Thursday 20th December 1923

This scene sees the Alpha Squad fragment under the pressure of the Byakhee's on going attacks. Falcone goes AWOL and seeks help from Frank Hedges, only to find he has committed suicide. In Manhattan the police detectives begin their investigation in earnest and Siobhan runs to the investigators for help.

Opening Events

New York City

• After the police visit her tenement apartment in the morning, Siobhan is on the run `- paranoid they are after her and suffering flash backs of the Byakhee attack.
• Immediately following the visit Detective Hyatt has a run in with Theo and gets a black eye before Theo disappears. He stops in at the Sugar Cane Club before heading out of town for a week or two to lay low.

Pennywell

• Over night the Byakhee has raised a number of Zombies from the Gypsies killed in the original incident, using the Call Flesh of Hastur spell.
• The Byakhee and Zombies go after Frank Hedges.
• Sensing their approach Frank shot himself before they could take him.
• In the barracks Falcone over hears Sarek discussing his plans with Cooper. When he realises he is going to be the bait in the trap he sneaks from the base.
• Now AWOL Falcone runs to Hedges Cottage hoping for help from Frank. When he discovers Frank dead he gets blind drunk.

Course of Events

Siobhans Return

Siobhan discharges herself from hospital on the morning of Wednesday 19th before the Alpha Squad can pick her up. She returns home in a very shaky state suffering from depression and anxiety following the traumatic events she has witnessed. In particular she continues to be badly effected by the sight of the Byakhee due to her photographic memory. She will now draw the Byakhee and obsess over it. When the police call to check on her, her paranoia takes over and once Gloria has sent them away, she runs.

Siobhans Sketch

• Siobhan will take the sketch of the Byakhee, pack a few things in a small bag and rush from the apartment.
• She will track down the investigator she most connected with during the attack at the hotel. Keepers can assume she is resourceful enough to find the character. Alternatively Keepers may prefer to prompt the investigators to find Siobhan at her apartment, where she could ask for their help there.
• She will rush up to them, grasp their arm and beg for help. "Please, you've got to help me, there coming for me."
• "The demon that took Robert (Williamson), I can hear it, in the shadows, behind the clouds `- its still here." When the investigators enquire about the demon with shaking hands she will pass them her sketch of the Byakhee.
• At an opportune time she will look past the investigators and gasp, wide eyed she will scramble away from some phantom vision and faint.
• Observant investigators will notice the stains from the blackwater under her fingernails and in her hair. Keepers may wish to require spot hidden rolls to notice. If she can be convinced to wash thoroughly the hallucinations will not return. If not she will continue to have visions and faint intermittently (every d10 hours).
• She will recover consciousness after d6 x 10 minutes. A successful psychoanalysis roll will help to stabilise Siobhans fragile state (doubling the time to her next vision).
• Once recovered she will ask the investigators to help her hide as she fears the creature will return.
• She believes the military and police are somehow plotting with the creatures. Any investigator previously having made a successful psychoanalysis roll will be able to confirm her paranoia is a response to the trauma of the attack, and unlikely to be true.
• To convince the investigators to help she will explain what Williamson had told her on the night of the attack.
  • That he had a nightmare / a premonition that something evil was coming for him.
  • She had laughed it off but he seemed serious. He said he'd done something terrible once and now it was coming time for him to pay for it. But he wouldn't say what.
  • He said one of his old army buddies had called today, he'd seen something too. Warned him to get out of town while he could.
  • "And that's what he planned to do. Ask me to come with him, start over, maybe Chicago or even California. Said I'd think about it .. but then the thing came for him. Never got to tell him yes" `- sobs.

Astute investigators will be able to get a range of additional information from Siobhan if they think to ask;

• She knows Williamsons address in Queens having been there on two occasions. She will share some details `- including recalling he has photos of when he was in the Army and a medal he received.
• Williamsons army buddy who called was named Frank.
• He said his tattoo was to "ward of the bloody gypsies".

The investigators have a number of options for dealing with Siobhan. If the investigators are genuine (or at least appear to be) in there concern / plans for her, she will consider whatever they suggest;

• Commit her Bellevue or another sanatorium. If the investigators are prepared to pay for private treatment Siobhan can receive the latest (by 1920's standards) therapy and will make a full recovery over a period of three months.
• Bring her with them. She will happily stay with them but is likely to cause awkward situations. She will offer herself to male investigators as a way of thanking them for their help. Also she is still prone to bouts of paranoia and fainting. If faced with the Byakhee or Zombie she will have a complete breakdown.
• Leave her at an Investigators home or with friends. She will agree but as above is likely to cause trouble. It should dawn on the investigators fairly quickly she needs professional treatment to recover from the trauma of the hotel attack.
• Turn her into the Police. This will require a successful persuade roll to get Siobhan to agree, as her still believes they are involved somehow. The detectives will be happy to take her off the investigators hands, and after questioning arrange for her treatment at Bellevue, where she will be committed.
• Turn her over to the Army to Detox. This will also require a successful persuade roll to get Siobhan to agree, as her believes they are involved somehow. Contacting the base is a difficult process but keepers can assume if the investigators offer to turn over Siobhan, then Sarek will send a car to pick her up with a couple of Alpha Squad members.

Falcones Call for Help

By late afternoon Falcone has sobered a little and realises he cannot simply wait it out at the Cottage. He heads into Pennywell and uses the telephone at the Crown and Cross to call the investigators for help. Although Harold thinks it is strange that Falcone isn't using the telephone on the base, he is happy to help him.

• Falcone will ask for each of the investigators from the directory, and call them one by one until he reaches them `- and they agree to help. Observant investigators will notice his breathing is heavy and voice is a slurred. Falcone is not the most intelligent or articulate man (especially after a few) but he is very motivated, and knows his time is running out. Keepers may use various hooks to motivate the investigators;
  • Any previous Mythos knowledge the investigators have could have been uncovered by Sarek during the detox procedure. Falcone will assume they know how to deal with this sort of situation.
  • Any reporters, private investigators or particularly inquisitive investigators can be prompted with getting the 'whole story'. Potentially the biggest scope of the decade.
  • Any academics or occult buffs can be prompted with a chance to learn more about what Falcone calls the winged demon. "I've got Franks book `- its got it all right here, all about this nightmare."
  • Those likely to need monetary motivation can be prompted with a chance to bag (or even photograph) a winged monster unlike any creature on earth. "Its got to be worth a fortunate `- that's if you help me kill this thing."
  • And those solely worried about their own skin can be prompted by Falcone telling them the creature is hunting down the survivors of its last rampage. He knows about the tainted water and how the investigator was affected by it `- do they think the creature wont come back for them?
• Falcone will ask the investigators join him at Hedges Cottage in Pennywell, he'll provide directions. Assuming the characters are in Manhattan, the earliest they could make it to Pennywell is dusk.

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Night Falls at Hedges Cottage

Plan of Hedges Cottage

Cottage Frank lives in the isolated cottage to the south west of town, accessible from the main road. A simple single story house, it is damp and run down. Raised a foot off the frozen wintry ground, a small person (size < 8) could squeeze underneath.

The front door is shut but not locked, opening into a lounge area. It is sparsely filled with a table and three plain chairs. A more comfortable lounge chair is towards the rear of the room, near a pot belly stove (the chair is facing the rear of the room away from the front door). The stove has the dying remains of a fire in it, so the room is cool but not cold.

Slumped over the table in Falcone, still in his uniform. He is drunk, a whiskey bottle with a quarter inch left in it sits on the table beside him. Anyone investigating the rear of the room (or going to the kitchen) will need to make a sanity roll, 0 / d3, when they see the corpse of Frank Hedges. He is sitting in the chair facing the pot belly stove and has shot himself in the head. The pistol, a service revolver, is on the floor beside him.

Suicide Note

On the table under the whiskey bottle is Franks suicide note;

The names at the top refer to Benjamin Falcone, Robert (Bob) Williamson and Ike Dryden, the members of the Alpha Squad - with the exception of Sarek.

The Notebook

In Franks dead hand is a notebook, written in his own crabby handwriting, it contains;

• List of reference books, material & deeds he has investigated. Occult & historical.
• List of libraries visited in the state over the years.
• List of translated names, scripts and symbols. In English the names includes The Beast, Star Steed, Byakhee and the Unnameable.
• A few notes on the creature;
  • Feed on blood
  • Weakest at dusk
  • Holy water is of no effect
• Astrological annotations and transcriptions including a chart of dates for the zenith of a particular constellation `- Aldebarren. The next zenith is following evening.
• The last section of the note book is a lengthy transcription in Latin of words and actions. Even to a casual glance it appears confused? Upon closer examination it could a ritual or spell?

Keepers are free to use the spell in the last section as they see fit. Perhaps something quickly translated to help against the Byakhee or alternatively a useful plot hook for further scenarios.

The Dead Walk

A Gypsy Zombie Attacks

While the investigators are searching the cottage and trying to wake up Falcone (they will be unsuccessful), Zombies raised by the Byakhee will move in. Crossing the open fields in front of the cottage in the darkness they are difficult to see. Only investigators standing guards or watching from the windows should make spot hidden rolls. If spotted the group have a minute to prepare for the attack on the cottage.

The Undead TAB(zombies) attack and attempt to flush Falcone out of the Cottage, dragging him if necessary. Two attack from the front drawing attention, the third from the rear - or underneath the cottage.

The Zombies are difficult to destroy but are susceptible to fire, especially given their general slow movement. Investigators who get into trouble should be able to out run them, hence the sneak attack from behind by the third Zombie.

Attacking with their rusty blades to begin with the Zombies will quickly revert to biting, attempting to feast on the investigators flesh. Any bite wound received will need to be cleaned thoroughly to avoid a blackwater / fungus infection. An infection of this kind will result in nightmare visions (SAN loss 0/1 per night) progressively getting worse. Keepers should feel free to decide the further effects of the infection.

Revenge of the Byakhee

The Byakhee Swoops Down

Soon after the Zombie's attack, Major Sarek will arrive, looking for Falcone. He has been trying to track down Falcone for hours and believes he might be hiding out with Hedges.

Driving to the front of the cottage he will be shocked to find the investigators battling with the Zombies. He'll step from the car and let off a few wild shots from his pistol - investigators in close combat with the Zombies should make Luck rolls to avoid the risk of being shot. Any investigator near to him may hear "No, not again, we killed you bastards already!"

The Byakhee has been waiting until now high above the scene but upon seeing Sarek will abandon its plans for Falcone and swoop down. Completely distracted the Major doesn't see the attack coming and is snatched up by the Byakhee. Shrieking he is pulled into the air and his throat is torn open - a rain of blood cascading down on his car. Any investigator witnessing the attack should make a sanity check 2 / 2d4. This roll is for witnessing both Sarek's death and the appearance of the Byakhee.

The Byakhee will disappear into the night with the Majors corpse. Once the Byakhee has retreated the Zombies will withdraw if the investigators stop attacking them.

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The Aftermath

Hedges Cottage is not so remote that gun shots would go unnoticed by the Pennywell locals. Investigators can assume it will be simply a matter of time before people come to see what has been going on. However the group will have no problem leaving unseen, Police will not be on the scene for over two hours.

Falcone Sobers Up

Falcone will recover after an hour and although hung-over will waste no time convincing the investigators to help him `- refer to Falcones Call For Help.

He will happily tell the investigators the full story, as long as they agree to help him. After filling the group in on the original incident, their premonitions, the squads recent activities and Sareks planned trap - he'll make a point of mentioning Dr Cooper.

"That sly bastards in charge now, don't know what he'll do with the Major being dead and all but we'd best keep out of his way. The slimy git would sell his own grandmother for a handful of quarters `- he'll hang me up if he has half a chance."

Falcone will suggest they find somewhere to hold up until sun rise, when they can prepare and "Then its time to settle up with that bloody demon once and for all."

The Fall Out

Hedges Cottage is crawling in police within two hours. Officially a murder scene (Frank), the only leads they have will be the Majors car `- and anything the investigators may have left behind. There will be no reliable evidence of anything unnatural, as the Zombie corpses will decay within a few minutes once killed.

The military response is less swift but once Colonel Dobbins is informed by Dr Cooper of the Majors disappearance, he orders MPs move in. They work rather poorly with the NYPD and with the jurisdiction unclear by morning the investigations are dead locked.

With little to go on both the Police and MPs turn to the obvious suspect and by midday there is warrant for Falcone, for questioning in relation to the death of Frank Hedges and suspected murder of Major Sarek.

Despite the additional attention in Pennywell, the investigators will have no issue entering and leaving the village `- it is only the cottage that is closed.