Nightmare In Silence
Details
Pages: 10-22
Author(s): Geoff Gillan
Artist(s): Earl Geier
Setting: Modern
Appears in: Blood Brothers 2
Summary
A scenario in the style of a classic silent film. The characters find themselves caught up in a carnival, and a dispute over the ownership of antique furniture. Soon, they learn of a string of sinister murders that has followed the carnival's progress throughout Europe.
Links
Spoilers - Keepers Eyes Only
Players should not read any further.
Synopsis
Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)
The carnival is home to the villainous Doctor Grimoire, the cause of all these problems. While travelling in Eastern Europe, he stole five antique cabinets with magical properties. Four of them open onto dimensions of incomprehensible dimensions, which can be used to answer questions, but are liable to drive insane anyone who enters. The last contains a clay servant. Grimoire uses it as part of his act, having it peer into the other cabinets to answer audience questions. However, if anyone asks when they will die, the servant announces "Tonight!" - and Grimoire ensures this comes true by sending the servant to strangle them. Each night, someone in the audience is desperate enough to ask the question.
The doctor resides in a sinister mansion, complete with a murderous butler who attempts to strangle visitors when he can catch them alone. It is riddled with secret passages. The cabinets are stored here when not in use.
To complicate matters, the original owner of the cabinets arrives - the vampire Count Vostok, who has already hired one of the characters to find his stolen property. As a villain, once he obtains all of Konrad's information, the Count naturally attempts to drink his blood (either killing him or making him a thrall).
Once confronted, Doctor Grimoire flees through his cabinets, until the characters capture or slay him. The Count, on the other hand, uses his own powers and an army of rats to fight back, while attempting to escape with the cabinets (and preferably, with a captured damsel).
References
Player Handouts: None.
Locations: Bremen, carnival, sinister mansion, plagued ship
Creatures: Magog the Golem, rats.
Tomes and Artifacts: Four Secret Closets, Magicks of Old Prague.
Comments
A fairly scripted scenario, including specific scenes intended to mimic the style of silent horror films - however, it does include branches to reflect players' actions. The final outcome is somewhat open-ended, with the possibility of a follow-up encounter, or the characters ending up in possession of the cabinets; either would give the Keeper plenty to work with.
Keeper Comments
The scenario expects some outcomes to be determined by narrative effect, not by rolling; this includes when enemies can be defeated or captured, having PCs knocked out automatically in combat, blocking certain actions, and so on. Keepers may want to review this carefully and consider how their group will feel about that approach.
