The Piper in the Darkness (A Short Trail of Cthulhu Scenario)
By Nook Harper
Overview
This adventure was written as a short ‘one shot’ introduction to the Trail of Cthulhu game, and was played through with three players in around two hours.
In this scenario, the player characters, or Investigators, are associated with the Miskatonic University in some way - students, graduates, lecturers, staff, professors or patrons etc - and are due to meet with the Head Librarian of Miskatonic University, Dr Henry Armitage, for an evening of discussion and debate.
Upon finding Armitage beaten and unconscious, the Investigators must retrieve items stolen from the University Library and foil a cults attempts at summoning an Outer God.
Horrible Truth
Cultists have broken into the Miskatonic University Library, assaulted Dr Armitage, and stolen some Pnakotic manuscripts, a Bone Flute and an African Bone Dagger.
The cultists intend to use the rituals within the manuscripts and the Bone Flute to summon a Servitor of the Outer Gods, which will, in turn, summon an Outer God.
They have taken the Bone Dagger as insurance, as it is enchanted and can be used to kill the servitor, should it turn on them.
Entry Scene
Office of Dr Henry Armitage, Head Librarian, Miskatonic University
5a_NPC_Library
Late evening, and the Investigators arrive at Dr Armitage’s office at his direct invitation.
They find the door to his office ajar, and the Doctor unconscious and badly beaten on the floor. His office has been visibly ransacked.
First Aid test, Difficulty 3, will revive Dr Armitage.
Once revived, the good Doctor is distressed and disoriented, and an Investigator must use Reassurance before he becomes coherent.
Dr Armitage tells them of hooded figures breaking into his study and assaulting him, searching his desk and shelves, stealing his master keys to the Library and then disappearing into the night.
He begs the Investigators to stop these mad men, as who knows what horrors they could unleash into this world if they were to find the books and artifacts they are undoubtedly searching for.
The Doctor asks the Investigators to go to the secure stores in the Library stacks, where the Mythos items are kept, and see what they have taken, and stop them.
Library Entrance
The Library doors are unlocked. Once inside, the Investigators quickly learn that the power has been cut, and that the only light they have is from their torches.
The entrance is being guarded by cultists, who are prepared to deal with interlopers in the most nefarious way possible.
Cultists
Hit Threshold = 3
Athletics 6, Health 6, Scuffling 6, Weapons 6
Dagger (Dam -1)
If a Cultist is taken alive, they can be interrogated.
Interrogation to learn that the Cult intends to summon an Outer God and usher in a new age of cosmic enlightenment. First they will summon a servant of their masters, who will then channel their prayers and entreat an Old One to walk this earth once more.
Spend 1 point to learn that the Bone Dagger is carved from the bones of a dead god.
Spend 2 points to learn that tonight is a cosmic alignment, and when the stars are right the ritual will be performed
Astronomy to know that a celestial alignment is due tonight, in approximately one hour.
Power Line, Library Basement
If the Investigators choose to restore power to the Library, they must locate the main power line in the basement.
The main power line has been cleanly cut with a blade. It is possible to jury rig a repair by bridging the gap between the two halves and securing the connection.
Electrical Repair (Diff 5) to repair. If the roll fails by two or more points, then the entire University campus is plunged into darkness, and the Investigator takes 1 - 6 points of Health damage. If the roll fails by just one point, then the connection is made, but the Investigator takes 1-4 points of damage (-2 dam).
Library Secure Stores, Library Basement
The shelves, cabinets and draws have all been ransacked. Books, manuscripts and objects are scattered across the floor and tables.
Library Use or Evidence Collection to determine what has been taken: Sections of a Pnakotic Manuscript. An ancient Bone Flute recovered from an Asian temple. An antique carved African Bone Dagger.
Occult to determine the seriousness of the Cultists intent, and the significance of the items stolen:
The Manuscript sections contain a summoning ritual.
The Flute is reputedly from a demon.
The Dagger was carried by warriors, and used to kill ghosts.
Random Cultist Attacks
Depending on how long the Investigators are taking, and how much damage you want them to take, throw in a random Cultist attack as required.
Cultists
Hit Threshold = 3
Athletics 6, Health 6, Scuffling 6, Weapons 6
Dagger (Dam -1)
If a Cultist is taken alive, they can be interrogated.
Interrogation to learn that the Cult intends to summon an Outer God and usher in a new age of cosmic enlightenment. First they will summon a servant of their masters, who will then channel their prayers and entreat an Old One to walk this earth once more.
Spend 1 point to learn that the Bone Dagger is carved from the bones of a dead god.
Spend 2 points to learn that tonight is a cosmic alignment, and when the stars are right the ritual will be performed
Astronomy to know that a celestial alignment is due tonight, in approximately one hour.
Library Stacks
The sound of Infernal Piping can be heard throughout the library, echoing between the shelves and corridors.
The Investigators catch a partial glimpse of the cultists chanting and performing their ritual on an upper floor. The lead Cultist is playing the Flute discordantly, in time to some maddening music within the Manuscripts.
Library 2
Occult to identify the ritual as a Summoning Ritual
The Investigators witness the arrival of a Servitor of the Outer Gods. The air folds impossibly, and from these maddening angles steps/scuttles/slithers a creature such as they have never seen before. A horror of limbs and tentacles and claws and teeth and mouths.
Stability test, Difficulty 4, potential Stability loss of 5, on seeing the Servitor appear.
The Servitor instantly attacks a Cultist, who dies screaming, slightly out of sight.
The lead Cultist begins chanting in an obscene tongue.
Occult to identify the ritual as a Binding ritual.
Spend of 1 Occult point to notice that the Bone Dagger is used to bind the Servitor.
Head Cultist / Servitor of the Outer Gods
By now it should be clear that the Investigators need to take the Bone Dagger from the lead Cultist and use it to kill or banish the Servitor.
This is easier said than done.
Servitor of the Outer Gods
Stats as presented in the Core Trail of Cthulhu book
Servitor of the outer gods
Head Cultist
Hit Threshold = 4
Athletics 8, Health 10, Weapons 6, Firearms 6
Bone Dagger (-1 Dam)
Luger Pistol (8 shots, +1 Dam)
Cultists
Hit Threshold = 3
Athletics 6, Health 6, Scuffling 6, Weapons 6
Dagger (Dam -1)
Notes on customisation
This scenario is pretty combat heavy, and most clues can be obtained by beating them out of a captured cultist.
In hindsight, I'd dispose of the bone dagger as a failsafe device. These are mad cultists. Should the Servitor eat them, so be it.
Even if you decide to keep it, note that it does minimal damage, and any investigator foolhardy enough to engage a Servitor in face to face combat is going to be eviscerated in short order.
Instead, have the investigators hurriedly scour the book stacks for a way to bind or dismiss the Servitor.
Summon/Bind Servitor on page 118 of Trail of Cthulhu will do nicely.
The Pnakotic Manuscripts that the cultists stole contain the spell, and must be retrieved from the ritual circle (and the custody of the cultists).
A Languages spend is required to translate the manuscripts into a serviceable ritual.
The investigators must then have to brave the Servitor, which will make a bee line for them once that begin casting.
