Actual Play: One in Darkness Part 2



Based on the adventure of the same name by Doug Lyons with L. N. Isynwill, contained in the Chaosium anthology The Great Old Ones.



[Note this writeup is a bit brief given the adventure was played several months ago.]

Setting:
Boston; Wednesday, April 20 - Thursday, April 21, 1921

Characters:


  • Earl Crowley - Antiquarian settled in Arkham
  • Jordaine Furst - Strasbourg-born Great War spy for France
  • Fredrick Tardiff - Great War veteran, Kingsport artist


Late in the night of the 20th, Crowley received the call that Eddie Clark had been spotted and rejoined his companions in apprehending him. After some severe questioning, they searched his flat and discovered it had records of a delivery to an abandoned brewery - perhaps where the Crimson Gang was hiding.

They made their plans to go to the hideout - with the knowledge that the Black Demon was searching for Malone as his ultimate target, they planned on using the tablets to bring the demon there - and then hopefully banish it.

While they did manage to get access to their hideout through guile, the encounter with the Black Demon was horrific. Furst, who had studied the banishing spell the most, was stricken mad by the horror as it tore through the Crimson Gang. Crowley and Tardiff fared little better, though their luck held out long enough to dodge the creature's attacks and for them to complete the spell, banishing the creature back from whence it came.

Furst recovered from her initial shock, though she would need time to recover fully . Crowley was a broken man and Tardiff realized his luck had just about run out and felt his days on the front lines were over.

Keeper Notes:

 This adventure was a lot more dangerous than I'd anticipated. At the end of it Furst had her first full bout with madness, Crowley was down to 1 sanity point, and Tardiff's luck was down to single digits. We decided to take a brief break from Call of Cthulhu after this as we ready for a game with Furst now moving from new character to grizzled veteran and Tardiff and Crowley moving to NPC/support status.


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