“Sleepy Hollow ,” by W. Adam researchers (and NOT the library) up to Rinehart. Dresden Files RPG/FATE 3.0: $10,000 for the letter. Naturally, the Feet in the Water level introductory researchers have refused, but one of game (6 Refresh, 20 Skill points, Skill David’s colleagues, Katherine McGee, cap Great +4); 6 PCs. was recently mugged in a parking lot just outside of the library and put into The Opening: the hospital, but nothing except cash was Recently George Carver, an taken from her. Despite the entire elderly Yale alumni named who was an contents of the purse having been amateur archivist, passed away. As part dumped out on the ground. The mugger of his will, he left the Beinecke Rare left her credit cards, watch, jewelry and Book and Manuscript Library at Yale his purse. entire collection of early American What David is most interested in, documents and papers. Amongst those is having the party investigate to papers was a letter written to publisher determine if there is any truth to the George Putnam alluding to an unfinished contents of the letter, or if there is manuscript by Washington Irving, which another reason why someone would was to be interred with the author on his wish to acquire the letter. The characters death in 1859. Even more interestingly, are allowed to examine the letter, but are the manuscript is reputed to contain not allowed to remove it from the clues leading to some treasure, lost by library, or do testing which would the British in the New York Colony damage or destroy it. during the Revolutionary War. The letter had been written by the executor of The Beinecke Rare Book and Mr. Irving’s estate, and noted that Mr. Manuscript Library Irving wanted the manuscript hidden Aspects: away, as “some secrets are better left Strange Lighting buried, no matter how much gold is A Library of Rare Written Works involved.” Part of Yale The game starts in October with The library is constructed of a the party having been called to Yale translucent Danby marble. This University’s Rare Book and Manuscript provides the collection of books and Library by David Cerzzaleone, one of papers, including a rare Gutenberg Bible the archivists responsible for cataloguing as well as papyrus scrolls, protection and preserving the collection. He can be from direct light. Inside, a sort of a friend, relative, colleague, or former subdued, dim lighting is available. student or teacher to one or more The lower level of the building has members of the party. shelving for the archives, as well as Once there, David asks the party some offices for the researchers. to take a look at the letter. He has grown concerned since a wealthy individual by What’s really going on: the name of Ezra Crane has contacted Yes, the manuscript is real and the archivists responsible for working on others are interested in it. There is a the Carver collection, seeking to rather disreputable group of treasure purchase the letter. Mr. Crane has seekers led by Ezra Crane that are expressed a willingness to pay one of the convinced (correctly) that there are directions to a fortune in British gold, church is no longer regularly used for lost during the American Revolution in services, but might be on special nearby Dutchess County, NY. Mr. Crane occasions. The cemetery has been is also interested in redeeming his around for centuries and is still in use. family’s “Good Name,” since an ancestor of his apparently served as the The Dutch Reformed Church inspiration for the character Ichabod (c. 1685): Crane, in Washington Irving’s short Aspects: story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow . Consecrated Ground The reason Washington Irving Little-used Historic Church wished the manuscript to be buried with Old Bones him, was that he had inadvertently found Threshold: 3 out and recorded the True Name of a fearsome Wyldfae known to the locals as If the party immediately heads to “The Headless Horseman.” The the church and cemetery, nothing is Headless Horseman will also be after the going on at the cemetery. If they wish to manuscript, if it is removed from where find the burial plot of Washington it has rested. Until the manuscript is Irving, after some time spent searching, removed, the Headless Horseman is they find his tombstone bearing the confined to a nearby cave along with the epitaph, “Disturb not my rest, for on moldering skeleton of a Hessian your Head will it be the consequences.” mercenary and the remains of a leather However, if they wait and observe the satchel containing approximately 500 cemetery from concealment, at nightfall guineas (gold coins) with the face of six men dressed all in black and King George III struck in 1779 (total appearing heavily armed enter through worth approx. $250,000 at current the gate in the wall encircling the prices) and an old Hessian saber. graveyard, Crane having managed to Once the party is familiar with steal the letter. They are carrying a the contents of the letter, there are series of equipment duffel bags, one of several different avenues of which they which is wriggling on its as like it can pursue. If they first choose to contains something alive inside. The research the history of Washington rest have equipment for digging like Irving, they would discover that he had a picks and shovels, as well as electric number of early American literary work lights and a blackout tent, which works, amongst them the famous short they immediately erect around the story The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , and gravesite that he also served the US as a diplomat At this point, the party has some for many years prior to returning to the different options. They can call in the US. On his death in 1859, he was buried local constabulary and let the police deal in the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery next to why armed men equipped with digging the Dutch Reformed Church. implements are in an old graveyard after The Dutch Reformed Church in dark. The party can attempt to intervene Sleepy Hollow NY is a Dutch Colonial- and stop the men by themselves. In era fieldstone and wooden church and which case, the men’s stats are listed churchyard. The Sleepy Hollow below. The third option is to wait and Cemetery is next to the churchyard. The see what happens. If the party chooses this option, after a couple of hours, the Wyldfae: The Headless Horseman men will have dug down to the coffin, High Concept: Faerie Fetch and once Crane has broken it open and Other Aspects: extracted the manuscript, the Headless Headless Horseman Horseman will attack and seize it. Skills Alertness: Good (+3) Ezra Crane and the Mercenaries Athletics: Good (+3) High Concept: Mercenary Discipline: Good (+3) Skills Endurance: Good (+3) Alertness: Fair (+2) Intimidation: Superb (+5) Fists: Good (+3) Might: Good (+3) Guns: Good (+3) Weapons: Great (+4) Intimidation: Fair (+2) Other skills default to Average or Fair. Stealth: Fair (+2) Stunts Weapons: Good (+3) Smell Fear (Investigation): +2 to Other skills default to Mediocre, with a Investigation rolls to home in on or few at Average. locate a source of fear. Stunts (Pick One) Powers (Headless Horseman Fetch) On My Toes (Alertness): Gain +2 to Greater Glamours [–4] Alertness when using it to determine Emotional Vampire [–1] (Fear) initiative. Physical Immunity [–8] EMT Training (Scholarship): +2 when The Catch (Stacked) [+5] is that it’s only using Scholarship to administer medical immune to magic, and only when the care. creature using magic is afraid of the Shoot And Move (Guns): When using fetch (determined by the fetch using its small firearms penalties to rolls due to Intimidation v. the caster ’s Discipline; if movement are reduced by up to two. the caster doesn’t beat the roll, the Stress immunity is in effect). Unlike the lower- Physical: OOO powered fetches listed so far, Hellfire Mental: OO does not appear to pierce the immunity Social: OOO this one has. Notes Inhuman Speed [-2] These guys all have the following: Supernatural Strength [–4] Glock 17 9 mm pistol (Weapon: 2) Supernatural Toughness [–4] ASP extending baton (Weapon: 2) Supernatural Recovery [–4] Boot knife (Weapon: 1) The Catch [+3] is cold iron and the like. 2 also have AR-15 5.56 mm rifles Stress (Weapon: 3) Physical: OOOO (OOOO) 1 has a Winchester Model 12 shotgun Mental: OOO (Weapon: 3) Social: OOO 1 has an HK MP-5K 9 mm SMG/pistol Armor: 2 (Physical) (Weapon: 2, does Spray attacks) They are also wearing bulletproof vests Has a Weapon: 2 Hessian Cavalry saber. Armor: 2 (Physical) v. guns Uses Greater Glamour to create a True Total Refresh Cost: +1 (Pure Mortal) Seeming of a living, breathing cavalry horse from a set of old horse bones. If the party opts not to investigate dumping the party member off in an Washington Irving, and/or his final abandoned lot somewhere while some of resting place, then things go differently. the other mercenaries arrange the theft of The party can go to the hospital to see the letter. what they can find out from Ms. McGee about her mugging. Or they can try and Game wrap up: locate Ezra Crane so they can talk to or Assuming things go as written, tail him, to see what is going on. by the end of the Case File, the players On leaving the library, the party should be at the cemetery in Tarrytown, is immediately tailed (which they may or NY. Depending on the players actions, may not spot) by one of Crane’s they might be right outside, looking in, mercenaries. At this point, Crane is they might be within the cemetery walls looking to either have the letter stolen, or observing the gravesite or they might be have someone tell the basic contents of right at where the grave is. the letter. Unless something is done to stop If the party goes to the hospital, the mercenaries, they will succeed in on examining Ms. McGee’s purse and retrieving the manuscript from personal effects, Ms. McGee and the Washington Irving’s coffin, at which party discover that some of Ms. point the Headless Horseman appears, McGee’s keys, specifically those which first attacking those around the would give her access to portions of the desecrated grave, and then anyone else library, are missing. If the party heads within the cemetery. Also while the back to the library at this point, they Headless Horseman is attack those discover that they are too late. Someone around the grave, he will be attempting has already broken in and stolen the (and probably succeeding) to Intimidate letter. Whoever did so did, however, anyone who can see him. Please note, leave some traces of themselves behind there is nothing about the Headless in the form of blood from smashing a Horseman which would indicate that glass case, and a piece of nylon belt they are Fae and potentially vulnerable webbing. If someone in the party is to iron. capable of using Divination, either the After a number of minutes, the blood or nylon belt will lead them authorities will begin to arrive, in towards Tarrytown NY, and the Sleepy response to gunfire from the mercenaries Hollow Cemetery. when the Headless Horseman attacks. If the party chooses to split up, Unfortunately for the mercenaries, their then once one party member is by combat skills are not up to facing an themselves, then the mercenaries will apparent legend from beyond the grave, attack using stun guns and pepper spray so their efforts have little effect. As long in an attempt to stun, subdue and capture as the party makes it outside of the the party member for interrogation. If cemetery and doesn’t have the this member provides the information on manuscript with them, the Headless the content of the letter, then the Horseman isn’t interested in them. If mercenaries will bring the party member however they remain inside the cemetery to the gravesite. If they refuse, or don’t before the Headless Horseman can seize have the information on the contents of the manuscript from Ezra Crane, then the letter, the mercenaries will end up the party is subject to being attacked by the Headless Horseman. Once the Headless Horseman leaves after retrieving the manuscript, or even less likely after being vanquished by the party and/or mercenaries, the players can investigate, at least until the local police arrive. If they choose to take or open the wriggling canvas duffel bag which is padlocked shut, they find a small child (about ten years old) who had been kidnapped, bound and gagged before being stuffed into the bag. The child had been kidnapped by Ezra Crane for some unknown reason relating to the manuscript. If the child is questioned after being calmed down and recovering from the ordeal of being kidnapped and restrained, the child can relate to what Erza Crane and his mercenaries were intending to do.