The Haunting of the House of Crum
Page 2
45. A bag of 100 silver coins, worth $1, each appears on the floor.
46. Flora appears and begins to flirt with one of the male PCs. Roll 1d—that many Rounds later, Johnny will appear and attack the object of Flora’s affections. She will join in this attack with glee.
47. William clomps loudly through the area. His spectral shoes appear to be covered in mud, which he tracks onto the ground. Shortly after he steps forward, he looks down, notices the mess he is making and curses to himself. He looks at the characters and says, “The Master will not like this one bit” before disappearing.
48. Johnny enters the area, armed with a cleaver. He asks the characters if they have seen Flora and “that bastard.” If they hesitate to answer or question him, he begins to accuse them of “trying to hide the truth from me,” after which he attacks.
49. A water damaged book is found. The book is missing many pages and the handwriting inside is often smeared. However, it is clearly Crum’s journal. The legible pages of the journal—all near the end—talk about Crum’s looking forward to seeing the “latest pair of negroes” whom Delany has brought to the estate. He hopes that they might prove useful in his experiments.
50. Henry wanders around nearby, as if searching for something. He is missing one of his shoes and asks the characters if they have seen it. If they have and can direct him toward its location (or, better yet, give it to him), he will reward them by answering truthfully any one question they have about the estate. The GM should bear in mind that Henry has the mind of a child and Crum shielded him from many of the worst aspects of the place.
51. A piece of crumpled paper appears on the ground. If read, it is revealed to be a page from Crum’s journal in which he rants at length about his boredom and how he wishes to be entertained. He then lists several mundane activities in which he has recently engaged that he hoped might do so—reading, going riding, visiting a nearby town, etc.—but that have failed to hold his attention. He then intimates that he might need to look elsewhere for diversion.
52. Friday calls to the characters from behind the closest door, asking them to unlock it. The characters will find the door unlocked, despite Friday’s claims. If the door is opened, he thanks the characters before heading away from them, muttering about how he will have to report Bruce and Brice’s tomfoolery to the Master. If there are no doors nearby, nothing happens.
53. Betty Jo offers the characters some sweets from a bag that she pulls from her apron. If the characters do not accept her offer, she attacks them. If they do accept, she will wait until one or more of them have consumed the sweets before leaving. Each character who consumes one must make a successful roll at -1d. Those who fail suffer nausea for the next 1d Turns, which exacts a -2d penalty on all actions; those who succeed gain a +2d bonus to all actions for the same duration.
54. Any Player Characters slain in the estate thus far are reanimated. (Repeatable)
55. Nothing happens—the Player Characters get lucky this time. (Repeatable)
56. Crum briefly manifests as a ghostly apparition of himself as a child (see area G17 for a description), points at a random character, and laughs before he fades away. (Repeatable)
57. The characters hear a woman scream. (Repeatable)
58. Fresh blood drips from a nearby wall and pools on the floor. (Repeatable)
59. A broom, rake, shovel, or other similar implement springs to life briefly and smacks a nearby character on the head. The implement deals a Moderate, Fleeting Condition with each hit and continues to attack (as if it has Melee: 3; Athletics: 3 and Flight) until it is destroyed. (Repeatable)
60. A skeleton assembles out of a nearby pile of bones and attacks the characters. The skeleton is a Capoeirista and has Melee: 6; Athletics: 5. (Repeatable)
61. Crum briefly manifests as a ghostly apparition of himself as an adult (see area G17 on the ground level for a description), stares intently at a random character and sighs deeply, before he fades away. (Repeatable)
62. Crum briefly manifests as a ghostly apparition of himself as a youth (see area G17 on the ground level for a description), and lunges at a random character with a spectral sword, which passes right through her, before he fades away. (Repeatable)
63. Any sources of illumination the characters are carrying (torches, lanterns, etc.) flicker for a moment and then go out. (Repeatable)
64. The characters hear the baying of a dog or wolf. (Repeatable)
65. Greenish slime drips from the ceiling onto the floor. The slime is harmless and leaves no permanent stains on either the ceiling or the floor. If outdoors, nothing happens. (Repeatable)
66. A nearby painting falls off the wall. Reroll if outdoors. (Repeatable)
The Barrier
The most immediate effect of the estate’s curse is the magical barrier that encloses it. The barrier is a three-dimensional cube that covers the entirety of the estate and its grounds. The barrier is semi-permeable, allowing free entrance through it into the estate’s grounds, but preventing all egress (by any means, whether physical or magical) until the curse is lifted. This means that it neutralizes the functioning of any spell or other special ability that would enable movement beyond the barrier (though Crum enjoys seeing the characters attempt to escape).
Once on the estate’s grounds beyond the maze, characters are free to move about as they wish. This means that they may travel inside and outside the estate without any difficulty. The only movement that is completely prohibited is movement outside the barrier. Characters attempting to do so by, for example, climbing over the wall surrounding the grounds or walking out of the hedge maze will discover a hard but invisible wall of magical energy. Touching this wall does no harm to the character, but hitting it with any ordinary implement, including weapons, results in the item being shattered (and a roll on the Random Events table).
The Household Staff
During his lifetime, Crum employed a large number of servants, some of whom lived on the grounds of the estate itself. Many of those servants can still be found here, albeit no longer alive in the usual sense. Each is now a unique type of undead creature.
Using the Household Staff
Many of the estate’s staff can only be encountered as a result of random rolls on the Random Event table. Consequently, it is important that the GM familiarize himself with the descriptions above in order to use these unique undead beings to their fullest when the dice indicate their appearance. Most of the estate’s keyed areas are devoid of permanent inhabitants. Indeed, many of them are largely empty of anything of real interest, which is why the household staff plays such a vital role in keeping the adventure compelling.
To varying degrees, the household staff all labor under the effects of the curse that binds Crum’s consciousness to the estate. This has not only preserved them in their undead state, it has also twisted their minds and reduced most of them to insanity.
The unpredictability of the household staff is important, since it contributes to the lack of safety the Player Characters ought to feel while inside the estate. With few exceptions, there is no way of determining that a servant you met earlier will react the same way the next time you encounter him or her. Some players may find this frustrating, and they should. The estate is a frustrating, maddening place, especially in the beginning, before they have had a chance to explore it and gain some inkling of what is going on and how they might manipulate the situation to their advantage. Until then, they should feel they have been thrown headlong into a sinister, chaotic funhouse.
Mingo – Land Steward
In life, Mingo was responsible for managing Crum’s properties outside the walls of his estate. He also collected the rents from sharecropping farmers who lived on Crum’s lands and made use of his fields. This position was extremely prestigious and he considered himself a gentleman of means rather than a mere household servant. Consequently, he was not well-liked by most of the other members of Crum’s staff, especially the maids and butlers, who considered him s
nobbish and aloof. Crum himself was not overly fond of him either, but continued to retain his services because he was very good at his job and devoted all of his time to it. Eventually, though, Mingo spoke ill of Afrodil in Crum’s presence and that was enough to sign his death warrant. Crum slew him with his sword and reanimated him later, but sewed his lips shut so that he might never again utter a word against Afrodil. Even in undeath, his lips remain sewn.
Melee: 2; Will: 3.
Chantillion – Stableman
Chantillion was fourteen when he entered Crum’s service. He was the son of tenants who hoped that he might make a better life for himself by working in the lord’s service. Their hopes were somewhat misplaced, as Chantillion was a slacker and a shirker, which did little to endear him to anyone, least of all Delany the stable master.
His lackadaisical attitude toward his work eventually resulted in his not having Crum’s preferred riding horse (named Penumbra) available in time for an important journey he was about to undertake. In retribution, the master branded him with a hot iron until he died from the pain and shock. He still bears the scars of that torture even in death.
Melee: 1; Will: 1.
Betty Jo – Housekeeper
Betty Jo had been in the service of the Speck family for decades. Crum remembered her fondly from his childhood, when she would often sneak him sweets from the kitchen, despite the disapproval of his parents and teachers. She doted on him, praising his good looks and fine intelligence, feeding Crum’s ego and encouraging him to believe that he could get anything he wanted, because he was, after all, the Master of the estate.
When Betty Jo died at an advanced age, Crum deeply missed her. One of the few times he can remember actually praying to God was when he asked that Betty Jo be restored to life like Lazarus of Bethany in the Gospel of St. John. When this did not happen as he asked, it only confirmed to him that God was, at best, a myth or, at worst, impotent. Regardless, he had no need for belief in Him. When Crum committed suicide and his consciousness was bound to the estate, he found he could call Betty Jo’s ghost from beyond the grave and she has served here ever since.
Melee: 1; Will: 3.
Friday – House Steward
Friday was responsible for all household purchasing, as well as for hiring, firing, and paying the staff. Though not as lofty a position as that of land steward, it was nevertheless important and Friday took pride in it. He also possessed an extraordinary memory, making him very good at his job. Friday had a longstanding rivalry with Mingo—a rivalry that Crum subtly encouraged by telling each of his servants about the latest slight or unkind word the other had spoken. Most often this resulted merely in arguments, but occasionally it would lead to fistfights.
Friday was very loyal to Crum and remained in his service until he died of fever. Consequently, he was one of the first servants whom Crum reanimated. Unfortunately, the effects of the fever—paralysis—remained even after death and Friday moves somewhat slowly and stiffly. In addition, his face is grotesquely contorted by rigor, which impairs his ability to speak clearly.
Melee: 1; Will: 3.
Alfred – Valet
Alfred was Crum’s valet, responsible for dressing him, laundering his clothes, and accompanying him on journeys outside the estate. Unsurprisingly, he developed a high opinion of himself and lorded it over other members of the staff, especially Tilda and Lucy Mae, from whom he often demanded sexual favors in exchange for the additional monetary compensation he received from the Master as he undertook his duties.
In life, Alfred was a strong, stocky man with a hearty appetite. Crum took advantage of this by ensuring that he partook of Johnny’s “special” meals, which ultimately resulted in his current state. He is now a ravenous nigh immortal mockery of his former self.
Melee: 2; Physique: 5; Will: 4.
Henry – Page
Henry was an orphaned peasant boy who came to the estate begging for food. Though Friday initially sought to turn him away, Crum thought otherwise, seeing in the boy an opportunity to mold the child’s mind in his own image. The Master “adopted” the boy and intended to corrupt him by initiating him into all his depraved activities. However, Crum never did so for reasons he was never able to explain, and he instead protected and cared for Henry, shielding him from the evil that was going on in the estate to the best of his abilities.
Henry died when he was ten years old after a fall from the window of the Observatory. Crum sincerely mourned his death and continued to ponder why it was that he had such affection for the boy. After Crum committed suicide, he found that Henry’s consciousness lingered about the estate as well.
Will: 4.
Johnny – Chef
Johnny was Crum’s chef and a close collaborator with his master. A cruel, jealous man, Johnny killed a fellow servant whom he had caught spying on Flora while she bathed. He then chopped up the servant’s body and fed it to the Master’s dogs. Crum discovered this, but rather than being angry, he lauded Johnny for his actions and asked if his chef would be willing to make meals of human meat if he provided it for him.
Johnny readily agreed.
Johnny was a tall, skinny man in life. He and his wife, Flora, regularly argued with one another, but he loved her in an angry, possessive way. He never consumed any of the cannibalistic meals he prepared. His consciousness was called back from the Beyond by Crum.
Melee: 2; Will: 2.
Bruce & Brice – 1st & 2nd Butlers
Bruce was tall, handsome, and charming—qualities that made him perfect for his duties as a butler, which consisted of greeting guests, opening doors, and serving meals, as well as occasionally accompanying Crum on his journeys outside the estate. In these duties, he was assisted by his younger twin brother Brice.
Bruce made the most unfortunate mistake of seducing Afrodil and taking her virginity, a sacrilege for which the sentence was death. Enraged upon finding this out, Crum cleaved Bruce’s head in two with an axe and then raised him from the dead to continue his duties. Not long afterward, Crum decided that, because the twin butlers no longer “matched,” he had no choice but to inflict the same fate on Brice, who now looks exactly like his older twin.
Melee: 5; Physique: 3; Will: 3.
William – Gardener
William maintained the gardens outside the estate, which seemed to be his only true interest. Indeed, William seemed to take little notice of much of anything else, preferring to spend his time outside (even at night), working in the dirt and mud in order to ensure that the Master’s home was as beautiful as possible. For that reason, he lacked social niceties or concern for his own appearance, much to the chagrin of the other servants, who were always cleaning up after him when he entered the estate.
In life, William was a small, balding man of advanced years. When he died, he was buried in the garden, under his beloved rose bushes (area M13). Crum called to his consciousness after he committed suicide and his incorporeal form answered.
Melee: 1; Will: 2.
Tobias – Estate Manager
Tobias was the highest ranking of Crum’s servants proper. He kept the other servants working according to their schedules and ensured that things ran smoothly so as not to elicit the ire of the Master. He was very good at his job and well-compensated for it, but he was never comfortable with his employment. Unlike most of the staff, Tobias was a devout Catholic who attended Mass daily and prayed intently for the conversion of Crum’s heart.
Crum kept Tobias around, because it amused him to taunt and mock him and his beliefs. He even hoped that he might eventually break him, but it never occurred and Tobias remained steadfast in his faith. Annoyed by this, Crum slew Tobias with his sword in the Chapel and then raised him from the dead in that very room, using it to once more sneer at Tobias’s faith. The estate manager still bears the wounds from his death on his body. As estate manager, he carries with him a large key that enables him to open the doors to most rooms of the estate.
Melee: 2; Will: 4.
Tilda was a parlor maid, which meant that she was responsible for cleaning the various “outer” rooms of the estate (i.e. not living quarters, like bedrooms, etc.). This made her one of the lowest ranking members of the staff’s internal hierarchy, though this did not bother her. Tilda was a pretty but dull young woman who was simply happy to be employed in such a grand home. She was easily persuaded to do what others asked of her, especially Alfred, who frequently took advantage of her naïveté.
Like the valet, Tilda has become a bestial mockery of her former self. Her hair is a wild mess and her once attractive features are now contorted with a lust for human flesh, which she consumes in order to maintain her existence.
Melee: 3; Will: 2.
Delany – Stable Master
An unpleasant man who loved horses more than he loved people, Delany enjoyed bullying Chantillion and, for that matter, anyone else who got in his way. He was disliked by the rest of the estate staff and so rarely entered its halls. Instead, he preferred to rule over his little domain and curry favor with Crum by doing special errands for him, such as kidnapping negroes for use in his various experiments.
While alive, Delany was a large, strong-limbed nearly jet-black man with a red beard and mustache. He was missing one eye, which he had lost during his time as a soldier, but he did not wear an eye-patch or other covering, preferring to leave the empty socket visible for all to see. This no doubt contributed to the dislike the rest of the staff had for him.
Melee: 3; Physique: 3; Will: 3.
Flora – Kitchen Maid
Flora was the wife of Johnny, with whom she had a tempestuous relationship. She frequently berated and belittled him, in addition to behaving in a coquettish fashion while in the presence of other men. She enjoyed arousing her husband’s anger and often used it as a way to exact her revenge on others. More than once, she feigned interest in another servant, only to have Johnny beat (and, in one case, kill) him, much to her delight.