The Eyes of a Stranger

Details

Sacraments of Evil

Pages: 25

Author(s): Scott David Aniolowski

Artist(s): John T. Snyder, Tom Kalichack (maps)

Setting: 1890s

Appears in: Sacraments of Evil

Summary

A fashionable party and an apparently fruitless seance lead the investigators through a web of murder.

Links

• Stephen O\'Brien's Sacraments of Evil review on RPG.net
• Sacraments of Evil review on YSDC

Spoilers - Keepers Eyes Only

Players should not read any further.

Synopsis

 Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)
In 1888, London entrepreneur John Bidwell brings a mysterious crystal cube from a business trip to Australia. The cube is, in fact, a device designed by the inhabitants of Yekub to swap minds with other life forms so they could explore and invade other worlds. After Bidwell's mind is traded by one of the Yekubians, he becomes more and more marveled with what he sees and learns by worshipping Juk-Shabb, the God of Yekub. Meanwhile, on Earth the Yekubian controlling Bidwell's body makes contact with a Chinese criminal group called the Si-Fan, linked to the famous criminal Fu Manchu, making plans to bring more Yekubians to London - an alien invasion.

However, before being able to complete its plan, the Yekubian starts losing control over Bidwell's body and, after being trapped in an asylum for a few months, is pulled back to Yekub. Back to earth on his own body, John Bidwell becomes obsessed with returning to Yekub, turning to the occult as a way to find answers. Investigators enter the scene when Bidwell organize a séance during a fancy party. What appears to be a failed attempt is, actually, very effective, resulting in the minds of Bidwell and the Yekubian being swapped again. Now, while the alien mind jumps from one body to another, trying to contact the Si-Fan, investigators must follow a trail of death, dealing with a freemason conspiracy and the Scotland Yard, and stop the Yekubian invasion.

References

Player Handouts:

• Excerpts from John Bidwell's Journal;
• Mythos tome passage;
• Letter from Fu Manchu.

Locations: London, England.

Creatures: Inhabitants of Yekub, Juk-Shabb.

Tomes and Artifacts: Pnakotic Manuscripts, Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan.

Comments

The following data is included for use in this scenario but may also be useful somewhere else:

• A detailed map of the Limehouse district and environs;
• Rules for coach chase;
• Complete description with statistics for the Great Old One Juk-Shabb;
• Complete description with statistics for the Inhabitants of Yekub;
• Statistics for 8 Chinese thugs.

The scenario contains two new spells:

• Identify Spirit creates a magical powder which, when sprinkled over a human, temporarily exposes any alien entities inhabiting the person's body or mind.
• Imprision Mind destroys an entity's ability - magical or natural - to switch minds or possess other beings, or in any other way leave the body it is currently in.

There is also an optional rule allowing the investigators to learn these spells at an accelerated rate in order to conclude the scenario successfully.

Keeper Comments

While not part of a campaign per se, this adventure is connected to other scenarios in the book through a series of NPCs, and can be used as a tie for a gaslight-era mini-campaign They are: Wealthy shipping magnate Nigel Stander (The Scuttling) and retired Colonel Albert Hardwicke (Plant Y Daear) appear as attendees in John Bidwell's party. Scotland Yard's Inspector Martin Cleveland and Detective Sergeant John Craig are also responsible for the investigation of a series of murders in Signs Writ in Scarlet.