Call of Cthulhu - 1920s - Night Terrors of Joseph Pidulski

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THE NIGHT TERRORS OF

JOSEPH PILDULSKI

A 1920s Call of Cthulhu adventure for


3-6 players
By Neal G. Jesse
The Night Terrors of Joseph
Pidulski copyright 2021 by Neal G.
Jesse.

Call of Cthulhu is a Trademark of


Chaosium, Inc. and is used with
their permission via the OBS
Community Content Program. For
more information please visit
Chaosium’s website:
www.chaosium.com

The Miskatonic Repository Logo is


used under license.

This is a work of ction. The names


of personalities, places, and events
may be referred to, but any
resemblance to persons living or
dead is strictly coincidental. All
material is factionalized and
described through the lens of the
Cthulhu Mythos, and no o ense to
persons living or dead is intended.

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The Night condemned Joseph’s grandmother
for witchcraft. A mob seized her

Terrors of and took her to a ooded wood


prairie. In the presence of a
Joseph Catholic priest, Father Vincent
Lewandowski, the mob hung the
Pidulski woman from the largest oak tree
that they could nd.
A Call of Cthulhu Afterwards the priest took down
Adventure set in Toledo the woman’s lifeless body. He
in 1930
quickly dug a pit and buried the
woman’s corpse under the shade
of the oak tree. He then performed
Introduction a rite that he had learned back in
In 1930 Toledo, a group of Poland; a rite to be used against
adventurers inquire about the spawns of the devil. He placed a
strange dreams of a young man. series of large stones into a circle
Their investigation of his past around the burial site. Using holy
leads to a discovery of a family water he blessed the stones. He
secret and a confrontation with a then chanted in Latin the phrases
strange being in a ooded of the ritual.
woodland prairie. This scenario is
intended as a one-short adventure The rite that he performed was a
that can be played in one sitting. spell to contain the corpse in its
resting place, so that the woman
Overview could not rise again. The
placement of the ritual stones
The adventurers travel to Toledo,
would seal the earthen grave and
Ohio to check on the strange
prevent the witch from returning.
nightmares of Joseph Pidulski.
He never told anyone about the
Their investigation uncovers that
ritual, only recording his
the local Polish immigrant
memories of it in a secret journal
community in the early 1870s

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that now sits in St. Hedwigs Joseph Pidulski is a young artiste
Catholic Church. working at the Toledo Museum of
Art. He was hired a few years ago
However, recent surveyors in the to develop the design and
area north of the growing installation of a new art room in
industrial town of Toledo, a the Museum: a Greek Peristyle.
wooded prairie known as the Oak But over the last few months he
Openings region, disturbed the has been having nightmares
stones. The witch has been slowly almost every night. He dreams of
awakening and drawing power a young woman with oak trees
sprouting out of her head in the
from the ooded prairie lands in
place of her hair. This strange
which she lies. As she slowly
woman leads him through a
awakens, she has infested the sparsely wooded grassland with
dreams of her grandson, Joseph knee-deep water towards a large
Pidulski in an attempt to pull him oak tree. Joseph awakes before he
to her. The investigators must nd can glimpse what is at the center
a way to stop her. of the woodland, but he knows
that it is some unspeakable horror.
Number of Players
This scenario is designed to be run Joseph has relayed his dreams to a
for four players, however any colleague and senior art director at
number from three to six should the Museum, Dr. Randolph Hyatt.
also work. Characters can be Dr. Hyatt at first thought the
created new or existing characters dreams a product of overwork and
of any level and ability may be exhaustion. He then reduced
used. The scenario is not heavy on Joseph’s workload but this did not
combat, but at least one character have any impact on the frequency
should be capable of fighting with or severity of the nightmares. Dr.
close-combat weapons or ranged Hyatt began to notice that Joseph
combat weapons. Investigative was doodling strange motifs into a
skills will be needed by at least sketchbook. These motifs
one character. included stylized drawings of
witches, oak trees, and stone
Background circles. When Dr. Hyatt asked
Joseph about the drawings, the
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young man merely replied that he investigators asking for their


must have without thinking drawn assistance.
random items from a book on
witches that he once read as a Introducing the
child.
Investigators
Begin the adventure by giving the
As weeks passed, Randolph
players Night Terrors #1. It arrives
noticed that Joseph’s work at his
by mail early one morning. The
job was beginning to suffer as the
letter is from Dr. Hyatt and
young man seemed both too tired
explains what he knows about the
and too distracted to focus. Dr.
Hyatt again chocked up the strange dreams, sketched motifs,
and behavior of his colleague
problems to a sensitive artiste’s
Joseph Pidulski. The letter also
lack of sleep and suggestibility.
asks the investigators for their
But then Randolph noticed that
assistance in the matter and
the plans for the Peristyle were
suggests they travel to Toledo at
showing design changes. What
their earliest convenience and
was suppose to be a continuous
meet him in his office at the
porch formed by a row of columns
museum.
surrounding a courtyard, now
resembled a circular ring of stones
nested in a wood lawn. Part I - Toledo Museum of
Art
Not knowing what else to do, Dr. The investigators may travel to
Hyatt reached out to an Toledo by any means necessary,
anthropologist colleague of his, but the most likely is by train.
Dr. Meredith Thayer. She Toledo has a single train station
suggested that the motifs and it is downtown on Emerald
reminded her of something she Avenue. Once they arrive, the
had once seen at a conference on players will need to find transport
the supernatural. Telling Dr. Hyatt to the Toledo Museum of Art.
that investigating the matter Cabs are available most time of
would be beyond her skills, she day or night at the train station on
suggested that he call in some a successful Credit Rating skill
experienced help. Dr. Hyatt then roll. It takes roughly seven to ten
drafted and sent a letter to the
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minutes for the journey along lead the players to the young man,
Collingwood Blvd to reach the walking them through the
museum. Museum to the bottom floor.
Joseph works in a small room set
Dr. Hyatt’s office in on the second in the basement of the building
floor of the building. If the players and he is there at this time.
inquire at the front desk or ask
any employee they can find the Joseph is a young man in his early
office easily. When the thirties, slim of build with
investigators arrive, Dr. Hyatt is medium-length hair. He wears a
sitting behind a large wooden loose sweater over a buttoned
desk looking over some papers, a shirt. His manner is furtive and it
faint smell of tobacco smoke in is clear that he suffers from a lack
the air. He is a tall man in his late of sleep. Dr. Hyatt introduces the
forties. He has dark hair that is investigators to Joseph and
greying at the temples and his informs the young man that he has
clean shaven. He wears a a grey relayed what he knows about the
business suit. young man’s dreams, motifs, etc,
to the them.
When the players enter, Dr. Hyatt
rises to greet them and invites Joseph is reluctant to talk with
them to sit down. He calls for an anyone whom he does not know
assistant to offer the characters about his nightmares. The
coffee, tea, or water. Once that is investigators will need to succeed
done, he will explain why he has on a Persuade skill roll to get
called the investigators, relaying Joseph is talk. Use of Credit
the information contained in the Rating or any form of
Background section. Successful intimidation will not work and
Psychology skill rolls will detect instead will make Joseph even
no deception from Dr. Hyatt. more hesitant. If Joseph talks, he
relays the information that he
If the Investigators ask to see knows from the Background
Joseph, Dr. Hyatt will respond section. He will also explain that
that it can be arranged he has no idea who the strange
immediately as Joseph is on site woman is, where the location of
working today. He will agree to the dreams are taking place, or
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anything else about the with works by Van Gogh, Monet,


nightmares. If asked about his Renior, Goya and others. The
background, Joseph will explain keeper should impart to the
that his ancestors are from Poland players the magnificence of the
and that they immigrated to the museum and allow Art skill rolls
Toledo area in the mid-1800s. He to identify major pieces of work.
also will say that his parents
perished in a house fire ten years
ago. He knows little about his Part II - The Investigation
grandparents or any of his line The players may visit the
further back, but he does know following locations in any order:
they lived in the area, were St. Hedwigs, the Downtown
faithfully Catholic, and Library, and the Surveying
worshipped at St. Hedwigs Company. Information gained
Church. should eventually point to an
isolated shack on the perimeter of
At this point, the players might be the region. If the players have any
wondering what to do next. If difficulty putting the pieces
necessary, Dr. Hyatt could point together or miss a clue, a librarian,
out that knowledge about the a priest, or any other similar npc
Pidulski family history or recent can be invented in order to push
events might be found in news them in the right direction.
articles at the Downtown Library.
He also could give the players the Keeper’s Notes
address for St. Hedwigs.
In between the PCs moving from
one location to another, mention
that Dr. Hyatt has sent a message
Keeper’s Notes
that Joseph’s dreams are getting
The Toledo Museum of Art is a much worse and that he is slowly
three-story building set on a 40- losing grip on his sanity. Make the
acre campus. It was founded by players think that they are in a
Toledo glassmaker Edward race against time to save Joseph
Libbey in 1901 and quickly from some dire fate.
established itself as an
internationally known museum

Downtown Library rst polish residents in Lagrinka


This three-story, stone and brick area of Toledo.
building was built in June 1890 on
the corner of Madison and Ontario Lagrinka: Originally known as the
streets. It is a thoroughly modern Polish Settlement, it became
library for the time, housing known as Lagrinka in 1880. Home
thousands of books and other to hundreds of Polish immigrants,
documents. There is a chief with Lagrange Street as the main
librarian available who can help thoroughfare that contained
the investigators with their numerous Polish businesses.
inquiries
Agatha Janukowski: Polish
The investigators might be settlers began arriving in Toledo
interested in a number of topics. in the early 1870s. Agatha arrived
On a successful Library Use skill
from the German-speaking area of
roll, they learn the information
Poland at the age of 25. She set up
that follows the listed topic.
NOTE: some of the topics divulge the rst Polish restaurant on
information that would lead the Lagrange Street, fell in love with
investigators to search a new another Polish immigrant named
topic. The keeper could have a Lucas Pidulski, married him and
librarian point the investigators had one son. Feel into poverty
toward any missing information if when Lucas was murdered and
the players get stuck. gave up her son to an orphanage.
Whereabouts after that listed as
Joseph Pidulski: A searching of unknown.
the archives of the local
newspaper uncovers the following Jacob and Agnes Pidulski: Had
information. Son of Jacob and one son, Joseph. Jacob is only son
Agnes Pidulski. Born in Toledo, of Lucas and Agatha (nee
Ohio. Registered voter. Employed Janukowski) Pidulski.
by Toledo Museum of Art. Parents
died in a house re in 1920. St. Hedwigs: A Catholic Church
Descendant of Lucas Pidulski and built in 1876 to serve the growing
Agatha Janukowski, some of the Polish community in Toledo. It

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that sits on Lagrange Street St. Hedwigs

between Dexter and Bronson St. Hedwigs is a Catholic Church


Streets. Father Vincent established in 1876. Its
Lewandowski was one of the rst parishioners are mainly from the
pastors. A learned man who could local Polish immigrant
speak and write in multiple community. This 160 by 75 foot
languages including Latin, his cathedral is constructed from
journals are maintained on site to Sandusky bluestone. Notable
objects on display include a life-
record the history of St. Hedwigs.
size cast-iron replica of the Virgin
Sketched Motifs: The motifs can Mary, a large mission crucifix,
two large hanging bells named
be found in a book entitled
after St. Francis of Assisi and St.
Dissecting Pagan Script of Early
Anthony of Padua, and a smaller,
Germanic-Polish Tribes by wooden replica of Mary.
Alexander Gottwald.
Understanding the book requires a Whenever the investigators arrive
successful Occult skill roll. they are greeted by a Polish priest,
Success also requires a Sanity roll Father Matthew Gronyk roughly
with 0/1D2 Sanity Loss. The in his mid-50s. He is patient,
book details the strange writings friendly and willing to help in any
of pagan groups that the Romans way he can. If asked about the
encountered in Northern Europe. Church he gladly gives some of
There is mention that the pagan the details listed above. If asked
groups worshipped some beings about the following matters, the
that they referred to as Elder Priest will reveal the relevant
Gods. information on a successful
Charm, Fast Talk, Persuade, or
Recent news: Janssen Surveying Credit Rating skill roll.
Company has recently started
mapping the Oak Openings region The Pidulski Family: Jacob and
to the West of Toledo. They hope Agnes Pidulski were parishioners
to survey the area so that a natural until their untimely death in a
house fire. Their son Joseph is
preserve park can be created.
also listed but rarely attends

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services. Joseph’s grandparents, that the Father was a true believer
Lucas and Agatha (nee in the Catholic religion.
Janikowski) Pidulski were some
of the first parishioners until the Reading the Journals
murder of Lucas in a drunken Investigators who read the
brawl at a pub. Agatha quit journals and make a successful
attending at that time. Library Use skill roll will learn
the following information: most of
Father Vincent Lewandowski: the journals are basic day-to-day
This was the original pastor at St. operations of St. Hedwigs and
Hedwigs. Immigrated from the contain excessive detail on the
old country and was well-liked by local community and the
the parishoners. Spoke fluent parishioners. However, a careful
Polish, German, English, and examination points to a separate
Latin. His journals are kept by St. journal in which more private
Hedwigs as a historical record of notes were scribed.
the time.
Investigators who look around the
Lewandowski’s Journals: The rectory and succeed on a Spot
journals are kept in the rectory. Hidden skill check find a set of
Father Gronyk will allow the books on a bookcase that appear
investigators to look at the fake. Examining the books reveals
journals provided that they do not that they are instead a wooden
leave the room with them and case with a lock on it. A
promise to make no marks. He successful Locksmith skill check
can provide graphite and paper if will unlock the box. Alternately, a
the investigators wish to make any successful Spot Hidden check
copies. The journals are mostly in finds the key in the back of a desk
English, with occasional use of drawer.
Latin phrases common to
Catholicism and some side notes Inside the box is a metal-bound
in Polish. Investigators who make journal with a metal cross on the
successful Language (Latin) or cover. Inside the book are strange
Language (Polish) skill rolls gain markings similar to the motifs
1 Sanity and gain the knowledge sketched by Joseph Pidulski.

Reading the journal requires a location of the oak tree and where
Sanity Check with 1/1D4 Sanity the stones had been. Give the
Loss. The journal details Father players the handout Night Terrors
Lewandowski’s knowledge of old #2.
Polish occult rituals, including the
Bind Witch ritual. It also contains Agatha’s Shack
details related to the hanging of The investigators should by now
Agatha Janikowski as contained in understand the circumstances
the Overview in this adventure. It around the hanging of Joseph’s
explains how Father grandmother, Agatha. Information
Lewandowski was the one who points to her residence as a shack
organized the mob to seize and on the edge of the Oak Openings
hang Agatha. Further, it contains region. Investigators can either
an address for Agatha’s abode, a rent a vehicle or take a cab to the
small shack on the western edge location on a successful Credit
of Toledo near an Oak woodlands Rating skill roll.
prairie.

The shack is a small, tin-roofed


Janssen Surveying Company wooden plank structure, not more
The Janssen Surveying Company than fifteen or twenty feet across
maintains a small office on Adams at its widest. It appears dilapidated
Street in downtown Toledo. The with knee high grass growing at
office is staffed by a young the base of the building on all
woman in her early 30s. If asked sides. Rain and snow have
about recent surveying and/or if weathered the wood to the point
anything unusual has occurred, on where collapse is possible.
a successful Persuade or Fast
Talk skill roll she will inform the Entering the shack is easy, as the
investigators that a few weeks ago door is not secured in any manner.
the surveying team in the Oak The interior appears to be
Openings prairie had to remove a damaged from the elements, with
strange circle of stones that most items clearly weathered from
someone had put near a rather moisture and exposure. A
large oak tree. The woman can successful Spot Hidden roll
provide a crude map showing the uncovers a decorated metal box

underneath a pile of wooden became an apprentice sorcerer but


debris that maybe was once a desk also went insane. Returning to
and chair. Upon examination the Toledo, she took up residence in
box appears to have a painted an abandoned shack on the edge
scene on the lid of strange, alien of the woods. Her plans for
creatures battling an amorphous revenge backfired, as Father
gigantic gelatinous blob. Janikowski saw her one day and
Investigators who see the lid must recognized the tattoos. She
make a Sanity Check with Sanity became afraid that he would seek
Loss of 0/1D2. to exorcise her, so she completed
a ritual to make herself immortal.
The box is unlocked. Inside is a The ritual would allow her in
cloth-bound journal. Any death, to call to her descendants,
investigator who reads the journal luring them to her grave so that
must make a successful Occult she could fully awaken.
skill roll to understand its content.
Succeeding on the roll obtains
handout Night Terrors #3 and Part III - Oak Openings
also means making a Sanity
Check with Sanity Loss of 1/1d4. At this stage the investigators
know that they need to go into the
The journal details Agatha’s life, Oak Openings region and confront
including her secret that she was whatever Agatha Janikowski has
trained in ancient Polish rites and become. They should be armed
rituals as a youngster in Poland. with the knowledge that the stone
Agatha never believed in such circle has been broken, which
nonsense, but at the time thought probably awakened Agatha. They
the strange "magic" was a fun may also have the surveyor’s map
activity. After the death of her as to the location of the stones
husband, she vowed revenge on once stood.
those who had killed him. She
traveled back to Poland, and there The Oak Openings region is a
re-learned many of the rituals that large wetlands area isolated
she had once known and tattooed between sand dunes and prairies.
many arcane symbols into her The cold water is knee-deep atop
flesh. In the process she indeed a rich, murky soil. Giant oaks are
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interspersed at a few yards’ makes a successful Listen skill


distance from each other roll hears a rumbling coming from
under the ground beneath the
Moving through such terrain is semi-circle. As the investigators
slow and fraught with trips and watch, the sky grows dark, foul air
falls. A successful Survival skill rushes in and cold rain begins to
roll allows a player to guide pour. A broad circle of violent
themselves and others through wind, laced with flying wood and
without peril. If no player is rocks surrounds the area,
successful, each takes 1D4-1 in preventing anyone from leaving.
damage from falls and injuries. A massive oak tree starts to
emerge from inside the semi-
To find the location of the stone circle, at first its top leaves and
circle, the players need a branches push through the mud
successful Navigate skill roll. If and up into the air. Then slowly its
they have the map, they get a lower limbs and trunk emerge…
bonus die on the roll. For each sprouting from the head of a
failed Navigate check, all players twice-human sized emaciated,
must roll Survival checks again. decaying husk of a woman. Her
skin is tattered bark, her hair
The Stone Circle and the leaves, and she emits the stench of
Giant Oak
decaying foilage. Her legs are as
The investigators see up ahead a tree trunks sunk deep into the
gigantic oak tree, much taller than murky ground. She extends her
all the others, its broad limbs arms as if they were limbs and
extending dozens of yards in screams violently in Polish. A
every direction. At its base a successful Language (Polish) roll
series of large stones lay strewn interprets it as "I am Reborn, Fear
about, some of them still making a my Revenge!"
semi-circle in the muddy ground.
Those who see Agatha emerge
Once any investigator moves into must make a Sanity Check with
the semi-circle or if Joseph is Sanity Loss of 1/1D6. Agatha has
present, Agatha will begin to no direct attacks, but uses her
emerge. An investigator who command over the elements to
batter the players. If the
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investigators use any form of fire investigator gains 1d10 Sanity as


against her, she will dip her head a reward.
and body into the murky water to
douse the flames. Agatha’s bark
skin will make weapon attacks
against her do minimal damage. Stats & Maps
Anyone trying to walk through the
wall of wind around the area takes Joseph Pidulski, age 31, Artiste
2D6 damage and makes no
headway. STR 30 CON 45 SIZ 45
DEX 35 INT 65 APP 55
The investigators main course of POW 40 EDU 80 SAN 15
action should be to restore the HP 7 DB: -1 Build: -1
stone circle and complete the Move: 6 MP 8
Bind Witch spell. There are five
stones that need to be moved into Combat
place. Moving each requires a
Strength skill check. An Extreme Attacks per round: 1
success allows the investigator to
quickly move a stone and attempt Fighting (brawl): 30% (15/6), damage
to move another on the same turn. 1d3+DB

Skills: Anthropology 50%, Art 75%,


Conclusion Charm 25%, Credit Rating 25%,
If the investigators fail, Agatha Dodge 17%, History 55%, Language
will full emerge in a 1d10 days (Greek) 45%, Language (Latin 55%),
time. She will lumber to St. Language (English) 75%, Library Use
Hedwigs and attempt to destroy 55%, Persuade 35%, Spot Hidden
the church. 35%, Swim 50%, Throw 25%

If the investigators succeed in Dr. Randolph Hyatt, age 52,


binding Agatha, her tree form will Museum Director
dissolve and fall to the ground.
The investigators have STR 40 CON 55 SIZ 55
successfully re-bound Agatha and DEX 40 INT 75 APP 60
stopped her for now. Each POW 50 EDU 85 SAN 50

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HP 11 DB: None Build: 0 Magic attacks. If attacked she defends


Move: 6 MP 10 with her ghting skill.

Combat Fighting: 35% (25/5), damage 1d6+DB

Attacks per round: 1 Skills: Dodge Spot Hidden 40%, Swim


50%, Throw 40%
Fighting (brawl): 35% (15/6), damage
1d3+DB Note: Fire does double the normal
damage
Skills: Anthropology 70%, Art 65%,
Charm 45%, Credit Rating 50%, Magic: Wind Whip and Cloud Mind
Dodge 20%, Fast Talk 30%, History
45%, Language (German) 35%, Wind Whip: 2 MP and one round to
Language (Latin 40%), Language cast. Whips up the wind in a 20 meter
(English) 80%, Library Use 65%, diameter circle around Agatha such
Persuade 40%, Spot Hidden 25%, that an impenetrable wall of wind and
Swim 35% debris prevents anyone from leaving
the area. Each round on Agatha’s turn,
everyone but her inside the area must
make a successful contested Dodge roll
Agatha Lewandowski, age against Agatha’s Throw or take 1D3
indeterminate, Awakening Witch damage with a minimum of 1 damage
no matter what armor a character
STR 110 CON 70 SIZ 200 wears. Agatha casts this as she
DEX 45 INT 55 APP — emerges, so her starting MP will be 8
POW 50 EDU — SAN 00 on the rst round of combat. Note:
HP 40 DB: +4d6 Build: 6 Agatha’s Throw is temporarily
Move: — MP 10 reduced by 1 for each point of damage
she receives since her last action. It
Combat returns to its original value
immediately after her turn ends.
Attacks per round: 2
Cloud Mind: 1 MP and one round to
Fighting Attacks: None. Agatha does
cast. Agatha makes a contested Power
not directly attack. Instead she uses
roll against one character. If she wins,

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the character can take no actions for
1D4 rounds.

Armor: 5 point bark skin

Sanity Loss: 1/1D6

Bind Witch Ritual: 5 MP and one


round to cast. The caster must arrange
a series of large stones into a circle
around the burial site of the witch. The
caster then sprinkles the stones with
holy water and says a blessing in Latin.

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Night Terrors #1 - Dr. Hyatt’s Invitation

Dear Friends,

I write you asking for your assistance. A colleague of mine at the Toledo
Museum of Art, Joseph Pidulski, has experience what he calls night terrors.
Normally, I would not bother you with such things, but this case is not just the
usual nightmares of a sensitive and overworked young artiste.

Joseph’s nightmares recur each night and are always the same. He sees a
woman with oak trees sprouting from her head as if it was her hair. This
strange being beckons him to join her in a woodlands. As he approaches her, he
is overcome with a feeling of dread and unspeakable horror from which he
awakens shaken.

These night terrors, as he calls them, are starting to interfere with his work. I
have him assigned to our new Greek Peristyle project. But when Joseph draws
up models, he ignores classical Greek motifs and instead is substituting alien
and foreign motifs which are disturbing haunting…and I daresay drawn from
his nightmares. I cannot make further progress on the project and I can only
delay informing the museum’s Board of Directors for so long.

I have spoken with Joseph and tried to nd him help to no avail. I now turn to
you for help. If possible, could you please come with all haste?

Sincerely, Dr. Randolph Hyatt, Director, Toledo Museum of Art

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Night Terrors #2 - Surveyor’s Map

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Night Terrors #3 - Agatha’s Journal - Selected Entries

- I must confess to liking my new land. America has many more opportunities
for me than Poland did. I do miss my family and my girlfriends though. I
also miss the games that Father Kazuwicz would teach us, the ones with all the
chanting and drawing of circles on the ground. The Father would always say
"I’m teaching you girls important things that you might need some day" my
girlfriends and I never listened to that nonsense.
- I met a man at St. Hedwigs, a handsome man named Lucas. He seems really
nice and I like him. I hope he likes me too.
- Lucas and I got married. What a wonderful day it was. Late autumn with
leaves falling and the smell of fires burning in stoves.
- I gave birth to our son Jacob. He appears to be a strong and healthy boy.
- Oh the horror! Drunk ruffians stabbed my husband to death as he walked
down LaGrange Street last night. The police say it was a random mugging
gone wrong.
- It’s been two weeks and the police have no subjects. I have a plan though to find
the men responsible. I will have to go back to Poland. I am putting Jacob in an
orphanage…it is best for him this way.
- Back in Poland. Learning the old rituals from Father Kazuwicz. I was so
stupid as a young girl. The Father’s rituals do indeed have power.They require
me to tattoo my body with strange symbols, but I will gladly scar myself. I
will learn them all and then return to Toledo. I will use them to find the men
responsible for killing my husband.
- I returned to Toledo and took up in a old shack on the outskirts of town. I’ve
prepared a number of rituals to help find the murderers. But one thing has
gone wrong. The priest at St. Hedwig’s, Father Lewandowski, saw my tattoos. I
could tell from his face that he understood what they are. I might have to be
more careful.

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Author’s Notes/Acknowledgments
This is my rst one-shot adventure for Call of Cthulhu. I hope you like
it! I would like to thank the Storyteller Collective Workshop for all its
help. I also would like to thank my wife and kids for allowing me to
take over the basement and turn it into my own personal of ce space.

Author Bio
Neal Jesse has been an avid table-top RPG fan since the late 1970s
when he and his brother bought Dungeons and Dragons at Arthur’s
Toy Store in Fresno, California. In his “real” life he is a Professor of
Political Science. He lives in Toledo, Ohio with his wife, kids, and cats.

Art Credits
Cover art “Daisies in Pink” by Neal G. Jesse.

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