe
grill. All lose 1/1D4Sanitypoints.
On a small table besidethe altar is a fat spiral note-
book. On the inside cover is written: "Our Deedsof
Fire." The first page quotes from The Letters of Nesnr
(seeFire Papers*2) while the rest containscrawleden-
tries recordingthe "glorious gifts offeredto Cthugha."
There are approximatelythirty of theseentriesdating
backnearlyfive years.The last entry is datedthreedays
ago,obviouslythe poorfellow still on thegrill.
The "Tower of Gold" mentionedin thetext originally
referredto the templesof the wealthypriestclassbut is
now interpretedby Hardmanas the Bank of America
building, one of SanFrancisco'stalleststructures.On a
sheetof paper insertedunder the next page,are what
Quotation from 7he Letters ol Nestar
"How we achefor your touch,oh flaminglord.Howwe
havetoiledfor your purpose,oh Fire King. Howwe've
beggedfor yourcoming,oh RedLord.Butonthatdaywe
shallreceiveyou,Grandfather Fire.Foron thatday all is
right.The Towerof Gdd shallbecomethe Pillarof Fire
and we shallgivethe call. Let mankindbe cleansedby
your power.Let the profaneknow as we know,that on
thisdaythefheshallburnso bright,burnintothememory
ol allmen."
The Fire Papers tr2
appearto be calculations of some sort, these culminating
in three dates identical to those the investigators may
have found in Steve Willows'flat. A successfulOccult or
Astronomy roll determines that the calculations pertain to
the movement of the stars. The figures predict the most
opportune time for the summoning.
The cultists are already engaged in preparations for
the upcoming event. It is intended that the investigators
learn of the situation with just enough time to get to the
scene and try and stop the activity.
The Piltar
of Fire
HE finale takesplace in the Bank of America
Headquarters,a downtown skyscraper52 stories
high, a honeycombof offices.By day the work
place of thousands of people, at night most floors are
occupied only by cleaning and security personnel.On the
52nd floor, however, is the Camelian Room, a popular
night spot with seating for over 150 people. These the
cultists intend as sacrifices to their god. They will be a
fitting tribute to Cthugha who, once successfully sum-
moned, will lay waste to the city.
With fire alarms and sprinkler systems sabotaged, the
fire fighters will have ample time to start the fire and
begin the ceremony before the fire is reported and a re-
sponse is made. If the investigators try and short circuit
the situation by phoning the police before heading to the
scene,the cultists will murder the two police officers sent
to investigate.
When the investigators arrive, they discover the mur-
ders committed by the firemen and are the first witnesses
to the fire just now starting to spread through the middle
floors of the building. Police and other fire fighters might
be soon to respondbut ifthe cultists are to be stopped,the
investigators must brave the dangen of the fiery sky-
scraper.
During this part of the scenario it is important that the
keeper maintain the pressureon the investigators. Make
them feel the heat, smell the smoke, rock them with ex-
plosions, endanger them with heat, fire, and falling de-
bris.
The Cultists Arrive
The cultiss havearrangedto do a spot fire safetycheck
on the building and securityis expectingthem.The two
fire truclcsareparkedon CaliforniaStreetin plain view.
This is hopedto delayany alarms;citizensseeingsmoke
or fire will assumethe fire departmenthas alreadybeen
notifiedandis on the scene.
 Thie Firc Shall Kill 47

Once inside, the cultists murder the security guards

with axesand a portableflame thrower,stashingthe bod-
ies in the office. Then they head for the basementand
there shut down the alarms and sabotagethe sprinkler BnNxor Amenrce
BurtDtNG
systems.Most of the electricity is shutdown leavingonly
the elevators,the lobby, and the top floors with power.
Onceall the systemshavebeenincapacitated,they begin t
tuming the building into a suitably fiery altar. As they +-ALL 6IASS
work their way to the roof they engagein manypre-sum-
moning rituals, murdering any cleaning or maintenance
staff they comeacross.Fire vampiresaresummonedand
turned loose inside the building. The creatureshurtle
down the corridors going from room to room, level to
level,igniting all theytouch. ELEVATOR
EANKS
The Investigators Arrive
The investigatorsarrive beforeany obvioussign of fire is
visible. A good Spot Hidden deteceflameslicking at a
window somethirty storiesup. Tlvo unmannedfire trucks
are parked outside, providing the investigatorswith a
sourceof useful equipment.The pumpercarriessuction
andfire hosesof varioussizesfrom 200 to 2000feet lo'ng,
along with various nozzles,tools, and fittings for con- SECURITY
necting to hydrants.Rescueequipmentincludesfirst aid 0fFtcE
kits, wool blankets,self-containedbreathingapparatus
(threein eachtruck) lighting and power equipment,port-
ableextinguishers, axes,shovels,picks,ropes,pike poles
six to sixteenfeet long, sledges,batteringrams,bolt and
wire cutters,hydraulic spreaders,power saws,blocksand
tackles,portable exhaustfans, gas and water shut-off
wrenches,stretchers,a resuscitator,a life net, a lifeline-
fring gun, scalingladders,floodlightsandcables,and a
completeassortmentof handtools.
A Fiery Death
If the investigatorshesitatetoo long, perhapswaiting for
police and fire departmentsto show up, the keepermay
instigateeventsin order to hurry them along.
As the stand on the plaza surroundingthe building
they hear a crashingsound and look up to seea human
being,engulfedin flames,hurtling from a brokenwindow
ELEVATOS
BANI6
on about the 30th floor. The screamingfigure turns
slowly end over end before crashingonto the tiled plaza
very nearthe investigators.The smoldering,scorchedand
crumpledcorpseis that of a cleaningwoman who ran
afoul of the fire fighters. Anyone witnessingthis loses
1/1D4pointsof Sanity.

Entering the Inferno

The front glass doors are unlocked,althoughsecurity is
noticeablyabsent.The ground floor lobby surroundssix FLOOR
GROUND
banksof elevators. 20 FEET
l-------{
The Lobby
Thereis little on the groundfloor besidesthe elevator
banks,a pair ofescalatorsleadingto thelower levels,and
4a The Staru Arc Bight
the small security office, visible from the entrance,its
door standinghalf-open.A blackenedarealies midway
betweenthe front door andthe securityoffrce.The black-
enedpatch smells of petroleumand touching it finds it
dampandsticky.
Inside the office the investigatorsencountera truly
gruesomesight. Five bodiesare strewnaboutthe office.
TWohavehadtheirheadssplit by axeswhile anothertwo
victims lie splayedin their chairs,axesburied deep in
their chests.The fifth body is hung from a coathook.This
victim is honibly burned,its charredflesh weepingthe
last of its bodily fluids onto the floor. Vewing this car-
nagecostsinvestigators1/1D6Sanitypoints.
Thepowerto all monitorsandsurveillanceequipment
hasbeencut. The phones,as in the rest of the building,
aredead.From eachof the four unbumtcorpsesinvesti-
gatorscan obtain a night stick, flashlight, and loaded
hand gun (.38 revolvers).A box of 50 extra bulletsare
kept in a lockedcabinetin the office. Pinnedto the wall is
a blue-printof the building showingmostfeatures.
The Basement
Investigatorshopingto re-establishpoweror emergency
systemsmight wish to explorethe basement.From the
lobby,an escalatorleadsto the four sub-levelsbelow the
building.Herearefound vastgenerators, climatecontrol
systems,pumps, plumbing, massesof wires, pipes,
boxes,and machinery-all or most of it deadand inop
erative.The silenceis stifling.
Approachingthe generatorroofirs,a cracklingcanbe
heardanda faint flickeringbluelight castseerieshadows
down the corridor. Inside, investigatorsfind that the
emergencygenerators aredamaged.The light andcrack-
ling coming from live cablesshorting next to the main
body of the generator.Electrical Repair rolls show the
systemcannotbe quickly repaired.
Gaining the Koof
Investigatorsshould realizpOratgettingto the roof of the
building is the only way to thwart the cultist's plans.
Their choicesarethe stairs,or the waiting elevators.
The Elevators
TWo banks of elevatorsservice the 1st through 14th
floors, while two otherbanksprovide serviceto the l5th
through52nd floors. In the eventof a fre emergencythe
elevatorsare prograrnmedto retum to the lobby, open
their doors,and standfast, inoperable.Investigatorswho
wish to overridethe systemmust makean Electronicsor
Electrical Repair roll. Once the doors close,the elevator
begins moving upward. Triggeredby the heat-sensitive
switchesit headsstraightto eitherthe 14thor 15thfloor
(dependingon which elevatorwas chosen)wherethe fre
is raging strongest,and opensits doors. Roaring flames
pour into the cabcausing1D8damageto eachoccupant.
The doorscloseandthe elevator,now damagedby the
fire, plummetsback down, finally stoppingwith a jolt
halfwaybetweenthe3rd and4th floors.As thecab'stem-
peratureslowly creepsupwards, investigatols only es-
capeis via the hatchin the ceiling. Onceoutsideof the
elevatoqa DEXcheckmight be requiredto retain footing
atop the increasinglycrowdedelevatorroof amongstthe
greasycablesandpulleys.Failuremay meana slip over
the edgeand a fifty-foot fall to the basementbelow. In-
vestigatorslooking up into the distantreachesof the shaft
seetheglow of thefire in the upperlevels.All feel a draft
as air is suckedupwardto feedthe hungry flames.
The bestbet from hereis tiopry openthe doorsto the
4th floor and start making progressup the stairs. How-
ever, some intrepid investigatorsmay decide to risk a
climb up the elevatorshaft.An ambitiousthought"listen
to anyreasonable plansanddecidewhatdangersshallbe
faced along this path, e.g. shaft doors blowing in and
falling towards our heroes,huge fireballs rolling up
throughthe shaft,cablessnappingand elevatorscrashing
into the basement.
Pryingopenthedoorsmay requiresTRor nrx checks
asthe keeperseesfit.
The Stairwell
In all modembuildingsgreateffortsaremadeto usefire-
resistantmaterials.Particulady well protectedare the
stairwells with their heavy,fire-proof doors.Pressurized
to exclude smoke, they provide the safest path for the
investigators. Someilluminationexists,providedby bat-
tery-poweredemergencylights. Fire extinguishersand
fire blankes arefound in thestairwellat everyfloor.
This Firs Shall Kill

Fire Vampires at play

50 The Starr Arc Right

The Lower Floors l-15 reignswhile corridors,halls, and rooms burn. Vsion is
As the investigatorsadvanceupwards,it becomesnotice- obscuredby smoke, and breathing made difficult. It is
ably hotter and the smell of fire grows strong. As they possibleto lose consciousness due to smokeinhalation.
near the llth floor, their first meeting with a cultist fre Door handlesare red hot, superheatedby the flames on
fighter occlrs. the otherside;masonrycollapses;sparks,cinder,andash
Gary Watson, armed blow through corridors. The soundsof distant (or near)
with a flamethrower,is on explosionsring through the building while chunksof
his way to meetfellow cult- concretefall from ceilings.
ists on the roof. Upon see- At other times, fire vampireswhiz past the investiga-
ing the investigalorson the tors, sfieaking down corridors, or are seenplaying like
lower level, he lets loosea children, bouncing off the walls, leaving scorch marks
blastfrom the flamethrower andflame whereverthey go.
down the siairwell. At somepoint during the strugglethroughthe middle
The flamethrowerhas a floors a large fire ball appean in a stairwell or corridor,
range of 30 feet and does room or office. It is actually a number of fire vampires
lD10 damage.Investiga- mergedinto onefiery ball of roaring plasma.The fireball
tors with a higher orx than moves towards the investigatorsleaving them but one
Watson have an instant to roundto react.If they attemptto Dodge,it alterscourseor
reactandgetout ofthe way. splits into sevenseparateentitiesthat swarmover the two
Those with lower pEX are nearestinvestigators.
alloweda Dodgeroll to es- GaryWatson
The Top Floors 36-52
cape the blast, those suc-
ceedingsufferonly 1D3pointsof damage. With the stressof the infemo affectingthe superstructure,
a sectionof stairwellhascollapsedleavinga gapbetween
Those caught in the full blast have their hair bumt
the 47thand50thfloors.The investigators needto devise
away,their skin blisiered, and their clothing set afire. At
a methodof crossingthe chasmeitherby rcpe or ladder.
the keeper'sdiscretion articles canied by the investiga-
Altematively,with a little skill, it is possibleto scalethe
tors might alsobe set alight. Investigatorsset on fire suf-
outsideof the building by firing a life line into the win-
fer an additional 1D4 points of damageper roundfor four all that
dowsa coupleof floorsup. This beingsuccessful,
roundsor until the flames are put out. Investigatorsmay
is neededis a climb up a sheerwall with forty-fourstories
vacatethe stairwell throughthe doorsleadingout into the
below and the glimpseof cultist movementon the roof
building. Watsonwaits patientlybut if the investigators
above.The grapplinghook on the life line lrolsa 4OVo
aregonelong he creepsdown the stairsto stalk his prey. chanceof makinga solid connection.
An alternativeroute is throughthe ceilings in the cor-
The Middle Floors 16.35
ridors outsidethe stairwell.Choppingwith axesallows
This is where the fires rage most tenibly. Most of the the investigatorsto climb up to the next floor. Air ducts
floors in this sectionarewell alight. The keeperis encour- might alsobe usedto crawl up to the top floor.
aged to contribute towards the climactic struggleup On the 52ndfloor the investigatorsfind the brightly-
wards, making every step fraught with danger.Chaos lit CarnelianRoom.The hundredor more patronsmay or
may not be awareof the fire. Most likely they are,some
of them having tried to leave and found the elevators
inoperativeand the stairsblockedby fre. Most will be
too panickedto be of anyhelp but the keepermay wish to
allow a few stalwarttypesto accompanythe investigators
in thelaststandagainstthe cultists.

The Roof
Astairwayleadsto theroof andasinvestigators reachthe
doorthe soundofhoarse,gutturalchantingcanbe faintly
heard,Hardman'svoice rising over the others.As they
openthe doortheyfind thesummoningreachingits final
stages.They seeacrossthe roof, thirty fent away,2D4+l
firemencultists,facescoveredby shawlsandholdingup
sandalwood torches.In theirmidst,standingatopthecoP
ing on theedgeof thebuildingwith his backto the inves-
tigators,is RobertHardman,axe in hand,extolling the
heavensfor his god.
 This Firo Shall Klll

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a
r 4d#4.
a

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t ,li71f

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Cthugha, Lord of Fire

52 The Stars Are Raght

Before the investigatorscan react the air seemsto roof, the coptermust lift eachcharacterindividually with
comealive, thickening,becomingelectric.In the dark sky its winch. Whethertime enoughexiststo rescueall inves-
overheada pinhole of light opensandfrom it streamsfre tigatorsmustbe decidedby the keeper.
vampires,hundredsof them, streakingdown toward the Cthugha completely destroys the Bank of America
city like flaming rockets,whirling, whizzing, dating to- building which collapsesandspreadsfire to the surround-
wards homesand parks. Then the dark sky is torn apart ing area.Aided by the hundredsof fire vampiresreleased,
and from beyond emergesan immenseball of buming the city suffers a great fire that makesthe 1906 disaster
plasma,all flame and heat and madness:Cthugha,Iord seemsmall by comparison.Any survivinginvestigators
of Fire. The roof is bathed in light as Hardman'schant suffer an additional2D4 Sanitypoint loss asthe destruc-
continues and Cthughabeginsmoving toward its offer- tion and deathtolls mount.
ing andthe city. All witressingthis eventlose 1D3/1D20
Sanitypoins. Aftermath
Thereis still time for the investigatorsto savethe city
The city hopefully saved,the headlinesof tomorrow's
and themselves.Besides,escapeis nearly impossible.
paperpurport to tell ttrestory but containsno mentionof
Cthughacan still be driven back if the calling chantcan
the murderedguards,the arsonistfiremen, or anything
be intemrptedbefore the god acceptsthe offering of the
that connectsthe strangeastronomicalphenomenorwit-
burning building. Eliminating Hardman,either with a
nessedby so many the night before. Only the tenible
bullet or a shoveover the edge,accomplishesthis easily
storyof a building'sdestruction.
enough.Standingin the way howeverare insane,suicidal
The city, and indeedthe country are astoundedby the
cultists armed with fire axes and other weapons.Al-
tenible newsof the fire. Peoplegaspin amazementat the
though desirousof death at the handsof their god, they
accountof greatexplosionsthat hurled huge fire balls up
arenot afraid to die in its defense.They attackinvestiga-
into the sky. Officialshavepulledthe covertight on this
tors mercilessly.
one-nothing getsout, nobody is to know.
In the meantime,two helicoptersheaveinto view, one
If the investigatorswere saved,their ordealmay not
of them from KHvN-tv, the other a rescuevehicle scram-
be over. The officials want answers.After interrogation,
bled by the local CoastGuardstation.As the battleon the
someinvestigatorsmay be judged insaneand committed
rooftop breaksout the newscopterdrawstoo closeto the
by the state.Othersmay find themselvessuffering from
still-descending Cthugha and is seized by a fiery
pyrophobiaor, worse,pyrophilia.
pseudopodthat shootsout without waming. The copter
explodesat its touch providinga fitting backdropto the
sceneon the roof.
Statistics
The Ctimax Robert Hardman, 39, lieutenanlr priest of Gthugha
sTR 17 CON15 SIZ1s INT16 POW22
DEX11 APP12 EDU17 SANO HP15
DamageBonus: +1Dzl
I F the investigatorsstop Hardman,whetherby putting Weapons:FisVPunch 50%,1D3+db;Axe45o/o,1D6+1+db
I a bullet in his back or by shovinghim off the edge, OperateHeavy
CthulhuMythos'14%,
Sklffs;Astronomy45o/o,
I the ceremonyis broken andCthughadrawnback into Machinery65%,StartFire950/0.
whateverspaceit normally inhabits. The city, if not the Spells:Cat[DismissCthugha,SummodBindFlameVampire,
Bank of America building, is saved.Any cultists still FlameSoulof Cthugha.
alive will fight to the death.The fire is eventuallybrought
under control and any survivors saved, either by fire llelissa Hardman, 37' cultist housewife
fighters making their way up through the building, o'r by sTR 12 CON16 SIZ10 INT14 POW12
rescuecoptersplucking them from the roof. All gain a DEX15 APP14 EDU14 SANO HP13
Sanityawardof 2DLO+2points. DamageBonus:0
Weapons:Scratch650/o,1D2i Bite45%,1D3.
If the investigaton fail to kill or stop Hardmanwithin
Skifls: BurnDinner55%,DriveAutomobile45o/o,
Swim39%.
the next six roundsCthughareachesits offering and en-
ters the building, feeding on thoseleft insideand increas- Veronica Hardmanr lOr watped child
ing the destructionof thefire ten fold. Hugesemi-gaseous sTR 6 CON12 SIZ5 INT11 POW11
pseudopods reachup and over the roof andbeginclaim- DEX15 APP14 EDU4 SANO HP9
ing the cultists,calling them to their final reward.The DamageBonus:-1D4
investigatorsare likely doomedunlessthe keeper,with Weapons:WaterPistol(gasoline-filled)
65%, 1D6+'lD3 each
suitablerolls andrisks,allowssomeor all to be savedby roundthereafter.
the hoveringCoastGuardcopter.Too largeto land on the Skills:Climb557o,Hide45%,Sneak65%.
 Thls Fille Shall Klll 53

DamageBonus: +'lDzl
The Fire Fighters 400lo,'l D3+db;Pike1D8+db.
Weapons:FisVPuncfr
Skills:Climb55%.

Tommy Johnsonr 33
sTR 16 CON13 StZ17 llarcus Smith' 24
INT12 POW13 DEX11 sTR 14 CON15 SlZ12
APP10 EDU12 SANO INT15 POW15 DEX18
H P1 5 APP9 EDU16 SANO
Damagegenu3; +1Dzl H P1 4
Weapons:Flarnethrower 550/0, DamageBonus: +1Dzl
2D6;Axe55o7", 1gt6+1+db Weapons:BumingTorch55%,
Electrical
Skills: Climb850/o, 1D6db: Shovel55%,1D8+db.
Repair45%. Skills:Climb65%,

John Grlslow' 27 Al Darwey 38

sTR 15 CON14 SlZ12 sTR 14 CON13 s,lz17
INT14 POW15 DEX10 INT11 POW14 DEX12
A P P S E D U1 0 S A N O A P P l O E D U1 4 S A N O
H P1 3 H P1 5
Damagegqnus; +1Dt. Damagegenus; +1ryl Marcus Smith
Tommy Johnson
Weapons:FisVPunch 65%, Weapons:Axe1D6+1+db;
1D3+db;Pike65%,1D8+db. BoltCutters45%,1Dll+db.
Skills: Cfimb 75o/o,Drive Pumper 75o/o,Jump 45o/o. Skills:Climb55%,FirstAid65%,SpotHidden55%.

Will llipper' 44 Nick Stoddard' 37

sTR 13 CON16 SIZ16 INT14 POW11 tNT16 POW17
sTR 13 CON16 SIZ14
DEX10 APP12 EDU13 SANO H P1 6 EDU12 SANO HP 15
DEX17 APP14
DamageBonus:+1Dzl DannageBonus: +1D'4
Weapons:FisVPuncfr30%,1D3+db;Knife40%' 1D4+2+db. Weapons:Axe75o/o,1D6+1+db.
PolishFire
Skiffs:LockPick50%,MechanicalRepairTSo/o, Hide40%,Sneak45%,SpotHidden55%.
Skills:Climb55%o,
Truck65%o.
Jack O'Gonnorr 3l
Duane Gollinsr 29 sTR 16 CON15 SIZ16 t N T1 4 , P O W1 7
DEX14 APP15 EDU15 SANO HP 16
s r R 1 4 C O N1 6 S I Z ' 1 4
INT11 POW13 DEX15 DamageBonus: +1 Dzl
APP13 EDU10 SANO Weapons: Axe4oo/o,1D6+1+db;Pick657o,1D8+db'
H P1 5 Skills:Climb50%,FireUfeline65%.
DamageBonus:+1D4
Weapons:BurningTorch35%, l\nelve Firc VamPiros
1D6+db;Axe 1Dr6+1+db.
coN stz DEX INT POW HP
Skills:AimWaterNozzle50%, 'I 15 7 1 0 8
OperateHeavyMachinery 75%. One I
Two 10 1 18 10 13 10
Thrcc 9 I
14 9 1 3 9
Phil Watson' 26 Four 11 16 11 15 11
sTR 14 CON14 SIZ15 Fivc 11 1 22 16 14 11
INT15 POW17 DEX13 Six I 1 16 1 2 1 0 8
APP13 EDU10 SANO 10 1 0 1 2 9
H P1 5 Scven 9 1
Eight 7 1 17 1 4 1 6 7
DamageBonus:+1D4 '12 15 11 11 12
DuaneCollins Nin" 1
Weapons:Crowbar65%, Tcn 7 16 9 9 7
1D8+db;Grapple357o,special. Elcvcn 6
'I 18 1 0 1 0 6
20 8 '12 10
Skills:ComputerUse75%,Listen55%. Twelvc 10 1
Move:11
Gary Watson' 24 Weapons:Toucfr85%,2D6plusmagicpointdrain.
sTR14 CON14 s,lz't7 rNT12 POW16 Armor: Unharmedby materialweapons.
DEX12 APP12 EDU13 S A NO H P1 6 Spells:None. T
54 The Stars Arc Right
55lnd in lts despair mankind shall choose lts
leaders where lt finds them, and though they
shall promlse much they will bring but further
despah. The void looms ahead, and none will
avoid it. 99
The Book ol Dyzan
HIS scenariofinds the investigatorsattempting
to damage the reputation of Elwood 'Ted'
McKinney a well-known Republicansenator
from New England. SenatorMcKinney, the eldest son of
a very wealthyfamily, is opposedby oneMirandaSharpe,
an ex-Bmovie queenrunning on the Democraticticket.
Sharpehasovercomethe stigmaof her former careerand
shownherselfto be an intelligentand incisiveopponent.
A populistcandidate,shehasput the incumbentMcKin-
ney througha tough race.
The investigatonwill possiblybelievethat they have
beenhired by membersof McKinney's family attempting
to underminethe Senatorand replacehim with his
youngerbrother,Brandon.As the plot unfolds,however,
the investigatorsfind themselvescaughtup in an almost
impenetrable web of political intrigue.
It will probablynever be clear to the investigators
exactlywhat is going on, or who is pulling the strings.
They may becomelost in a welter of confusingfacts and
purposefuldisinformation.Unknown to them, Miranda
Sharpecontrols nearly everyonethey come in contact
with. To aid them alongin their quest,the keeperis en-
couragedto usesuchcharactersas the man in black and
attorneyEdwin Schneiderto feed informationto the in-
vestigatorswhenevertheyneedit.
Keeper's Information
Although Miranda Sharpe appearsas an attractive
womanforty yearsold, sheis considerablyolder andin
no way human. The person who was once Miranda
Sharpeis long gone,absorbedby the alien intelligence
thatnow inhabitsher form. Acreaturewith aninsatiable
desirefor powerandcontrol,it now attemptsto insinuate
itself into humanpolitics whereit canmove amongst-
and manipulate-those in public office. In an effort to
secureher election Miranda uses the investigators-
alongwith many others-to undermineher opponents.
Mirandagrew up in a small town, movingto the big
city at the ageof 20 to pursuea careeras a beautyque€n.
It was while attendinga pageantin Orange,New Jersey,
while walking alongthe water'sedgealonelateat night,
that the alien creaturefound her.
All mouthsand eyes,the nearly formlessvisitor from
deep spacematerializedbefore her and attacked.Con-
suming her, joining wittr her, it tore loose the strings of
her oNa and wrappeditself in her shape.It rebuilt itself
andMirandafrom the insideout, absorbingandstoringher
memories,dispensingwith
petty emotionsand keeping
only her harsh will. The
monstrosityreplacedher al-
mostseamlessly.
The alien avoidsdetec-
tion by appearingas one of
it's victims. The victim's
imageis storedasa genetic
codewithin the alien vam-
pire's body. Basedon this
storedcode,the alien pro'
jects a wave form through-
out its body distorting and
twisting its true appearance
into a perfectimageof the
MirandashiarPe victim. Theimagehasall
the
attributesof ttre host, including voice, texhre, odor, and
other significant fixtures.
Mirandastayedin the beautycontestcircuit until the
late 1950s.Periodicallyshe allowed herselfto age, al-
tered her appearance,then moved on to anotherregion.
And always,shewould feedon the wrsuspecting.
During the 1960sthe Miranda/vampirediscovered
therewasmoremoneyto be madein pornographythanin
the beautycircuits andbegana new career.Moving in the
pornographycircle allowed her to go further under-
ground,whereperiodic feedingswere less likely to be
traced.Many of the people performing in pornographic
movies were separatedfrom their families, their disap
pearanceoften not noted with any great concern.Run-
awayscanrunawayagain,afterall.
By the early 1980sshewas againreadyto moveon.
Altering her featuresslightly, she re-emergedas the
young blonde starlet seenin a dozenlow-budget action
films. Although her acting talents were disparagedby
critics,sheprovedpopularand found it easyto turn this
popularity into voter supportwhen she ran for Congress
in 1988.Re-electedfor a secondterm but somehownot
 The Prolc$lonelr

satisfied,sheturned her attentionto the Senateseatheld Miranda left him at the end of summer.Simon-al-
by four-term SenatorTed McKinney. thoughhe knew somethingwas wrong with her, that she
was somehowchanged-never forgot her. She was the
Senator Ted McKinneY onetrue love of his life. They met againyearslater when
Ted McKinney is a dissipated,alcoholic, womanizer Simonwasworking in the adult film industryasa screen-
whose philandering exploits, if madepublic, would de- writer. Although he wassure,despiteher youthful appear-
stroy his public image and ance,that shewas his Miranda, shedid not acknowledge
career.TWice married and him. Whenshere-emergedyearslater asa political candi-
divorced,McKinney's sec- datehe spottedher again.Suspectingwhat is wrong with
ond wife left him after find- her, Simonhasconcocteda plan to banishthe alien thing
ing him in bed last year from her body and reclaimhis lost love.
with CongresswomanMi-
randa Sharpe,a detail un- The Gell Vampire
known by press or public. Unlike the somewhatsimilar star vampire which merely
TWo months later SharPe feastson a victim's blood, this creaturealsoconsumesits
announcedher intention to victim's geneticcode,absorbingthe informationandstor-
oppose McKinney in the ing it in reservoirswithin its cells. Oncethe cell vampire
upcomingsenatorialrace. has feastedit can immediatelyreorder its own composi
Having held office in tion alongthe pNn patternof its victim.
his home statewithout sig- The cell vampire is non-terestrial, and normal weap
nificant opposition for 24 ons do only minimum damage.Additionally, the Cell
years,the senatorhas led a Vampireknits up woundsin its host body at the rateof l0
Senator Ted ltllcKinneY hit pointsper round.Devicesthat invadethecell vampire's
secretlife of moral iniquitY
surroundedby the protectivebureaucracyof the govern- geneticmemoryandprocessingfimction,suchaswaveform
ment, and the even more effective shield of his family's transmissionof the oow device,unravelsthe being's ap
money.Ted's indiscretionshaveonly lately filtered out to pearan@,like fingerspulling apartcottonwool.
the generalpublic'snotice. The cell vampirealso emits a strongelectromagnetic
field that increasesin intensity during times of stress.
Simon Childe This invisible cloud of energy is capableof interfering
Of courseMiranda Sharpeis walking a tightrope of her with the operationof micro-computersor any other de-
own. The pornographyfilms madein the 60s and 70s' if vice employing cMos and magneticstoragetechnology.
brought to public knowl- Miranda Sharpeis known amongher stafffor her refusal
edgewouldsinkher rePuta- to deal with computers("I just don't get along with
tion. Only one penon has them") and for her penchantfor wearing only old-fash-
guessed0re truth aboutMi- ioned,spring-drivenwatches.
randa Sharpe--apast-lover
namedSimonChilde. Investigators' Information
Simon, then a young
would-bewriter, fell in love It is assumedinvestigatorshavegaineda reputationas in-
They arecontactedby
vestigativeagentsor troubleshooters.
wittr Miranda in 1942,the
first time he saw her walk- a mysteriousmanin black
ing the boardwalkalongthe The ltlan in Black
New Jeney coast.A book- This individual shows up
ish fellow hungry for exPe- one day at an investigator's
rience,Simon'sdesirewas home or place of business,
unquenchable. Summoning driving a huge stretch
up his courage,he intro- limousine.Dressedin black
Simon Childe
ducedhimself one day and and wearing dark glasses,
soonafter the two were lovers. he presentsthe business
Simon knew Miranda for only two weeksbefore she card of a well-knownlaw-
was taken by the alien creature.Although their relation- yer,Edwin R. Schneider.
ship continuedthrough the summer,he sensedsomehow Investigatorsimmedi-
a changein her. In her human incarnationMiranda had ately recognizeSchneider,
found Childe amusing,interesting,perhapsevenuseful. his face familiar from doz-
The new,possessed Miranda had lessusefor the manbut
ens of TV commercialsof-
toleratedhim in order to maintainappearances. fering to handle the civil
The Man In Black
56 The Starr Aro Righr

eftects of a dissolute life

claims of individuals hurt on the job or otherwise-basi- tors' hands, introducing himself, and calfing them by
cally an ambulance chaser operating on a state-wide name. Then he makes them an offer.
scale. The man in black says that Schneider has an inter- Certain people are willing to pay good money for in-
esting offer for the investigator and his friends. It pays formation about a certain, influential politician and mak-
quite well. ing it public. The investigators will be paid $15,000
The man in black arrangesa time to meet the investi- apiece if and when the job is satisfactorily completed.
gators, indicating he will drive them to Schneider's of- Schneiderassuresthem that the individual in question is no
fice, then leaves. longerfitto holdpublic office andthat itwouldbe in thebest
interestsof the country if he were forced to sep down.
Edwin R. Schneider
Schneiderasls if they are interestedin taking the job.
The limo and man arrive If they accept,Schneiderrises and wallcsto the rear of the
right on time.Insidethecar, office. He tells the investigators to remain seated then
the investigatorsfind the dims the lights before leaving the room.
interior superbly-ap-
pointed.The man in black The Family
offers them drinks from the After a momenta door opensandthroughit comesa man
car's wet bar while sooth- pushing someonein a wheelchair.The darknessof the
ing musicplayson a digital roomconcealstheir identity.The shadowymanspeaksto
surround-soundsystem.It the investigators,but through a hand-heldmicrophone
is all very pleasant. thatelectronicallyaltershis voice.His speechis clearand
Within a few minutes intelligible,but strippedof humanintonation.
they arrive at a downtown "Greetings.I'm gladwe couldinterestyou in ourwork"
high-rise office building. The manholds forth a secondobjectin his otherhand,
The man in black escorts aimsit acrosstheroom, andtriggersit, bathingthefar wall
them to a large, well lit of- in light. The investigatorsseea huge portrait of Senator
Edwin R. Schneider
fice. Schneider, his facefa- McKinney,createdby theman'shand-heldprojector.
miliar from hundredsof Tv commercials,smilesat the "I assumeyou are all familiar with the
Senator.As
investigatorsfrom behinda chromeand glassdesk.Step- you may know he is presentlycampaigningfor re-elec-
ping out from behindthe desk,he shakesthe investiga- tion to his fifth term in office. We want you to help pre-

vent him from gaining that objective.It has becomeap
parentto many that McKinney is no longer fit to serve
and,in fact, posescertainrisls to nationalsecurity.Assas-
sination is, of course,out of the questionbut if someof
his rumored past indiscretions were to be proven and
madepublic, he would almostcertainly fail in his bid for
re-election."
"Yes. He
The figure in the wheelchairfinally speaks.
must be stopped."The voice is dry, little louder than a
whisper,but obviously feminine.
Investigatorsmaking Spot Hidden rolls can makeout
the featuresof the man holding the projector.Know rolls
let them realizethat this is BrandonMcKinney, younger
brother of the Senator.This could only meanthe figure
seatedin the wheelchairis the agedMcKinney matriarch,
Claire McKinney.
The shadowy man moves a switch on the projector
and two faces are now cast on the wall, one a much
youngerMcKinney, the other ashe appearstoday.
"The.setwo photographsare separatedby less than
"It
five years,"explainsthe shadowyman. is easyto see
how badly McKinney's healthhas beenaffectedby his
dissolutelife-style. Medical opinion is that he is defi-
natelyheadedfor a breakdown,but his popularity is such
that unless steps are taken he will almost certainly be
re-elected."
As Brandon speaks,the two imagesmerge,blending
togetherto form a grinning death'shead.Brandonagain
thumbsthe projector and the face of a beautiful blonde-
hairedwomanappean.Sheis probablyfamiliar to all of
the investigatorsas Miranda Sharpe,ex-moviestar, cur-
rent congresswolnan,andDemocraticcandidatefor a seat
in theu.s.Senate.
"I believe,' saysBrandon,"you may be ableto start
your investigationby looking into McKinney's pastcon-
nectionswith Ivts. Sharpe.Politics sometimesmakesfor
strangebedfellows."
The image in the circle of light softensand changes'
Sharpe'sfaceis replacedby the imageof an older woman.
Shetoo is blondg but her faceis gaun! her skin pattemed
with thousandsof fine wrinkles.
"This is a formerfriend of Miss Sharpe's.Her nameis
Mae Ann Spirelli, but some of you may know her as
TanyaDesire.Within the adultfilm industrysheis nearly
legendary.Shemay be ableto help you."
Investigatorsfamiliar with porn films, or who make
an EDUxl roll, rememberTanyaDesire as a major star a
few years back. She retired recently,amidst a flurry of
rumors about her health. If this is a recentpicture, it is
evidentthat sheis ilI. A successfulMedicineroll diagno-
sesher as infectedwift nns.
The shadowy figure draws an envelopefrom inside
"In hereyou will find the
his coatandlays it on thedesk.
addressof Ms. Spirellianda retainerfeeof $2000each.If
you have any more questions,please contact Mr.
Schneider."
The Prolessionals 57
Then, shutting off the hand projector, he pushesthe
wheelchairbackout of the room. The lights comebackup
and Schneiderreappears.If the investigators have no
questionshe showsthem out of the office.
If anyof the investigatorsarewearingdigital watches,
sometimelater one of them finds his watch hasstopped,
the time shown indicatingthat it failed during the myste-
riousmeeting.It provesunrepairable.
The watch was damagedby the electromagneticfield
of the vampire/Mirandaposing as the wheelchair-bound
matriarch Claire McKinney. Sharpehas taken over con-
trol of Brandon and now useshim to destroy his own
brother.Claire McKinney is dead,killed by her own son
at the demandof the monstrouscreature.
MaeAnnSpirelli
HE addressgiven the investigaton is that of a
small bungalow in the suburbs.Investigation
shows that the house is actually owned by a
womannamedBelle Thrimm, a namethat might be rec-
ognizedas that of anotherwell-known adult film star.If
Spirelli's financial records are somehbw gained or ac-
cessed, Accountingshowsherheavilyin debt,mostlydue
to recentcostlymedicalbills owed to the Powell Center
for Communicable Diseases.
Adult Film llagazines
A call placed to any one of a number of publications
providestheseanswersto investigatorquestions.
D ThnyaDelight retired from the adult film industrynine
monthsagoand hassincedisappeared. Sheclaimedshe
wasretiring,that shehadhadenoughof theindustryand
wasjustgettingout.
tr Belle Thrimm is another,much less famous,pomo ac-
tress--anobesewomanwhosefilm creditsincludesuch
titlesasBuxomBeutties andFat Girls.
O As far asanyoneat themagazineknows,MirandaSharpe
hasneverhadanyconnectionwith theadultfilm industry.
The Powell Genter
for Communicable Diseases
ObtainingSpirelli'srecordsprovesdifficult, possiblyre-
quiring l,aw, FastTalk, or othermeans.Someonewith the
right equipmentand a successfulComputerUse roll
might be able to tap the hospital'ssystembut wittrout
properpasswords files areinaccessible.
If the investigators somehow learn the truth about
MaeAnn Spirellitheyfind sheis sufferingfrom llos and
hasbeengivenonly a few monthsto live.
5a The Stars Are Right

Bellesits with MaeAnn

A Visit to the House slightly,her mouthopeningto exposeyellow teethanda

gray tongue.
MaeAnn Spirelli'shouseis locatedabouttenmilesout of "The Nightingale!"shecroaksat them."Sheis. . . she
the city in a rural neighborhood. Amodesthomemadeof
is. . ." Her breathrattlesloudly in her throat and her eyes
stucco,its canaryyellow paint is badlyfaded.Curtainsin roll back,revealingbloodshotwhitestumedyellow.Her
all the windows are a bright, checkedyellow pattern,as eyes close and the breath-
fadedas the paint. Ten yearsago the homewas probably ing stops.MaeAnn Spirelli
stylish and tasteful.Now it is an artifact of a decadepast, is dead.
in need of a complete facelift.
Belle is deeply dis-
If investigaton knock at
tressed,but has been ex-
the front door it opensto re- pecting the end for some
veal an obese woman, time. Sheis glad her friend
traces of make-up on her is finally at peace.
face.Sheseemssurprised--
Belle knows nothing
she is expectinga delivery
about Miranda Sharpeand
from the local pharmacy.
can't imaginewhatconnec-
This is Belle Thrimm, ex-
tion Mae Ann might have
porn star and now nurse-
with her.
maidto thedying MaeAnn
Belle retums to Mae's
Spirelli.
room for a moment and
If anyoneasksto speak
comes back carrying a Mae Ann Spirelli
with Mae Ann, Belle turns
small addressbook. "I
protectivebut relentsafter a
probably shouldn't give this to you, but maybe it will
little coaxing and invites
help." She tosses the book to an investigator then asks
the investigatorsin. Belle BelleThrimm them to leave. Her eyes are wet with tean.
shows the investigators
into the bedroom.The blinds are drawn, the stink of hu- The Addrcss Book
mansicknessneadyoverpowering. The pagesof this book are filled with nameswritten in
MaeAnn Spirellimay oncehavebeenTanyaDelight, Mae Ann's neat, tiny script. Investigalorsfamiliar with
may oncehavebeenan attractivewoman,but now sheis adult films notice a numberof familiar names,actorsand
little more than an achingjumble of skin and bones.Her directors,as well asa numberof unrecognizednames.
faceis haggardandskull-like,her hair limp anddull. She One listing is circled-the phonenumberof a Larry
lies motionlessunder a stainedsheet,studyingthe inves- Pantheto(no address)-and next to it the word Nightin-
tigatorsthroughdull, half-liddedeyes,sayingnothing.At gale is written. Anotheraddress-that of a man named
the mention of the name Miranda Sharpeshe stirs SimonChilde-is alsomarked,this time with the initials

rra.s.(MirandaSharpe).Thereare no additionalcluesin
the book, but investigatorsinterestedin phoning porno-
graphicfilm starsmay be intriguedby the possibilities
offeredthem.
If thePanthetonumberis called,it rings abouta half-
dozentimes before picking up. On the other end a mo-
ment of silenceis followed by a short recordedmessage.
"Leave a mes-
A harshvoice repeatsthe numbercalled.
" Soundis ambient,it is possibleto hearboththemovements
sageif you like. I'll getbackto you whenI can.
SimonChilde'saddressis asfollows:
SimonChilde
Supervisorof TechnicalCommunications
Federal Building #23
Suite4632
Baltimore, Maryland
The Phone CaII
HORTLY after their visit to the dying porn star
the investigatonreceivea mysteriousphonecall.
The voice is harsh,furtive sounding.Investigators
who phonedthe L,arryPanthetonumberandheardthe tape
machinecan,with an Idearoll, recognizethis voice as the
same.
The informant claimsto havesomethingvery interest-
ing, very incriminating, and very embarrassingfor the
candidateMiranda Sharpe.If the investigatorshave
$5m0, the dirt is theirs.A meetingis arrangedfor late
night in an alley in a desertedpartof town.
The Meeting
Theinvestigators wait at the appointedplacewhile ruddy
neonlight from a garishsign strobesthe alley.Silentlya
man stepsout of the darkness.The collar of his coat is
tumed up, a hat pulled down over his head.His skin
appearsdark andswarthy.
"I got the package,"he croaks."You got the bucks?"
If the moneyis handedover,the figure producesfrom
insidehis coat a large video reel containerclosedwith
straps.The figure thenslips awayinto darkness.
This is Larry Pantheto,as investigatorswho try and
stop him may discover.Panthetois a failed adult film
director,his careercut shortby cocaineabuseandresul-
tant financialtroubles.He sifteddown throughthe dregs
of the industry eventually ending up directing illegal
films featuringunderageactors.It hasevenbeenrumored
"snuff film," wherein a
that Panthetoonce directed a
personwasmurdered.He's not proudof himself.
Panthetodirectedthe movie that he hasgiventhe in-
vestigators. He is one of the few peoplewho know some
of the truth about Miranda Sharpe.He knew Mae Ann
Spirelli from somework shedid for him on someof his
films. That washow shecameto know theNightingale.
The Prcfesslonals 59
The Tape
The tapeis a 314inch professionalsize and investigaton
will haveto locateequipmentcapableof running it. Any
video production company or studio will have such
equipment.Oneof thetechnicianswill operatetheequip
ment for the investigators.
The movie is shot on film, later transferredto tape.
of the cameramanand the motor of the camera.A micro
phoneoccasionallywobblesinto the left sideof the frame.
MirandaSharpelieson a bed,dressedin a sheernight-
gown. Shestaresup into a camerapositionedhigh above
the bed, shootingstraight down into her face. For a mo-
ment her face fills with emotion. Complex, unreadable
feelings war within her features.Then her face relaxes
again.Sheclosesher eyesandsmiles.
A masculinevoicemumblessomethingfrom off-cam-
era.Mirandatums. "Come herebaby,"shesays.
A nakedboy--maybe 15 yearsold--entersthe frame,
steppingup to thebed.He is thin, with mottledskin,acne
marking his face and shoulders.Well equipped,he
quickly comesalert under Miranda's attentions.Miranda
slides aroundhim as the cameramoves about the scene
clumsily.The boy loseshimself, his eyesclosing as he
concentrateson the motions of their bodies.Miranda
bendsdown and licks his face, then baresher teeth and
tearsa mouthful of flesh from the boy's angularcheek.
The boy begins to screambut is forcibly held by a
suddenlypowerful Miranda who sinks her teeth into his
neck. Expertly she peels back skin and flesh as blood
spurtsforth, splatteringMiranda's white body.The cam-
eraroamsjerkily aroundthescenepanning,zoomingand
trucking while the boy's screamsdie and his struggles
grow weak. Now with a knife Miranda works over the
body, amputatinglimbs efficiently, then splitting him
open from throat to pelvis with rough, sawing strokes.
Peelingbackthe flaps of flesh andribs Mirandapresses
herself into the gelid massof exposedorgansfor a mo.
mentto join with the boy's still-shudderingbody.
The film endsabruptly,the screenfilling with video
snow.
Anyoneviewingthetapesuffersa lossof 1D2l1D8+l
Sanitypoints.If a technicianhashelpedthe investigators
he is now eitherscreaminghystericallyor unconsciotts.
Simon Childe
IMON Childeis in his earlysixties,a thin manof
aboveaverageheight with hair a mouse-colored
gray. krtelligent and scholarly,his watery blue
eyesare accentedby bifocalswith spideryblack wire-
frames.Although he seemsweigheddown by someunde-
finedburden,peoplefind him to be friendly andlikeable.
60 The Stars Aro Right
Simon knew Miranda Sharpeyears ago, in 1942,
when they were both young-before she was seizedby
the malevolententity that now occupiesher body. Simon
continuedas her lover even after the creaturehad taken
her but, sensingthe changein the woman,he drifted away
to pursuea careerasa writer. Why the monsterchosenot
to slay anddevourChildeis unknown.
Despitehis dreamsof novels,Childeneverachieved
more than a salariedjob as a technical writer, occasion-
ally free lancing when and where he could. In the late
sixtieshe wrotesomescenarios forthe adultfilm industry
and during a visit to one of the setshe met the Nightin-
gale,a rising pom queenwith an amazingresemblanceto
his lost love. Although the womanneveracknowledged
Childe, he was sure it was her, althoughthe yearshad
seemedto changeher but little. Childe was now nearly
forty but the womanhe had known looked to be no more
than twenty-five.
Spumedby the woman,Childebecameinvolvedfor a
short time with ThnyaDesire-Mae Ann Spirelli-the
two of them sharing living arrangementsfor several
monthsuntil Childelandeda job with thefederalgovem-
ment and moved to the East Coast.If informed of Mae
Ann's death,Childeexpresses sadness.
Simon'swork for thegovemmentfinally broughthim
to documentingweapons'systems'software for the mili-
tary, his untiring doggednessbringing him a series of
promotions that finally found him a supervisor on the
govemment'stop-secretOotttproject.
Simon's Secret
Simonhasfor the last few yearsbeenobservingMiranda
Sharpe,first as a bimbo starlet then later after she was
electedto a seat in Congress.He has watchedher race
from the Senateavidly, surethat this woman is the same
he lovedsomanyyearsago,andwhomhemet laterin life
whenshewasthe Nightingale.He hascorrectlydeduced
thatsheis inhabitedby somesortof alienintelligenceand
has concocteda plan to rectify the situation.Using the
oDINprototypehe has stolen from the lab, he intendsto
rearrangeMiranda Sharpe'salterednNn and restorethe
woman he loved, saving her, as well as the world, from
whateverevil inhabitsher form. After analyzingthenature
of the entity occupyingMimnda,he will useoorx's optical
downloadingfeatureto 'edit'the woman'sgeneticstructure.
Simononly hasdaysbeforethetheftis discovered. He
knowsa surgeonof low reputationcapableof implanting
the eye,but it will costhim his entirelife's savings.The
operationis scheduledto take place a few days after the
investigatorsfirst contactChilde, at the keeper'soption.
Once the surgeryhas beenaccomplished,Childe affects
darkglassesat all times.
Simon possesses a notebookcomputerequippedwith
an oDlN-typeoptical interface.A specialhigh capacity
memoryarray enablesthe computerto rnapentireorgan-
ismsasencodedpixels.Is developerscall it a pc-short
for PocketCray-as a joke. This devicehas also been
bonowedfrom thegovernment.Usingooltt andthe pc to
alter Miranda's waveform pattem, he believeshe can
purgethe entity from her systemby transmittinga rede-
fined waveformin her directionthroughoDIN'soptical
interface.It is an insaneplan,but Simonhasbeenma4 in
his own quietway,for years.
Simon and the
Investigators
If the investigatorstelephone Childe's office they are told
he is on leave attending a seminar in whatever city the
scenario is taking place and provides the callers with the
name of the hotel. A phone call to the hotel gets through
to Childe who, if Miranda's name is mentioned, willingly
agreesto a meeting at a nearby restaurant.
At the restaurantChilde seemsfriendly but he is only
meeting with the investigators because he thinks they

might be out to maketrouble for Miranda. He intendsto
saveher.He's the only onewho cando it. Outsidersmust
be preventedfrom interfering.
He revealsnothing of his plansbut if adequatelyper-
suadedhe may be inducedto talk abouthis pastrelation-
ship with Miranda Sharpe.He can tell them how yean
ago he adoredher when they were both youngstersback
in the forties.
Few investigatorsare likely to miss the fact that Si-
mon appearsto be yearsolder than the woman and they
may quietly decidethe man must be insane.If someone
mentionsthe incongruity of Simon's statement,the man
quickly tums silent, his face creasingwith anxiety when
he realizesthe enormity of his slip-up. A quick Psychol-
ogy checkrevealsthe man is not wholly sane.Is he lying
aboutknowing Miranda Sharpeyean ago?
Simon excuseshimself, quickly, and leaves the in-
vestigators.
Simon's Koom
It is possible that the investigatorsmight sneak into
Childe's hotel room-particularly while he is meeting
with other investigatorsin the restaurant.The hotel doors
are reasonablysecurebut easily openedby anyonemak-
ing a successfulIocksmith roll. Afailed Luckroll me:ns
the investigatorhasbeenspottedby a hotel employee.If
caught,burgling investigatorsare takenfirst to the secu-
rity office andthenthe local police precinct.Arraignment
is the following day and the suspectswill be releasedon
$1000bail to facechargeslater.AttorneySchneiderwill
post bail if contactedand secretlymakean effort to clear
the matter up. The incident never appearson the investi-
gators'records.
If the investigatorsget inside they find the room is
neat--Simonapparently hasn't even used any of the
room's stationery.Inoking aroundon the desk,an inves-
tigator making a Spot Hidden roll notesthe faint impres-
sion of writing on a note pad. Pencil rubbing revealsthe
following crypticphrase:
"Dr. Ruggerio,8:30am"
Simon'sbriefcaseis tuckedundera benchJikedeskin a
shallow alcove near the bathroom.It is an expandable
leatherattiache,with a solid combinationlock. The casecan
beforced(it hasa srn of 8) or openedwith a t-ocksmithroll.
Forcingthe caseunmistakablymarsthe leathersurface.
Insideis a slim notebookcomputerwith a rubberized
caseandsomethingin a vinyl resealable package.A strip
of blue tape is fastenedover the seal.In bright yellow
lettersit reads:
CLOSUREIDO NOTOPENOUTSIDECLEANROOMISTERILE
CLOSUREIDO NOTOPENOUTSIDECLEANROOiII STERILE
CLOSUREIDO NOTOPENOUTSIDECLEANROOMISTERILE
DO NOTOPENOUTSIDE
CLOSUREI CLEANROOMISTERILE
The Gomputer
Useskill immediately
Anyonewith Computer notesthe
machine is equipped with advanced inputting features.
The Proferslonalr 6l
An optical jack, infra-red receptor glowing dully, is
mountedto oneside of the displayscreen.Adome shaped
beadof laserlight winks to life nearthe key boardwhich
an Idea roll identifies as an optical pointer that functions
like a nackball, the pointer activatedby passinga finger-
tip or similar objectthroughthe laserdome.
The computeractivatesautomaticallywhen opened,
bootingup from an internalbubblememory afiay loading
a programcalled "GenomeMap." A wire framemalehu-
man body rotating endlesslythrough all anglesand axes
is shown below the programtitle. The figure alters con-
tinuously,sequencingsubtly througha seeminglyendless
catalogueof body types.
A ComputerUse roll is requiredto get pastthe open-
ing screenof theprogram.The secondscreenis a menuof
selections,listing a numberof names,including Simon's.
Clicking on any name brings a body image onto the
screen.The pointer can be usedto navigateinto the body
image,zoomingendlesslyinward, until the genepattrems
of the body arerevealedin all their helical beauty.
Anyone usingthe program,or observingsom@neus-
ing it, and making an Idea roll realizesthe machinecon-
tainscompletegeneticimagesof severalpeople,rendered
in state-of-the-artvirtual reality.
Another ComputerUse roll allows the investigatorto
leam how to alter the genemap of the selectedpersonby
dragging winking, rotating pixels around on the screen.
Severeediting is reflected in the outline of the mapped
body shown in a window at the top left of the screen.
Arms shrink, heads enlarge, shouldersstoop, legs
lengthen,etc., simulatingchangesmade to the genetic
pattems.
The Vinyl Bag
The bag is found to contain a small black orb about an
inch and a quarter in diameter.An ldea roll allows an
investigatorto note that it is about the same size as a
humaneyeball.The orb is featureless,matteblaclgexcept
for a blue pad acrossthe back. The pad bearsthe same
sterility warningas the tapeacrossthe bag's closure.Un-
der the pad is a pulsing grid of brightly colored intercon-
nectinglines.A magnifyingglassallowstheinvestigaton
to determinethereis a pattem to the criss-crossinglines.
Electronicsor ComputerUse allows the investigatorto
determinethat this is a highly complexlogic circuit em-
beddedin living organic tissue. This discovery costs
1/lD2 Sanitypoints.
Simon returns to the room before investigatorsare
able to damageor steal the device. Discovering the in-
trudershe demandsthey unhandhis property-carefully.
Ifthey refuseSimonproducesa shrouded9-mm handgun
to help convincethem,thendials hotel security.He sug-
geststhe investigatorshave a few momentsbefore the
authoritiesarrive and that escapeis still possible.He
standsasideto let themleave.
A few hourslater,Simonchecksout.
62 The Stars &o Bight
Dr. Kuggerio
I NVESTIGATORSfollowing up on the Dr. Ruggerio
I clue can look into The doctor'sbackgroundby call-
I ing the local branchof the nran. Persuadeor FastTalk
can be usedto discoverthat the man is a gifted surgeon,
but hasbeenbaned from further practice.No one admits
anything,but rumors indicatethe man madeseveraldis-
figuring surgical errors while drugged up on his own fa-
vorite pharmaceuticals.
Doctor Ruggerio's address can be found in the local
phone book. If they stake the place out, the investigators
are rewarded when Childe arrives carrying his briefcase
and an overnight bag. Ruggerio, a short, balding man
with dark skin, greets Childe at the door. He talks with his
visitor for a few moments before they go inside. If some-
one is close enough to make a Listen roll, or electronic
devices are employed, snatches of the conversation are
heard. Ruggerio asks Childe if he is sure he really wants to
go through with this thing. What if the thing doesn't work?
Childe replies that he's sure.
The operation takes some six hours during which time
Ruggerio is assistedby his wife, a trained nurse. Simon is
not seen again until the next day when he emerges from
the house looking shaky and weak. His eyes are protected
by a pair of minored sunglasses.He is helped to a waiting
cab by the doctor and his wife.
If the doctor is interviewed, he admits to nothing.
Ruggerio cannot be threatened, fast talked or bribed. He
just won't talk. His wife, Ellen, is just as adamant.
If the doctor's house is broken into and searcheda
surgical suite is found in the basement behind a heavy,
locked door. A Spot Hidden roll locates the sterile pouch
from Simon's briefcasethat once contained the black orb.
In a small refrigerator is a specimen jar containing a sin-
gle human eyeball (lose 0/1 Sanity points). Investigaton
making an Idea roll realize this is Simon's eye.
There is a35Vo chartcethe doctor discovers the inve's-
tigators snooping in his surgery.His surgery is illegal and
he hesitatesto call the police. Law can be used to make
him tell the investigatorsthat he replaced Simon's left eye
with a small black device. Simon claimed it would auto'
matically bond with his optic nerve but the doctor is
doubtful. If the investigators describe the small black orb
they found in Simon's briefcase,the doctor identifies it as
the thing he put in Simon's head.
If the investigators follow Simon's cab he seesthem.
He has the driver drop him off at a subway station and
begins changing trains until he loses the investigators. It
is important that Simon drop out of sight for a while.
Intenriew with
Ted McKinney
HE investigatorsreceiveanothervisit from the
man in the black.He explainsthat Schneiderhas
somehowwangledthem a chanceto interview
Senator McKinney in his home. The investigators are
supplied with phony credentials linking them to a well-
known national newspaper.The man in black tells them

that it is believed that incriminating evidencemight be
found in the Senator'sbedroom.
McKinney's houseis a sprawling ersatzcolonial lo-
catedon the coastoverlookingthe sea.Insidethe houseis
empty-lonely feeling. Once clearedby security the in-
vestigatorsare met at the front door by a smiling, gra-
cious McKinney. As agreedupon, therewill be no video
equipmentallowed, althoughvoice recordingand still
photographyis permissible.
Early into the interview investigatorsnotice some-
thing wrong. The Senatorshowssigns of mentalfatigue,
often losing the threadof his idea in mid-sentence.
Within moments,McKinney is up and fixing himself
a drink, asking if the investigatorswould like anything.
He dismissesthe security guard, telling him to return in
about an hour. The man leaves reluctantln shooting a
warning glance at the investigators.Once the guard
leaves,McKinney beginsdrinking himself into a stupor,
soonbecomingincoherent.A half-hour laterhe hasfallen
asleepon the couchleaving the investigatorsto their own
devices.
Looking aroundthe house,they find a place lavishly
appointedwith a combination of pricelessantiquesand
high-dollar consumer items. Despite this, the house
somehowseemsempty,unused.
In McKinney'sbedroomSpotHiddenrolls find a still
cameramountedin the ceiling operatedby switchescon-
cealedin a nightstandnext to the bed.
A small sitting room connectedto the bedroomhas
beenconvertedinto a combinationphotofile andviewing
room.The door is securedwith a dead-boltlock; theonly
key is in McKinney'spocket.
Inside is a large comfortable chair and a small desk
with a gently angledtop and a numberof shallow draw-
ers. Nearby is a well-stockedwet bar. A half-finished
bourbon,ice long melted,standson the desk.
The desk drawersare found stuffed with photosfea-
turing Ted McKinney and one or more womenengaging
in intimateactivities.Know rolls identify a numberof
photosfeaturingTedwith his two pastwives.Afew pho'
tos showTedtogetherwith MirandaSharpe.Ms. Sharpe
does not seemaware that she is being photographed.
Thereareno negativesstoredhere,only prints.
Keepingtrack of the time, the investigatorsshouldbe
able to get back to the living room before the guard re-
tums. In the event they are caughtsnoopingaroundthey
will probablybe wamed and escortedfrom the property.
Blowing the llllhistle
If theinvestigators smuggleout someof theincriminating
photographsthey may take them to the newspapers.The
Herald is a conservative newspaperwith thewidestcircu-
lationin thecity. Staunchsupportersof TedMcKinney,if
the editors at this paperare shown the photographsthey
expressinterestand pay high pricesfor them.But their
intent is to return them to McKinney and bury the story.
The Professlonals 63
Psychologyrolls revealthe editors'intent.The policeare
then informed, told that the investigatorsstole things
from the McKinney house,andthe investigaton arefrom
hereon out underthe closescrutiny of the law.
The Recordis a smaller,more liberal paper.The pub
lisher hatesthe McKinney family, viewing them as sym-
bols of the failure of modem society !o take care of the
lessfortunate.Ifthe investigatorsplacea call to the Re-
cord the editor indicatesthat he is interested,then asks
them to hold a moment.When he gets back to them he
tells them that he's ready to buy and print anything, as
long as it's damagingto McKinney. If the investigators
meetwith the editor it is obviousthat he is truly interested
in publishing the photos. He concedesthat the photos
might have be somewhatcensoredwhen they see print
but he promisesthat no one will be able to mistake
McKinney, or what he is up to.
A Psychologyroll revealsthe editor is hiding some-
thing,but it is not clearexactlywhat.
The photos are published the next day but any that
showedMiranda Sharpeare either absentor so heavily
censoredthat she is unrecognizable.Shouldthey coniact
the editor, he pretendsnot to know the investigatorsand
refusesto meet with them. The editor is actually a sup
porter and good friend of Miranda Sharpe.Anyhing he
leamedaboutthe investigatorshas beenpassedalong to
her.
If the photos are made public, Ted McKinney is ru-
ined. His personalcampaignto returnto the senategrinds
to a halt and he disappears from the public eye.Several
dayslater McKinneydies in an auto,.mobile accident,his
car plungingover a bridge,his youngfemalecompanion
barelyescapingwith her life. Shetestifiesat the inquest
that sheis surethe senatorsteeredthe car offthe road on
purpose.
Brandon McKinney
Enters the Kace
If Ted McKinney's campaignhas been wiped out, the
Republicanscounterwith McKinney's youngerbrother,
Brandon.Youthful,more energetic,unsulliedby public
revelation of private indiscretion,Brandon hits the
ground running. A massivepublic relationscampaign
vaultsBrandoninto a small leadbut the mediabattlehas
only begun.Miranda's TV spotsappearwith greaterfre-
quency.Investigatorsfamiliar with video production,or
who makea roll of eou xl or less realizpthat something
has been done to these spots. They seem to evoke an
unnaturalcompulsionin viewen. Votersflocktoward the
candidate,abandoningMcKinney.
Soon,everyonein the state,no matterwhat fteir pe
litical leanings,comqsto believethe actressandher mes-
sageof governmentaid for the poor, for the disadvan-
taged,thedisenfranchised, or anyonewith a gripeagainst
society.They are promisedvindication!Vindicationby
il The Starc Art Right
MirandaSharpeandher planso setthe world right! The
time hascome!All will be satisfied!
The investigators,like many other people,are ableto
shakeoff the effects (at a cost of 1D3 Sanity points) but
the vast majority of the electoratesupport her. Regard-
less,the investigatorshave completedtheir assignment
andwithin severaldayseachreceivesin the mail a check
for the remainderof their fees.
The Man in
Black Keturns
NEXPECTEDLI the stretch limo and its dark
clad driver show up as the investigatorsare
walking down the street.Pulling up to the curb
he inviles them into the car.
As soonasthey areseatedhe handseachonean enve-
lopecontaininga crispnew $1000bill.
"This is a tax free
"We've got anotherjob for you." He
advance,"he says.
handsover an envelopecontaining a dossier on Simon
Childecompletewith photo.
"This guy's been asking a lot of questionsabout
Sharpe.Wedon't know how he figuresin-we'd like you
to checkit out. Word hasit that he stolesomethingfrom
the feds,somethingreal valuable.So they'relooking for
him."
The man pushesa button on the dashand a panel on
one wall of the passengercompartrnentslidesback to
reveala small video screen.The faceof attorneyEdwin
Schneiderappe:trson the screen.
"Greetingsmy friends.Our employersarehappywith
the job you did, but the campaignis not working out as
we had hoped.We want you (hepointstowardhis view-
ers)to continuein our employ.Yoru efforts areneededto
ensurethat MirandaSharpeis not elected.I believeyour
roadmay be bumpierfrom hereon out." Schneider's face
showsconcem.
"L€t me offer one bit of advice.The democraticparty
is staging an extendedrally and celebrationlater this
week to commendMs. Sharpeon her apparentsuccqss.
This eventmay provide you with unforeseenoppornrni-
ties.Goodluck."
The video cuB off abruptly and snow fills the tiny
screen.The car stopsandthe investigatorsfind they have
been deliveredto their original destination.The man in
black bids them goodbye,then drives away.
Television
Callsmadeto localrv stationselicit little or no interestin
the Nightingale video. All staunchlysupport the demo-
craticcandidate.
Callsto national'sleazenews'programsareconsider-
ably more productive. Assuming the investigatots are
ableto get there,an appointmentcan be setup asearly as
that sameafternoonin New York City at the officps of
NationalInquiries,asyndicateddaily newsshow.
At the producer'soffice the investigatorsare treated
well, servedcoffee or soft drinks by a pretty gid in a
spotteddress.
The produceris a smiling, handsomeman in his early
forties namedManny Lovett. He introduceshimself and
asksthe investigators to havea seat.
"I've askedsomebodyelseto sit in on our meeting,I
hopeyou don't mind.
A door opensand Miranda Sharpeentersthe office.
Her cold eyessweepacrossthe investigqton,memorizing
eachof their faces.Though frightening, she is beautiful.
Tensionmountsas she studiesthe facesof her accusers.
Finally she smiles, shatteringthe awful moment,and
shakeshandswith everyone.
It shouldbe bome in mind that Miranda is now the
hands-downmediafavorite in this race.Her tendrilsof
influenceare everywhere.No one in the mediahasany
desireto betrayher.
The creaturewithin Mirandais fully alert,its electro'
magneticfield at maximum strength.All digital equip
ment and storagemedia, including watches,computer
harddisks,floppy disksandvideo tapeswithin fifty feet
of her are blanked,including the tape the investigators
havebroughtto sell the producer.
Mirandaasksto view the infamoustapeimmediately
-she wants to know exactly what she is accusedof.
l,ovettsuggesttheyall takeseatsin thenextroomto view
the tape.
Whenviewed,the tapebean nothingotherthanglit-
teringvideosnow.Mirandarisesandleaveswordlesslyas
soonasit is obviousthevideohasbeenerased.
Any credibility the investigatorsmay havehad with
the televisionmediahasbeenshattered. They areshown
out curtly by a burly securityguardand wamedneverto
call again.
 The Prcfessionalr 65

escalateto arguments,argumentsto fights, and fights to

Silver Arm deadlyviolence.It is said the Cobra beat his last girl-
friend to death.He hateswomenbut toleratesthemfor the
occasionalpleasuresthey bring.
Commodities CobraO'Brien is the only Companionwho actually
talks to the investigators,the rest of the gang are dull
supernumeraries. In any discussionO'Brien admitsnoth-
ing in connectionwith the death of Schneider.If asked
ILVER Arm Commoditiesis actuallya business
about Miranda Sharpethe insanegang leaderturns un-
front for the Companionsof Lyr, a way to move
comfortable, becomescagey. He is concemedthat his
money without attracting attention. If the phone
plansto assassinate the candidatemay haveleakedout.
numberis calle4 a mananswers:"SeanO'Finn's Tam."
The only real clue laying aboutis a reamof letterhead,
If the investigatorsaskfor Silver Arm Commoditiesthey
a businesscheckbook, and some sloppy, hand-written
aretold that no one is in the office at the momentandare
balancesheetsfor Silver Arm Commodities,Ltd. If inves-
askedto leavetheir phonenumber.The investigatorhears
tigators get a chanceto perusethese(possibly by break-
musicand loud talk in the background.
ing into the office later) an Accounting roll notes that
The Companionsof Lyr were oncean kish National-
Silver Arm is a front O'Brien usesfor paying bills, ac-
ist Group dedicatedto the freeing of Northern Ireland quiringrawmaterials--explosives andammunition--with-
from British Rule. Protectedby the managementof Sean
out drawingattentionto the Companions. The sameAc-
O'Finn's,theycaniedouttheir illegalgun-runningactivi-
countingroll deducesthe checkbook needsa good audit-
ties from the tavern'sback room. Silver Arms Commodi-
ing or Silver Arm is going to nrn up big red numbers
tiesis thebusinessfront theyestablished in orderto cover
soon.
their activities.
Although the management(and even some of the
regular paEons)have long known about and supported
their efforts to free Ireland, they would be appalled to
learn that the Companionshave changedtheir goals and
are now conducting terrorist activities within their own
city. SeanO'Finn's Tamis listedin the phonebookunder
taverns.It is locatedalong the waterfront in an Irish sec-
tion of town. Unknown to the Companions,Miranda
Sharpehasbeensecretlyfunneling moneyto them, actu-
ally funding their attemptsto assassinate her in an effort
to pick up evenmore votes.

Sean O'Finn's Tam

The Thm is an unpleasantplace with cheaphish decora-
tions tackedup in no discerniblepatternand with a floor
unpleasantlygreasyand sticky. The bartenderis a short
stocky fellow, with blank eyes and a severelybroken
nose.His thinningred hair is unwashed.FastTalk is all
that'srequiredto get admittanceinto the backroom,the
'office' of Silver Arms Commodities.Steppinginto the
crampedroom the investigatorsencounter2D4 Compan-
ions of Lyr along with their leader,CobraO'Brien. If a
femaleinvestigatoris with the group they facedifficul-
ties. Unlessa Fast Talk or Persuadeis made,O'Brien
refusesto speakwith them andhasthemshownout of his
office. The Companionshave no respectfor women.
Maleswill haveto bluffthem that any womenalongare
merelygirl friends,not seriousassociates.
Gobra O'Brien
O'Brien is stocky, about five feet, six inchestall with
aubum,unruly hair and a wealthof freckles.He canseem
friendly,but only aslongasthepersonhe'sspeakingwith
sayswhat O'Brien wantsto hear.Disagreements swiftly
66 The Stars Arc Blght
Storedin a smallerroom behindO'Brien's office area
number of illegal automatic weapons-mostly machine
pistols-along with plenty of 9-mm ammunitionandma-
terials for making pipe bombs.A spot Hidden roll in the
back room locatesa quarter pound of C9 plastic explo-
sivesandtlnee radio-controldetonators.
It is quite possiblethat the Companionsof Lyr, fearing
they may be exposed,track the investigatorsdown and
attack them in their homes or places of business.The
Companionsare practicedkillers, using 9-mm handguns
with high capacitymagazinesandnoisesuppressors. The
Companionslive for machismo,but are not completely
foolish. They disguise themselvesas hotel workers or
meter readerswhile closing in on investigators.Most of
theseguys are ignorant scum.Productsof the worst im-
pulsesofsociety, they are unwashed,unshaven,and inar-
ticulate. They come in various shapesand sizes,but in-
sideare much alike, empty soulsand empty minds.
The Ralty
HE party rally to show unity for the candidateis
scheduled to take place in the new William
Cullen Bryant Convention Hall located down-
town. General information on the hall can be acquired
from the Chamberof Commerceincluding the namesof
thehall's administratorand its securitymanager.Acall to
the office is answeredwith "Bryant Hall, what can I do
for ya'?" in a laconic,drowsyvoice.
Administrator Phyllis Fields doesn't havemuch time
andtransferscalls to the appropriatepersonat the earliest
lull in the conversation.In this case,J. J. Tirh the Secu-
rity Manager.She can tell investigatorsthat the hall has
beenhired for one weekby the stateDemocraticparty for
the purposeof confirming Miranda Sharpe'snomination
to the Senaterace.If investigatorsareinterestedin attend-
ing they are immediately transferredto Ticket Reserva-
tions. Getting back to Secunty from Trcketsis impossi-
ble, anothercall mustbe made.GeneralAdmittanceto the
conventionis inexpensiveat $15 per ticket.
Security ManagerJ. J. Turk was named after his
mother's favorile movie, JeremiahJohnson.Thrk reacts
negatively to investigatorshammeringhim with suspi-
cionsaboutthe candidate.He is a Sharpesupporter.
The Rally Eegins
Using a new tactic,the party hasdecidedto erectinforma-
tion boothsfor eachplank of its platform-similar to a
trade show. Each booth is mannedby attractive public
relations professionalsand it is impossibleto pass
throughthis areawithout interferencefrom well-meaning
booth people.Most of the issuesare bland party-line
ideasindistinguishablefrom thosepresentedby the oppo
sition.
The party hasalsoput togethervideo presentations.A
numberof large screendisplayscycle loops of tapefea-
turing non-intellectual,hyper-emotionalimagebites pro-
moting the standardplanks of the party platform. One
especiallywell-mounteddisplay featuresan impassioned
speechby Miranda Sharpecovering the issues"as she
seesthem." Any investigatorfamiliar with video produc-
tion techniquesnotices a subtle alleration of the audio
tracks.Miranda'svoice seemsto carry a power morethan
human.
Simon Childe Attends
Simon Childe, still wearing his mirrored sunglasses,
movesstealthily amongthe crowd, avoidingdrawingany
attention to himself. He carries with him the notebook
computerstolen from the govemment.Simon has been
using his time making geneticprofiles of Miranda using
oDIN'swaveformimagingcapabilities.Thesehavebeen
fed into the GenomeMap program.
If an investigatorcan Sneakup behind Childe they
can se€the image on the Pocket Cray's screen.It is the
GenomeMap program and it displays the outline of a
wornan.Abar of distortionscansthe imageup anddown,
apparentlymaking minute adjustmentswith each pass.
Oddly,the imageseemsto alwayscorrectiself, retuming
its original configurationassoonasthe bar passes.Notic-
ing this requiresa successfulComputerUserol[.
Simon studiesthe screenintently. With eachpassof
the scanning bar his face brightens with hope then
changesto worry as the image corrects itself. At some
point he pulls his mirrored glassesdown to peer at the
screenwith his oDIN eye. A Spot Hidden roll allows a
nearby investigatorto seethe black orb in Ctrilde's eye
socket.Lose ULDZSanitypoints.
After consulting a much-wom computerprinout Si-
mon tums back to the screen.A faint vector of reddish
light leaps betweenhis black left eye and the receptor
jack on the left side of the displayscreen.He mumbles
with determination,"Change,damn you, changeand pu-
rify. It is time for Mirandato retum."
The distortionbar brightens,slows, and passeswith
deliberationover the image on the screen.This time the
imageremainschangedand doesnot revert to its former
state.
Investigatorswho buttonhole Simon find him more
thanwilling to explainhis plan. Simonis persuasive. He
explainsthathis plan may be the only way to preventthe
inhumanthing inside Miranda from reachingthe Senate.
He providesthem with a computerprintout that he says
proveshis point.A successfulComputerUseroll verifies
what Simonhas told them.A FastTalk or Persuade roll
warms him up and he handsover a computerprintout of
specifications for ootN,hopingit will serveto backup his
wild claims.

Cont ntion
Hall
J=tofu"l
@=secur'ty
gvard'
Main
Enlry
Miranda Speaks
Sharpeis introducedto the crowd. Steppingout though
the curtainslining the back of the podium sheslepsto the
microphone,taking her position behind a wall of bullet
proof glass.Miranda'sproposalsaddup to a platform that
promisesstateand social unity. "Everyone will be taken
care of-even yor." Behind her, fifteen-foot video pro.
jections expandher presence.The camerafocuseson her
sincereface as she conveysher messagewith power and
confidence,simultaneouslyusing her image alteration
ability to subtly manipulateher features.
"I have come before the people of my state many
times, asking them to realizethe plight of the disadvan-
tagedamongus.Who will carefor them,who will reach
out for them,if we do not, if everyoneof us doesnot join
the fight, if every one of us doesnot tum our attention
from the petty concemsof our lives, from our day-to-day
concernsandjoin togetherto help thosearound us who
cannothelp themselves,then how do we dareto call our-
selveshuman?How can any of us fail to hearthe criesof
thosewho havenot receivedevena little materialcom-
The Prcfesslonalr 67
proofgloss
@
Bo"fhs
Adni"islralio'.
onJ
Secrrity
fort? How can we fail to act in the light of this need?I
comebeforeyou, askingyou !o help me win a seatin the
u.s. Senate.I comebeforeyou to ask your empowerment
to smooththe troublesof our time and of our state.. ."
As well as any politician, Miranda speakswithout
ever really saying anything,constantlyworking over the
guilt and fearsof the crowd until the rally tums into a
frenzy.
The Assassins Strikel
The Companionsof Lyr wait for Miranda to start her
speechbut the keepershoulddeterminethe exactmoment
they maketheir moveagainstthe rally.
The Companionsenterdramatically,blowing a hole in
the wall with C9 chargesbeforewading into the crowded
hall firing machinepistols.TheCompanions arenot inter-
estedin wholesaleslaughterand fire randomburstsinto
the air trying to maketheir way towardSharpe.Although
they do not attack investigatorsunless threatenedby
them,securitymenaresitting ducks.
68 Thc Stars Aro Right
O'Brien intendsto kill Mirandahimself,little realiz-
ing that this is nearly impossible. Miranda expectsthe
assassinationaftempt and figures a few bullet wounds,
allowed to heal slowly, are just the thing she needsto
assureher victory at the polls.
If the investigatorsget caught in the crossfire, they
must decide who they protecfi themselves,the mostly
helplessSimon Childe, or maybeevenMiranda Sharpe.
Simon Makes IIis Move
Spotting govemment agents Fobes and Jaines, Simon
trie,sto keep moving during the speech,hoping to go
undetected.When the time comesfor him to executehis
plarq he will be forced to stand out in the open for an
extendedperiod of time, exposedand vulnerable.He may
attemptto enlist investigatorsto keep the men off him
long enoughto allow him to do what he plans.
Agents Jainesand Fobeswill spot Childe regardless
of any precautionstaken; it is up to the investigatorsto
preventthe agentsfrom interfering with Simon once he
starBtheprocess(theCompanions'attack might help,of
course).
During Miranda's speech,Simon attemptsto alter her
DNAby transmittinghis revisedwaveform at her through
his ootN eye. Although the bullet proof glassdoesnot
form any barrier to the transmissionof thesewaves, a
reflection is createdin the glassthat showsthe changes
taking place in Miranda Sharpe.This reflection is repro-
ducedin giant size on the many video screensmounted
aroundthe hall.
When the transmittedwaveform strikes Miranda she
stiffens momentarily as if suffering a spasmor seizure.
Then a long, unearthly howl escapesher mouth, ampli-
fied by the hall's soundsystem.All hearingthis suffer a
lossof l/1D3 Sanitypoints.
The waveformimageon the bulletproof glassremains
thesame,a clear imageof a perfectandbeautiful Miranda
assheonceappeared.But Mirandaherselfis grippedwith
pain as her body writhes and distorts, her skin flowing
and running as the waveform image held in her cells
comesunglued. Memories and patternsof her past vic-
tims emerge,her body changes,shifting from one person
to another.Anyone she has killed during the scenario
makesa brief appearance. The young manfrom the snuff
film comesinto being, then disappears.Soon no more
humansare seenand the paradeof pastvictims displays
weird alien shapesthat flicker briefly into view.
Still Simon bearsdown with his informationbeanr,
waiting for the hellish,changingthing to matchthe pale
ghostlyimagesplashedupon the glass.Finally, the cell
vampireis revealedin is naturalform-a writhing heap
of ropes and tubes spotted with mouths and eyes. Re-
vealedin its naturalform, exposedto humanscrutiny,the
creatureshifts itself out of this dimension,disappearing
forever.
All who wihessedthis lose l/1D8+1 Sanitypoints.
The hall is in a panic with thosedriven insanescreaming
andfainting.
Simonis drivencompletelymad.Refrrsing0obelieve
that the honible creaturewas his beloved Miranda, he
fixates on the imageof her still being castupon the glass
shield by oDIN.He runs toward the glasswith armsout-
stretchedcrashinginto it at full tilt, breakinghis noseand
lip, and bouncingback to fall hard on the floor--or even
into a nearby investigator's arms. His glassesknocked
away,the black sphereof ontN is revealed.Damagedby
the impact, it sputtersand smokesas bolts of electricity
short acrossits surface.Simon's pale flesh suddenlyrip
ples,beadsup, thena hundredpaleblueblinkingeyeballs
suddenlyopen all over his body. Simon screarnsfor his
belovedMiranda and the blinking eyeballschangeinto a
hundredscreamingmouths that echo her name.Childe's
body stiffens,hardens,thengranulatesinto a loosemassof
black,facetedcrystalsthatclatterandring $rough theinves-
tigator'shandsandfingers,shatleringon the flmr into mil-
lions of tiny, inetrievableshards.ootN, damagedbeyond
repairandwreathedin a spiky rime of grayishcrystal,is all
thatremains.Witnessingthis costs1/1D8Sanitypoints.
The damagedopm tried to reproducethe waveform
pattern of the cell vampire in Simon's body, but the
writer'shumanDNAw:rsincapableof holdingthepatlern.
Instead,Simon'sgenecodewasreducedto chios.
Conclusion
HERE is little the investigatorscando to prevent
the horrible eventsat the close of the rally. Per-
hapsthey canend up helpingSimon,sincehe is
determinedto run his experiment,and return Miranda to
humanity.Oncehe hasmadehis genestudiesof the cell
vampire,all he needsto do is look at her onceto startthe
mind wrenchingchainof events.
Aftermath
Although there were plenty of witnessesto the final
events,the insanityand ensuingpanic distortsinforma-
tion making it hardto get a clearstory of what happened.
No video record remainsas in its last momentsthe cell
vampire'shighly chargedelectromagnetic field wipedall
thetapesaswell asSimon'scomputer'smemory.
Thosefew wifressescapableof making rational state-
mentsclaimthatsomethingstrangeoccurredat theendof
Ms. Sharpe'sspeechbut authorities,unableto explainor
understandexactlywhat happened,makeall anemptsto
suppressthe more extravagantclaims.The investigaton
probablycannotbe implicated,thoughtheir involvement
almost guaranteesthat somearm of the govemmentbe-
gins keepingdossierson them.Whateverit wasthat hap
 The Proferrlonalr

Simon Childe reduced to chaos

70 The Stars &e Blght

pened defies explanation and after a while the media Simon Ghilde, unrcquited madman
stopstrying, diverting its attentionto simpler matters. sTR I CON10 StZ15 tNT17 POW11
FobesandJaines,ifthey survive,lay claim to the inert DEX14 APP13 EDU21 SAN5 HP 10
PocketCray and oont. If they are awareof the investiga- DamageBonus:0
tors'involvementthey may haul them in for questioning Weapons:gmmAutomatic35%,1D10.
and begin running background checks. In an effort to Skills: Accounting
68%,Astrorpmy51%,Bargaintr170,Biology
557o,BroodEndlessly900/o,
ComputerU*78o/o, CroditRating
quell publicity it is likely that they declineto chargethe 757o,Detnte 457o,DriveAutornobile55%, ElectricalRepair
investigatorswith any crimes. rO%,Electronic35%,FastTalk650/o, FirstAid 607o,Hide
Any surviving Companionsof Lyr are hunted down 35%,History657o,LawNo/o,UbraryUse50%,Mechanical
Repair5O%,Oratory450/o,Photography 58%,Physics310/o,
and eitherarrestedor killed. Psychology 41%,Sneak250lo,SpotHidden59%,Throw48%.
BrandonMcKinney goeson to win the campaignbut
two months later, after the partially mummified body of
Jackson "Cobra" O'Brien, 38,
his mother is discoveredh the basementof the family radical caudillo and murderea
mansion,he is chargedwith her murder.Losing his mind, sTB 16 CON14 SrZ11 tNT13 POWg
the Senatoris locked away in an expensivesanitorium. DEX15 APP13 EDU14 SAN20 HP 13
Within a few monthsSharpeis all but forgotten,remem- DamageBonus: +1Dzl
beredby only a few fans of s-movies who can still find Weapons:FisUPunch 7570,1D3+db;Kick65%,l DOdb;
her on the back shelvesof video rental stores. 12-gaugeShoigun45o/o,4D6ll2D6,llD6;MachinePistol5570,
1D10.
Rewards Skllls: Bargain79o/o,Credit
Rating52%,Debats25%,Dodge
Investigatorswho understandhow narrowly mankindes- 90%,DriveMotorcyde39%,FastTalk65%,Jump57%,Law
507o,Usten61%,Oratory75o/o, PlanlBomb820lo,Psychology
capedthe clutchesof the possessedMiranda Sharpeare 697o,SpotHidden45%.
rewardedwith 2D8+2 Sanitypoints.
Dpical Gompanion of Lyr
sTR ls CON16 SrZ13 tNT10 POW14

Statistics D E X1 1 A P P 9
DamageBonus: +1Dul
EDUS SAN35 HP 15

Weapons:FisVPunch 657o,1D3+db;.32 Automatic50%,1D8;

MachinePistol450lo,1Dl0.
lliranda Sharpe, the people's choice 45%,Jump60%,Usten
Skills: Dodge307o,DriveMotorcycle
50%,PlantBomb55%,SpotHidden50%.
sTR 20 CON24 SrZ9 | NT 17 POW22
DEX26 APP 18 EDU19 SANO HP 18
DamageBonus:+1ryl flpical Gonvention Hall Guard
Armor: None,but all weaponsinfliclminimumdamage. sTR 15 CON15 StZ12 INT10 POW10
Mirandacan regenerateup to 10 hit pointsperround. DEX14 APP12 EDU13 SAN55 HP 14
Weapons:BileT5o/o,1D6+'lDll; Knife7570,1D4+2db;Life
Drain90% 1D8STReachround. DamageBenue; +1D.zl
Skills: Accounting58%,Alterlmage85%o',Bargain65%,Climb Armor: I PointKevlarVest.
43%,Debate78%,FastTalk81%,Hide55%,Law68%,Uslen Weapons:FisVPunch 7O%,1D3+db;.45 Bevolver75%,
477o,PoseAttractively72%,Psycftology 90%,Sneak39%, 1D10+2: MachinePistol65%,1D10.
SpotHidden58%,Throw4l%. Skills: Dodge70%,FirstAid 55%,Hide60%,Listen55%,
"Useof this skillrequiresthe expenditure
of 1 magicpoint. MartialArts-70%,Sneak65%. I
 F;actal Godr 7l

55 Beyond the mundane wodds ol man are Mueller sat helplessly

countless other dimenslons and planes ol as the alien entity surged
into his mind. It took a
exlstence. Some are Inhabited by terrlble
week before the gatherer
creatures, monsters of horlid appealance leamedenoughto cornmu-
and ghoulish habits. Others are wondrous nicate with the human it
realms lilled with forms ol lile too blzarre to had entered.Poor Mueller
comprehend.9! was in no position to argue
as the gatherer suggested
nonr;trelt and Thelt KYnde they work at sending it
back to its home dimen-
sion. Occupation by the
LTI{OUGH set in Boston andHouston,keepers alien had already sent him
shouldfind little difficulty moving this scenario sliding into madness.
to different locations. Together the alien and
Yan Mueller Mueller scannedthe pro'
gram, and developed the
Keeper's Information basis for a new gate. They needed a faster computer,a
Six monthsagoYanMueller, a computerartist residingin mainframe at least.The only person Mueller felt might be
Boston,receivedan old diary written in fragmentedGer- able to help them was the editor of Fractal Gods maga'
man from an uncle he never knew.The diary chronicled zine, Julia Burnet in Houston. Shehad acoessto a main-
an explorationinto dimensionsotherthanthoseknown to frame and the skills to use it. To attracther to New York
science,and demonstratedthe repetitive and unusual Mueller, aidedby the gatherer,constructedthe OtherBea-
mathematicsrequiredto achievethis end. consprogram.Installed in the mainframeBurnet had ac-
It wasrubbish,of course,but Mueller wasintrigued.He cessto, theprogramwould createa two-way gateopening
felt it might form the basisfor an unusualgraphic.After a on the fractal'shomeworld.
monthof solid programming,Mueller satbackto watchhis Unfortunately,when Bumet receivedOther Beacons
computerproducea strangefractal'It wasmorethana sim- she did not let it run its full course before slipping it
ple fractal,Mueller's programhad openeda one-waygate straightinto the latestissueof Fracnl Goals.Subscribers,
from an alternatedimension.As he watched,something upon receivingtheir copies,werenot so lucky.
entered,somethingintelligent-a fractal gatherer. The Suicide
After receivingthe latestissueof Fractal Gods,t7-yeat
old Jon Lathan ran to the
desktoppc in his basement
study, eager for his fix of
the latest in comPuter
graphics. Browsing
through the fanzine he
eventuallyfound the Other
BeaconsprogBm. He let it
run.
As planned,Other Bea-
consopeneda gate.As the
program ran its course,
slowly forming the beacon,
somethingelse took an in-
terestin the gate.This ma-
Jon Lathan
72 The Stars Ars Right

Boston
HE lathan's two-story housesits on Hollybrook
Road in one of Boston's more pleasantsuburbs.
Mr. l,athan is an insurancebroker, his wife an
optician.Jon wastheir only child and his deathhasupset
his parentsdeeply.

Anthony Lathan
The father, Anthony
Lathan,is most affectedby
Jon's death. A gray-haired
insurancebroker with an
eye on early retirement,his
rauder surged through Jon's computer, and pushed is son's suicide has brought
way into this world. It perceivedJon Lathan both as a him face-to-facewith mor-
souroeof energy and as a means to retum to its own tality, a subjectuncomfort-
dimension.The marauderinvadedLathan's mind and able to him. He drinks to
took over his body.Jon passedout. accompanythis new fasci-
Actually taking control of a humanprovedmorecom- nation with his own even-
plicated than the marauderhad anticipated.When Jon tual fate.
recovered,he suffered intensevisions, results of partial Anthony has been feel-
mental contact with the alien entity. He soon became
AnthonyLathan ing ill lately' He attributes
withdrawn anddepressed,intenselysuicidal.Jonattacked this to stress.This is only
his computer,dismantling it in a destructiverage.Some- partially true. At night, the marauder-beinginhabitinghis
thing was buming him inside, but he didn't know what. wife feedson his energy(magic points), causingLathan
Five dayslater he wrde a noteto his parents(The Fractal to feel lethargic,sick, andinitable.
Papers#l) thenkilled himself.
The marauderfled his dying body, taking up tempo- Kathi Lathan
rary residencein the neighbors'dog before eventually Kathi hides her grief well,
enteringand controlling Jon'smother,Kathi lathan. burying herself in her
chores.In fact the marauder
has taken control of Kathi
Introducing the and, patiently, pretendsto
Investigators be Kathi Lathan by day
while working and feeding
The casemay be brought to the investigators'attention in l-*. by night. A successfulPsy-
several ways. chology roll revealsthat
tr Experienced and well-known investigators, with an agent
and possibly even financial backing, receive a letter from
i Kathi Lathan is suffering
from intense pressure.
h
Jon Lathan. It arrives the morning following his suicide Every now and again the
(seeThe Fractal Papers#2). , marauder's control slips
tr A professional involved with the coroner's inquest and Kathi Lathan and stark terror appearsin
known to the investigators requeststheir help. This might her eyes. But it lasts only
be a policeman, doctor, pathologisg or teacher.Their sus- for a moment.
picions are raised by the odd suicide note. The fractal creature is capable of altering Kathi
tr One of the investigators is close to the Lathan family and Lathan'sfornr, growing vicious claws and a long prehen-
is personally affected by Jon's death. This is particularly sile tonguecapableof constrictinga victim's throat.
useful for rookie invetigators involved in their first case.
tr If the investigaton are inhoduced in a way umelated to
the coroner's investigation or the Lathans, then they may
The Study
find problems. Talk of sinister plots and cults only con- Jon's study takesup most of the basementand contains
vinces Jon's father, Anthony ["athan,that the investigators two computers,a modem,a printer,severalmonilors,and
are cranks, morbidly capitalizing on his grief. a sound system.The work tops and shelvesare covered
 Fractal Gods 73

shouldlook into Jon'srecentschoolwork.Recenttestpa-

a suicide note persandreportsarealso decoratedwith this odd chant.

DearMom, DearDad, The Freezer

It gafted a lant days ago4te voice.lt burnsimages
intomy sout.Btackenedcith,s,twistedshe/s of b,tildings'
Torturedsourspenned for the spheresto teed on trmt
betweq the planes.l've seenthe images'The sphares'
And it is true, the vcice showsme.
t can sFlndit no more.The Hacknesstaunfsme so'
tt mustgo, I cannd €/.andit
I love yan.
chu htinllohan z6 Ead
Fugive me, Jm.
The Fractal Papers #1
Jon Lathan'sletter to the investigators
Dear Sfs,
t donl un&rstand the picturesin my tead and the voice
in my sanl.tt tormentsaN grinds.I seeterriblethingsthat
I lfiow arc real.
chu htin llo han z& le,ad
t dml know wherethis cornesfrom. lt burnsin my mind'
I don't understand.
Jon Lathan
At the bottom of the freezerare the remainsof Toby,the
neighbors'dog,and a stray cat. Both are dead,joined
togith"t by ropy tendrils sprouting from dead Toby's
stomach.Following Jon'ssuicide,the fractal creaturein-
habitedToby's body,manipulatingthe dog's biology and
merging it with a stray cat, in order to feed. When Kathi
Lathan-retumedhome from work that day, the fractal
creatureleft the dog and inhabited the woman, leaving
Toby to die. In Kathi Lathan's body, the fractal creature
hid the incriminatingevidencein the l,athan'sfreezer.
The Inquest
The inquestis heldthreedaysafterJon'sbodyis found.It
is informalandbrief; all involvedfeel it a clear-cutcase
of suicide.The pathologist'sreportindicatesthathe died
from a brokenneck, inducedwhile hanginghimself from
the stairs.
But no explanationof Jon's suddenodd behavioris
advanced. Jonwas an ordinary intelligentyouth andtes-
timony from the school counsellor,his teachers,friends,
and parentsonly add to the mystery.There simply is no
re:lsonwhy Jon shouldso suddenlyhavedecidedto take
his own life. The wholeaffair is tenibly tragic'

The FractalPapers#2 Parents and Friends

Talking to Jon's parentsrevealsthat he was a normal, if
with disks, gamesand books.Acrossthe room standsthe quiet and often intense,youth. He liked football, gids,
Lathan'sfteezelr Cars,and had a wide circle of friends.Most of all, Jon
Oneof the computersis a wreck. The casinghasbeen liked his computer.He had it set in his basementstudy
prized away and the innards thoroughly scrambled' A and spentmuchof his leisuretime there.
large magnet sits in the wreckage,ruining every-
thing. This is the remainsof Jon's pc afler his fren-
ziedattack.A SpotHiddenroll revealsa diskstill left
in the drive.The disk is a copyof Fractal Gods#12.
This copy is useless,the magnethaswiped the data,
but the addressof the magazineis printed on the
disk, should the investigaton wish to send for a
copy.
The other computeris intact, andworkable.This
is Mrs. Lathan's new Pc, the one she and the ma-
rauder work on every night. If the investigators
check,they find only a few files on the hard disk' A
messof undisciplinedprogramming,it is difficult to
fathom its purpce. AsuccessfulComputerUsesug-
gests that they might be graphics routines-Those
who check, and make another ComputerUse role
find them similar to the Other Beaconsprogram
found in Fractal Gods#12. At any rate,the files are
unfinishedand will not run. Their datesindicatethat
they areupdatedovemight.
Another Spot Hidden reveals that the chant
found on the suicide note is also scribbledon Jon's
notepad.An Idearoll suggeststhat the investigators
Jon's PC
74 The Star3 Aro Right

Five days before his suicide he suddenly became

withdrawn and depressed.He stoppedvisiting his study
and spentmost of his time in his room. Respectinghis
privacy,his parentsnever checkedto seewhat he was up
to. It wasonly after his deaththat ttrewallpaperby his bed
was found to be covered in the same six meaningless
words:"chu htin llo han zobkzad,]
Jon'sfriendstell a similarstory.Eric Miller, Jon'sbest
friend, saysthat Jonclaimedto be hauntedby a vision-a
blackenedwastelandstalkedby tenible gods preying on
crippled survivors. He was disinterestedin everything,
and violently rejectedanythingto do with computers.
The Chant
Jon'schant-"chu htin llo hanzob kzad"-is his attempt
to realize the soundsand sensationscausedby the ma-
rauder that inhabited his mind. Impossible to tnanslate
into English, a successfulCthulhu Mythos roll reveals
that the chantis somehowconnectedwith Yog-Sothoth.
If the investigatorsattemptto vocalize the chantand
succeedin a pow xl roll, they briefly receivehideous
visionsof an alienuniverseanda swirling massof irides-
centspheres-thedimensionof Yog-Sothoth.The vision
costsU1D10Sanitypointsandincreases CthulhuMythos
by 2 percentiles.

F?actal Gods
RACTAL Gods is a fanzine dedicatedto com-
puter graphicsof all types.The editor is particu-
larly fond of fractals,althoughthe fanzine'scon-
tentsusually consistof other piecesof afi. Fractal Gods
is publishedquarterly,sentto about250 subscribersscat-
teredacrossthe globe.A typical issueconsistsof an edi-
torial, letters,a few relatedarticles and reviews, and the
graphicsthemselves.The fanzine is availableonly on
dislq hard copies can be printed by the readen should
they desire.FractalGods is suppliedin Ms-Dosformat !o
be run on any IBMpc or compatible.
Issue#12,theissuefoundin Lathan'scomputerdrive,
is availablefrom the editor,Julia Bumet,of l2M Monitt
Avenue,Houston,Texas.A singleissuecosts$5.00post-
paid.A summaryof issue#12'scontentsis provided(see
the FractalPapers#3).

Other Beacons
BEAcoNs.coM requiresat least 10 Megabytesfree disk
spaceand vcn graphicsto work. It takesalmosttwo full
minutesbeforeanythingappearson the screen.
The image on the screenis initially a disappoint-
ment-upon a black backgrounda lurid multi-colour
fractalsits in the middle of the screen.It is nothingspe-
cial. The patternin the middle of the fractallacksrhyme
Toby's Remains
 Fracta! Gods 75

The targetmust succeedin a pow vs. Pow resistance

roll against the creature.If successful,the beaconhas
failed. If the beaconwins, the investigatorfalls uncon-
sciousfor 1D6minutes.
When the investigatorregainsconsciousness he feels
a stabbingpain in his head.This easeswhen he moves
towards the gatherer-fractalin New York, and worsens
when he movesaway from it. Only on a successfulPow
xl roll can the investigatorresist moving towardsthe
gatherer.One roll may be made each day. No form of
painkiller is effective and the discomfort continuesuntil
the investigator reachesthe gathereror the gatherer
leavesthis plane.
Whetherthe attemptis successfulor not, the beacon
doesnot reappear. Thereis a20Vochance(equivalentto
the beacon's pow x2) that the computersuffered a fatal
and reason, there is none of the eerie symmetry exhibited
electrostaticshockasthe beaconemerged.If undamaged,
by other fractals. As usual, there is no senseofscale.
the computer does not createanotherbeacon,although
After a few minutes, small specks appear on the black
other fractals may appear.However,the investigators
background, moving sluggishly around the screenin ran-
may run theprogramagainif they so wish.
dom patterns. As time passes,more of them appear' A
successful Spot Hidden roll reveals that the flecks all
originate from the main fractal-but none of them return.
Once the program has been running for about five
minutes, a silvery sphere grows in front of the fractal.
the index ol FractalGods#12.
This contains the beacon referred to in the title' As the Fife:READ.ME.This istheeditodalto(FractalGods,and
investigators watch, tiny cracks appear on the sphere' introducesthis issue'sfeatures.Here Burnethighlights
'Oher Beacons,'an intriguingfraaal that changesand
Then a single, fiery red fractal tentacle pushes its way out.
Over the space of the next few hours, the beacon hatches developsas time passes.Read.Mealso indudessub'
scriptiondataand the deadlinefor the nextissue,three
and then grows to fill the screen.
monthsaway.
File: LETTERS.This is the lettercolumnfor the maga'
E After2 hours the beacon-creaturehas freed three tentacles
zine.Aroundeachof the lettersthe editorhasaddedher
from the sphere. They wave pathetically around, as if remarks.Mostlettersaresingingthe praisesof the com-
searchingfor something. puter effectsin the latest James Cameronmovie,al-
D After 4 hours the tentacleshave retractedand a thick jelly- thoughthereis roomtor constructive@mmenton pre'
like glop slowly emerges. viousissuesd FractalGods.
File: FXNOW.A columnaboutupcomingcomputeref-
tr After 6 horus there is not much left of the sphere,just a fectsin the cinemaandon television,and whatto watch
few fragments now being absorbedby thejelly. Sevenor for. SeveralSF and fantasyfilms are mentioned,along
eight tentaclesnow wave feebly. with other uses of computers:militaryjets, computer
logos,advertisements, and so on.
D After 8 hours more tentacleshave sproutedfrom the mass,
File: ART. A review of some extraordinarycomputer
which has shrunk considerably as a result.
sculptures,as seen in London,England.The review's
o After 10 hours the beaconis fully grown. There is nothing impactis lessenedby the tactthatthe sculpturescannot
left of the jelly, it is just a massof writhing tentacles.It be seenby the reader.
drifts around the screen, apparently searching for a way Flle: MOLE.Thesearedesigner'snotesf or an advenlure
out. The beacon seethesand pushes hard against the gamecalledMoleAdventure.To accompanythe notes
FractalGcd,shas includedgraphicsroutineslo custom-
scr@n, which abruptly ripples and bulges. Fractal tenta-
ize the game.
cles spiral out away from the computer and towards the Animation for MoleAdventure.
File:MOLE.PIC.
nearesthuman.Sanity loss to witnessthis is 1/1D6. File: PRIDE.COM. A piciureof threeold men,full title
'Prideof Skibbureen.'
The Beaeon File: GBASS.GOM.An abstractpictureol dizzyingcol-
The beaconfloats in mid air, faintly transparent,moving ors,calledAlwaysGreeneron the OtherSide.'
'OtherBeacons,'thetraclalre-
effortlesslytowardsits intendedvictim. It ignoresmaterial File: BEACONS.COM.
ferredto in the editorial.
objects,passingthroughthemasifthey werenot there. Therearea numberof otherroutines,allrequiringvarious
The beaconattackswith 1D6 tentacles.Shouldone drawingor animationpackages.The drawingsare often
connect,the tentaclepassespainlesslyinto the flesh. bizure or humorous,alwayswithstrangetilles.
'reels'
Nothingshortof killing it shakesthebeaconoff. It
itself iq vanishinginto is target.It doesnot reappear.
The Fractal Papers f,l
76 The Starr fto Right
The Beacon, fractal homing signal
INT5 POW10 DEX'12Move'10
Weapons:1DBTentades50%,special(seeabove).
Armor: None,but physicalattackscannotharmit.
SanltyLoss: 1/1DO
The Program
NLIKE most fractal programs,the investigators
cannot 'zoom in'to marvel at Other Beacon's
infinite complexity. Instead it opensa gate be-
tween the mundaneworld and the fractal dimension.
Through the computerthe fractal entities can enter into
the investigators'world.Travelis one-wayonly and the
fractalscannotretum.
OtherBeaconsbearslittle resemblanceto most fractal
generators.With a successfulComputerUsean investiga-
ton identifies two separateareasof computing.The first
generatesthe background fractal, then Other Beacons
createsthe beaconitself.
The actualprogrammingis a mess;Other Beaconsis
full of pointlessloops and repetitivecalculation.How-
ever, any attempt to tidy the programmingresults in a
program failure. A successfulCthulhu Mythos roll re-
vealsthat the calculationsappearto be similar to the Cre-
ateGatespell in form, if not in substance.
Once the program has createdthe spherecontaining
the beacon,the computer stops processing.Everything
elsethat happensis a resultofthe interactionofthe gate
with the fractal universe.The gate is actually createdon
the screen,not within the computer'sprocessors.Swirch-
ing off the monitor while the fractal slowly proceedsre-
sults in a failure: swirchedback on, the screenremains
blank.
If the programmersucceedswith an Idearoll, he real-
izes that the incompleteprogmmson Kathi Lathan's pc
are in many ways very similar to Other Beacons.
Fractal Greatures
The fractalsmanifestthemselvesas pure energy.A faint,
sparkling light show,they drift translucentlythrough the
air in searchof preciousenergy.For some this is easy;
they are able to sip gently-like herbivores-from the
electrical currents coursing through civilization. Some,
like carnivores,feedupon the energiesof othen.
The fractals'only meaningfulstatisticsare its pow
andmagicpoints.Oncea fractal'smagicpointsequalits
Pow, it needsto feedno more.However,on this planethe
fractals'energiesnatwally dissipateover a periodof 24
horns. Fairly soon they are hungry again. Magic points
drainedfrom living things are immediatelyaddedto the
fractal's own. When this total equalsits low, it ceasesto
attack.Upon emergingfrom the computer,a given frac-
tal's magic points are equalto its pow less 1D6+3(but
neverlessthanone).
Although physical weaponscannotharm the fractals,
they can be successfullyattackedwith various forms of
energy.Investigatorsmight try low poweredlasers,mi-
crowaves,or ultrasound.These may or may not work,
dependingon investigatorskill and ingenuity.However,
the best weaponis electricity-the most convenien! the
electricstungun.This devicedelivers2D6 pointsof dam-
ageto the fractal, subtractedfrom its currentmagicpoint
total.Whenreducedto zeromagicpoints,thefractaldies,
winking out of existence.
As a fractal leavesthe gate it suffers 1D3 points of
damageas it breakscontactwith the monitor screen.The
fractal jerks swiftly away from the screenand doesnot
approachthe monitor while it remainson. A successful
Idearoll revealsthat this is significant.Investigatorscan
usemonitors (or any television screen)to drive and herd
the fractals.
Swirching off or re-booting the computerclosesthe
gate and kills any fractalsstill roaming on the screen.
Thosealreadyfloating free areunaffected.
Predatonare able to stealmagic points from living
creatures,instinctively picking on the weakest.They at-
tack by stabbingtheir victim and overcomingits magic
points on the ResistanceTable.If successful,the predator
steals1D6magicpoints.
 Fractal Godr 77

Fractal Crealures

Predators can also fire tiny bolts of energy doing 1D3
damageat a cost of I magic point each.
lNT3D6+3POW2D6+6DEX4D6Move10
Weapons:Stab60%,1D6magicpointdrain;EnergyBolts
50%,1D3.
SanltyLoss: 1/1D6
tongue into a honific tentacle and her hands into power-
ful claws. This costs 0/1D6 Sanity points to witness.
If the investigators can drain Khthi Lathan's remain-
ing magic points, the marauder will be forced to leave in
search of another source. Using a stun gun on Kathi is not
as effective as using it directly on the fractal-the ma-
rauder suffers no damage but is forced to leave her body

The Marauder
ON l:than's deathwas a shockfor the marauder.
It fled to the neighbors'dog, successfullytook
contol and attackeda stray cat. It then movedon
to inhabit Kathi Lathan.
In total control, the marauder(in Kathi's body) ae
pearsto mournthe lossof her sonasmuchasanyone.But
it frantically spendsits nightsprogrammingthe necessary
calculations to opena gatebackto its world.Theprogram
will be complete in about a week's time, with the ma-
rauderworking at night.The files'date stampsrevealthe
marauder'sunusualworking hours.
Hunting the Marauder
The Marauderhides by day within Kathi Lathan'sbody.
At night, while shewrites the computerprogramit sends
sparkling tendrils through the house,feeding from her
husband.If there are any sleepingvisitors, it feedsfrom
them as well. In the morning all awake,sufferinghead-
achesand achingjoints, the result of the effects of the
magicpoint drain.
If the marauderis directly attackedwith stunguns,it
retreatsback to Kathi's body. If it thinks she is under
threat"it attackswith ballsof energy.It alsowarpsKathi's
78 The Starc Are Right

immediately.Kathi is stunnedasnormal,andany changes

the marauderhasmaderemain.If Kathi is killed the ma-
raudermust also leave. Iilouston
The Marauderb Program
Oneweek after the funeral, the marauderfinishesits pro ROM Fractal Gods #12 the investigaton can
gram.Wastingno time, it runs it immediately.The hard- leam that the author of Other Beaconswas Yan
disk whin and clicks as the computerruns through the Mueller. Unfortunately there was no address
complex calculations.There is a quick flash and the given for him. Neither is his addresslisted in any of the
screenshattersinlo a million piecesas a gale suddenly previousissues.Only by getting in touch with the editor
opens.The marauderquickly hurls itself through,into the of the magazinecan ttreyfind his address.
beyond,but somethingelsecrawls forth.
Yog-Sothoth,in fractal fornr, flows through the gate,
rising from the wreckageof the nrinedcomputer.Expand-
ing quickly to cathedralsize,towering aboveHollybrook
Julia Burnet
Road and the Lathan's house.It begins to move slowly, Julia Burnet is a charming
gouginga greatfurrow in the groundten feet deep.Frac- civil engineer working for
tal tentaclesreachout toward nearbyhousesbut then, as Fisher Consulting Engi
the gatecollapses,it vanisheswith a terrible thunderclap. neersin Houston.Although
shehas selecteda careerin
engineering, herreallove is
Yog-Sothoth,Outer God in fractal torm
computers.She has nomi-
sTRN/ACONzr00StZ150 tNT40 pOW100
DEXl HP4O0Move6 nated herself as the super-
Weapons:lD20fractaltentacles 8O%,graspandcusume. userin theoffice,maintain-
Armor:None,butphysical weapons cannotharmYog-Sothoth. ing the mainframeand the
lf reduced
to 0 hits,it is dispelled. network computers.
Spells:All. Julia c'hatshappilyover
SanityLoss:1D10/1D100 Julia Burnet the phoneto the investiga-

A Menagerie of Fractals
he following are some of the
creatures that may appear on
the screen.Naturally,this is not Lookingratherlike a sptkylump,build-
a completelist of lhe denizensof this
dimension-a creativekeepercan in-
vent others. Statisticsare providedfor
lhosethat leavethe gate.
Floaters
Floaterslook like short, sturdy clubs,
their handlescoveredin a forestof fins Weapons:None.
or blades.Barelymoving,floatersap- SanityLoss:0/1Dzt
pearnearlymotionlessin space.
INT1D2POW1Bl DEX1 Move1
Weapons:None.
SanityLoss:0/'lDzl
Feeders
A feeder appears as a conglomeration
of spikyspheresandballs.lt maybethat Weapons:None.
a singlefeeder is made up of lots of
individualfeeders.Feedersdrift,ingest-
ingtinymotesof energyfloating in space.
INT1D3POW1Dlt DEX1DllMove5
Weapons:None.
SanityLoss:0/1Dzl
Builders by stealingmagicpointsfromlivingani-
mals,and can surviveindefinitelyin the
materialworld.
ers construclelegantfractalstructures
to an unkno,vndesign.In the material INT2D6+6POW3D6DEX2D6
planetheymovetowheretheycanfeed Move7
from the electricalcurrents,building Weapons:Tentade50%,1D3magic
theirtinystructuresfromdustparticles. pointdrain.
SanityLoss:0/1Dzl
INT1D6+2POW1D6DEX2D6
Move4 Gombers
Combersare thin, filmy patcheslilled
with tiny filaments.other fractalscom-
p l e t e l yi g n o r et h e m , e v e n m o v i n g
Hiders
throughthe comber.Once they have
Hidersaretinyblobsburstingwithtenta- passedthrough,the comberis
corered
cles. Theyare almostneverseenin the with tiny motes and specks, which
open,preferring to hidewithinotherfrac- slowlyvanish.
tals.
INT1DOPOW1DGDEX?D/.Move7
INTlDzl POWIDl DEX2D6Move3 Weapons:None.
Sanity Loss: 0/1Dzl
SanityLoss:0/1D4
Predators
Inspectors
Thin stalks with a collar of stick-like
Inspectors,thin spikytubeswith a blob limbs,predatorsare fiercetractal
hunt-
at one end, are insatiablyqlrious and ers. Whenone appearsit savagelyat-
will examineeverythingtheydiscoverin tacksfeeders,floaters,
builders,inspec-
thisnew,materialworld.Inspectors feed tors,and eventhe beaconitself.

tors about Fractal Gods. Shehas not let Other Beacons
run its full course,and shehasnot heardof Jon IJthan's
suicide.Shetries to get the caller to submit something,or
evensubscribe.Julia hasnot met Mueller, but gives his
addresswith only a little convincing.Shementionsthat
shehas convertedhis program to run on the mainframe
at FcE and is planning to run it in the next couple of
days.
If the investigatorsattempt to dissuadeher, she re-
fuses to believe any slories they may offer to back up
their claims. However,the programis not yet completed.
The investigatorsmay havetime to reachHoustonbefore
shefires it up.
Fisher Consutting
Engineers
Fisher Consulting Engineersrents modern offices on a
businesspark locatedon the edgeofthe city. Thebusiness
park housesother offices and is surroundedby plenty of
parkingspace.Fisheremploysalmost 100peopleat this
facility.
Fisher's open-plan offices are plush and modern.
Desktopcomputersare found on every desk,networked
to a large mainframe lurking on the ground floor. This
mainframenormally runs modelling and analysispack-
ages,but Burnet runs her own programson it during her
free time.
Unless the investigatorshave given her reasonto
doubttheir sanity,Burnet, after signing them into the log-
book, leadsthem to the mainframeand loadsOther Bea-
cons.Sheneedsto do a little editing,but thatonly takesa
coupleof minutes.Then she inputs the programand sits
backin anticipation.
The mainframeis much faster than a Pc. In lessthan
30 secondsthe spherehas appearedand, soon after, the
red tentaclespushtheir way out. The beacongrowsto the
size of the screenin less than two minutes. For those
paying attention to such details, and Burnet is one, the
resolutionis fantastic.
The beaconseethesand writhes, and then pushes
againstthe screen.Abright red fractal tentaclereachesto
strike at Burnet. Then the entire creatureheavesiself
from the screencostingeveryone1/1D6 Sanitypoints.
The beaconattacks relentlessly,aiming for whoever is
closest.
If the investigatorshavenot cometo Houston,Burnet
faces the beaconalone. Regainingconsciousness, she
finds herself inexplicably pulled towards New York.
Helplessto stop herself, as she makesthe journey, she
phonesthe investigators,hoping they can help. When
Burnet reachesMueller and the gatherer,she is wel-
comed. In converting Other Beaconsshe has already
donemuchof their work for them.andthetrio starton the
journeyto Houston.
Fractal Godr 79
New York
UELLER lives on the fourth floor of a shabby
five-story apartmentbuilding. The building is
poorly maintained-the interior corridors
smell-but the doorsareuniformly solid.Graffiti is eve-
rywhere.On the fourth floor the smell grows worse,rank
andacrid.
Knocking on the door promptsa heavyshuffling from
within. "Who is it?l' growls Mueller, "What do you
want?"
Any referenceto Other Beacons,Fractal Gods ot
Julia Bumet, and Mueller throws openthe door and bids
them to enter.He seemsfriendly enough,althougha suc-
cessfulPsychologyroll detectsmadnessin his eyes.
Yan Mueller
YanMuellerwasan artistspecializingin computergraph-
ics, earninghis money creatinggraphicsfor computer
games.He was alsoan occasionalcontributorto Fractal
Gods.He is now quite insaneand dedicatedto retuming
the gathererto its universe.He hopesto be ableto join it
there.
Mueller seeshimselfashavingtwo roles.The first is
to help Julia Bumet write her program,andthe other is to
feed the huge body the gathererhas made. As soon as
Mueller realizesthat Burnet is not with therq the investi-
gatorsare designatedas food. Only if the investigators
suggestthey have skills of value does Mueller pause.
Finding like-mindedprogralnmers,Mueller showsthem
his work so far andencourages themto contribute.If the
investigatorsfail to show the properdegreeof interest,
Mueller declaresthem supperandthe fractal attacks.
The gatherer knows when those affected by Other
Beaconsare approachingand tells Mueller. He lets them
go straightto their destiny,food for the fractal.
The Apartment
Mueller'sapartmentis a mess.Rubbishandfilth lies eve-
rywhere.The curtainsare drawn,a sickly light filtering
throughthem.The humid air is almostunbreathable and
filled with thesoundof hoarsebreathingcomingfrom the
kitchen.
Pride of place are the two desktopcomputers,each
with the gate programrunning. lntermittentlya fractal
creatureleavesthe screento wanderthe room, either to
escapeor be picked off by the gathererfractal and eaten.
From the kitchen doorway a tangled mass of hairy
tentaclesfansout acrossthe room,coiling anduncoiling
gently.It costsl/1D4 Sanitypointsto seethem,moreto
enterthe kitchenanddiscovertheir source.
ao The Stars Ars Right

The fractal attacks the investigators directly if they

appear to be capable of defeating its fleshy body. Organ-

/Vlullers
ized investigators cause it to flee. However, using the
Other Beacons program it is easy to frack it wherever it
goes.

Apaftment Gathercr.Thing, fleshy body of the gathercr

sTB 2s CON18 SrZ26 rNT14
POW2. DEX08 HP22 Move1
z) t-,t! - / /-'.'. /i: A-
Weapon:TentadeThrash4oo/o,16+2D6; 1DGTentacle

t !
O,,),,y,
li: LtVtrv !
-''t\z\zl \J-.' :)l
f-'.BOO1V:ili.i
_-1./_'
;L er-i|/ :' ! .-t.:
?lT1ll:J
i;t;y,t;1ry:-,2\
V \ z
\'-.1.).1
)'lr-l
DnrNRoord<
^ Going ltome
Within the junh with a successfulSpot Hidden roll,
the investigatorscan find the old diary that startedevery-
thing off. It hasnow beenlong forgottenby Mueller.
The Diary
This old diary, written in disjointedGerman,containsthe
notesof a scientistbom beforehis time. Using mathemat-
ics, the authorhasattemptedto explorea rangeof dimen-
sionsbeyondthe humannorm. The diary adds4 percen-
tiles to the reader'sCthulhuMythos skill, andcosts1D6
Sanitypoints.
The Gatherer F?actal
The gathereris a creaturesimilar to the marauderandcan
possessits victims in the sameway. Like the marauder,it
longsto retum to its own planevia a gate.
While it waitsfor Bumet'sarrival,it requiresPow to
fe€d. It has grown considerablysince aniving and needs
the combinedmagicpointsof severalhumansto survive.
To help matters,it has taken the neighbors,along with
any of the beaconarrivals and sculptedthem into a huge,
fleshy body. This squatsin the kitchen,surroundedby its
victims'torn clothes,barelyableto move.Its fatty folds
andlobesaretwisted into a ghastlyparodyof thefractal's
true form. It costs 1D3/1D10Sanity points to see the
bloatedheapof living flesh.
As soonas Mueller givesthe word, the thing attacks
with 1D6tentacles. Thosethathit do 1D6pointsof crush-
ing damagebeforedraggingits victims towardsthemain
masswherethey will be consumedandabsorbed. Investi-
gatorssucceeding with a srR vs. srn rolls canbreakfree.
Grapple4O%,dragto mawandconsume.
Armor: 1 pointof fleshyskin.lf reducedto zeropcints,th€
bodydies and the gathererleaves.
SanityLoss: 1D3/1D10
Notq lf the gathererleaves,this creaturecan no longermake
attacksof arrykind.
FTER the investigators'visit,the fractaldecides
it is time to move on. Police interestalso causes
it to leave.The first few unfortunatepolicemen
areabsorbedinto its mass,thenMuellerurges it to depart.
It leavesits fleshy form and rides in tho back of a stolen
truck, Mueller at the wheel. Three days later the fractal
arrives in Houston, having fed on assortedhirch-hiken
and traffic cops along the way. It waits for night before
acting. If it has not already met the beacon-infected
Bumet on the journey, Mueller pulls up in front of her
homeand lets the fractal do its stuff.
Then the threeof them go straight to FisherConsult-
ing Engineen.After twenty minutesof fractal-guideded-
iting, the programis ready.The mainframequickly proc-
essesthe program,but it still takestwenty minutesbefore
the gate is formed. The gathererdrains Burnet of magic
points, causingher to fall unconscious.Ttren it doesthe
samewith Mueller.
The fractal edgesof the gatewayyawn wide, beyond
the edgesof the compulerscreen.They stretchupwards,
through the walls and ceiling of the offices and into a
multicolor night (Sanity loss is 1/1D10).Burnet and
Muellerareaccidentallysuckedinto themessasthegath-
ererfractalvanishes.
A trio of floatersdrift out into the night sky, followed
by a cautiousfeeder.Slowly,the gatebeginsto recede.It
will takeaboutfive minutesto completelyclose,leaving
Bumet and Mueller trappedon the other side.The inves-
tigatorscantry to rescuethem.
Through the Gate
Passingthrough the gate and into the fractal dimension
costs 3 magic points and lD6 Sanity-each way. For
every minute the investigatorsremain, it costs them an
additionalmagicpoint andanother1/lD4 Sanitypornb.
Fractal Godr 8l

The Fractal Gateway

a2 The Stars Aro Right

tfu- fro^below
Lattran's
House
o- r S.SToirs To.-
f-orch_j=. fir.t floo.

A*':'s+
Second Floor

Ground Floor

The fractal universe is a technicolor world of infinite de- Weapons:1D3tentacles

tail and incomprehensible behavior. Huge foarny moun-
tains drift in meaningless circles while revolving fractal
entities swarrn everywhere, bustling about tleir alien ac-
tivities.
In the distance Burnet and Mueller can be seen, being
canied away by three fractals that look like balls of hairy
string. The fractals bind their captives, but as the investi-
gators approach they turn to deal with these tasty new
morsels.
The fractals attack with 1D3 tentacles. If any hit, the
fractal drains 1D3 magic points-if it successfully
matches its magic points against the victim's on the Re-
sistance Thble.
50%,special.
Armor:None,butphysical cannotharmit.
weapons
SanityLoss:0/1Bl
Returningbackthroughthe gatecosts3 magicpoints and
another 1D6 Sanity points. An investigatormay also
carry an unconsciousburden-Mueller, Burnet or an-
other investigator.Thosewith fewer then 3 magic points
fall unconsciousupon passingthrough the gate. Those
who do not leavebeforethe gateclosesare lost forever.
As the investigators leave, the gate collapses.The
mainframe oveiloads and starts an electrical fire. It
quickly leapsout of control, forcing the investigatorsto
retreat. As the investigatorsstand and watch the blaze,
they becomeawareof the soundof sirens.

Fractal One
INT12 POW14 DEX13 Move6 Rewards
Weapons:1D3tentacles40%,special. The investigatongain lD6 Sanitypoints for defeatingthe
Armor: None,but physicalweaponscannotharmit. marauder.They gain another 1D3 Sanity points for free-
Sanlty Loss: 0/1Bt
ing Kathi Lathan,althoughsheneedscareful psychiatric
careto recover.Shemay alsobe left honibly mutilatedby
Fractal l\no
themarauder'smanipulationof herphysiognomy, requir-
INT10 POW'18DEX11Move6
Weapons:1D3tentacles35%,special.
ing reconstructivesurgery.If Kathi kthan dies, the in-
Armor: None,but plrysicalweaponscannotharmit. vestigatorsloseno Sanitybut find themselvesat the cen-
Sanity Loss: 0/1D4 ter of a policeinvestigation.
If Yog-Sothothdevastates the neighborhood,the in-
Fractal Thrce vestigatorslose 1D3/1D10Sanity.They might havepre-
INT13 POW11 DEX16 Move6 ventedit.
 F;actal Godr 83

Reward the investigatorswith 1D6 Sanity poinB for Thc llainframe Beacon
killing the gatherer,another 1D10 points if they kill its lNT5 POW20 DEX12 Move10
fleshy body. Rescuing Mueller and Bumet gains them Weapons:1DGTentades6()%,sPecial.
lD3 Sanity points for eachrescuedvictim. Mueller is Armor: None,but ptrysicalattackscannotharmit.
incurable. Burnet recovers slowly, but never touchesa SanltyLGs: 1/1D6
computeragain.
Without the gatherer,the beaconscreatedby Other lhe llaraudet
Beaconsare generally harmless.However, some of the INT4DOPOW4DODEX3DOMove9
other fractals are not. Investigatorsthat go to elaborate Weapons:EnergyBolts60%,1D3;1D3WrithingTentacles
lengthsto ensurethe progtamsare never run again (per- 80%,1D3magicpointdrain.
hapsa virus in Fractal Gods #13) shouldbe rewarded Sanity Loss: 1/1D6
with a further lD10 SanitYPoints.
Julia Burnet, 26, editol of Fractal Gods
sTR 11 coN 14 SIZ11 INT16 POW11

Statistics DEX16 APP12 EDU15 SAN55 HP 12

Weapon:Mace809o,see CthulhuNoryfor effecis
Credit
50%,ComputerUse700/o,
Skllls: CivilEngineering
Rating45%,OeOate gO%,Dodge457o,DriveAutomobile40o/o,
Librai Use'45%,Photography Sreak 45%,
30%,Ride200lo,
Anthony Lathan, 36r insurance broker SpotHidden50%,Swim407o.
sTR 13 CON12 SIZ15 INT14 POW12
DEX08 APP12 EDU 16 SAN 60 HP'I3
Yan llueller, 29, insane computer artist
DamageBonus: +1Dzl srR 13 CON14 SIZ13 INT14 POW12
Weapon:FisVPunch 50%,'lD3+db. HP13
DEX10 APP11 EDU12 SANO
Bargain50%,ComputerUse45%'
Skiffs:AccountingT}o/o,
CreditRating6570,Debate50%,DriveAutomobile45%' Fast DamageBonus: +1Dzl
4o/o.
Tafk60%,l-aw 400/o,Oralory Weapon:FisVPunch 1D3+db.
500/o,
30%,Astronomy45%,ComputerArt 80%'
Skills: Archaeology
Kathi Lathan, 32, flactahPossessed ComouterUse55%,CthulhuMythos5%, DriveAutomobile
45%,Geology2O%,German60%,UbraryUse4O%'Occult
sTRg CON11 SlZ12 lNT15 POWg 35%,PhotograPhY 40o/o.
DEX15 APP12 EDU14 SAN20 HP 11
Weapons:Claws (x2)50%, 1D6; TongueThrottle55%' 1Dzt,
sTRvs. atonguesTF of 15 to free oneself. Gatherer, homesick fractal.
Chemistry4O%,ComputerUse607o'
Skitfs:Accountirp40o/o, fNT 14 POWn DEX15 MoveI
CreditRating5OoZ,DiagnoseDisease20%' ryq.Sg.50%'Drlve Weapons:SpitEnergyBolt55%,lDzl; lD6WrithingTefiades
Automobile50%,FirstAio so"z, ubraryUse50%,Listen60%' 80%,1D3magicPointdrain.
Optics75%,Sneakzlo%.
Armor: None,butphysicalweaponscannotharmit.
Sanity Loss: 1/1DOto seethe fractalwarplGthi'stongueand I
clawsintoformidableweapons' SanityLoss:1/1D6
u The Sta:s Aro Right

55 man can only see that which he can touch; news of her suicide at-
what he cannot touch he cannot see and what tempt in the New York Subway Drama!
is unseen is unknown. Only when the gates Timesevokeshermem-
have been rendered asunder ls entry to thls ory. The keepershould Womon fuved frcm
world granted, and few visitorc who see this feel free to add details Certoin Dwth
rcalm return.99 as necessary,but what-
ever the rationale, the Police credir the daring heroics of
The Book ol Eibon investigators should a perfect sranger with saving the
life of an unlsrown woman late
have a plausible reason last night after she had tkovrn
HIS scenario is set in New York City and on for inquiring into Hay- herself in front of a subway train
nearby Long Island. With only a few minor ward'ssuicideattempt. at Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza
Station.
modificationsto eventsand settingsit could eas- In addition, the in-
A small crowd of commut€N
ily occur in any largeurbanarea. vestigaton recall seeing waiting for the ll:49 train
somethingabouta sub- watched in horror as a young
Keeper's Information way suicide attempt woman jumped onto the tracls.
With ttb train rapidly approach-
severaldays ago. A
The scenariobegins with the investigaton discoveringa ing, a quick-thinhng bystander
Luck roll indicatesthat climbed down from dre platform
news article in today's New York Times(seeDelirium
the paper carrying the and pulled 0re woman to safety, an
Papers#1). instant beforc the rain nshed into
article has not yet been
The name Rachel thrown out; otherwiseit
the station.
Hayward is familiar to The young woman, who has
can be easily found in notbeen identified, is li$ed in fair
Subway at leastoneof the inves- any branch of the New condition at Brooklyn Hospital.
tigators. The keeper The umrmg hero was teated for
Accident Victim York Public Library or minor cuts and released.
should invent a rela- at the New York Times
Identified tionship appropriateto newspapermorgue (see The llelirium Paperc #2
his or her own cam- Delirium Papers#2).
Suieid.e Attempt paign; perhapsRachel
Foild. All the New York paperscarry similar stories.
was once a friend, a
schoolmate,or even an
NEW YORK-The young
old flame; perhapsshe
woman pulled from the tracks at
once frequenteda club,
Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza
subway station lastweekhas been
identified as Ms. Rachel Hayward
of Brooklyn. According to eye-
society, or sorority of
which one or more of
Brooklyn
witnesses, Ms. Hayward had
thrown herself in front of an on-
coming train, but was rescued at
the investigatorswere
members. She is re-
membered as being
tilospitat
the last moment by an heroic by- quiteintelligent--amath
stander.A spokesman for the New
York Police Department describes
major--and generally
"a real amicable, but restless ACHEL Hayward is currently recovering in a
the anonymous saviour as
Sarnaritan." Ms. llayward is cur- and given to sudden privateroomin thepsychiatricwardwheresheis
rendy recovering from her injuries
mood swings. A very being closely monitored. Hospital staff at first
at Brooklyn Hospital, where she is refuseany requeststo visit but eventuallya cantankerous
listed in fair condition.
private person,Rachel
Hayward was difficult dutynurseallowsherselfto be convincedthatthe investi
The Delirium Papers #1 to get to know. Eventu- gatorsarefriends or relatives,and approvesthe visit.
ally, "in pursuitof her- RachelHayward'sinjuries are serious,but not life-
self," she drifted out of touch.The investigatorhasnot threatening,consisting mainly of severe abrasionsand
been in contactwith Rachelfor severalyearsand the contusions,causedby her fall to the tracks.Haywardalso
locationof her currentresidenceis unknown,but the sad exhibitssymptomsof a concussion: shallowbreathing,laps-
ing in andoutof consciousness,skin cold,clammy,andpale.

For the duration of this
scenario, Rachel HaYward
is unable to communicate
coherently.Her mentalcon-
fusion, aggravated bY
memory loss, Preventsher
from comprehendinganY-
thing the investigatorssaY
or do; she doesn't even
seemto recognize*rem' If
provoked or harassed,she
begins to sob hYstericallY.
Soon, an ordedY rushesin
to administera sedative'
"Ms. Hayward's had
RachelHayward
spells like this before," he
"sometimes she wakes up shrieking' Most of
eiplains.
the time it's just nonsense,but once in a while you can
makeout someof what shesays.kst night for instance,
shewas screamingas though someonewere in the room
with her, trying to kill her. Of course,she was alone; it
was very disturbing for the other patients to hear' But
therUMs. Hayward'snot the fint addict we've had in
hefe."
If asked to elaborate,the ordeily suggeststhat the
hallucinationsanddelusionsfrom which Haywardsuffers
are the result of prolongeddrug use, not of any concus-
sion. "She has a high toleranceto morphine,"he adds'
"She'sprobablybeenusingit for years."
Undoubtedly the investigatorscontinue to question
this knowledgeableorderly. He tells them that the
woman'spurseandbelongingsare kept locked away,but
for $20 he could retrieveit for ttrem.
Hayward's handbagcontains various cosmetics,an
expireddriver'slicense,severalcreditcards,about$20in
small bills and coins,and a set of keys.The investigators
also discoveran unfilled prescriptionfor morphine' pre'
scribedby a Doctor R. Gerritsen,Henry Street,Brooklyn'
The prescriptionis datedthe day of Hayward'ssuicide
attempt.Hospitalstaffarenot familiarwith Dr' Gerrisen;
New York hasthousandsof doctors.
PhYsician
The Attending
Dr. JeromeWingate, the attendingphysician, is a busy
man and can't be found in his office. Investigatorswho
makea Luck roll while searchingfor thedoctorencounter
him in a nearbyhallway.He is caughtoff-guard' and asks
"with the media." Reassuredthat
if the investigatorsare
they arefriends or relativesof RachelHayward,Dr' Win-
gatesaysthat althoughhis patient'scondition is stable,it
iill b"t"u".l daysbefore any real improvementcan be
expected.It will be at least a week before she can be
released,psychiatric evaluation notwithstanding'Dr'
Wingate reiteratesthe particulars of her condition, but
doesnot mentionher useof narcotics.If the investigators
inquire aboutthis he reluctantly tells them Hayward ex-
The Gatss Of Delirlum
hibits most of the usual symptoms of long+erm drug
abuse,adding that he would prefer this information re-
main confidential-the young woman's reputationhas
surelysufferedenoughdamagealready.
Investigatorsasking for the name of the fellow who
rqscuedMi. Haywardmeetwith no sucoess.That worthy
was treatedonly for minor injuries and released.If any
recordexists,it cannotbe located.
Doctor Geritsen
Dr. RobertGerritsen'soffice on Henry Sreet in Brooklyn
Heights is located in a 19th century two-story Italianate
houie. Office hours are from 8 AM to 4 PM, Monday
throughFriday.Investigatorswho visit without first hav-
ing madean appointmentareturnedawayby the curt and
meticulousreceptionistwho insiststhey leave.Gerritsen
is not availableuntil tomorrow aftemoon. Investigators
who linger outsidethe office arelikely to catchthe doctor
as he leaves for the day, but he is in no mood to be
interviewed;he insists that the investigatorscall during
office hoursto makean appoinfrnent.
dle-agedpaunch.He
very solemn man; sel<
does a smile appearon
plump face.
When the investiga
finally speakwith Dr. (
ritsen, they find him r
sive. Althoughhe ackn
ledges that Rachel F
ward is one of his Pati
and lamentsher recent
cide attempt,he refuse
divulgeadditionalinfor
tion. His stock responseto Dr. RobenGerritsen
inquiries aboutHayward-
or any other patient-is to cite the confidentiality of the
doctor-patientrelationship'He also refusesto discuss
Hayward'scondition,anyailmentsfrom which shemight
tufi"t, ot any medicationhe might have prescribed.The
doctor gets irritable if intenogated,demandingthat the
investigators leavehis office.APsychologyroll suggests
that Dr. Gerrisen seemsuneasy-perhaps even fright-
ened(he fean that he will somehowbe implicated if his
connectiontoHaywardis madeknown to the authorities)'
Dr Gerritsenstayslate the day the investigatorsinter-
view him. After his receptionistleaves,he destroysHay-
ward's records and leaves about 4:30 lM, unless inter-
rupted.All patientrecordsarekept in a lockedfiling cabi-
net in Dr. Gerritsen'soffice' Thosepertainingto Hayward
suggestthat she first visited Dr. Genitsen about a year
"na u n"tf "go, complainingof insomniaandlossof appe-
tite. Dr. Gerritsen,a firm believerin ThomasSydenham's
dicnrmthat no oneshouldbe a physicianwithout opiurn'
 a6 The Stars Aro Right
prescribedmorphine.At each of IVts.Hayward'ssub.
sequentvisits, sheapparentlycomplainedof a numberof
ailments,includingfevers,headaches, and anxiety.Each
time,Dr. Gerritsenprescribedmorphine-and in continu_
ally largerdoses.A Medicineroll suggeststhat,medically
speaking,morphine is probably not the most appropriate
drug to prescribeto a patientwith the symptomsof which
Haywardhad beencomplaining.A Know roll suggesm
that the AmericanMedical Association,for one,deems
suchtreatmentof addictsirresponsible.If the doctor's
recordsshouldsomehowfind their way to propermedi_
cal authorities,his license to practicewould likelv be
revoked.
Hayward's last recordedvisit was the day of her at-
tempted suicide. Dr. Gerritsen records show he issued
anotherprescriptionfor morphine.
New YorkPolice
Department
HE nearestpolice station to Grand Army plaza
Stationis on ButlerStreet.OfficerpeterKennedy
was the first to arrive on the scene;a Luck roll
finds him at the stationwhenthe investigators arrive.He
can offer no information other than what hasalreadyap
pearedin the newspapers.Regardingthe identity of Ms.
Hayward'srescuer,Kennedy says that the man askedto
not be identified. Kennedy feels honor-boundto protect
the fellow's anonymity.
'The
desksergeantnurturesno suchlofty principles.If
Officer Kennedyis not presenta bribe of $50 obtainsthe
heroic bystander'sname:Jasonvan Brunt. The sergeant
also provides the gentleman'sFlatbushAvenueaddress.
An additional bribe of $20 encouragesthe desksergeant
to revealthat Ms. Haywardhasno arrestrecord.
Jason van Brunt
Mr. van Brunt is a middle-agedbankclerk who lives in a
Late Georgianstyle houseon FlatbushAvenue.He lives
alonewith a plump, friendly cat and is seldomfound at
homeduring the day.
Van Brunt was waiting for a subway train at Grand
Army Plazastation after an eveningvisit with a friend in
ParkSlopewhenhe sawa young womantlrow henelf on
the tracks. Without a moment's hesitation van Brunt
climbeddown to the tracksand pulled the woman-and
himself-to safetyin the nick of time.
If van Brunt is at home when the investigatonscall,
theyfindhim quitereticentaboutthesubwayincident.He
is a shyandhumblefellow who doesnot considerhimself
a hero. Van Brunt doesnot
seekpublicity and at fint is
reluctantto acknowledge
his involvement,even to
family and friends. If the
investigatorstell van Brunt
that they arefriendsor rela-
tives of Rachel Hayward,
he invitesthemin.
Van Brunt knows noth-
ing of RachelHayward; he
had never heard of her be-
fore that fateful eveningat
the subway station. He
claims he can provide no
Jasonvan Brunt
additional information and
requeststhat his anonymity
be maintained.Psychologyrolls suggest,however,that
van Brunt is withholding something.A subsequentper_
suaderoll-or the threat of unwantedpublicity_con_
vincesvan Brunt to showthemthe suicidenotehe found
on the platform after rescuingHayward (seeDelirium
Papers#3). VanBrunt refrainedfrom fumishinethe note
to the policebecauseof its extremelyoutlandiJhnature;
he wantedonly to protectthe young.womanfrom undue
embanassment.
the suicide note
Dr. Tarrw:
Thisnde shallseryeto exflain my death,so thatno
ni.sundelstandingcan exist. Do notiudge my actions
withoutfirst understandingthe circumstancesin whicht
fid myself enmeshd.
Havinggranrnwearyof this mindless,mundaneex-
istence,my ennui ld me down esoteric paths in my
searchlor an escape.ln short,t bcame obsessedwjth
the need to delve into unknown realms,to Fnetate
thoses*ret placeswhereno one hasyet ventured_the
humanmind.
By nreansof therapeuticopiatesaN transcendental
mathematics,lplungd into unfathomeddepths,exptu_
ing foreign, but ail-too-famitiarterrain. t soughta ptace
whereI could be at peace,and new feetingscouid de-
velop and tlourish. but insteadI was sweptaway by
undercurrents of anonymoussensatbnas toffentialas
the tides, aN I discovered-and unteashedwithin my
own mind-a primalforce that cannotbetamd.
I have passedthroughthe gates ol detirium,to be-
come bothpawn andprey of uttra-worldlypwers: insati-
ate, half-seenand tenebrous monsters-the very es_
senceof terrifying,macafuedread:the inescapabtemad-
nessand horrorof cosmicevil that rendershuman exist-
ence fo,thtenuousand trite.
Burdend by these unspeakablerevelations,there
can be but one escape.I must seekoblivion.
Rachel Hayward
The Delirium Papers #3
 The Gates Of Dellrium

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'arialde?/ace Parkside Place

Apartments
r+07 OCATED at the comer of parkside and Ocean
Avenuesin Brooklyn, Parlside placeis a fashion-
able high-rise apartmentnot far from prospect
Park. According to a directory in the vestibule, an R.
Haywardlives on the l4th floor of the 16-storybuilding.
RachelHaywardis not currently employed.Sincethe
deathofherparentsseveralyearsago,shehasbeensup
ported by a modestinheritance.She has no brothersor
sisters,andapparentlyno closefriends.processof elimi-
nation locatesher addressfrom the New york telephone
directory but it is a slow processindeed;thereare over a
dozenlistings for "R. Hayward" in the book. If the inves-
tigatorstelephone,Rachel'sansweringmachineconnects
after four rings andasksthe caller to leavea message.
RAchel'ssr\lw is in the underground parkinglot. She
has allowed her driver's licenseto expire and has not
moved the car for several weekb.There is nothing of
interestto be found here.
Securityin the building is generallylax; a successful
Luck roll indicatesthat the guardis off duty or on break.
A telephonein the vestibuleis usedby visitorsto contact
residentsbut if theguardis there,he is awarethatRachel
Hayward is in the hospital and may refuseto admit the
investigators.Investigatorsmight use FastTalk or per-
n livinJ suadeto assuagethe guard.If they haveRachel'skeys
they might try and convince them that they are friends
senthereto take careof her plants.If the guard is not on
duty and the investigatorsdo not have th,ekey, a Lock-
smith roll is requiredto pick the lock on the front door.
+%r All other_doors through which the investigatorsmight
V,- enterthebuildingaresimilarly locked.Thereareexternal
fire escapes.
Thereis a singleelevatorin thelobby andstairwellsat
eitherend of the hallway.Investigatorsmight noticethat
thereis no 13thfloor, an old superstitionstill respectedby
manyarchitectsandbuilders.
Accordingto theneighbors,Haywardis a quiettenant
who keepsto herself.No onecanrecall anythingremark_
able abouther. The building superintendent can inform
the investigatorsthat Haywardmovedin abouttwo years
ago.Sincethattime shehasbeena modeltenant;hei rent
is alwayspaid in full, andon time.

Kachel tlayward's
T . . ' ' ' ' ' '
= lo feet_t
' - t l , - Apartment
t_ r-{ The door to Hayward's apartmentis locked. Investigators
who are not in possessionof the key may attempt to pick
the lock or simply break the door down with brute force

(doorsrn 15).Forcingthe door at any time of theday or
night brings1D4+1curiousresidentsout into thehallway
almostimmediately.
Inside, Hayward's apartmentappearsto have been
ransacked.Fumiture is overtumed,omamentsandknick-
knacksscatteredacrossthe floor mingled with appliances
and utensils from the kitchen. The contentsof every
closet and cabinet,of every wardrobeand cupboard,lie
strewn aboutthe place.Although the investigatorsmight
well presumethat the apartmenthas been burglarized,
this messwas causedby Hayward herself during a fit of
violent despairimmediately precedingher thwartedsui-
cide attempt.
Rummagingthroughthe debristakestime, a thorough
searchrequiring four man-hours.For eachhour eachin-
vestigatorspendssifting through the jumble, a Spot Hid-
den roll allows a chanceof tuming up a small metalbox
containinga bottle with sevenblue capsules.The omate
box is unlabelled,thecapsulesunidentifiable,evenwith a
successfulPharmacyor Medicineroll. Although the in-
vestigatorshaveno way of knowing,the pills containthe
drug Liao, obtained by Hayward from the unorthodox
psychiatrist Raymond Tarrou. Should the investigators
havethe tabletsexaminedby a competentpharmacistthe
results are inconclusive; certain constituentcompounds
defy analysis.
Clues in llaYward's
Apartment
Ared light blinks on the answeringmachine,indicatingit
has messages.Playing back the tape, the investigators
discovera call madeby a man who speals with a French
accent(seeDelirium PaPers#4).
An telvl computersits on a sturdy table in Ms. Hay-
ward's bedroom.Miscellaneousfloppy diskettesscat-
a phone message from Dr. Tarrou
"Helb Ms.Hayward,fhlsis Dr. Tarrou.I trustthecapsu/es
of tl:c drug Liao have beenelfectivein alleviatingyour
distress. Let me ranind yan that th,ls wondeiul new
therapedic medicamentisstr//rh its exryrimental stage
aN hasrct yet beenaproved lor pharmaceutical pur'
poses. Femembr to take wly me capsuleeachnight
betore rdiring, and pleaserecord upm waking every
sensalionin as mLch detailas recollectionallows;itwill
allowme to more clearly manitoryour Nogress at our
subseguentconsultatims herein Ashard<en.I trust that
yut are findingthisnew drugmuchmore efficaciousthan
thennrfliine."
The telephoneis equippedwith a last numberredial
usethisto discoverwhereshe
feature.lf theinvestigators
last called,they are connecledto Dr.Tarrou'shouseon
LonglslandnearAsharoken.Investigators who listened
lo the messageon the answeringmachinerec€gnizethe
doctor'svoice.
The Delirium PaPers#4
The Gates Ol Delirium
entries in Rachel HaYward's
dream-journalr computer file
capsuleforthe
Lastnightltook Dr.Tanou'sexperimental
firsttime.I feltvery,very light,likea featherfloatingon a
gentlebreeze.I floatedup, weightless,lookeddownat
my roomandsaw myselfasleepin bed.Whata strange'
soothingexperiencel
Lastnight,with the aid of the marvelousdrug,I floated
furtherand furtheraway,as thoughI srlrram in the ether.
Thewallsvanished,andall familiarobjectsdisappeared
as timeandspaceseemedto mergeintoone' a strange
nevvdimensionin whicfrI couldperceiveeverythingsF
multaneously andfromall sides.
TonightI driftedback<rot of my ownvolition'but inexo'
rably drawn there by some unseenforce. I lraveled
throughstrangecurves and angles of non-Euclidean
space.
I retiredearlylastnight,eagerto ingestDr.Tarrou'swon-
derfulcapsule.I am beginningto realizethat time and
space are not separate,but identical.They are both
nothingmorethan imperfectmanifestations of an invis-
ible realitywhich I am graduallybecomingable to per-
ceive.I sensethat it will not be longbeforethe veilsare
liltedandatlwillbe madedear to me.At lastI havefound
a senseof purpose!
I couldnot waitfor nightfallto continuemy journey'This
morning,in myexuberance, ftook a handfulof capsules.
I glimpsedterriblethingswhich mankindwas never
meantto distinguishbut, mercifully,I can think of no
wordswithwhichto describethem.They are all around
us at all times,hungryandhateful,buttheycannotleave
theirdimensionto enteroursunlessguidedby one who
twicecrossesthe artificialboundaryof time and space-
exactlywhat I havedoneby returningto our earthlydi-
mension.Howcan I faceanotherday knowingwhathor-
rors I haveusheredintothisworld?
The DeliriumPaPers#5
tered aboutthe room are found to contain unremarkable
software-games,utilities,andother,miscellaneous pro'
grams.One disk, however,has beenfolded in half and
ihrown aside,found lying underthe bed.It is permanently
c r e a s e da n d c o n t a i n s b u t a s i n g l e f i l e c a l l e d
"DREAMS.TXT."
Despitethe damagesustainedfrom the
crease,thefile canstill be accessed by anyonewith com-
patible equipmentand who is able to make a Computer
Useroll. Someportionsof thetext file havebeenobliter-
atedbut, with carefulscrutiny,most remainlegible (see
Delirium Papers#5).
Disturbing Events
When Rachel returned from her drug-inducedcerebral
wanderingsshebrought back with her a fragmentof the
fourth dimensionwhich now co'exists with the reality
generallyperceivedby mankind.The unearthlycurves
and outrageousanglesof the fourth dimensionappear

Any unfortunate investigator who falls through the
doorway is later found on the floor of Ms. Hayward's
apartmint, his or her body smashedand mangledas
though it had fallen from a great height. Sanity loss is
1/1D4points.
The elevatordoesnot move,its doon remainingopen,
until the investigatorshave closedthe door to aparmlent
1304.It then functionsnormallY.
The Body in the Elevator
When the investigatorsleave Ms. Hayward's apartment
the elevatordoorsopento reveala skeletalcorpseclad in
tatteredrags lying crumpled on the floor. A nauseating
stenchfills the air and what little flesh remainson the
corpsebegins to rot away right beforethe investigators'
eyes.All witnesseslose 1/1D3Sanitypoins.
Before the investigatorscanrqlct the doorscloseand
the elevatoris gone.When summonedagain,the elevator
is empty,though a noisomeodor remains.
The Horror in the Garbage Ghute
If the investigatorsdecideto cleanup the apartmentthey
face a daunting task Severaltrips to the garbagechute
will be necessary.It is found in a small room no bigger
than a closet, acrossthe hall next to the elevator.On one
suchtrip, the haplessinvestigatoropensthe chuteto find
a massof writhing tentaclesflailing out at him.
A Dodge roll succeedsin backingaway in time to
avoid this initial attack but before the investigatorcan
attackthe tentaclesthrashout again.
Tentacled Horror
POW18
STR26 CON26 SIZNA INTg
Move NA
DEXg HP26
1DGplusgrab
300/0,
(x3attacks/round)
Weapons:Tentacle
SanityLoss:1/1D6
Althoughthe creaturehassix tentacles,it canonly attack
with tlree at once, due to the confined spaceof the gar-
bagechute.If a targetis hit by a tentacle,the victim is
draggedtoward the creature'sgullet at the bottom of the
chute.Oncea victim is grabbed,he or shemustpit his or
her SZ againstthe creature'sSTRof 26 on the resistance
table. Those who fail are pulled into the garbagechute
and devoured.The confines of the room preclude any
subsequentDodgerolls by the victim.
If the creatureis destroyedit immediatelyretums to
its own dimension, leaving no trace whatsoeverof its
occupationof the garbagechute.Although the chuteitself
is a ielatively small opening,the tentacledhorror is able
to crush its victim sufficiently to drag it in, regardlessof
its size.The remainsof investigatorsvictimizedby this
hideouscreatureare found the next day when the large
garbagedumpsterin the basementis emptied'The re-
mainJare barelyrecognizable,the haplessvictims have
seeminglybeencrushedandmangledby a trashcompac-
tor.Witnesseslose 1/1D4pointsof Sanity.
The Gates Of Delirium
Doctor Tanou
R. TARROU'Shomeis currentlylocatedon Ea-
tons Neck Point in Long Island's Suffolk
County, a hour's drive east of Brooklyn. The
nearby village of Asharokenis a small, unremarkablere-
sott "o.muttity whoseresidentsknow little or nothing of
the doctor.
Dr. Tarrou'stwo-story houseis an unadorned'rectan-
gular, early Georgianbuilding overlooking Long Island
Sound.Agableroof andlargechimneysenhancethesym-
metry. The ornately carved entrancewith its pilasters,
paneleddoubledoors,andsemi-circularfanlight, forms a
graciousentryway to the home.An inscribedbrassplate
"Dr. R' Tarrou.Psychia-
be.side the doorbean the legend
trist." Beneaththis plateis a doorbell.
Dr. Tarrou is recognizedby the Arnerican Medical
Associationbut his qualificationsaredubious.Localresi-
dents say that he moved into the old Ephraim Walker
place and set up his practiceabouta year ago-No one
knows for surewho his patientsare,but locals suspect
them to be wealthy andjaded New Yorkers.
Ifthe investigatorscall duringthe day,the doctoran-
swersthe door himself. Investigatorswho heardthe mes-
sagefrom Dr. Tarrou on Hayward's answeringmachine,
or inadvertentlycalledhim with the last numberredial
feature,rwognize his Frenchaccent.AlthoughDr' Tarrou
is awareof RachelHayward'ssuicideattemptheis not inter-
estedin speakingto anyonewho inquiresabouther.Tarrou
evenrefusesto acknowledge thatsheis oneof his patients'
An investigatorrequesting treatmentfor a feigneddis-
order might attempt to infiltrate the doctor's practice,but
he or shewill be informedthat Dr. Tarrouis presentlynot
acceptingany new patients.He recommendsa numberof
different psychologiss in New York City.
If the investigators observeDr. Tanou'shousefrom a
safedistanceduring the latterpart of the day,they observe
a small van drive up. Dependingon how far away the
investigatorsare, and whether or not they have binocu-
lars, they might notice the Asian driver (an Anthropology
or EDUxl roll identifieshim as Vietnamese) get out and
open the back door of the van. Two men emergeand
follow thedriver into the house.
If the investigatorscall in the eveningthey appearto
get no responseuntil, after a time, Dr. Tarrou's servant,
Ngo Dinh Hao, answers.He informs the callersthat the
doctor is indisposeduntil tomorrow.
Doctor l'?arrou
Dr. Tanou was a military doctor in FrenchIndochina'
Dishonorablydischargedfor what the French army
"indiscretionscontraveningthe ethicsof his pro-
termed
fession,"Dr. Tarrouset up a privatepracticein the port
and railheadof Haiphong,and remainedthereafter the
92 The Starc Are Bight

war hadended.Whensome dangerouslyderangedspecialistwhoseunusualpsycho.

of his more unorthodox logicaltechniquesthreatenhis patients'sanityand lives.
proceduresbecamepublic, Thosewho engageDr. Tanou's therapeuticservicesbe-
Dr. Tarrou was forced to comehis guineapigs, test-subjects for his experimental
flee Vietnam.He arrivedin methods.
New York City over a year The doctorfirmly believesthat everyhumanbeingis
ago, accompaniedby his mentallylinked with all the life that hasever existedin
assistantanda healthysup- the universe.Theselinks cannotbe easily perceivedbe-
ply of his experimental causethe illusion of time and spacepreventsmankind
drug Liao. He soon pur- from entering the other dimensionsthat contain them.
chaseda secludedhouseon With the aid of the ancientdrug Liao Dr. Tarrouhopesto
Long Island and resumed penetratethis banier, and prove his theory.However,he
his practice. is not inclined to seekthe evidencefinthand-he instead
Dr. Thrrouis a haggard offers the drug to his most desperatepatients,and then
and hollow-eyedfellow in monitors their progress.Ms. Hayward, unfortunately,
his mid-sixties.His skin is Dr.Tarrou grewpsychologicallydependent on the drugandtooktoo
pallid,nearlyas white as his lab coat.The doctoris usu- great a dose,catapultingher into dircct contactwith the
ally unshavenand his fingernails are unusuallylong. alien horrorsof the outer dimensions.Not surprisingly,
Dark circlesbeneathhis cold grey eyessuggesteithera the unfortunatesubjectsof his experimentsarefrequently
lack of sleepor pmsibly a nunitionaldeficiency. driveninsane.
Frenchis Dr. Tarrou'snative tongue,althoughhe is Dr. Tarrou obtaineda licenseto practicefrom the
alsofluent in English and Vetnamese.Dr. Tarrouis not a AmericanPsychiatricAssociationby bribing a clerk; in-
cultist nor does he serve any Mythos entity. But he is a

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The Gates Of Delirium

The Body in the Elevator

94 The Stars Are Bight

quiriesto the Association's

WashingtonD.C. office
confirm that he is a legiti-
b
Dn.TnRRou matedoctor.
Ngo Dinh l{ao
Housr This is Dr. Tarrou's Viet-
namesehenchman,always
on handand readyto assist
the doctor. Burly, sweaty,
and hot-tempered,Ngo
Dinh Hao was Dr. Tarrou's
servant in Haiphong and
fled the country with the
doctor.Ngo's native tongue
is Vietnamese,but he Ngo Dinh Hao
learned French from his
employer;his English is rudimentary.He is a loyal com-
panionto Dr. Tarrou,readyto defendhim to the death.

The flouse
Thereis nothing at all unusualaboutDr. Tarrou'shouse.
He purchased it legallyandpayshis taxes.Thefront door
8,ack
opens onto a bright, clean entrancehall. A carved oak
staircaseclimbs to the secondfloor. Throughout the
housetherearehung a numberof fine paintings,an obvi-
ous show of tasteand money.The kitchen is unremark-
able, but the dining room contains a long oak table of
o greatage,surroundedby velvet-upholsteredchain. Fine
trl[-J: l: chinais displayedin a hutchagainstthe wall. Thereare
Dinin4 severalcomfortablechairs in the parlor, gatheredaround
Aoori the cozy fireplace. An upright piano standsagainstone
cl l r wall.
0$;re I t)

Fro Dr. Tarroub Office

Ground Floor This alsoservesas the doctor'sconsultationroom. Sev-
:::2;) eral standardmedicalencyclopediasand referenceworks
on psychology are located in an unlocked barrister's
o bookcase,alongwith a numberof curiousvolumeson the
natureof the sensoryworld andreality, and aheredstates
Fvr'...acp of consciousness.
Dr. Tarroukeepshis supply of Liao drug lockedinside
a sturdy metal cabinetalong with other, lessremarkable
fuuK pharmaceuticals. There are severaldozen capsulesof
Liao here,all in omatemetalboxes.Thecabinethasa srR
secrgf of 15, but may be picked by an investigatorwith the
fe-volvng appropriatetools and a successfulLocksmith roll. Dr.
door Tarroucarriesthe only key to thecabineton his personat
' .;,'
yer:{racle all times.
i"'-"1-. .-. :,
Dr. Tarrou's secondfloor bedroom contains a large
Boseme"t four-posterbed, screenedby curtains,and a desk.A ma-
nila file foldersitsatopa nightstandbesidethebed.Inside
arecertainof Dr. Tarrou'spatient'srecords,all handwrit-
ten in French.A ReadFrenchroll is requiredto readthe
shortnotes(seeDelirium Papers#6). Addressesfor each

Dr.Tarrou'snotes
Fietdlng, Martln: Cunently in initial stages of therapy.
Signsof paranoiaqhanced by teatnrenfi Reportsout'
of-bdy experienceand floating sensations.Maintain
dosage.
Haryrard, Rachel:Therapyin prqgress.Exhib'ttssignsot
psychotogicaldependence. Repoftsvivid images after
numerousout-of-bdy experbncesoverlappinginto real-
ity(?). Maintaindosage.
McNab, Bruce: Therapyln progress.Frequencyof
manic-depressiveqpisodesincreasewith treatment'Re
portsvague. Disconnectedimagesand ant'd-bdy ex'
periencesgoide nothingcmcrete. lncreasedosage'
Spencer,Amy: Advancedstages of teatnrent' Grip on
reat$ most certainly slipping.Abllityto turrctionin this
world impaired, but reportsextemely lucid encounters
during treatnent. Patient approachingthreshold-wiil
sanityhdd? lncreasedosage.
The DeliriumPaPers#6
of the patientsaccompanythe file, including that of Ra-
chel Hayward.
The deskcontainsunremarkablepapers.Insideone of
the unlocked drawers,however,is an old booh Volume
III of the printedversionof TheRevelationsof Glaaki.lt
is in English, adds 2 percentilesto Cthulhu Mythos
knowledgeand causesa Sanity loss of lD4 points' It
containsa single spell, Call Daolottr,andhasa spell mul-
tiplier of x3. Although readingthe entirebook would take
severalweeks,a successfulReadEnglishroll, followed
by a SpotHidden,discovena relevantpassage (seeDelir-
iurh Papers #7). Dr. Tarrou plans to use the knowledge
containedwithin this book to invoke Daoloth. He has
committed the spell of invocation to memory and does
excerptfrom The Revelationsof Glaaki
"Andthouenpriseto retraythe veils:
AgainstHe Who Ufts the Veils,it behoovestheeto
purveycertaindevices,in orderto warnmishapwhenHis
umbre doth cause all to wan. Dresswell the paynim
perclose,and the Pentacleof Planessuchas that made
by the secondsignof the SaaamaaaRitual,dothsuffice'
tofore.
He is hight,else the petitionerhimselfis benome.
Takeforcethatsaidpercloseremainsunrased.ToloreHe
is cleped,rapwellthe paynimengineupontheflagstone.
lf thouwishto beskift,rap well againtill dispelthe world
whichHeWho Uftsthe Veilsdomineth.
Seeknotto entreatwith Him,lest He dothrashthee
In likemanner,it is not unwiseto avertlhineeyes,for He
is beseenbut by lolly."
The Delirium Papers #7
The Gates Of Delirium
not require the book to accomplishthis. Investigators
must read the entire book before attemptingto learn the
spell containedwithin-being unableto do so beforethe
conclusionof this scenario,unfortunatelS denies them
the option of using the reverseof the spell, Dismiss
Daoloth.
The Study
The study is locked,and containsa largewoodenwriting
deskwith severaldrawers(all locked). One of the draw-
ersholds Dr. Tbrrou'sledgers;an Accountingroll and an
hour of study determinethat everything is in order' The
study is strewnwith esotericmathematicalchartsandfor-
mulae,andfantasticgeometricsymbolsof every descrip
tion. Therearetriangles,doubletriangles,tetragramsand
pentagrams,all tracedon parchmentorengravedon metal
andglass.No Occult roll is necesslrytorcl'liza that these
havesomesignificance.
A bookshelfin the corner containsa multitude of
books on mathematicsincluding studiesof the theorems
of Pythagorasand Aristotle, Euclid and Archimedes.
Mingled with these are treatisesby Ptolemy and Al-
Khowarizmi. Europeanmathematiciansare represented
by Pascal,Descartes,and Newton. More esotericvol-
umes,such as Cotton Mather's Wondersof the Invisible
World andSir W. Banett's The ThreshoWof the Unseen
arejumbledtogetherwith Agrippa'sDe OccultaPhilaso-
pha andpamphletson medievalsorcery.
Many of the books in Dr. Tirrrou'scollection are long
overduefrom the New York Public Library and several
appearto have been slolen from the readingroom' It is
apparentthat Dr Tarrouis obsessedwith the arcaneprin-
ciplesof mathematics.But to what end?
The basementcontainscordsof wood andajumble of
old fumiture including a broken rocking chair, a table,
andan old mattress-items left behindby the heirs of the
previousowner.A fumacehasbeeninstalled,but Dr. Tar-
rou seemsto favor the fireplaces,exceptin the depthsof
winter.
Rese.rrch
NVESTIGAf,ORSmay want to do somecheckingup
on the doclor,or on his patiens.What follows is the
evidencewhich canpossiblybe uncovered.
The Other Patients
Using the addressesfound in the doctor's housethe in-
vestigators,with a little sleuthingand successfulLuck
rolls, canmakeappointments to speakwith Dr. Tarrou's
otherpatients.
96 The Starr Att Right
Amy Spencer
Oncea successfuland beautifulmodel,the pressures of
the lifestyle becameunbearablefor Amy Spencer.She
wentto seeDr. Tarrouandwasthe first to receivetheLiao
therapy. She now resides in the psychiatric ward of
BellevueHospital, her sanity permanentlyshatteredas a
result of the experimentaldrug.
Hospital staff are unaware of Dr. Tarrou's involve-
ment-Ms. Spencerwas found wanderingthe streetsof
Manhattan,completelymindless.Shecangive the inves-
tigatorsbut little information, andonly if they havemade
a successfulPsychoanalysis roll.
Martin Fielding
Martin Fielding is an advertisingexecutive.Following
the recentbreak-upof his twenty-yearmaniage,Fielding
wason the vergeof a breakdownwhenhe went to seeDr.
Thrrou.Fielding has completefaith in Tarrou,and firmly
believesthat the doctoris helpinghim to get better.Little
the investigatorscando or saywill changehis mind.
Bruce McNab
Bruce McNab is a restaurantowner. He originally came
to Dr Tarrouin searchof a curefor what he believesto be
Alzheimer'sdisease.McNab startedreceivingthe Liao
therapyabout the sametime as Ms. Hayward. The drug
hasnot hadthe sameeffecton McNab asithas hadon her.
McNabbelievesthathe shouldbe receivinga largerdose.
New York Public Library
The Central ResearchBranch of the New York Public
Library is locatedin Manhattan,on the west side of Fifth
Avenuebetween40th and 42nd streets.It is one of the
world's leadingresearchlibrarieswith millions of vol-
umesof printedmaterial.The building itself is extrava-
gan! finishedin marbleandlavishlydecorated insideand
out. The library is openMondaythroughWednesday10
eu to 9 lu, ThursdaythroughSaturday10 au to 6 pu,
andclosedon Sundaysandholidays.
Patroninformationis strictly confidentialbut a suc-
cessfulPersuade or FastTalkroll revealsthatDr. Thrrou's
card is currently suspended.Apparently he hasa number
of long overduebooks.The clerk at the informationdesk
hastensto addthat this would not necessarilyprecludethe
doctor'suseof theMain ReadingRoomor specialcollec-
tions.
Investigators who search for books on advanced
mathematicsfind the shelveswith unaccountable gaps.
Many of the titles found in Dr. Tarrou's library are
markedasmissingin the cardcatalogue.
Investigatorswho wish to researchthe drugLiao find
no referenceto it exceptin the Main ReadingRoomcol-
lection.Here,for everyhour spentsearching,eachinves-
tigator may attempta Library Use roll to discoverthe
single brief referencecontainedin an obscuremedical
encyclopedia. While virtually unknownto westemmedi-
cine,Liao wassupposedlyusedcenturiesagoby Chinese
alchemists.It is reputedto have amazingoccult powers.
Someonehascircled this information with a highlighting
marker
The P.afting of
the Veils
EHIND the old mattressin the basementof Dr.
Tarrou'shousethere is a small door in the wall
which measuresabout four feet high and three
feetwide.Beyond,thereis a large,very darkroom.It has
been crudely expandedto its presentsize with pick and
shovel.
It is herethat Dr. Tarrouintendsto invoke Daoloth,
Renderof the Veils.The ritual takesplaceat midnight,
and involves Dr. Tarrou,his Vietnamesehenchman,and
the two men who arrived in the van earlier that day-Dr.
Tarrou's patients,Martin Fielding and Bruce McNab.
Eachof theseindividualscontributesa magicpointto the
spell.In thecaseof FieldingandMcNab,they havebeen
dupedinto believingthat this is someform of experimen-
tal therapy.If the investigatorsintemrpt the spell by
knocking at the front door, Dr. Thrrou sendsNgo Dinh
Hao to investigate.Assumethat the spell succeedsin in-
voking Daoloth.
A pentaclesimilar to one of the prototypesfound in
Dr. Tbrrou'sstudyhasbeeninscribedupon the floor. TWo
candles-the only illumination in the room-flicker
within the pentacle.The participantsstand around the
pentacle,a few feet back, while Dr. Tarrouslamsa metal
rod againstthe floor severaltimesandcallsout: "Uthgos
Yuggoth,Uthgosqond,DaolothUthgosfhtagn!"
The pentaclebegins to fill with mist, then a vague
aurais seen.A rustlingsound-like dry leaves-is heard
andthosepresentfeel a shiverof cold air andwispy ten-
drils brushingagainsttheir faces.The probing feelers
briefly enterthe ears,nose,and mouth of everyonepre-
sent, leaving behind a salty taste that remainson the
tongue.
"Unveil the universe,O Daoloth,"shoutsDr. Tarrou
abovethe rustling. "And revealthe realitiesbeyondas
thou oncedid for theastrologers of Atlantis!"
The house is rocked by a violent shakingand the
shriekof metalresounds. Therustlingsoundandtheethe-
real aura suddenlydisappear.The mist is gone and the
pentacleempty,savefor thetwo dimly flickeringcandles.
Dr. Tarrou proceedsto tum the light on. Everyone
who witnessedthe ritual now seespastthe threedimen-
sions and into thosebeyond.The sight is hideous,the
effectmaddening.Theroomno longerexisB,replacedby
a swirling massof nebulousadumbrations beforewhich
 The Gates Of Dellrium

human sensesare unthinkably convulsed. At once,

soundsare taste4 flavors viewed, odon heard, and vi-
sions smelled.The shapesof thosepresentare no longer
recognizablg seenas curvilinear shapesmoving in and
out of view like phantoms.
Eachround spentin thesedimensionsrequiresa San-
ity roll againsta possiblelossof l/1D10 points.No mat-
ter in which direction they turq thosepresentfind they
are surroundedby the horror of the unveiled universe-
The only way to nulhfy the effect is to rap Dr. Tanou's
metal rod upon the floor severaltimes. If an investigator
statesspecifically that he or sheis searchingfor the metal
rod, allow him or her a halvedSpotHiddenroll. Whenthe
rod is struckseveraltimes againstthe floor, the horrorsof
the extradimensionaluniversedisappear,replacedby the
familiar threedimensionalworld.
The investigatorsshould intemrpt the ceremonybe-
fore it reachesthis point, of course.Tlvo effective but
dangerousmethods are: switching on the light before
Daolothhasgone;andbreakingthe continuity of the pen-
tacle.In the former caseall presentwihess the tenible
form of Daoloth,resultingin a lossof 1D10/1D100San-
ity points. In the latter, Daoloth expandsa radius of 8
metersper rounduntil he fills the room. Anyoneengulfed
by Daoloth is carried off to strange dimensions from
which he or sheneverreturns.
Investigatorswho switch on the light will not be t:.{
;+ijii!i?),,
harmed if they cannot see Daoloth-if they wear eye ' I rr'.'
patches,for instance.Simply closing one's eyesmight ;;:l!, il;'i
,:L::'i ::::::::::
i.it'',,,;;,iru;*
evenbe sufficient. Investigatorswho breakthe continuity
of the pentaclemust take care not to linger within the
room. Indeed,they should be as far away as possible,or
riskbeing engulfed.

Defeating Dr. Tarrou

Dr. Thrrou posesa seriousthreat to any who would be-
come his patient. If allowed to continue his unorthodox
treatmentsthe barriers between our three-dimensional
world and the outer realmserode,permitting the horrors
that lurk beyondto infestthis world.
If the investigatorssucceedin destroyinghis supply
of Liao, Dr. Tarrou obtainsmore from his contacs in
Asia, taking severalmonths or longer' No Sanity award
is allowed.
If the investigatorssomehowmanageto ruin the doc-
tor's reputation,or put the police onto him, Tarroumoves
to anothersiateor evenanothercountry if necessary.No
Sanityawardis allowed.
Eliminating Dr. Tarrou is the permanentsolution. If
Dr Tarrou is dispatchedbefore he invokes Daoloth, the
investigatorsare awarded1D8 Sanitypointseach.If Dr.
Tarrou is eliminatedafter Daoloth hasbeeninvoked,the
investigators areonly awardedlD4 Sanitypoints.Either
way, the investigatorsmust be careful not to leave any
The Terrible Form of Daoloth
9a Th. St 13 Aro Bight

clues linking them to a murder or they will face a police

inquiry.
Statistics
Kachel tla;rward and
the Fourth Dimension Bachel Hayward, innocent patient
sTR I CON13 StZg tNT14 POW11
At the conclusion, Rachel Hayward is physically well DEX13 APP15 EDU11 SAN42 HP11
enoughto be releasedfrom the hospital. However, her DamageBonus:0
mentalcondition is suchthat sherequiresfull-time carein Weapons:None.
an institution. Skills: Accounting15%,Bargain35%,ComputerUse35%,
CreditRating30%,Debate25o/o, LibraryUse60%,Oratory
Dr. Wingate recommendsBellevue, a well-regarded 2O%,Ride15o/o.
thoughovercrowdedfacility on the EastRiver in Manhat-
tan.Bellevuehasa curerateofTO%.Ifsuccessful,Rachel Da Raymond larrou, mad psychologist
is ableto resumea normal life. Eachinvestigatorreceives sTR 10 CON13 SIZ10 rNT16 POW15
1D4 Sanitypoints for his or her part in the cure. DEX13 APP10 EDU15 SAN15 HP12
Until suchtime as Rachelis cured(or, lesshappily, DamageBonus:0
dies),her apartmentcontinuesto be plaguedby the outer Weapons:Fist/Punch 30%,1D3;.38Special35%,1D10.
Skilfs:Astronomy15o/o,
Bargain30%,Chemistry50%,Cthulhu
dimensions.Gradually,the building gainsa reputationfor Mythos10%,Debate30%,DriveAutomobile30%,English
being hauntedand tenants move out. If the 'haunting' 70%,FastTalk40%,FirstNd fio/q UbraryUse60%,Oeult
continues,the building becomesabandonedwithin a few 30%,Pharmacy70%,Psychoanalysis zO%,Psychology
6O%,
TreatDisease25%,Vietnamese35%.
years.
Spells:CallDaoloth
Investigatorswho help Haywardto regainher mental
health,therebyeliminating the other-dimensionalterrors Ngo Dinh Hao, faithful henchman
that haunther,receiveher sinceregratitude.Perhapsshe sTR 17 CON15 StZ10 rNT12 POW13
canrefurn the favor one day. DEX15 APP9 EDU10 SAN55 HP 13
DamageBonus:+1Dzl
Weapons:BushKnife55%,1D6+2+db; Grapple7070,special.
FirstAidq%, French20%,Hide80%,
Skilfs: Climb55%o,
Jump60%,Listen75%,Sneak70%,Swim60%,Throw50%,
Track50%,TreatPoison35%. I

55 Ttrough the universe may leign the semblance
of fickleness, its soul has always known lts
masters. The sleep of its masters is but the
largest cycle of all life, for as the defiance and
forgetfulness of wlnter is rendered vain by
sunrmer, so the defiance and forgetfulness of
man, and ol those others who havs assumed
stewardship, shall be cast aside by the
reawakened masters. 99
f7he Bevelations ol Glaakt
LTI{OUGH many different investigator typ€s
may play this scenario,scientific skills such as
Astronomy, Electronics,and ComputerUse are
especiallyuseful. The adventureis locatedin the heartof
Nebraskaand althoughit can easily be movedto another
locationof the keeper'schoosing,it shouldbe notedthat
in order for the technologyinvolved to operatecorrectly
somedegreeof isolation is necessary.
Keeper's Information
StanAmold, an old friend of one of the investigators,is
presentlybeing held in jail in a small town in Nebraska,
accusedof murderinghis girlfriend, CarrieOsbourne.Ar-
nold is employedas a computertechnicianat the Great
PlainsCruciformAnay (crcn), a radio telescopefacility
locatedin an isolated area45 miles north of the city of
North Platte,and nearthe small town of Hayden.Amold
hasadmittedto the homicide.
The cPcA has for the past few monthsbeenmonitor-
ing strangesignals emanatingfrom the constellation
Bo<ites.The radio transmissionshave beenconvertedto
soundby Dr. Gerald Neal, headof the station,the result
beinga discordantmusic that is both odd and alien,but
still somehowhauntingly beautiful. For a short time the
astronomersthought they might have discoveredintelli-
gent signals,but study of the emanationsproved other-
wise.The signalsarenow believedto be generated by a
mysteriousdark star, one the astronomersbelieve might
be the fabledNemesisstar.
The objectis presentlyinvisibleto all earthlyoptical
telescopes. Very dim, its magnitudeis in the high 20s.Its
distanceis calculatedat about 14 trillion miles at a right
ascensionof 14 hours,38 minutes,and a declinationof
Music Of Thc Spheps 99
+27degrees,06minutes.This putsit within thenarrowest
part of the constellationBodtes,the Herdsman.
Unguessed by anyone,thesignalsareof cosrnici-port,
andthecauseof themurdermmmittedby San Amold.
Nemesis
The Nemesistheorywasborn in the late 1980sandpostu-
lates that a small, very distant star sharesour solar sys-
tem. At its farthestreaclr,the companionstar'sorbit takes
it 14 trillion miles from the sun. Nemesiscompletesone
orbit every 26-30 million years and the disruptionsthat
result from its near passingare believedresponsiblefor
the periodicmassextinctionsseenin the geologicrecord-
-including the demise of thc dinosaurs.The star's pas-
sagesthrough the Oort comet cloud createsdevastating
comet storms which plague our solar system. Comets
stiking the Earttrthrow up densecloudsofdebris, shutting
out thesun'slight, in tum killing manylife forms.Thewell-
knownnuclearwinterthmry is a by-productof theNemesis
hypothesis.
Ghroth, the Harbinger
The Nemesis star is in fact the Outer God Ghroth, a
planet-sizedentity of gas,ash,andmolten iron. It appears
asa vast rust-redsphere,its surfacesplit by faults. Occa-
sionally it opens great eyes formed from the vast seas
hiddenbelow its crust. Ghroth is the herald of the Outer
Gods,gliding through the univene, singing songsheard
only by the pitiless stars and thosecalled the Old Ones.
excerpt from a Mythos tome
"Thoughthe universemayfeignthe semblanceof fickle-
ness,its soulhasalwaysknownitsmasters.Thesleepof
its mastersis but the largestcyde of all life,for as the
defianceand forgetfulness of winteris renderedvain by
summer,so the defianceand forgetfulness of man,and
of thoseotherswhohaveassumedstewardship, shallbe
cast asideby the reawakenedmasters.Whenthesehi-
bernaltimesare over,and the time for reawakeningis
near,the universeitselfshall send forth the Harbinger
and Maker,Ghroth.Whoshallurgethe starsandworlds
to rightness.Who shallraisethe sleepingmastersfrom
their burrowsand drownedtombs;who shall raisethe
tombs themselves.Who shall be attentiveto those
worldswhere worshipperspresumethemselvesstew-
ards.Who shallbringthoseworldsundersway,untilall
acknowledge theirpresumption, and bowdown."
Ghroth Papers #1
too The Starc Are Right
The songs urge the stars to righ0ress,and awaken the
deadOld One,s,freeingthem.Ghrothis calledtheHarbin-
ger and the Maker of the Doom of Worlds.
Due to the entity's distancefrom Earth,the songsnor-
mally haveno effect, but discoveredby the cPcA, ampli-
fied and recorded,they have begun to affect our planet.
The earth has begun to sympatheticallyresonateto the
songssungby Ghroth.The longerthe cPcA recordsthese
extraterrestrialsigtals, the stronger the sympatheticvi-
brations become,eventually bringing about doom, de-
struction,and madnessin final preparationfor the retum
of ttre Old Ones.
Ghro*r is very rarely mentioned in Mythos works.
Most Mythos tomeshave a chanceof only xl the book's
Cthulhu Mythos knowledge of containing information
about this entity. The Necronomicondefinitely makes
mention of the entity as does The Revelationsof Glaaki
and the extremely rar.eThe Outer Ones (seeGhroth Pa-
pen #1.) The entity is referredto asa staror planetwhich
brings doom to the worlds it visis. The deathstar's pas-
sage through space is said to disturb the Seedsof
Azathoth, altering their wanderings,and dooming inne
centworlds.
The llusic of the Sphercs
Ghroth'ssignalshavealreadybegunto affect the staffof
the cpcA, althoughStanArnold's unpredictedoutburstof
violence has as yet been the wont result. But all who
work at the facility are subject to fits of initability, de-
pression,lethargy,illness, and other emotional instabili-
ties. None there arethe leastbit awareof it. After all, the
staffhas beenworking extrahardtrying to solvethe mys-
tery of the dark object they discovered,and worried that
someoneelse will discover it before they can publish a
paper about it. Competition in the world of astronomy
and ashophysicsis intense.
As the cpcl, continuesto receiveGhroth'sradio emis-
sions the effects grow stronger,eventually reachingto
nearbyHaydenand affecting the citizens of the town as
well. It will be thejob of the investigatorsto discoverthe
sourceof ttredisturbancesand find someway to shut the
cpcA down. ff they fail to do this, it might be done for
themby a bandof Mi-Go who appearon the scene,drawn
here in responseto the Ghroth-induceddisturbances.
They have reasonsof their own for wishing the distur-
bancesstopped.
Investigators' Information
The adventurebegins when one of the investigaton is
contactedby the parentsof an old friend, Stan Arnold.
Arnold, alwaysa gentleman,hasbeenchargedwith the
murderof his live-in girlfriend,Canie Osbourne.Amold
apparentlystrangledOsboumein the courseof an argu-
ment.He immediatelytumedhimselfinto theMcPherson
County Sheriff in Hayden and now sits alone in jail,
awaitingtrial.
Amold's parents,Bradford and Thmmy Arnold of
Chicago,havehired a lawyer to representStan.They are
now seekingout Stan'sfriendsandacquaintances to stand
as character witnesses for their son. At least one of the
investigatorsknows Stan,and is known to his parentsas
well. Stanmight be a former college chum or roommate,
drinking buddy, brother-in-law, uncle, cousin, or close
family friend.
The investigator remembersStan Arnold as a thin,
very intelligentyoungmanwith ambition.Abrilliant stu-
dent, he excelledin both computertechnologyand elec-
trical engineering.Arnold graduatedwith honorsfrom the
Universityof Illinois and later attendedgraduateschool
at MIT,
After earninghis Master'she took ajob asa computer
technicianat the GreatPlains Cruciform Array radio ob'
servatoryandhasbeenemployedthereeversince.He had
known Canie Osboume,a graduatestudentof geology,
for almostthreeyears.Amold is rememberedas an easy-
going,very even-tempered individualwho seldomraised
his voice.

Kunning the
Adventure
HE scenariobegins with the investigatorsbeing
askedto travel to Nebraskato see if they can't
somehowhelp their frie,nd.Nearingthe tiny town
of Haydenthey are overtakenby a violent thunderstorm,
only the first of the Ghroth-inducedeventsthey meetwith
(see,Event--Storrrs nearby). They should first want to
visit Arnold, then from there searchthe couple's apart-
ment and visit the Great Plains Cruciform Array where
Arnold was employed.
Visiting the cPcA the investigatorsmeet someof the
seniormembersof the staff, andpossiblynoticesomeodd
behavioron their part. They are given a tour of the large
facility and introducedto the workings of the radio tele-
scopes.tt is unlikely that anyonewill reveal the current
secretproject that involves most of their time. Gaining
this particularbit of lnowledge may requireseveralvisits
to the GPCA facility, making friends with some of the
staff, andperhapssuccessfulAstronomyand/orPersuade
rolls.
During their stay in Nebraskathe investigatorsexpe-
riencea numberof odd incidents,de.scribed in the Everus
boxesfound throughoutthe scenario.Thesearebe staged
wheneverthe keeperdeemsit best.
Seasonedinvestigators researchingpropheciesand
precedentsin Mythos tomes may discoverreferencesto
Ghroth (seeGhroth Papers#1) or to the dire portentsof
the rebirth of the GreatOld Ones(GhrothPapers#2).
The investigators,perhapssuspectingthe chaosis the
result of the alien object's radio emissions,may try to
convinceDr. Neal and his staff to direct their attentions
elsewhere.But becausethe discovery of what might be
the Nemesisstar is suchan important scientific find, the
astronomersarevery reluctantto stop.
tuslc Of The Sphens rol
Events Around the World
The keeper should punctuatethe strangegoings-on in
Nebraskawith news of similar Ghroth-inducedoccur-
rences around the world. Investigators might leam of
theseeventsthroughnetwork television reportsor news-
paperarticles.Threesucheventsarereproducedasplayer
aids found at the end of this scenario(seeGhroth Papers
3, 4, and 5). Thaseinclude reportsof earthquakesin Ne-
braska and northem Africa, and a severestorm in the
South Pacific. Charactersmaking Cthulhu Mythos rolls
re,alizethat the African tragedy is located suspiciously
close to the supposedsite of G'hame, the fabled city of
the chthonians.
The SouthPacific disturbanceseemsto occurnearthe
site of R'lyelr, the corpse-cityof GreatCthulhu himself!
Eachof theserealizationscosts1/1D3Sanitypoints.The
keeperis free to createother catastrophiceventsinclud-
ing forestfires, earthquakes, tidal waves,flash floods, the
rising of islands,avalanches,freak storms,planecrashes,
murder-sprees,suicides,terrorist bombings,economic
declines,and war.
The Fungr from Yuggoth
To complicate matters further, the Fungi arrive on the
scene,drawn to the area by the Ghroth-induceddistur-
bances.They have their own reasonsfor wanting to see
the cPcA shut down and the disturbancesstopped.Their
actions,describednearthe end of the scenario,may help
How andwhenthey
or hinderthe investigators'activities.
act is up to the keeper.
The Climax
Finally, total chaoseruptsin centralNebraskaasthe earth
takesup the resoundingrhythms of Ghroth's music. The
citizens of Hayden are overcomeand in their madness
tum on one another,destroyingmost of the town. Caught
in the middle of the holocaust,the investigatorsmust es-
capeHayden,avoid the insidiousMi-Gq and find some
way to shut down the radio telescopes,putting an end to
the growing insanity. If both the investigatorsand the
Mi-Go fail in the endto stopthe cPcA'ssignalreception,
natureitself destroysthe facility with a cataclysmiclight-
ning storm.
excerpt from a Mythos tome
"The time would be easy to know for then mankind
would have becomeas the Great Old Ones,free and
wild and beyondgood and evil, with laws and morals
thrownasideand all men shoutingand killingand rev-
eling in joy. Then the liberatedOld Ones wouldteach
them new ways to shout and kill and revel and enjoy
themselves,and all the earthwouldflamewith a holo-
caustof ecstasyand freedom."
Ghrolh Papers #2
r02 The Starc Are Flght

HaydenHaven diner, Murphy's Comer Feeds,the 'Mart

Welcome to (a small mom-and-popgrocery store), and two small

bars--Tony'sand The Hidey-Hole. The largestnon-resi-
dential building in town is the brick County Courthouse
tlayden, which alsohousesthe Sheriff'soffice andthejail.
The residentsof Haydenareopenlyfriendly andunas-

Nebraska suming.They don't questionstrangersmuch and are al-

AYDEN, the seatof McPhersonCounty, is lo-
catedalong StateRoute97 about45 miles north
of North Platte,Nebraska.Norttr Platte itself is
located along Interstate80 at the junction of the North
Platte and South Plafie Rivers, a city of 25,000 people.
This city may be the investigators'only sourceof such
exoticilemsasspecialammunition,computerequipment,
nationalnewspapers,or library facilities.
Haydenis a tiny communityof about850 inhabitants.
Businessesincludethe Quick Stopconveniencestore,the
waysusually willing to talk be it aboutthe weatheror the
recent murder of Carrie Osbourne-the most exciting
thing that's happenedhere since a fatal car accidentlast
winter.
Wildlife
Iater eventsinvolve the effects of Ghroth's alien radio
signalson Hayden'sanimallife. The keepershouldmake
passingreferenceto the abundantgrasshoppers thatjump
and fly from the investigators'everystep,as well as the
crows and blackbirds seen roosting on telephonelines
andin trees.Thesecreaturesappearin more sinisterform
later on (seeEventssections).

The Music of the Spheres

HE radio transmissionsre-
ceived by the GrcA affed the
planetat largethrougha sod ol
resonanoe,the earth'selectromagnetic
fieldschangingas ttry beginto sympa-
theticallyresonateto the alien signal
forussedand amplifiedby the astrono-
mers. These changescause physical
disturbances in the planetcausingmas-
sive earthquakesand drastic climatic
shifts.All animallife,includinghumans,
is affectedas well.
Ghroth'ssignalsaffect the human
deep subconscious,those workingor
livingclosestto the GPCAfacililityare
affectedlirst. As the scenario pro-
gresses,the area of sympatheticreso-
nance gro$/s,eventuallyreachingthe
townof Hayden.
The effects take place during the
late afternoonard wening hours,dur-
ingthetimeBodtesis abovethe horizon
and the telescopesare trainedon the
object.To determineexacllywho is af-
fected,makea Sanityrollfor eachchar-
acterin rangeof Ghroth'ssignals.lf the
rollfails,rolla D20andconsultthetable
belowfor tf€ effect,or simplychoosean
appropriate one.
The eftect last for a total of 3D6
hoursbut can be toreshortened with a
successfulPsychoanalysisroll. Rolls
are made tor investigatorsand non-
playercharactersalike. Effectsafflicting
non-playercharactersare notedin their
descriptions.
D20 Etf*t of Transmissim
lr4 Anger/Rage
$7 Anxiety/Nervousness
8-10 Depression
11-'13Elation
1+15 Lethargy
1&18 Lust
1$20 Pain
Ange/Rage: Roll D100,subtracithe
sufierer'sPOWfromthe result,hen add
10 percentilesfor eachpreviousepisode
of Anger/Ragesufferedby thiscfrarac{er.
01-65 resultsin irritable:66€5 is en-
raged; 86-95 is murderous;and 96{0
meansthe cfiaraclerhasgoneberserk.
lrrltable characters are short-tem-
pered,snap at thosearoundthem, ar-
gueat the slightestopportunity,andsay
the first thing that comesto mind-re-
gardlessof the consequences.
Enraged characters are more argu-
mentativeand proneto violence,arry-
thingfrombrokenpencilsand slammed
doors,to thrqrn furnitureandfistfights.
Murderouscharacters turn violent
when provoked,otherwisethey are
merely enraged,as above. Someone
caught tamperingwith GPCAequip-
mentwouldcertainlyqualifyas a target
for a murderousGPCAstaff-member.
Berserkcharactersexhibit all the
abovesymptomsbeforeexplodinginto
a reckless,murderous,destructive
spreeof totalmadness.
Anxiety/t{ewousnerg! Perhaps
tinged with paranoia.Everythingbad
that can happen is happening.The
worldis doomedand there'snothingto
be done aboutit. The su$ec{ is jittery
jumpsat shadows,andalwaysfearsthe
worst,
Deprossion: Those afllicted are
gloomy,unableto see the positive.The
sufferermaybe sullenand uncommuni.
cative,and subsequentepisodesmay
lead to suicide.A characlersuffering
thisafflictionloses0/1 Sanitypoints.
Elation: The characteris withouta
care in the world. He sees problems,
accidents,and tragediesas nothing
morethanminorinconveniences. Cloy-
ing optimismand annoyingcheerfuF
nessare the hallmarksof thisaffliAion.
Lethargy: The afflictedcharacteris
slothfulanddeprivedof energy.Hemay
be late for work, haphazardin his du-
ties,easilydistractedard sleepy.
Lust: The characteris sexuallystimu-
lated.Moralsare forgottenas the char-
actertlirtsshamelessly withalmostarry-
one of the oppositesex. Seriouscases
leadto assaultand rape.
Pain: The charactersuffers from any
number of the followingsymptoms:
painfulheadaches,aching back or
joints,burningeyes,severeheartburn,
or otherills resemblingflu or hangover
symptoms.ReduceDEXand hit points
by 1 pointlor the durationof affliclion.
 tuslc Of The Spherot lO3

The McPherson CountY fights, drunkendrivers,or lost or stolencattle,but caimes

such as robbery are uncommonand murder practically
Sheriffs Department unheardof. While sympatheticto StanArnold, Kaufman
Locatedin the County Courthouse,the Sheriff's office is knows the man murdered Carrie Osboume and hence
always mannedby a dispatcherwith the sheriff and his must pay the price. If the investigatorscometo Kaufman
two deputiesfrequently checking in and out during the for aid, arehonestwith him, and canclearly explainwhat
the Sheriff'soffice can
coruseof their shifts. If necessary, is goingon, he may be of help.
getassistance from anyof the sunoundingcounties,includ-
ing largenumbersof menandvehiclesfrom North Platte. Deputy Bob Homer
At any given time the Sheriff or one of the deputies Horner is tall, thickset,and
will be on duty. In the event of an emergencythe other grimJooking. He wears a
officen can be called at their homesin Hayden,usually cowboy hat at all times and
arriving on the scenen2DLO+2 minutes.The department is seldom seen without a
ownsa 4x4 ChevyBlaznr,usuallydriven by Sheriff Kauf- big chawof tobaccostuffed
man, while the deputies work out of their own pickup in his cheek. Horner is
trucks. All vehicles are equippedwith radios and 12- gruff, blunt, and although
gaugeshotguns. not overly-bright, has a
streak of cunning. Di-
Sheriff Randy vorced, he spendsmuch of
Kaufman his time drinking at the
Hidey-Hole.
Kaufmanis an athletic
Horner doesn't like
man,stoutlybuilt, with
back talk, or strangerswho
short reddish hair and a Deputy Bob Horner iluestion how he does his
sunny disposition. Kauf-
job. If he catchesthe investigatorsup to something,he
man is married, and lives
on a farm just outside Hay- hauls them in for questioning.If anyone resists arrest
den with his wife and two Homer uses his nightstick or firearms as the situation
young daughters. He is demands.
equally devoted to the law
and his family. Deputy Donny
The sheriffhas had little Carpenter
experience with major DonnyCarpenteris cheer-
crimes. Hayden sees a few ful, youthful, and honest.
Sheriff Randy Kautman
Recently dischargedfrom
the army he has retumedto
his home town to take the
job of deputysheriff.He is
the most worldly member
of the departmentand his
stint with the military Po-
lice gavehim valuableex-
perienceusefulto his work
in Hayden.
D o n n y i s t h e m o s t DeputyDonnyCarpenter
likely authority to believe
fantasticclaimsmadeby the investigators. Still, he stops
shortof doinganythingillegal,or which might endanger
others.Donny is a potentiallyusefulally.

The Sheriff's Office

Upon entering,the investigatorsfind the sheriff and Hor-
ner engagedin a heatedargumentoverthe official depart'
ment parking spacein front of the courthouse.Kaufman
claims it is for the use of the sheriff, Homer saysit's for
whoeveris on duty at the time.The arrivalof the investi
t04 Thc Starr Are Bight

letter from Arnold's attorney,Kaufmanallows them to

see the official police report regardingthe murder and
arrest.
The reportstatesthat Amold cameinto the office at l0
PMone Thursdayeveningclaiming to have accidentally
killed his girlfriend, Canie Osbourne.Thetwo hadhadan
argument-Osboume had dentedthe fender of Amold's
beloved '74 Mustang-and Stan lost control and killed
her. Amold was distraught" and seemedgenuinely re-
morseful.
Investigating officers found the body of Carrie Os-
bournein the apartmentandall evidenceseemedto verifr
Amold's story Neighborsreportedhearingsoundsof an
argumentat the time in question,and no one was seen
enteringor leaving the apartmentsave Stan Amold jtst
beforeand after the argument.

gatorsputs a stopto the disputeasthe two menturn to see

what the stangers want.
Kaufman is friendly and very talkative; despite his
belief in StanArnold's obvious guilt he is sympatheticto
the young man'splight. He hasknown Arnold for several
yearsnow and always liked him. [f the investigatorscan
makea successful[aw or Penuaderoll. or if they havea
Visiting Stan Arnold
Amold is presentlybeing held in thejail in the basement
of the courthouse.To gain a visit the investigatorsmtst
either convince Sheriff Kaufman with a successfulLaw
or Persuade roll, or wait until Saturdayandnormalvisit-
ing hours.

NelraskaSf"fe Bott" ?7

L\
Q"p.8so)
Lt\:l
Hoyden
Hav€nDrner

v\
t.)
41
Sherr',fJ
O#Fice,
Co"rfhouse,
Jaill Cily Hall

,The
nn
ili; m i:+ Z t l t I

Ltn

Ne6"askaSf"fe R""fe 77
 llusic Of The Spheros lO5

Visitorsaresearchedthenshowndownstainwhere
they are allowedto sit in chairsoutsidethe prisoner's
barredcell. Adeputy alwaysstayswithin earshot'
Arnold is morose; a successfulPsychologyroll
revealshe is rackedwith grief and despair.He tear-
futly tells the friend-investigatorall about the silly
row that triggeredthe tragedy.If asked,he claimshe
was totally sober at the time, and was taking no
drugs-at leastnonethat he knew of.
If askedabut GPcAhe tells them a little about
what hasbeengoing on lately, aboutthe tensionand
secretivenesssunounding a recently made discov-
ery.Without going into detail Stantells them abouta
mysteriousstellar object that was found, the discov-
ery of which has led to tensionsat the site, different
mlmbers of the staffstudying different aspectsof the
object, all conductedunder a cloak of secrecyin-
t"nd"d to keep the discovery under wraps until an
announcementcanbe made.Competitionamongas-
tronomersis high andthe membersof the cpcl staff
are no exception.Besidestrying to keep the secret
from being leaked to the outside world, Stan says Stan Arnold overcome with griel
there is competitionbetweensenior membersof the
staff for the scientific credit it will eventuallybring'
Stan exhibits caution himself, declining to go into his food or water that made him crazy, and that led to
any specific detailsof the discovery. Carrie's death. Competitionat the site is so high, he
Stan, in his grief, has come to think that someoneat claims,that he wouldn't put it pastsomeoneto try to kill
the cpce tried to poison hinq put a drug or somethingin off othermembersof theitaff in orderto keepthe discov-
ery to themselves.
If askedaboutdifferent membersof the staff Stansays
that Dr. Carl Guest,gradstudentJennyHooper,andcom-
puter technicianJack Bernardare the friendliest, though
-gernard
is rather obnoxiottsat times. He describesboth
Chief AstronomerDr. GeraldNeal and Harlan Bennett,
Stan'ssupervisor,as stuffier and more businesslike'Dr'
Diane Mancini he refersto as a verbal barracuda.But he
saysthat anyoneof themcouldbe the culprit.
A Psychologyroll showsthat Stanis quiteupset'but
believeswhathe saYs.

TheApartment
TAN and Carrie's apartment--the scene of the
murder--is located on Boone St. two blocks west
of Main. The place has been sealed and Sheriff
Kaufman'spermissionis requiredfor legal entry Gaw or
Persuadero19. Kaufman saysthey found nothing out of
the ordinary,no weaponsor drugs.Investigatorsbreaking
into tlre apartmentrisk discoveryand arrest(a Luck roll
indicatestheyhaveavoidedthe neighbon'notice).
In any case,the couple'saparffnentholdsno clues'It
is left exactlyas it was the night of the murder,with a
 t06 The Stars Are Fight

couple of pillows fallen from a couch being the only
items out of place.A tapedoutline on the floor shows
where police discoveredCarrie Osbourne'sbody. There
are a numberof books dealing with astronomy,comput-
ers, electrical engineering,and midwestem geology-
nothing out of the ordinary.A framedphotographshows
Stanand Carrie standingnext to eachother beneathone
of the cpce's radiotelescopes.
The Neighbors
The couple's neighborsseemedto have liked Stan and
Canie,and saythey seemedin love.They neverargued,
werequiet, andkept to themselves.Oneof themheardthe
shoutingthat precededthe murder that night but thought
little of it until the sheriffshowedup on the scene.
ries the datais sentto the sponsoringgoup via modem,
fax,or mail.
The cpcn also allows visiting scientistsfrom other
organizationsto overseeor set up their own projects.At
any given time thereis a 20% chanceof sucha visitor;
they will haveskills similarto Dr. Guestor Dr. Mancini.
Visitors are usually housedin the staff quarterson the
site.
The cpcn staff consists of a handful of permanent
scientistsandtechnicians, alongwith another15-20com-
puter technicians,electrical engineers,grad students,
clericalandmaintenance workers.
The senior staff membersall maintain homes away
from the facility, somein Hayden,othersas far away as
North Platte.Someof the computertechniciansand grad
studentsresidein the staff quarters.

Great Ptains Administration Building

Besidesadministration, thisone-storycinder-blockbuild-
ing housesoffices for the pennanentstaff and a small
Cmciform conferenceroom. A handful of cars occupy the snow-
fencedparking lot.

Alray Inside the front door is the receptionist'sdesk,

mannedby fortyish Miss Nora Kelly. Although shepre-
fers appointments,a Persuaderoll convincesher to con-
tact Dr. GeraldNeal or Dr. Carl Guest.Other oersonnel
HE cpcA radio telescopefacility is located four
miles due west of Hayden, reached by a gravel
road. Nearing the facility visitors seea set of rails
stretchingacrossthe flat plain. L.arge,moveableradio
dishesaremountedon theserails while other,still-larger
dishesare permanentlystationednearby.The entirearray
is nearly five miles long from eastto west, two miles
northto south.At thejunction of the cruciformis a small
clusterof buildingsincluding a four-storytower topped
by a giganticdish 165feet in diamerer.

Daily Operations
Most of the cpcA's operationsare run by computersin-
cluding positioning the dishes,collecting data, and
switchingdishesbetweendifferentprojects.Atmostonly
a technicianor two is neededto monitor the entire array.
Whena problemariseswhichthecomputercan't solvean
alarmsoundsin thecontrolroom.Suchproblemsusually
include dishesgetting stuck on the rails, disconnecled
dishes,and aiming difficulties.Manualcorrectionsmust
thenbe made.
During any given week the cpcA's telescopeswork
round the clock on asmany asa dozendifferent projects,
many of them serl-related.The cpcA,hasyet to receive
an intelligentradio transmission.The remainderof the
GPcA'stime is spentin moretypicalresearch.
Datacollectedby the telescopes is storedin the com-
puterfor laterstudy,Drs. Neal,Guest,andMancinigoing
over it at their convenience.
In the manycaseswherethe
cpce is doingstudiesfor otheruniversitiesor observatG.
 trfusic Ol The Spheres lO7

currently in their offices include Dr. Diane Mancini and

chief computerengineerHarlan Bennett(se'eSeniorPer-
sonnel nearby). Each office contains a desk, computer
terminal, telephone,file cabinet,and numerousbooks on
astronomy,physics, computertechnology,and electron-
ics. No*ring out of the ordinary is found anywherein the
building.

Staff Quarters
This long, single-storybuilding looks very much like a
small motel. Each suite consistsof a living room,
kitcheddining area,bathroom,and bedroom.Personal
computersconnectedto the GPcA'smainframeare com-
mon furnishings.The quartersare small and unfriendly,
lacking in warmth. Seniorstaff membersgenerallyopt to
live off-site leaving this facility for junior staff memben
or visitors. Currentresidentsinclude JennyHooper,Jack
Bernard,and a half-dozenor so technicians.

The Tower
This four-story structure is topped by a 165-foot radio
"the SaladBowl."
telescopedish knownto the staffas
GROUNDFLOOR:TWo spaciousloungesare stocked
with currentmagazines,newspapers,and videos.Each
has its own TV, VCR, and vending machines.Prints by
Dali and Escherdecoratethe walls. Rest rooms are
nearbyaswell asa closetstockedwith supplies-Asmall
computer lab is outfitted with four terminals and two
printers, all tied into the GPCA'scentralmainframe.The
library containshundredsof scientificworks spanningthe

I
coi#rol
r--<- Adnin,strd'r"
RhR-

"+h. t.,*."/ ,,
S"l"d 6o-l
buildng

2 more
r
--),
rl€J IO
(d'st'5)
CrucifornAruay^Z
Hayden
r08 The Starr Arc Bight

rangefrom hard theory to mainstreambooksby Stephen

Jay Gould,StephenHawkings,and Carl Sagan.Thereis

Control
I in"h=50
ft
TovtD$ also a considerableamount of fiction, representedby
suchauthorsas Arthur C. Clarke, William Gibson,Isaac
Asimoq and J.G. Ballard,as well as booksby Stephen
King, Tony Hillermaq andTom Clancy.
An elevator and a winding metal staircasein the
lstfloo. atrium give accessto the upperfloors, asdoesthe exterior
G;,1'tI fire escapethat curvesaroundthe tower.
l-ls' THE SECONDFLOOR:This floor is given over to of-
high
fices andconferenceroorns.The largerofthe two confer-
elev"t. enoe roonn is furnished with a huge table, numerous
I chairs, a blackboard,podium, slide projector, and a TV
resl
n oms with a VCR hook-up; capacity is thirty people. The
smaller conferenceroom has only a small table with a
dozen chain, and no audio-visual equipment.The visi
tors'office is usedby non-staffastronomers visiting the
facility. It containsthree battereddesks furnished with
computerterminals,a sharedprinter, and severallocked
file cabinets.fire files contain hundredsof documents
t5-30' pertainingto long-term projects funded by the National
hrgl ScienceFoundation,NASA,and severalSETIgroups.In-
vestigatoncould spendweeksporing over thesefiles but
thereis nothing herepertinentto the adventure.
The staff office holds three desksusedby Drs. Guest
and Mancini, and other membersof the permanentstaff.
Eachdeskhasa computerandprinter hook-up.Mancini's
desktop is cluttered with papen, overflowing ashtrays,
anddoodle-coverednotes.Guest'sdeskis neatly ordered,
with a strangewood carving of a mandog hybrid identi-
fied with an Anthropology roll as a PawneeIndian'ren-
3"d
fl-"
3o::so'
h''gh

tihfl-"
5o-JO'
higt'

E3=
l""lced
doo"
' ' =d;'
I
I-r = wndlo*
,ap ,J
 tYlusic Ol The Sphens t09

dering of the supernaturaltrickster-hero, Coyote. Star

maps, radio maps, and computer printouts cover every
square inch of wall space.Dr. Neal's private office is ionBurldhg
Admlnlstrat
similar to the staff office, outfitted with a desk,terminal,
and printer. Stacksof printouB and reportspertainingto
variouscPcA projectsclutter his desk.Prominentamong
these are countless orbit projections, radio maps, and
theoies concemingthe possibleNemesisstar discovered
by the crcl.
THE THTRDFL@R: The lounge is nothing more than a
bareroom with a table,four chairs,a coffeemaker,and a
rumpled couch. The storageroom contains office sup
plies, electroniccomponents,andotherminor needs.The
file room containsprintouts, reports, computer illusfa- I inch=)5fect
tions, adminisftative documents,requestsfor research
time, and other matters concerning all facets of the
GPCA'soperationincluding the latestdataon the Neme-
sis star (localedonly with successfulLibrary Use).
The main computer lab contains all the equipment
Typfcal
usedto record,decipher,andanalyzedatacollectedby the Staff
telescope.Numerousterminals, displays,and printers Sulte
chatterday andnight.
Next door, the control room directs the actualmove-
ments of the telescope'scomponents,and which wave- I itch =
lengths will be monitored. Most of theseprocessesare 20f+.
pre-programmed,requiring no humanhind or eye to in-
itiate. Again, computersflash andprinterschatter.
THE ROOF:The uppermostlevel of the tower is off-lim-
its to visitors, and reachedonly by the exterior fire es-
cape.Here is found the powerful machinerythat moves
the monstrousSaladBowl. This machinerytakesup most li'"h=35ft
of the roof. Lockeddoorsleadto maintenanceandcontrol
roorns. o?^
sToray
Workshop
This building storesreplacementpartsandhousesa large ) M
workshopwith welding gear,tools, etc. The garagecon-
tains an old canvas-toppedjeep belonging to Gary Wil-
son,a Chevypickup, anda heavytruck fitted with a huge
l-trff
@
winch. The two trucksareclutteredwith tools andlittered
with cigarettebutts.
?w,,H
Obseruatory
This two-storydomedbuilding housesthe GrcA's single Observatory
optical telescope,a24'inchreflector usedto makevisual
verification of phenomena.It is equippedwith cameras
and remote-controlledfrom a small room inside the I fnch
dome.Unfortunateln the Nemesisstar's exteme distance = 20ft,
preventsany possibility of viewing it with eventhe larg- t"[.r.op
esttelescope. V|et^,'3

The Beceivers
Thesearethe actualradio telescopes, consistingof eight
2s{6.y Jom€
stationary85-foot dishes(1-8), and five mobile 55-foot
dishes(A-E) mountedon rails.All thedishescanbe inde-
pendentlyaimedin any directionasneeded.
 The Stars Aro Right

Da Gerald Neal two were really close. They weren't just in lovr-they were
friends.I just can't figure Stan killingher. lt doesn'tmakeany
Dr. Neal is in his early 50s, sense.He'sa quielguy.This is the lastthing I'd haveexpected
nevermarried,and considered
fromhim."
somethingof a cold fish. Neal
As for wild claimsaboutthe Nemesisstar'sharmfuleffecls,
hasthinningbrownhairandon
Guestlistens,but it takesa successfulPersuaderollto corwince
thejob alwayswearsa rumpled
him. Eventhen his influencewith Neal is limited;considerable
suft and tie. He ownsa simple proofmustbe producedto convincethe elderscientist.Regard-
housein the suburbsof North
less,Guestis a valuableally.
Platte but frequently (40o/"ot
the time) spendshis nightsin Guest is not seriously af-
the GPCAstafiquarters. fectedby Ghroth'ssignals.The
Though much of the keepershouldroll on the lfusb
GPCAs time is devotedto of the Sptares table, but the
SETI-related projects,Nealis a effec{sshouldbe fairly subtle.
skeptic.He would like to be- Guestis not proneto violence.
lievethatextraterrestrial
lifeex-
ists but doesnt thinkthe proof Jenny Hooper
will be seenanytime soon.He Jenny is a seriousastronomy
is excltedby the possibilitythat his lacilitymay havediscovered s t u d e n tf r o m C o n n e c t i c u l ,
the fabled Nemesisstar and has rescheduledsome of the studyingherefor the summer.
GPCAs telescopetime to do furtherstudiesof the mysterious She is pretty, and frequently
object.Althoughunusual,Nealis surethe emissionsareof non- wearsglasses.Proneto gush-
intelligentorigin. ing about recent astronomical
Nealrejeclsany notionthat the Nemesisstar'sradioemis- discoveriesand theories,she
sionsare havingdire effectson the earthand its people.Distur- staysimmersedin her studies.
bancesat the GPCA are blamedon job stressrelatedto the Uncomfortablesocially,she
discoveryof this object.AskedaboutStanArnold,Nealreplies: rarelydates and is unlikelyto
"Stanwasworkingtoo hardlately-thoughthat'shardlyan exqlse recognizea passshouldan in-
for murder." vestigatormakeone.Jennylivesin the staffquartersand drives
Due to Ghroh's s(1nals,Nealhimselfis subjecttc boutsof a small,early'80sfour-doorhatchback.
elation,pain,anddepression. Alternately thekeepercanrollon the Jenny enjoysworkingat the GPCA,even thoughher em-
tableto findDr.Neal'sGhroth-inspired mood-swings. ployer,Dr.Neal,isnt overlylriendly.Dr.Guestis somethingof a
fatherfigureto her. She likes HarlanBennettand most of the
Dr. Garl Guest otherswell enough,but she'srathertiredof Jack Bernardcon-
Dr. Garl Guest is more personablethan Dr. Neal.Weathered, stantlyhittingon her.ShelikedStanArnoldandCarrieOsbourne,
and had gone out with the couplea few times for drinksand
smiling,Guestis an avid outdoorsmanin his earlyfifties.Since
dinner.She can't believeStan killedCarrie.He wasnt a violent
hiswife'sdeathfromcancera decadeagoGuesthaslivedalone
man,andthe two seemedvery happytogether.
on a small ranchalorq the highwaybetweenNorthPlatteand
Hayden.ThereGuest raiseshorses,hunts,fishes,and whiles JennyHoopermightbefriendthe investigators. She is more
away his time with naturestudies.He drivesa new open-top likelyto openup to themif theytreatheras an intelligent woman-
-andif theydon'tpressureherfor a date.
Jeep,and is fond of high-speedjauntson McPhersonCounty's
manygravelroads.Guesthas Dueto the efleclsof Ghroth'ssignals,Jennysr.rffers fromwild
a roguish,conspiratorialair mood-swingsinduding anxiety,depression,elation,and pain.
aboul him and he is likely to Othereffectsare possible,as the keeperchooses.
sharewith those he befriends
informationabout the GPCAs Harlan Bennett
staff,operation,andfindings.
Guestis guardedlyexcited HarlanBennettis a tall, slim,bespectacledblackmanin his late
aboutthe possiblediscweryof 30s. Bennett,a dotingfamilyman,lives in NorthPlattewith his
l h e N e m e s i ss t a r . H e h a s wifeJudith(asecretaryat a lawf irm)andtheir1S-year-olddaugh-
workedwith Dr.Nealfor almost ter,Lisa.Bennettdrivesa fairlynewfour-doorfamilysedan.
ten years. He accepts Neal's Bennettis the chief compuler programmerand trouble-
single-mindedness. shooterat the GPCA.He implementsnewsystems,updatesold
Guest was fairly dose to ones,andmaintainsthe facility'smainframe. WhileNealandthe
Stan Arnold and Carrie Os- otherscientistscanprogramthealignments of thedishesandcall
bourne.He worked with Stan up the accumulated data,it is Bennettwho writesthe programs
daily, ard frequentlysaw the theyuse.
couplesocially. Bennettis even-tempered, but oftenpreoccupied,tersewith
"Shewasa bright,beautiful visitors.HehiredStanArnoldoutof MlI, ard was as surprisedas
gal, sharp as a tack. And the anyonewhenArnoldmurderedhis girlfriend.Bennettteels that
 llusic Of The Sphercs tll

Arnoldwas workingtoo hardon cosmdogist."She hastakenan interestin the leastusefulastro-

the Nemesisstar projectand nomicaltool of the facility:the 24inch opticaltelescope.She is
just snapped.As for strange currentlytryingto get a visualfix on the nrysteriousdarko$ect
goings-onat the GPCA, Ben- believedto be the Nemesisstar.
nett attributesthis to everyone As for StanArmld, Mancini
workingtoo hardto helpprove has litie geodto say.He was a
the Nemesistheorybelorean- competenttechnicianbut not
otherfacilitybeatsihem to it. muchhelpin he h€ordinl as-
HarlanBennettrespondsto tronomy department.He just
Ghroth'ssignals with anger, snapped from working too
lethargy,and pain.There may hard.
be othereffectsas well. 'Now if I was Carrie,and
that slug came screamingat
Jack Bernard me for scratchinghis precious
Jac* Bernardis a rakishmanin rust-heap,well, I just would
have taken out my pistol and
his early 30s, a lackadaisical
computertechnicianwitha mo- askedhimwhichwas moreim-
portant:his car or his man-
notonousjob.Jackis fromChi-
cago where he was used to hood? Great conversation
pieces,guns."
moresocialllfe than he'sfoundin Nebraska.He oftengoesinto
Haydenon week nightsto havea few beers,and oftenmakes Heavenhelpthehaplessin-
weekend-long pilgrimqesto NorthPlatte.He showsup for work vestigatorwho babblesto Manc-
Mondaymorningunshaven,shabbilydressed,and hung over. ini aboutalienradioemissions
Jacklivesin a slovenlybachelorpad in the GPCAstaffquarters. causing earthquakesand tidal
Despitethis, Jack is a competentprogrammerand techni' waves and insanebehav'nr.
cian.Jacktookthe GPCAjob for the experienceandthe pay,but Dr. Manciniis subjectto fits of anger,lethargy,and pain.
novi,wantssomethinga little morechallenging-preferably in a
"morehappeninglocale." Gary Wilson
Jack is friendlywith outsiders-they'rea welcomechange GaryWilsonis a local--astocky,powerfully-built man in his late
tromthe hayseedroutine.lf they'rewilling,Jack takesthemout 50s, balding,usuallyunshaven,and quiet.Wilsonis the GPCA
to variousplac€sto eat and drink.Thosewho accompanyhim facilit/s maintenance chiefand alsoservesas security,running
should have a.lolerancefor offtheoccasional trespassing wildlife.Heis fairlyshyandspends
spicy food, Jack's cigarette mostof his time in the workshoptinkeringwithvariousprojects:
smoke,and copiousamounts repairingthe dishes,searchingfor replacementparts, building
of alcohol. new housingsand gadgets,and maintainingthe vehides. He
JackknewStanand Carrie ownsthe oldjeepparkedin the
fairly well, but says they were facility'sgarage and keeps a
pretty much loners. He can't .22-250varmint-rifle in the back
understandwhy Stan killed seat. Wilson lives on a farm
Carriebut puts it downto work- withhislamilyoutsideHayden.
relatedstress.'Hell,anybody'd Wilsonhas learnedhow to
get a littlebats out herein the use rnostof the GPCAsequip-
middleof nowhere,lookin'ata ment,at leaston a rudimentary
bunch of damn computer level. The scientistslike him,
screens." andtust hisideaswhenhesug-
Jackdoesn'tsufferfromthe gestsbuildingnewequipment.
effectsof Ghroth'ssignalsvery Wilsondidn'tknowStanAr-
oftenbut whenhe doesifs usu- nold well, but thoughthim a
ally lethargyor lust. As usual, likeablefellow As for the other
oher effectsare possible. staff,Garythinksthey'reallfine
folks.lf the investigators come
to him with wild theoriesabout
alienradiosignals,hewon'tbe-
Dr. Diane Mancini lievethem,andmayevenwarn
Dr.Nealaboutthem.
womanin hermid-4Os.
Dr.Manciniis a sarcastic,frumpy-looking
Rollon thetableto see howGhroth'smusicatfecisWilson.
She is the rookieamongthe GrcA staff,havingworkedheretor
less than a year on loanfrom U-C Berkeley.She is overuveight
and a three-pack-a-day smokerto boot. Manciniis especially Other Personnel
short-tempered whenit comesto dealingwith foolsand foolish- Thereareothersat the GPCA.The keepershouldstriveto createa
ness.She and Jack Bernardbickerconstantly.Dr. Mancinilives janitors,andtechnicians
livingfacilitywifr secretaries, at workat all
in a clutteredapanmentin the GPCAstaffquarters. hoursof he day. lf necessarystatisticsfor these can be derived
Diane Mancininever married,havingdecidedearly on to fromthoselisted:computertechnicians usingJackBemard'sskill
becomea scientist.Herinitialstudiesemphasized nuclearphys- list,visitingsdentistsusingthoseof Drs.Guestor Mancini,grad
ics,butshe hassincebecomeinterestedin astrophysics, hence studentsusingJennyHooper's,maintenance workerswith Gary
'a
her assignmentto the GPCA.She likesto referto herselfas Wilson's.and so forth.

All character statistics on pages 12G^121

ll2 The Stars Arc Right

Gaining Information
The Nemesisproject is top secretand senior staff mem-
bers will not discussit. Junior membensor visiting as-
tronomersmight haveleameda little aboutit and may be
more opento investigatorinquiries. Psychologyrolls re-
veal that the staff is edgy when discussingcurre,ntpro-
jects.
Computer Use skills might be used to enter the
GPCAs comput€rsystembut only from within the com-
plex itself-and this requires at least orrehour to affect.
Unlessthe investigatorshave a good idea what they are
looking for, Astronomy rolls and severalday's time will
be requiredto analyzethe reamsof daa ftey find on file.
With enough time, and enough Luck and Astronomy
rolls, they might discoverthat the GPCA staff are track-
ing what they think might be the theoreticalNemesisstar.
Prying investigatorscanlearnmuchof thesameinfor-
mation by going through the GPCA's written files, al-
thoughagainunlessthey know what they are looking for
this takesa tremendousamountof time. Access!o these
files is limited so only r€spectedscientistsor involved
joumalists are allowed to see them. Othersmust use
Sneakor Hide, and then hopefor the best.
If the investigaton appearknowledgeableabout the
GPCAs studies (successfulAstronomy or Fast Thlk), a
Persuaderoll might convinceDr. Neal to let one or more
of thepartystayon asobservers. Ajoumalist or freelance
authorwho haslearnedaboutthe secretobservationscan
buy his way in on the story by promising not to revealit
until the data is in and the staff hasmadethe decisionto
publish. An irritable Dr. Neal would of courseinsist on
when andwherethe story would be released--and on pre-
viewing the work beforepublication.Any observers"will
be invitedto stayin theGPCAs staffquarters.
Dr. Neal may play his Nemesistapesfor the investiga-
tors. When the radio emissionsof Ghroth are codedinto
soundwavestheresultis somethinglike a bizanemixture
of rumbling harmonic bass tones and crooning whale
song.Hearingthe tapedsignalsfor the first time costsa
listener0/1 Sanitypoints.

The Fungi
from Yuggoth
S if the harmful effects of Ghroth's music
weren't enough,a secondMythos menaceap
pearson the scene.A smallbandof Mi-Go have
beenattractedto the areaby the disturbances.For reasons
of their own, the Fungi seekto stop the facility's contin-
uedreceptionof Ghroth'ssignals.They haveno desireto
A Murderof Grows

seethe Old Onesawakenedat this time and plan to stop
the activities of the cpcl in any way they can.
Throughout this adventurethe Fungi make repeated
at0emptsto end the receptionof Ghroth's signls. Their
tactics include sabotagingthe telescopesor the facility,
convincing the humansthat the radio telescopesare re-
sponsiblefor the cuffent spateof worldwide disasters,or
possiblydestroyingthe facility altogether.Theseacts,de-
tailed below,areleft to the keepertousewhenandhow he
seesfit.
The shy Fungi stay out of sight as much as possiblg
prefening to operateby night. The keepermay introduce
witnessesto the Fungi's activities if desired.Nearby
farmen sight strange,big birds in the night sky, a motel-
keeperspotssomeonelurking aboutan investigator'scar
or room, a GPCAtechnician seessomeonemoving out
nearoneofthe dishes.
Sabotage
The Fungi useodd,fist-sizedbrown ceramicbombscapa-
ble of doing 6D6 points of explosive damagein a three
yard radius.If one of theseis obtained,a halvedIdea roll
discoversthat the nodule-shapedexplosivesareactivated
by rubbing an oddly discoloredsection.Once activated,
the nodule explodesin 15+lDl0 seconds.One or two
nodulescould easilytakeout any of the telescopes, save
turlc Ol Tlro Sphcnr l13
the SaladBowl. But destroyinga single dish barely re-
ducesGpcA'scapabilities;more than half would haveto
be knockedout beforethe facility would be crippled.De-
stroying the SaladBowl would geatly reducethe ability
to receiveGhroth'ssignals.
Any such attacl$ are madeafter darlg the initial ar-
gets being the most isolateddishes-especially the rail-
mounted ones. One or two Mi-Go set the explosives
while threeothersarmedwith weaponsstandguard.
The Dream
Oneof theMi-Go knowsthespellSendDreams,mdmay
useit to warn the humansthat their studiesare endanger-
ing the planet. The spell is jointly-powered by all the
Mi-Go, boosting it so that more than one investigatoris
affected.Each sleepinginvestigatormust make a resis-
tancecheck,his or her pow againstthe Mi-Go's 17.Suc-
cessmeansthere is no effect, those who fail suffer the
following nightmare.
It is night, and the investigaioris awakenedby a rum-
bling soundandthe tinkling of brokenglass.An ldea roll
realizesthat a minor earthtremor hasjust occurred.Ris-
ing, the investigator finds that outside nothing seerns
amiss:the buildings and/or radio telescopesare undam-
aged.Otherinvestigato'rsor non-playercharactersmay be
met, further convincing the dreamerthat this is a real
world occunence.
Thunder rumbles in the distancethen great black
cloudsroll in, obscuringthe stan. Lightning flashes,but
no rain falls. Thenthe cloudspart and an impossiblyvast
sphereappearsin the sky. Witnesseslose (temporarily)
lD10/1D100 Sanity points. Those who have read the
Revelationsof Glaaki or theNecronomiconinstantlyrec-
ognize the rust red planet-form of Ghroth-others must
makea successfulCthulhu Mythos roll to identiry it.
The planet'sgreatsea-eyesslowly oozeopenwhile its
surfacequiversand splits, revealingred magma-scars be-
neath. Lightning bristles over its surface then shoots
down to strike the ground,obliteratinga telescopedish or
blastinga car.The groundtremblesviolently asthe thing
loomscloserandcloser.Failing a pex xl roll, dreamers
arethrown to tlre ground.
A steadyhumming, throbbing sound emanatesfrom
the planet-thing-a beat echoedby the ground beneath
the dreamers.An Idearoll recognizesthe rhythm asiden-
tical to the Nemesissignalsmoniored by the crcA. The
ttrobbing risesto an ear-splittingcrescendothen a great
bolt of lightning strikesamidstthe investigators,bringing
darkness.The dreamis over.
The next moming thosewho hadthe dreamremember
it all too clearly.Fortunalely asthe experiencewasonly a
dreamthe Sanity point loss is oriy l0Vo of what was
rolled (dropall fractions).Lingeringphobiasmay result,
however.Agoraphobiaand astrophobiamight plague
dream-maddened investigatorsthroughoutthe rest of this
adventure.
ll4 The Stals Arc Bight

The Device
The Fungi may try to leavea clue for the investigatorsin
the form of a strange,metaldeviceleft whereit will be
easilydiscovered.It is a cylindrical objecta foot and a
half long and four inchesin diameter,madeof half-inch
thick disksstackedon a rod. The discsaredecoratedwith
odd, mathematicalsymbols and can be rotated inde-
pendentlyaboutthe centralshaft.
This is the Mi-Go equivalentof a book.To readit, a
complex but regular formula is usedto tum the discsto
certainpositions,creatingwhole sentencesand formulae
from the engravedsymbols.The mathematicsaresimple-
-once the five-digit systemis grasped-but a Computer
Useroll is requiredto createa programthat will eventu-
ally decipherhow to usethedevice.Thecpcn mainframe
will be required.
The cylinder discussesthe topic of Ghroth,and its
role in the resurrectionof the GreatOld Ones(seeGhroth
Papers#1). Readingthe decodedtext costs 1D6 Sanity
poins andadds6 percentiles to theinvestigator'sCthulhu
Mythosskill.

Parlay
This is the Fungi's last non-violentattemptto stop the
cPcA'sreceptionof Ghroth'ssignals.TheMi-Go attempt
to set up a face-to-facemeeting between one of their
numberand an investigator.To do this they leavea note
for him or her stating:"Meet me by dish 1 at 2 au." It is
written in a very unusualhand,andunsigned.
If the investigator keepsthe appoinUnent,alone or
with companions,he finds a lone figure crouchedbeneath
the dish, nearly invisible in the pitchdark. The thing is
cloakedin a heavy overcoatand wearsa broad-brimmed
hat.It cautionsthevisitorsnot to cometoo close,or to use
lightsnearit.
Thereis abuzzingtimbre to its voice and a Cthulhu
Mythos roll suggestsit is a Mi-Go (lose 0/1D6 Sanity
points).A SpotHiddenroll or a flashlightbeamrevealsit
to be one of the Fungi from Yuggoth.If attackedor ap
proachedtoo closely,the Mi-Go flees.
lf left unmolestedthe creaturetells the investigators
thattheymustpreventtheradiotelescopes from receiving
the signalsfrom the Nemesisstar.It is thesesignalsand
their effectswhichcurrentlytormenttheEarth.TheFungi
may relatethe natureof Ghroth,andmentionsomerecent
catastrophes to punctuateits claims.
"Haaevzyou not fehhlt the fvery ehrthhbzelow zyou
zsinghingvwiah zlthemuzzicohf ahe zsferesz?"it asks.
Its warningsgiven,theMi-Go flies off into thenight.

Destruction
If all elsefails the Fungi turn destructive.But they wait
until the lastminute,whenthe effectsof Ghroth'smusic
arealreadyunleashed on the GPCA andnearbyHayden.
The MLGo descend

The Fungi begin by systematicallydesroying all of
the outlying telescopes.Then they fly to the main com-
poundandcontinuetheir demolition.While oneor two of
the Fungi fly overheaddropping explosives,the others
lay down coveringfire wittr their electical weapons.The
Fungi seek to destroy the entire facility and slay all
within; they want no survivors leaking their existenceto
the outside world. To this end they relentlesslypursue
anyonefleeing by foot or car. Thosewho do escape(by
making Hide or high-speedDrive rolls) may be sought
out at a later date.
Chaos
T the climax of the adventurethe earth itself
takesup the alien rhythms of Ghroth. Violent
stormserupt, tremors shakethe ground,and all
within severalmiles of the cPcA becomeslavesto their
lowestdesires.
The worst of the horror occurs at the cPcA and in
Hayden.Nearing the town, smokeis seenrising into the
sky and a car is seenlying in a ditch.A manandwoman
are glimpsed fleeing acrossa distant field while Listen
rolls detectgunshotscoming from the direction of town.
ReachingHayden the investigatorsencounterany
number of the following incidents.Undoubtedly after a
few encounten they will try to escapethe towrq but by
thentheythemselves may be affectedby Ghroth'smusic.
Any investigator visiting Hayden or the cPcA loses
lD2l2D6 Sanitypoints.
Ilayden Dances
to the Music
All Hell is breakingloosein Hayden.In additionto the
following suggested encounters, seepeople
investigators
and animalsrunning in terror,broken water-mainsflood-
ing streets,and hear the soundsof breaking glass, car
accidents,andscreams.
A Deranged Motorist
At least one insane driver is tearing through Hayden's
streets,running down pedestriansand rammingvehicles.
This cackling young man drives a brandnew four-wheel-
drive pickup with blood on its fendersand dentsand
scratchesin its sides.The crazeddriver tries to run the
investigators down,or ramtheirvehicle,incapacitating it.
Statisticsfor the maddriver areat the endof this section.
A Rooftop Madman
In the driving rain a nakedman climbsto the roof of his
house and exalts the stormy sky overhead.Keeper's
choiceasto whetherhe eventuallyjumps to his death,is
Music Of The Sphens lt5
struckby lightning,or merelysingsstrangepsalmsto the
heavens.
Eailhquakes
One or more minor earthquakesrock the town, as de-
scribedin theearlier Eventsbox.
Lightning
Freakbolts of lightningcrackledown blastingbuildings,
cars,andresidentsalike.Investigatorsfailing a Luck roll
suffer a near-missand take 1D6 points of damageplus
minor burns and 1D6 rounds of unconsciousness. Fum-
bled rolls indicate more serious strikes, causing4D6
damage,1D6 minutes of unconsciousness, and some
form of permanentor lasting damagesuch as deafiress,
lossofhair, or seriousbum scars.Severalsuchbolt-inci-
dentsoccurduring the odysseythroughHayden.
A Murderous Mob
Agroup of 1D4+l unarmedlower-classmenhavetackled
and beatena prominent Hayden citizen and now stand
urinating on their downedprey. The thugs flee if theat-
enedwith a show of force.
The Afflicted
Severaltimes the investigatorscome acrossa man or
woman on handsand knees,vomiting. Thesefolk are
extremelyill with headaches,
fever,andseverenausea.
The lnsane
Insanegroupsand individualsstalk the town gratifying
their violent desires.The investigatorsareboundto come
acrosssomeof themsooneror later.Up to 1Dl0 blood-
thirsty men and women may be met. The thugs flee if
outnumbered,outgunned,or if more than one of their
numberarekilled.
The Victims
Thedead,dying,andunconscious areeverywhere.Lying
on the streetsandsidewalls,victims of gunshotwounds
andbeatings.A manhashunghimselffrom a treein front
 lt6 The Stars Are Right
of the courthousewhile anotherhas fallen through the
front window of the 'Mart, held upright by a shard of
glassthroughhis stomach.A group of snarlingdogstear
at the flesh of a corpselying in the middle of Main Street.
Rampant Grime
The investigatorsshould witnessone or more of the fol-
lowrng violent crimes: a resident beating his neighbor
with a leadpipe, a manstranglinghis wife, a gangof boys
rapinga waitress.
Hot Dog
A group of laughingchildren agedfive to ten yearschase
a burningdog down the street.They carry charcoallighter
fluid andmatches,seekingothersto play with.
A Crazed Rifleman
A mad residentarmedwith a rifle wandersaroundtown,
shooting windows, traffic signs, and the occasionalciti-
zen.The gunmanmay disablethe investigators'car if the
keeperwishesto keepthem in Haydenfor awhile. Seethe
statisticsgiven at the end of this sectionfor the crazed
rifleman.
Vandalism
A lanky youth dancesclumsily down the street,singing
off-key, punctuatinghis songwith a baseballbat smashed
throughcar and store windows. With a successfulListen
roll anyonewho has heardthe cpcA's tapesof Ghroth's
signalsrecognizestheyoungman'stunelesssong.
Fire
Severalhomesand businessesare ablaze,smolderingin
the heavy rains. Some of the fires are due to lightning
strikes,otherswere deliberatelyset. Groupsof arsonists
andpyromaniacsgatherto watchthe fun.
Destruction
Cars, some ablazn,are left abandonedin the middle of
into storefronts,frees,or telephonepoles.
sfteets,or smashed
Explosions
At somepoint the gaspumpsat the Quick Stopgo up in a
fiery explosionthat blows out windows andknocksdown
everyonewithin a two-block radius.Those within 20
yardsof the blastarekilled instantly;thosewithin 20-30
yardssuffer2D6 damage;those30-35yardsdamagesuf-
fer only 1D6.The explosionmight havebeencausedby
a madmanturning on the pumpanddeliberatelyigniting
it, or a lucklessmotorist might have plowed over the
_pumps,or the earthquakesmight have ruptured the
thnks.Whateverthe reason.it causesfurther blazesand
traffic blockages.
Rescuing Stan Arnold
The investigatorsmight want to savetheir imprisoned
friend. There are lDGl peopleleft in the Courthouse,
eachwith a TOVochanceof havingbeenaffectedby the
music of the spheres.Affected or not, eachof theseper-
sonshasa257ochmceof beingarmedwith a .38revolv-
er. Combator Persuaderolls may be requiredto get past
thesepeople.
They find a despondentStanArnold in his cell prepar-
ing to hanghimself with his coveralls.A successfulPsy-
choanalysisroll sootheshim long enoughfor someoneto
find the keys to the cell. Otherwisehe commib suicide
within 2D4 rounds of the investigators'anival costing
each witness 1/1D4+l Sanity points. Investigators
searchingfor the keysget a chanceequalto one-fifth their
Spot Hidden roll every round. Once freed, Stanis of no
real help, but neither doeshe hinder the investigators.
Dependingon how it all tums out, the investigatorsmay
or may not be chargedwith helping the prisoner to es-
cape.
If the investigatorsfail to rememberStan Amold, he
hangshimself. They learn about his deathlater and lose
1/1D3Sanitypoints.
The End of the GPCA?
The samechaosoccursat the cPcA, though on a smaller
scale. Storms,lightning, and earthquakesshakethe
ground while the staff behavesas insanely as the resi-
dens of Hayden. Fortunately,the lack of weaponsand
pyrotechnicsprevents them from wreaking as much
havocasthe citizensof the town are.
Roll eachstaff member'sSanityto seewhich of them
areaffected.
By the time the investigatorsreach the cpcA, some
staff membersmay alreadybe deadwhile othersarevio
lent and insane.Again dodging the lightning and the
crazies,the investigatorsmust try to find a way to stop
receptionof the malefic signal.Destroyingthe dishesis
onepossibility,or moreknowledgeable investigatorscan
use the facility's controlsto shut down the radio tele-
scopes.To do this, at leasttwo consecutiveComputerUse
or Electronicsrolls mustbe madefrom within 0reconEol
room in the tower.
The Mi-Go or naturemight do thejob for them,how-
ever. Realizingthe severityof the situation,the Fungi
from Yuggoth may choosenow to destroy the station.
Theytoo haveto avoidthestaff andthe lightningbut they
aredeterminedto put an endto this madness.
With all the lightningslashingthroughthe skies,it is
no surprisethatthecPcAeventuallyattractsit. So evenif
the investigatorsand the Mi-Go fail to shut down the
facility, the stormseventuallydo. Lightning strikeshit
closeto the tower giving thosesaneenoughto noticeit
somewaming of approachingdoom.Then severalbolts
hit the SaladBowl, showeringthe towerwith sparksand
flame.Thosecaughtinsidethe building take lD6 points
of damageperroundfrom electricalshocks,fire, andfall-
ing debris.
lfusic Ol The SphePr ll7
lt8 The Stars Are Right

Any investigatorspendinga fair amountof time at the

Conclusion cpcn learningits operationandgoalsreceivesa checkto

theirAstronomyskill.
Though no monetary rewards are forthcoming, the
parentsof StanArnold will be gratefulif the investigator
HIS is a difficult scenarioto completesuccess- helpedtheirson.SimplyrescuingStanfrom theholocaut
fully. Shutting down the cpcl or turning its at- bringstheman awardof lD6 points.If Stansurvivesthe
tentionsawayfrom the Nemesisstararenot easy scenariohe standstrial and goes to jail for Canie Os-
tasks. More than likely the radio telescopestation and bourne'smurder; parole and time off for good behavior
Haydenare destroyedwith considerableloss of life. But are alwayspossible.Despitethe trial's outcomeStan's
even such dark endings are not without lingering mo' parentsusetheir influenceto rewardeachhelpful investi-
mentsof hope. gatorwith a lDl0 bonusto CreditRating.
If the investigatorscan convince Dr. Neal that the Yet a dark side remains.Ghroth'smusic affectedthe
radio emissionsfrom the Nemesisstar arecausingcatas- entire planet. Who knows what foul things might have
trophes around the world, he may ceasework on that beenawakenedby the songsfrom the starsandthe resul-
project.Considerableproof must be gatheredto con- tant stirrings of the Earth?What rough Beastmight even
vince him. A Persuaderoll combinedwith a stack of now be lurching forth toward civilization to celebrateits
disasterreports might do the trick. Successfullyturn- rebirth?
ing the cPcA's attention away from Ghroth before
chaos erupts is worth a reward of 2D6 Sanity points
(althoughthis plan may be disruptedby an insanetech-
nicianwith plansof his own). An additional1D6 San-
ity pointsshouldbe awardedif the investigatorsrcalize
flandouts and
the identity and purposeof the cosmic malefactor.If
the investigatorsare wise, they suppressknowledgeof
Statistics
the astronomicalcausesof the worldwide disturbances
and warn otherradio astronomersto avoid listeningfor
HE handoutsbelow are to be distributedto the
the Nemesisstar Doing so is worth an additional 1D6
playersasrequired.The circumstancesby which
Sanitypoints.
each is acquiredare listed below. No0ethat in-
Assuming the worst, that Hayden and the cpcA are steadof newspaperarticles,the keepercan provide these
besetby disaster,the rewards and penaltiesincreasein cluesin the form of TV newscasts.
number.First of all, eachinsaneHaydenresidentthe in-
vestigatorsfind it necessaryto slay coststhem 0/1D2 Ghroth Papers #3
Sanitypoints.After the holocausteachmurderousinves-
Thisarticlecaneitherbegivenoutatthebeginningof theadven-
tigator must also make a Luck roll to avoid having tureto helpdrawtheinvestigators
to Nebraska
or inthemidstof
chargesbrought againstthem, their crimes witnessedby theadventure.
one of the few Haydenresidentswho didn't lose their
mind. Each citizen the investigatorssave from their
neighbors'insanitygrantsI point of Sanity. Minor Earth Tbemor
Savingthe cPcAfrom destructionnetseachinvestiga-
tor 1D3Sanitypoints.If, on the otherhand,it is destroyed
in Nebraska
by the Fungifrom Yuggoth,eachloses1D4Sanitypoints.
ARTHUR COI,JNTY-Otri. back and forth and squealing
Destruction by the storm costs no Sanity points. Each cials at the University of Ne- and all, and the earth shaking,
cpcA staff memberslain by the investigatorscalls for a braska have reported that yes- but no harm done. Nothing
lossof lD3 Sanitypoints,regardless of theperson'spos- terday's minor earth tremor like you see in California all
measured less than 2.0 on the the time."
sibly violent intentions.Again, Luck rolls mustbe made Richter scale. The quake is be- Midwestem earth remors
to avoid being chargedwith a crime. Eachof thesechar- lieved to have been centered in or quakes are rare, but not un-
actersthat the investigatorsmanageto savegivestheman the area of Three Mile lake in known. Readers may recall
Arthur C-ormtyzl0 miles north- that in 1990 scientists pre-
awardof I Sanitypoint. west of North Platte. No dam- dicted that a major eartlrquake
Finally,eachof the Mi-Go slain by the investigators ageshave been reported at tlris would occur with an epicenter
rewardsthem with a Sanity point. If the Mi-Go were time, though residents were in Missouri. That quake never
undersandably shocked. materialized, but scientists
driven off before they could do much damage,each in- "Jrst
kind of rurexpected, nevertheless say that major
vestigatorreceivesan additionallD3 Sanitypoins. If, at you know," stated Billy earthquakes in the Midwest
the end of the scenario,any of the playershavenagging McHenry of nearby Arthur. are a real possibility, ftough
*The hogs
started running predicting them is irnpossible.
thoughtsabouttheir investigatorhaving possiblyaided
theFungi,assess a penaltyof lD2 Sanitypoints.
Ghroth Papers f,l
llusic Of The Spherol lr9

Haydengone mad
lm Thc Starr Arc Rlght

GhrothPapers#4 Sheriff Randy Kaufman, age 36

This reportshouldbe givenout in the midstof th€ adventur+-an-
other synptom of the ctaos striking worldwide.The setting is
nearthe city of lhe chthoniansknownas G'hame.
Thousands Feared Dead
in Ethiopian Quake
ADIS ABEBA-An earth-
quakebeliewd to havemeas-
ured nearly 9 points m the
Richterscalestnrck tlre soudr
cental portior of this Aftican
nation yesterday rnorning.
PeaceCorpsvoluneersad of-
ficiab dthc Btlrkryiangoverr
mentr€,portvillagesdestroyed
ud countless fatalities.
The earthquakewas pre-
ceded by a series of small
tremorsthat beganaboutdrir-
teen hours befce thc maja
quakerockedAdis Abebaand
areasas far away as Nairobi,
Djibqili, andsouthernEgpt
Casraltiesare reportedto be
heavywith mostlses occur-
ring amcrg the Sarving peo-
ples of Ethiopia. Severe
droughts have aftlicted this
African nationfor ovcr a dec-
sTR 12 CON14 StZ15 tNT14 POW13
DEX13 APP13 EDU14 SAN65 HP15
DamageBonus: +1Bl
Weapons:Fist60%,1D3+1Dlt;Grapple35%,special;
Nigtrtstick
45%,1D6+1}l; .38 Revolver65y0,1D10;12-gzuge
pumpshotgun75o/o,4D6ll2D6l1W.
Skflfs: Dodge35%,DriveAutomoHle55%,FirstAid400/o,Hi&
21o/o,Lan6570,Usten5O%,Persuade2150/o,
Psychology
Ptrotograpfiy
40%,Sneak30%,SpotHidden60%,Track307o.
40Vo,
Deputy Bob Horner, age 46
ade,and wqldwi& rclief ef-
forts have failed to bring
sTR 13 CON11 SrZ16 tNT12 POW10
needed aid to the famine- DEX10 APP 9 EDU12 SAN50 HP 14
sticlcenEthiopians DamagcBonus: +1Dl
Natlnn Vaughan,headof Wcapons:Fist75%,1D3+1Bl; Grapple657o,special;Kick
the American Peace Corps 50%,1D6+'lDll;Nightstick55o/o, 1D6+1Drl;.357Magnum
Famine Relief Program in Revolver607o,I D8+1D6; l2-gaugepumpshotgun60%,
Hhiopia,statedtlut now mqe 4DE2Dq1D6.
thaneveraid is rcededfor the 20o/o,DdveAutomobile55%, Law 55%, List€n
Skfffs::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::Dodge
devastatedAfrican nation. 35%,SpotHidden40%.
*These people were bad off
before the earthquake,and
nov we'vegotdamagd rcads Deputy Donny Garpenter, age 33
so nrecan't evenget the sup sTF 14 CON16 SrZ15 tNT13 POW12
pliesto wfierctlrcy're needcd.
DEX14 APP15 EDU16 SAN60 HP 16
Things arc a hell of a lot
worse. I've seen wlple vil- DamageBonus: +1Dzl
lages$ng in ruirs, hun&eds WeaponsrFist65%,1D3+1E!t;Grapde60%,special;Klck
of peopledead.We'regoingto 657o,1D6+1Dl;Nightslick559o,1D6+1Dzl;.38 Revolver500/o,
necdevenmore medicalsup I D10;12-gaugepumpshotgun45%,4D612D6/1fi.
plies and food than before. Skllls: Climb50%,ComputerUse35%,Dodge45%,Drtue
CM*,thisis justa realmess" Automobile50%,Hide40o/o,|'awfio/o,
Liston30%,MartialAtts
45%,MechanidRepair4o/o,Psychology307o,Sneak30%,
SpotHidden35%,Throw55o/o,Tr*k25o/o.

Ghroth Paperc #4
Dr Gerald Neal, astruphyricirt, agc 53
sTR 10 CON11 SrZ14 tNT17 POW13
GhrothPapers#5 DEX.IO APP11 EDU22. SAN59 HP 13
As abore, this arlicb shouldserve as anotherreminderthal the Weapons:None,all at basepercentag€s.
currentspate of bizarrewents isnt limit€dto the Midwest.The Skills: Accounting
45%,Astronomy95%,Chemistry20%,
implicationis that the storm-rackedarea is adjacentto R'lyeh. ComputoUse50%,CreditRating65%,Elec{ronics 3590,
Engfish95%,German50%,History40oh,EbraryUse60%,
Listen40%,MakeMaps307o,Persuade6570,Physics70%,
SpotHidden400/o.

South Pacific Stirred by Da Garl Guest, astrophysicist, age 5l

Storms, Earthqtrakes
EASTER ISLAND-Severe
stormsand tidal waves have
rackeddre vicinity of Easter
Islandfor drepas week Ofti-
cials of drc Chilean govem-
ment wam agairct travelling
in the waters west of that
country, as an underwater
earthquake is believedto have
stirred up cxtremely rough
seastlrorghout thatpartof the
SouthPacific.
At least orrc vessel, the
fieighter YolatdaGray ovt of
SanFrancisco,hasbcenl6t in
these ssrns. Rescueopera-
tionsweresuspended Monday
due to rough watersand high
winds,andall handsarefeared
lo" Captain Paolo Rivas of
the Chilean Crast Guard re-
pora that underwaterseismic
activity is believedto becaus-
ing the disturbancesin the
oceannearby.
Rescuevesselsharrere-
ported seeing new islands
thrown up frorn the ocean
floor, but tlresereporlsare as
yet unconfirmed.
Ghroth Papers #5
sTR 10 CON10 StZ14 INT15 POW14
DEX 9 APP12 EDU19 SANTO HP12
Weapons:Douue-barrelled 2o-gaugpshotgun45%,
2Dq1Dq1D3.
Skills: Anthropology
15%,Astronomy80%,Chemistry2070,
ComputerUse55%,CreditRating507o,ElectricalRepair357o,
Electronics30%,English95%,Geology200lo,History50%,
LibraryUse45%,Usten35%,MechanicalRepair45%,
Persuade55%,Photography 4oo/o,
Physics65%,Psycfrology
35%,Ride70%,SpotHidden45%.
Jenny Hooper, grad student, age 25
sTB I CON12 SrZ11 INTls FOW13
DEX13 APP14 EDU18 SAN65 HP 12
Weapons:None,all at basepercontag$.
Skllls: Astronomy65%,Chemistry30%,ComputerUse557o,
Dodge40%,DriveAutomobile 35%,English90%,Geology
35%,History30%,LibraryUse50%,Ljslen45%,Persuade
40%,Photography zl57o,Ride
35%,Physics507o,Psychology
45%,SpotHidden350/o.
 lluslc Ol The Sphenr 121

Harlan Bennett' chiet Tho Fungl ftom Yuggoth

computer tcchniclanr age 38 *1 #i2 #t A #5
sTR 12 coN 14 slz 13 INT16 POW12 sTR 10 12 11 17 7
13 EIXJ 19 SAN 60 HP 14 '12 13 9 10 I
DEX13 APP coN
DamagcEenu3; +1D4 s f z 6 ' 1 2 9 1 3 9
15 10 16
Wcaponr: None,all at base percentag6. flfT 12 14
17 15 14
Skalls:Astronomv35%,ComputerUse80%'CreditRating . POW 14 12
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122 The Stars Aro Right
55 There had been aeons when other Things
ruled on the eatth, and They had great
cities... They all died vast epochs of time
before man came, but there wete ails which
could revive Them when the stars had come
round again to the right positions in the cycle
of eternity. 991
The Call Ot Cthulhu
I t has long beenacceptedas axiomaticamongthose
I who arededicatedto combattingthe chthonicmenace
I that the very arts which summonforth the Ancient
Onesarealsothe artswhich banishthem.Constructionof
talismans,compoundingof potions,chantingof spells-
many are the arcaneand, some would say, rather ques-
tionablepracticeswe pursuewith zealousdedication.For
in these times of growing metaphysicalcrisis, when
black-windowedtemplesarebrazenlyerectedin our city-
centersandbusinessdistricts by ever wealthierandmore
powerful cults of the Elder Gods, when nearly every
morning's bulletin brings to our attentionyet another
menacingmanifestationof Their unleashedpower, we
know that we cannotafford any longer the luxury of the
old-fashionedmaterialist'sdogmaticskepticism.No
branch of the eldritch metaphysicscan be safely dis-
missedas mere fantasy or naive myth-what appearat
Editor's Note
This lecture,writtenin 1949,wasto be readby its author
at the 43rd annualconferenceof the Friendsof the Ar-
caneSciences,held November14thof thatyearin Bos-
ton, Massachusetts. The unfortunatedisappearanc+
andpresumeddealh<f theauthor,MarcusSevenstens,
prevented the lecturefromeverbeingdelivered.Formore
than lour decadesthis valuableand uniquework has
languished in thefilesof Sevensten'smentor,Dr.Daimon
Hunterlll, Ph.D.,of Arkham,Massachusetts. The recent
deathof Dr.Hunterbroughtto publiclightthislong-forgot-
tendocument,heremadepublicfor theveryfirsttime.Dr.
Hunter'scomplimentary work, regardingthe recentdis-
coveryof Ubar(lrem)in Arabia--incomplete at the timeof
his death-is,unfortunately, unavailablefor publication.
lt
is our hopethat in the nearfutureDr.Hunter'sestatewill
be settled,andthatwe willbe ableto publishhisvaluable
insightsandfollow-upreport.
first glanceto be the distractiverantingsof an unhinged
mind haveall too often provedto be the truthful & objec-
tive utterancesof a mind that hasseentoo much.
Yet there is one such art of whose study & practice
nearlyeverychthonicinvestigatorremainswillfully igno-
rant, and which is quite frequently condemnedor sub-
jectedto ridicule by thosewho oughtto know better.I am
well awarethatmanyrumors-some of themcruel,most
of themunfounded-havebeenwhisperedaboutthe na-
ture and true intent of my work, but it is my firm convic-
tion that the uaditionalrationalistscientificcommunity
erred dangerouslywhen it consigrredthe ancientproto-
scienceof astrologyto the rubbish-heapof occultist su-
perstition,and that our own unquestioningacceptanceof
their judgementhasseriouslyimpairedourunderstanding
of the phenomenawe confront. Many passagesin the
Necronomiconand the Book of Eibon that arehabitually
overlookedby conventionalscholarshipalludeclearlyto
the importanceof astrologyin forecasting,analyzing,&
potentially even preventing the manifestationin our
world of unspeakable alienhorrors.
While it is a commonplaceamongexperiencedinves-
tigatorsthat the Old Onesand their spawncan translate
themselvesfrom their dimensionsinto ours only at cer-
tain spatiallocations-so-called"gates",whosesitesare
generallyrecognizableby the peculiarsenseof concen-
tratedmalignancy,of spiritual foetor,that emanatesthere-
from-the temporal componentof these inter-dimen-
sionalcontact-pointsis all too often neglected.In other
words,time is no lessimportanta factor than place in
determiningtheopening& closingof portalsbetweenour
world and Theirs.Knowing not merely where,but also
whena chthonicmanifestationis dueto occurcouldwell
spellthedifferencebetweensanelongevityandbrain-de-
stroying death; at the very least, it could significantly
reducethe gnawingsenseof paranoiathat is currently
gainingrecognitionasa leadingcauseof investigatorsui.
cide.It may furthermorebe possibleto determinethrough
astrologicalanalysisjust which entitiescan be expected
to manifestthemselvesthrougha given gateway.
The astrologicalchart I presenthere in illustration of
our thesis is drawn from information given in what is
justifiablythemostfamousof all Cthulhudocuments, the
"Call of Cthulhu"manuscript,
foundamongthepapersof
the late FrancisWaylandThurstonof Boston.I choseto
focusmy preliminaryinvestigations on this chartfor two
 When The Stars Game Fight Again l2s

"TWasdone then as it had beenpromis'd aforetime,

reasons:First, the ms. is unusuallyspecificin regardto
time, date,& place,which are the datarequiredto con- thatHe wastak'n by ThoseWhom He Defy'd, andthrust
struct an astrological chart; and secondly,the rising of into ye Neth'rmostDeepsund'r ye Sea,andplacedwithin
R'lyeh (andconsequent liberationof Cthulhu)is consid- ye barnacl'dTowerthat is saidto rise amidstye greatruin
eredto be the most significant-or ominous,in the sense that is ye SunkenCity (R'lyeh), and sealedwithin by ye
of "being n1 spsn"-svent of the Mythos in modem Elder Sign...[until]ye Cycle returneth,and He shall be
times.And in the courseof my research,a further reason freedto embraceye Earthagainandmakeof it His King-
becameapparent-a reason which, God knows, has dom anddefy ye ElderGodsanew"z
fraughtmy work with a growing senseof urgency& fear. Let us analyzethis chart. Not only doesthe event in
I referyou now to Fig. #1. questionportendthe beginningof that awful resurrection
so long darkly prophesied,but the chart itself presentsan
appearancethat is most unnerving. Even the naive eye
patt€mformed
Kising of Klyeh must immediatelybe struckby the unr.rsual
by its Trug
aspects. the components
sonablycommon,andby themselves
of this pattemarerea-
no causefor alam: the
"grandtrine", thatlinls planes in the
equilateraltriangle,or
HE chart in fig. #1 is drawn fot 4:45 PM local tlre Watersigns,Cancer,Scorpio,& Pisces;the socalled
"mystic rectangle',formed by two trines,two sextiles,&
time (LST 02.51),Feb.28, 1925,1-ong.126W43,
Lat. 47509.This is the dateaccordingto the ms. two oppositions, thatlinks theplanetsin Capricom& Thurus
on which violent storms shook the South Pacific, and an with thosein Cancer& Scorpio;andtheright trianglecalled
unusual earthquake tremor was felt in New England which a 'uf-square",formedby an opposition& two squares,that
stined the artist Wilcox's first gruesome dreams of the linla planetsin Thurus,[ro, Scorpio,& Aquarius.
City. The position of R'lyeh is precisely noted in the ac- As I say, each of theseseparatecomponentscan be
count of Johansen,the frst mate of the Emma. The time of found in a great many charts;many of you in this audi-
"evening" in New enceundoubtedlyhaveone or possiblyeventwo of them
the tremor, however, is given vaguely as
England, shortly before Wilcox retired. in your own birth charts.But to find all three of them
These data are sufficient to establish the positions of combinedin themannerin which they appearin this chart
the planets and the sun and moon, but not to determine is exceedinglybizane-I might even say,almost preter-
the angles. Past experience with the charts both of histori- natural.For what is the five-pointedpatternmadeby the
cal & of geophysical events, and with
the charts of earthquakes (of which
this is quite a characteristic example),
led me to decide that, within the time
frame of 6 PM to midnight Eastern
Standard Time (3:33 PM to 9:33 PM
R'lyeh local time), the most likelY
time would be 7:45 PM EST, which
gives us 4:45 PM at R'lYeh. At this
time the astrologically very powerful
oppositions of Pluto to Jupiter and of
Saturn to Mars were on the angles at
"local
R'lyeh, forming what I term a
event trigger."
The occurrence of these two oPPo-
sitions together is fairly rare, but also
that the range of latitudes within
which they both could occupy the an-
gles of a chart is quite narrow. The un-
usual significance of these points will
become apparent when we discuss the
"Call of
remote possibility that the
Cthulhu" ms. could be a forgerY bY
H.P. Lovecraft, that author of fantastic
fiction credited with bringing Thur-
ston's manuscript to the attention of
the public.

Figure#1
 124 The Stars Aro Right
mystic rectangle & the grand trine together if not the
figure of an Elder Sign? And how elsecan we view the
?squaredoppositionthat slashesacrossit saveasa break-
ing, a cancellation,of the Sigrr?(Fig. 2 showsthis more
clearly by omitting the sextiles& squares)I shudderto
point out yet anotherhideouslyappropriatesymbolofthose
drownedstonemonolithsthrustingupwardfrom their mil-
lennialgrave:TheEarthtrine,Capricomto Taurus,is seento
be arising,asit were,by productivesextilesfrom the grand
Watertrine.EarthaboveWateER'lyeh abovethewaves.
The older astrologerswould (conectly,I believe)have
takenthe very shong emphasison the elementWater(as
indicatedbyOreGrandTrinebetweenPluto,Satum,andthe
Sun)when the ooze-pavedclty arisesas a staighforward
indicationof wherethe "gate" opured:in the sea.Had the
trine beenin Air, for instan@,they would havelookedfor
the "gate"to appearinthe atmosphere-perhaps in thevor-
tex of a tomadoor the eye of a hurricane.Modemastrolo-
gers,accustomed moreto a psychologicalthanto a divina-
tory approac[ would seeWaterassymbolicof thatmurki-
est,leastundentoodlevel of our world's fourfold make-up:
the emotions,the unconscious-thelevel of dreams.(In as-
trology,asin ritual magic,Earthconesponds to thephysical
level,Waterto the emotional,Air to the mental,Fire to the
spiritual.)The *gate" opens,not into man's body,nor his
intellect,nor his philosophy-but into his fean. It is the
manifestationof his nightmares.
"In the elder time chosenmen
had talked with the
entombedOld Onesin dreams,but then somethinghad
happened. The greatstonecity R'lyeh, with its monoliths
andsepulchers,hadsunkbeneaththe waves;andthe deep
waters,full of the oneprimal mysterythroughwhich not
even thought can pass, had cut off the spectral inter-
course.But memoryneverdied,andhigh priestssaidthat
the city would rise againwhen the starswere right. Then
cameout of the earth the black spirits of earth,mouldy
andshadowy,andfull of dim rumorspickedup in caverns
beneathforgotten sea-bottoms.But of them old Castro
darednot speakmuch..."
The Sunin theR'lyeh char! indicatingCthulhu's'birth
sign" as it were, is in Pisces,sigr of ttre Fishes.Various
authoritieshave describedthis sign as 'the GreatDeep"
(traditionallyit is consideredto rule theoceans);"Chaos,as
"the madhouse
against...Cosmos;" of the zodiac;" "the
struggleof the soul within the body." Saysone:"In Pisces
the emotionality of water, ...impressionability..., and the
mysteriousinfluenceof Neptune[thenrlerof thissign]com-
binetoproducea creaturewhoseemsnot quiteof thisworld,
a 'fish out of water'...vaguelysensingthatthis wodd is not
[its] true home."3Anyoneat all familiar with the Cthulhu
Mythos may pick up eventhe most superficialdime-store
paperbackaboutthe signsof the zdiac, andfind underthe
headingof Piscesa wealthof suchweirdly apt desoiptive
phrases.4 tt is thesignof mysticism& of myth,of illusion&
insanity,of omens...and of dreams.Here it is difficult to
distinguishfact from fantasy,becausethe distinctionno
longermatten; delusion& reality are one.It is considered
the quintessentialsign of artists,prcpheb,& magicians-
that is, of dreamers,seers,& illusion-weavers.This
twelfth & final sigr of the zodiacis alsothe sigr of bneak-
dowrL dissolution,cham.
Its ruler, Neptune-a planet named for the ancient
sea-god-may be characterizedin the samewuds. This
planettogetherwith Venus(the planetof grace,beauty,&
aesthetics)in the R'lyeh-rising chart signifies the artists
of our world, who sawthe city in their dreams.This is the
oppositionthat "cancels"the Elder Sign; could it be that
the Deep Onesneededtheir works, and not the cultists',
to resurrectChaosfrom its timelessslumber?Wasthis not
the ageof Kandinsky,Schoenberg,& van der Rohe-of
the breakdown& dissolutionof the ancientforms of har-
mony & symmetry into a confusing pandemoniumof
cubism, atonality, futurism? Did the experime,ntsper-
formed on the collective psyche by the artistic avant-
gardebreakopenthe way for therebirth of ancientterror?
Theseare,of course,merespeculations;perhapsthey
areno more thanNeptunianfantasies.Perhaps...
"When the stan
were right, They could plungefrom
world to world through the sky; but when the starswere
wrong, They could not live."
PerhapsI am wrong to labor deepinto the night on an
art that many deemaccursed,and othersjudge worthy of
nothing more than a derisorysneer.It is unfortunate,but
inevitable,that such myopic trivia-mongeringflourishes
and garnersrespectin the shelteredivory-lower world of
academia,while work of real practicality and broad-
based vision is wilfully neglectedand misunderstood.
The weird lore handeddown to us from darkeragesis not
mere "artifact", to be collated & indexedby desk-bound
scholars;it is an arsenalof psychicweaponry,an arsenal
that never corrodes, never obsolesces,never breaks
down, exceptwhen we ourselvesforget its use.
The humblecalendar-Man's numberingof days-is
onesuchweapon.Certainfeaturesof its constuction and
manipulationare nearly universal amongthe peoplesof
our world, becausethey derive from the structureof the
Earth's orbit round the Sun.Eight days of the 365 in the
yearly round are markedby Man with especialconoem:
They are the cross-ribsthat give strengthto his calendri-
cal shield.Theseeight arethe four dayson which the Sun
standsat an equinox or solstice,plus the four days that
bisect the seasons.These latter four are the so-called
"Witches'sabbats:" Candlemas, Feb.2; $falpurgisNacht,
April 30;Lammas,Jul. 31; andAll HallowsEve,Oct.31.
At eachof thesedays,one of the four seasonstradition-
ally reachedits peak-the severaldaysaroundLamrnas,
for example,were generally the hottestof summer,and
those around Candlemasthe coldest of winter. During
thesetimes,the powerof the life force reachedits stong-
estexpression-and potentially its most dangemus.
Our Westerncalendarhas beenshifted somewhatar-
bitrarily over the years,so that the datesgiven aboveno
 When The Stars Game Rlght Agaln 125

longer properly correspond to the

midpointsof the seasons.Perhapsthis
is one subconsciousreasm why we
now neglectthem-a neglectthatmay
prove suicidal. For it is at thesetimes
"the veils
that, as the ancientsput it,
betweenthe wodds are thinnest."
Thoughwe perceivetheseseasonal
midpointsasdatesin a calendaryear,in
reality they are bestunderstoodas sig-
nificant poins in the stnrcnral dynam-
ics of Earth'sorbit. The'sedynamicsare
embodiedin the form of the zodiac-
not the "sidereal"zodiacof starconstel-
lationsthatastronomers (anda few con-
fusedastrologers) use,butthe "tropical"
zodiacof astrology,whosedivision of
the ecliptic into four quarters,twelve
signs,and360degreesderivesfrom the
Earth'sorbital maxima& minimaat the
equinoctesandsolstices.The four mid-
points are found at the 15thdegreeof
Aquarius (=Candlemas),Taurus
(=WalpurgisNacht), Lm (=Lammas),
& Scorpio(=All llallows).
In the astrologicaltradition,these
points are variously termed the Four
Pillars,the Four Apostles(with whom Figure#2
they were iconographically associ-
ated),and the Four Gates.Each is thought of as a reser- why: Hallowe'en is the night whenthe portal betweenthe
voir of thepowerof theelementto which its signbelongs: world of the living & the world of the deadis opened,and
Air for Aquarius,Earthfor Taurus,Fire for Leo,Waterfor the restlessspirits of men and other creaturescould
Scorpio.Not only the Sun, but any planetfound at or leave-or enter-our realm.The sigr Scorpio,in which
within severaldegreesof oneof thesepointsis like a key this Gatefall, is the ruler of death& decay,as well as of
"occult.' It
unlockingthe Gateof that element. thosematterswe shroud beneaththe epithet
In the chart of R'lyeh rising, we find Mars, the planet alsosignifies our deepestdesires& fean.7
of aggression,violence,& will, thrustingopentheGateof Satumcrouchesmaleficentlyat the midnight angleof
Earth,while oppositeit underthe influenceof Saturn,the the R'lyeh chart-the anglebelow the Earth,signiffing
planetof restrictiorLdeca5 & tyranny,the Gateof Water the subject'sorigins, its roots. To an astrologer,this Sat-
crurnbles.Thesetwo planets,traditionally known and um could not presenta more sinister omen,for it is also
fearedby astrologersas the malefics,are emphasizedby retrograde(that is, app_earing to move in reverseof the
tlreirpositionon thetwo meridianangles,themidheaven& usual orbital direction)Eand in hard aspectto Mars. Sat-
nadir.Of all pcsible Gatesandtheir key-bearers, it is black um, whose traditional iconographicimage is the Grim
Satum moving retrognde across the Gate of Water that Reaper,is the planetof contraction,limitation, bondage,
freezesmy heart with fear.S confiol. It is the tyrant of necessityand inescapablefate.
"...For NIMB knowsbestthe waysof the demonsthat It is alsothe guardianof Time. Justly,it is themostfeared
prowl among the shadows,looking for sacrifice.He of all the archetypesthat the astrologicalplanetsrepre-
knows bestthe territories of the Ancient Ones,the prac- sent; quite probably it is in large measurethe origin of
tices of their worshippers,and the locationsof the Gates. that Christianconcept,the Devil. HaveI madethe charac-
His realmis the Night of Time.'6 ter of this planetsufficientlyclear?Thenyou will under-
The Gateof Water(Oct.31) is the gateof the dead.It standwhy it is the first planetwhoseposition the investi-
is the only Gateto which our culturestill doesopenhom- gator versedin astrology will examine when analyzing
age-partly in jest, partly from habit perhaps,but are the chart of a chthonic event. In future I hope to issue
thesethe only reasonswe still disguiseour childrenas certain further studiesof chartsdrawn from the Mythos
ghmls, skeletons,& witches,andsendthemout into the literature that will abundantlyillustrate the key role
night to gatherofferings of sweets?Our ancestorsknew playedby this planet.
r26 The Starr Are Right
"The Thing cannot be described-there
is no lan-
guagefor such abysmsof shrieking and immemorial lu-
nacy, such eldritch contradictionsof all matter,force,
andcosmicorder."
Havingexaminedthepositionsof the SunandSatumin
the R'lyeh charglet us turn finally to the third and most
potentleg of its grandWatertrine: Pluto,in thesign Cancer.
This planegtheruler of Scorpio,is likewiseassociated with
death-it is namedfor the god of the underworld-but we
mus go far deeperthanthemerecessationof physicalvital-
ity if we areto understandthe truemeaningof this ruler of
"the underworld."It will be difficult, for this planetrepre-
sentsa levelof ourexistencethatfew cansafelyplumb.I can
but hint at it by sayingthat it signifiesmassmovement,ex-
trerneconc€nmtiorof power,and especiallywhat the psy-
chologisCarlJungnamedthe "collectiveunconscious:" that
timeless,spaceless repositoryttnt-like drownedR'lyeh-
pres€rvestlre eldest,most atavisticof our nibal & genetic
memories, thoselatentprimordialfears& yeaminpthatsleep
restlesslybeneathcivilization'ssmoothsheenof rationality.It
is stronglyassociated with world-nansformingphenomena
thathavein thiscenturybegunto manifestthemselves: nuclear
power,themultinationalcorporatior...andtheNazis.
The orbit of this planetis severelydistorted;it devi-
atesat an unnaturalanglefrom the planein which all the
otherplanetsorbit. I cannotbut think of this astronomical
fact when I read the descriptionof R'lyeh in the ms.:
"...twistedmenace& suspenselurked leeringlyin
those
crazily elusive anglesof carven rock where a second
glance showed concavity after the first showed convex-
ity." And indeed, the placement of Pluto in the chart for
the rebirth of R'lyeh is extremely apt, for it rises in a
Waler sign at the ascendant, in opposition to magniffing
Jupiter. I have found, in other research, a strong conela-
tion between the conjunction or opposition of Jupiter
with Pluto and the initiation or completion of massive
constructions: the Hoover Dam, for instance, was begrrn
during the conjunction of 1930, and the Golden Gate &
San Francisco Bay Bridges were completed during the
opposition of 1937. Secondly, the ascendantof a chart
describes the outward appearanceand surface "personal-
ity," if that is an appropriateword, of the subject; a planet
here moreover is consideredthe "lord," that is, the chan-
nel or focus, of the chart as a whole. Hence, the "Titan
blocks and sky-flung monoliths, all dripping with green
ooze and sinister with latent horror"-and the slime-
draped, tentacled Thing that waited within their shell.
Cancer,the Crab, is the sign of home & origins, of fam-
ily, tribe, & ancestry: of that endless ancient stream of gen-
erationsthat nurtures every man & woman's roots. Thepas-
sage of Pluto through Cancer from the ye:rr l9I4 through
1939 is commonly associatedwith the development of Ary-
anisrrUthat insidious imrption of nationalist & racist emo-
tion on which the Nazi rise to power fed. When the high
priest of the Ancient Race was released from his watery
bondage, Pluto was making a station in Cancer-a phe-
nomenon, due to Earth's heliocentric orbit, in which a
planet appearsto stand dead still in the zodiac, and which
astrologicallyis both a "trigger" for
eventswhich fall under the rulership
of that planetand alsoan underscoring
of that planet'simportancein the chart.
"...TheOld Oneswere,theOld
Ones
are.andtheOld Onesshallbe.Not in the
spaceswe know, but betweenthem,
They walk sereneandprimal, undimen-
sioned,andto usunseen..."9
Plutowasnot only in themiddleof
Cancer,it was also on the cuspof the
lst house.In fact, all of the pertinent
planetsin this GrandTrine/ ElderSign
are in the middle of their respective
Zodiacal signs, but on the cusp be-
tween two houses,i.e. "not in the
spaceswe know,but betweenthem...!"
(SeeFig. 3) Venusand Neptune,the
components of the "breaking"sign,do
not lie on anglesandso arein different
relationto cuspsdependingon which
housesystemis used.Using the Por-
phyry system,they lie directly on the
cuspsof the 8th and 2nd houses,re-
spectively.Using the PlacidussystenL
these planetsare still within 10 de-
greesofthesecusps.lo
Figure#3

"...when the stars had come round again to the right
positions..."
Let us now step back from this chart to ask ourselves
again the question that presses forth most urgently from
our investigations: How can we predict the opening and
closing of such a dimensional gateway? What is the larger
planetary cycle that govems these events? In the case of
R'lyeh, the astrological picture is fairly straightforward.
Although it is premature to draw general conclusions
from this single event, we can identify certain crucial
astrological factors in this chart which might be expected
to recur in other charts associated with the opening and
"gates."
closing of chthonic
o The "cancelled" Elder Sign. The forming up of all the
planets into a cancelled-Elder-Sigrrfigure (consisting of a
Grand Trine, 3 Oppositions, and anotherTrine) is the most
striking & unuzual cycle to be found in this chart. When it
recurs-if it recurs-will R'lyeh rise again? Or will some
"gate" to the
other eldritch bond be sundered,and another
Old Ones appear? Perhaps the elemental association of
the Grand Trine will indicate the location of the gate (in
Earth, Air, Fire, or Water) or the nature of the entity being
released. (For this reison, the points of the CnandTrine
should be uniformly in a single element, ruling out a so-
"dissociate trine").
called
tr Component planets on angular cusps. The placement of
"be-
Mars, Jupiter, Satum, and Pluto on angular cusps,
tween the spaces we know," is too remarkable to be ig-
nored. As angular cusps do not change from one house
systemto another (in almost all systems),this feature may
be easily determined with relative certainty.
tr Majority of component planets on house cusps. In this
charg planetsare on the cuspsof the lst, 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th,
and 10th Houses.
D Aspectsfrom the Sun & Moon to Saturn& Pluto. Perhaps
the important points to grasp are these:first, it is the cycle
of Saturn and Pluto-in combination with the Sun &
Moon-that forms the infrastructure of the development
and dissolution of this chart, that is the larger cycle we
were seeking; and secondly, the gateway of R'lyeh
openedunder a trine from the Sun to Pluto. The trine is a
"enabling" relationship between plan-
harmonious, easy,
is
ets. This a classic astrological pattern; had I designed
this chart myself, I could not have done better.
This brings me to a question we are compelled to face
openly: Was this chart, in fact, deliberately designed?
"...the casting of horoscopes never having been in-
cluded among my ambitions..." 11
Having nearly concluded our analysis of this chart, I
must remark once more upon its almost unnatural apprG'
priateness. It has of late become increasingly fashionable
"Call
in certain circles to question the authenticity of the
of Cthulhu" ms. Would-be debunkersare noisily claiming
that not only the ms., but the eventsthat it describes,are a
hoax, a sheerfictional fabrication cut from whole cloth by
Lovecraft in an attempt to show-offhis literary abilities. I
am confident of the baselessnessof this charge,but let me
"Call of Cthulhu" were indeed
say also this: Supposethe
When The Stars Game Right Again 727
merelythe work of a febrile imagination,andthe dates&
placesdetailedso carefully thereinwerenothing but tech-
nical ornamentsmeantto lend an aura of realism to the
tale. What, then, would be the odds againstLovecraft's
hitting by sheerarbitrary chanceupon a date,time-framg
& latitude that conespondto so rare yet so uncannily
"cancelled
appropriatea chartpattemas,for instance,the
Elder Sign" of Fig. 2? | canassureyou that thoseodds
are,shall we say,astronomical.
But is it not possible-the skeptic might prate in re-
ply-that Lovecraft intentionally chose, or commis-
sionedan astrologerto choose,the datathat would yield
such a chart? After all, some five years after the 1928
publication of the ms. in question,Lovecraft wrote the
following in a letter to the only significantassociateof his
who is known to havebeenan astrologer:
"As for astrology-since I have alwaysbeena devo'
tee of the real scienceof astronomy,which takesall the
groundfrom underthe unrealand merely apparentceles-
tial arrangementson which astrological predictions are
based,I havehad too greata contemptfor the art to take
much interest in it-except when refuting its puerile
claims. Back in 1914 I conducteda heavy newspaper
campaignagainsta local defenderof astrology,and in
1926Irea;dquite a few astrologicalbooks(sincelargely
forgotten)in orderto ghost-write a thoroughandsystem-
aticexpose'of thefakesciencefor no lessnotablea client
thanHoudini."11
In spiteofhis perhapsoverzealous protestationsagainst
astrology, might he not have been sufficiently in it
interested
year he allegedly wrote "Call of Cthulhu,"to
n 1926, the
draw thesechartsandbuild a s1oryaroundthem?To this I
would answer,"Readtherestof the let!er."For it continues:
"That comprisesthe sum of my asfrologicalknowl-
edge-the casting of horoscopesnever having been in-
cludedamongmy ambitions.If I ever employ any astrG'
logical lore in stories,I shall most gratefullycall on you
for realisticdetail."
The last sentenceclearly implies that he hadnot up to
thattime intentionallymadeuseof astrologyin a work of
fiction. Merely to constructthe chart we have examined
this evening from the location and date given in the
"story" wouldrequirea masteryof astrology,a familiarity
with its actualpractice,that extendsconsiderablybeyond
the mere readingof a few books for the purposeof de-
bunking it. hvecraft informs us that he lackednot only
this knowledge,but also the considerablygreaterastro'
logicalexpertiserequiredto do thereverse,i.e. generate a
location anddatefrom a given or desiredchart.
But the most devastatingargumentagainstLove-
craft's, or a friend's, possibleinventionof this chart is
quite simple.We haveseenin the courseof this lecture
the all-importantrole played in this chart by Pluto. In
eachcase,to omit this planetwouldbe to destroythevery
pattern of aspectsthat makes the chart so peculiarly
suitedto its subject.l2Pluto is the archetypalchthonic
128 The Stars Are Right

planel the god of the underworld;it is the very signature
of the deadliestof the Ancient Ones.Yet this nethermost
of all the known planetswas not discovereduntil 1930-
two yearsafterthepublicationof "Call of Cthulhu"andfour
yearsafterits composition.How couldeventhemostskilled
astrologerhavepurposelydesignedthesechartsat a time
whenthezodiacalpositionof theirkey componentcouldnot
possiblyhavebeenknown?
Oddly, however,we do frrd referencesin the Mythos
literatureto "the darkplanetYuggoth"-occupying,asdoes
Pluto, the orbit next beyond Neptune's-fron which or
planet,it is said"wasfust colonized,but whichis now inhab
itedbythe crablikeFungi(rcmindingusof Plutoin C:ncer!).
Somemurky awareness of the planetwe now call Pluto
hadevidentlyseepeddown to mankindat sometime in the
di- pr"q but whetherit washometo thebuildersof R'lyeh,
or to someraceyet moreancient,we areleft to speculate.
One final questionremainsto be answeredbeforewe
close.What is the astrologicalsignificanceof the cycle on
whichthischartis based?Whatis thebasicidea-the arche-
type-tlnt is expressedby Sahrm& Pluto together?Ask
yourselfwhatwasthebasicideathatwasbeingexpressed in
WestemEuropein 1914-15by the trenchesand machine
guns;in EastemEuropeand American 1947by satellite
counEiesandnational-security acts?In eachoftheseyears,
SatumandPlutowerein conjunction-the mostfundamen-
tal phaseof a planetarycycle,whenthe ideaof the cycleis
most purely and potentlyexpressed. I will stateit bluntly:
The archetypethat confrontsus hereis the consolidation&
contol (=Satum)of masspower(=Pluto).
*Fhe] cult would neverdie till the starscameround
right again, and the secret priests would take great
Cthulhufrom His tomb to revive His subjectsandresume
His rule of earth. The time would be easyto know, for
thenmankindwould havebecomeasthe GreatOld Ones;
free andwild and beyondgod & evil, with laws & mor-
als thrown asideand all menshouting & killing & revel-
ling in joy. Thenthe liberatedOld Oneswould teachthem
new ways to shout & kill & revel & enjoy themselves,
and all the earthwould flame with a holocaustof ecstasy
& freedom."
I mentionedearlier that I had in the course of this
researchuncovereda sartling hisorical synchronicity,and
thatit wasbecause of thisdiscoverythatI feelour livesto be
in danger.Now,at theconclusionof this paper,I will reveal
to you just what this fearful coincidenceis that has,
snangely,gonehithertounnoticedby the investigativecom-
munity.I believettratit demonstrates the ruly awfrrlscope
and power of the cults that worshipthe high priest of the
greatstoneCity.
h April 1925,Adolf Hitler desiredto createanorganiza-
tion whoseexclusiveloyalty to himself could not be chal-
lenged.In that month,he instructedJuliusSchreck-an ex-
memberof the StosstnrppAdolf Hitler-to form a new
bodyguard,and in the month of lvlay 1925 this became
knownasthe Schutzstaffel, subsequently abbreviatedss.
April 1925...lessthan2 monthsaftertherisingof R'lyeh
andtheprojectionof thehideousandteniffing dreamsof its
masterinto thefeveredmindsof theartistsof anrmsuspect-
ing world. Hitler fanciedhimselfsomethingof an artist,...
andSchreckis the Germanword for "terror."
Investigatorsinto the oufe' and bizane have always
been hauntedby the shadowof the legendary'Men in
Black" I, too, believeftat I haveglimpsedthem hovering
unobtrusivelyat the edgesof my conversationswith my
advisorand doctoralcommittee.The Men in Black have
alwaysbeenassumedto be govemmentagents.But I must
ask of whosegovemment? T

I The Call of Cthulhu"manuscriptpublishedFeb. 1928in Weirdlales magazineby H.P lovecraft,the exeqrtorof the estated Francis
WaylandThurston,Esq.This andall subsequentquotationsare,unlessoherwisenoted,fromthis ms.
2 Necronomicon (Deeedition).Note:Thispassageisalso quotedin H.P Lovecraft's&A. Derleth'sThefu*er att16 Threffi.
3 Jean-LouisBrau,HefenWeaver,& AllanEdmands,LatoussrEncycl@h of Astdqy, NewYork l.lewAmedcanUbrary,1947.
4 Eventhe nameof the mostprominentstar in the constellationPisoesis singularlyapt. Fomalhaut{rom the Arabic'Fumal Huf or'Moutr
of he Fish"-is describedinlhe Nwronombm as the dominionof the AncientOneClhugha.ln the R'lyehchanil [s at 2 Pises 44, alrnost
conjunciwiththe apexof the ElderSign.'Mouthof the Fish",indeed!Gapingmawlrculd be moreappropriaie.
5 The Four Elementsare recapitulated in the componentsof the "breaking"sign:Venus(Earth)in Aquarius(Air)opposingNeptuns
Water) in Leo(Fke).
6 Necronomicsr, (Wormius edition),p. 32.
7 Notealsothatthe Sunis in theeighthhouse,themeaningof whichis equivalent to thatof thesignScorpio.
8 Eruditehorror-moviefanswill no doubtfondlyrecallthe retrogradeSatumin the film, fexas CharhsawMassacre.
9 Necronqnicott(Wormiusedition),alsoquotedin H.P.Lovecraft,TheDunwichHonoraN Others,ArkharnHouse,SeventhCorrected
Edition,p. 170.
lO Pladduscusps:
2ndHouse- 3 Virgo24,Neptune- 20 Leo41
8th House- 3 Pisces24,Venus- 26 Aquarius18
I I LetterdatedFeb.15, 193t1,in H.P.Lovecraft,Se/ecfedLelfers/V, SaukCity,Wl: ArkhamFlouse,p. 1534.
| 2 Myadvisorpointsoutthatthe aspectscouldhavebeendrawnto theascendantalone,followingthe practiced manyasfrdoger whotreat
the anglesin the sameway as planetarypositions.Eluteven if tris werelhe case,it r,rouldbe an astonishingcoinciderrcethat Plutoalso
happensto havebeenin thatexactsameposition.
 I

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m0
"M1 identity ... is br.oilderingly cloudy. I
seemto haoesufferedu grertt -rhocb--
perhapsfrom somemonstroas oatgroath of
my qcles of unique, incredible expeience.
Theseqcles of expeience,of course,all
sternfrorn tltat roonn-riddled book. I
rememberaften I foand it -- in a dinly
lighnd place near the blact, oily rit:er where
the nists a/@)(tys sw:id. That place rDasoery
old, and theceiling-high shelaes full of
rotting oolamesnached bacl endlessly
through the oindooles.r inner room'r anrl
n/cottes.Tiere w;ere,besir/es,gna t fo nn less
heapsof bools on thefloor and in crude
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found the t/ring. I nner leamed its ritle,for
t/n early page.ruteremissing; but itfell open
toanrrl theend anrl grnsernea glitnpse of
somethingahiclt*''!ii
li);J,l1 u
CALL OF CTHULHU and its
supPlements have won
dozens of awards from the
game industrY. Editions
include French, Finnish'
German, ltalianr JaPaneset
and SPanish-
idr 5 1 8 9 5 >
ililililIil1
uililililffirul
0692-2337CH1
rsBN 0-933635-88-5
The Taste
of Ashes
THE IAIE 3oth CENTURY a tirne wracked by violence,
racisrn, AIDS, drug abuse, and all-consurning fear' Hollow
offer ernptyprornises of abright future -- a
politicials
thousand points oflightwhich none celn see.
That which is greater than mankind hrrks beyond the
rirn of hurnal consciousness, patiently watchittg, waiting
to asstrrne comrnand of our destiny. Preying uponthe
fearful, the hateful, and the hated, darkthoughts and
emotions are set freeto prowl the ean1"t,,taking what they
will, wherethey wil1, and as theywill. We cower in our
homes, quaking behind the false seculity of tall fences,
-- the stars
locked. doors, and television. But to no avail
are right and cannotbe denied.
Azcltholh + Crhugher + Dcroloth
Ghrorh + Y'golonctc + Yog-Sorhoth
Tlrese arethevoices heardbythosewhose fears have led
thern to the brink of rnadness, and beyond. TT{E STARS
ARE RIGHT! contains seven rnodern-day adventures that
explore the pit of rnan's fears and the darlaress of his soul'
CALL OF CTHULHUis a roleplaying game basedon
H'P. the
Lovecraft,
the novels and short storiesof
founderof modernhorror'In thisgame,ordinary
peopleare confrontedby the terrifyingbeingsand
forcesof the CthulhuMythos.Playersportray
investigatorsof thingsunknownand unspeakable'
workingto savehumankindand the worldfroma
dismalfuture.
.(cau oF CTHULHU
[#2336]