Sample File Return of the Ripper

Sample file Return of the Ripper An 1890s Scenario for Call of Cthulhu® and Cthulhu By Gaslight (And a Sourcebook for Adventure in Victorian London’s East End) By William A. Barton Respectfully dedicated to Robert Bloch, not only for his contributions to the Mythos but for his almost as plentiful additions to Ripper lore Sample file Return of the Ripper is ©1986, 2007 by William A. Barton. Call of Cthulhu and the Call of Cthulhu game system are © Chaosium, Inc. Call of Cthulhu is a Registered Trademark of Chaosium Inc. All rights reserved. All artwork, except where noted, is in the public domain. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author, artist, or publisher, except brief quotations in critical articles or reviews. Any resemblance between any persons, living or dead, real or fictional, and those in this scenario is strictly coincidental. (The character of Cyrus Barker was created in 1985 and, except for a common inspiration, has nothing to do with the character of the same name in a series of excellent Victorian mystery novels by Sherlockian Will Thomas.) Playtesters: (Detroit) Pam Wisniewskii, Michael L. Galligan, Bill Yates, Laurel Goulding, John Schippers, Mark Moellering, David Schmitt, Steve Sterling; (Indianapolis) Vicki Barton, Bruce Coleman, Ross Rannells, Larry Wheeler, and Nathan Hammer—many thanks! 1 Table of Contents Introduction ……………………………………………………………………………….. 3 The Current Murders ……………………………………………………………………. 11 Enemies & Allies …………………………………………………………………………. 19 Places of Interest ………………………………………………………………………… 46 Clues & Rumors …………………………………………………………………………. 63 Encounters ……………………………………………………………………………….. 83 Stopping the Ripper ……………………………………………………………………. 107 Endgame & Aftermath ………………………………………………………………… 111 Appendixes ……………………………………………………………………………… 115 Maps: Central/East London, East End/Whitechapel, Central London …………….. 119 Art on pages 19, 26, and 38 are © 2007 by Ronda David-Burroughs Art on page 40 is © 1985, 2007 by Kim Strombo Graham (Warning: Because of the subject matter of this scenario, parental guidance is strongly advised.) Time Magazine’s ManSample of the Year, file 2006! Author’s Bio: William A. Barton is the author/designer of the first two editions of the award-winning Cthulhu By Gaslight (and a co-author of the upcoming third edition). His other CoC adventures include “The Curse of Chaugnar Faugn,” originally published in Curse of the Chthonians, and “The Killer Out of Space,” in Cthulhu Now, plus the M.U. monograph Menace from the Moon. His contributions to the latest editions of Call of Cthulhu include the 1890s skills, price lists, and weapons and the Mythos descriptions and spells for The Colour Out of Space, Chaugnar Faugn, and the Rat-Things, as well as assorted other tidbits. Outside of Call of Cthulhu, he was a contributor to Chaosium’s Superworld RPG; co-author of the first three editions of Steve Jackson Games’ GURPS Space and GURPS Space Atlas I (and contributor to several other GURPS supplements); and designer/publisher of his own RPG, So Ya Wanna Be A Rock ’N’ Roll Star! A Rock ’N’ Role-Playing GameTM. (This award-winning RPG is available directly from Bill for $18 pp. at P.O. Box 26290, Indianapolis, IN 46226-0290; on the Web, visit http://bill-barton-games.iwarp.com; the game also includes several spoofs of and references to the Mythos.) Bill currently works as an editor for Wiley Publishing, in Indianapolis, Indiana, a division of John Wiley & Sons— original publishers of Edgar Allen Poe’s tales. He lives in Indy with his wife and four cats. Hobbies and interests (besides CoC and RPGs) include Sherlock Holmes (check out http://surrey-shore freeservers.com, for his scion’s Web site), Victorian England, the Mythos in general, Fortean phenomena (especially Planet X and alternative archeology), Godzilla (whom he pitted against Cthulhu in a 2006 Gen Con CoC event), science fiction (especially Victorian scientific romances, a la H.G. Wells), Biblical prophecy, classic rock (listening and playing), parody songwriting, and others that he rarely has time for. 2 Return of the Ripper By William A. Barton In which a new spate of murders allow a group of London-based Investigators the opportunity to solve the secret of Jack the Ripper—and face even greater, ancient horrors now in league with Saucy Jack himself. Return of the Ripper takes place in London, beginning in extra danger) to Investigators who have sidestepped the late summer to early autumn of 1893. (The Keeper may main encounters of the adventure. All the while, the adjust exact dates as best fits his campaign.) It involves a Ripper will continue at his bloody business, seemingly new series of killings perpetrated by Jack the Ripper. The defying anyone mortal to stop him. Ripper has returned to London to continue his bloody Return of the Ripper is designed for a group of from work after a five-year absence. The scenario also reveals four to eight 1890s Investigators—five experienced the Ripper to have been the victim of a Cthulhian ritual Investigators being the optimum number. Although it is that transformed the man he was originally into something recommended that the players be skilled at Call of more—and yet less—than human. Working in league with Cthulhu, it is possible to successfully complete this the Ripper, some more or less independently, are other scenario with “new” Investigators. The less-experienced occult horrors with which Investigators attempting to stop the Investigators, however, the more of them that should the fiend must deal. And at least one of these is far more become involved in the adventure—and the more formidable—and deadly—than the Ripper himself! assistance from NPCs the Keeper should allow them. The scenario presents a series of clues, encounters, and Ideally, at least one Investigator should have some locations that, explored to their fullest, will lead experience in the Mythos and perhaps even know a spell Investigators to the identity—and terrible secrets—of Jack or two—preferably the Elder Sign among them. the Ripper. A number of peripheral dangers may be (Alternatively, the Keeper may create an NPC whom they encountered along the way that may either be dealt with can use as a Mythos resource.) A mixture of private during the course of the scenario or, in some cases, inquiry agents and/or journalists, as well as at least one sidestepped to be handled at a later time—provided scholar-type among the group, is imperative for a Investigators retain life and sanity enoughSample to do so. A filesuccessful outcome. significant number of red herrings are also present, The adventure is best run as a multi-session mini- designed to mislead and confuse the Investigators. Some campaign lasting several weeks to months of game time. of these might lead to entire side adventures of their own; As such, the many events of the scenario can even be others will simply throw Investigators momentarily off interspersed with other, shorter Gaslight adventures of the the track of their quarry. Keeper’s own devising (or with those to appear in other This adventure is less linear in nature than many CoC 1890s CoC monographs). Meanwhile, should they find scenarios. It has a definite beginning designed to draw themselves stumped, the Investigators can await the Investigators into the hunt for the Ripper. A less-definite, Ripper’s next strike or for new clues to turn up. On the but probable, ending is also provided, although the actual other hand, the adventure can be telescoped into a period outcome of the adventure will depend greatly on the of several days to a week or so of game time if the Keeper investigative skills and inclinations of the Investigators. In prefers—and if Investigators are especially zealous in between lie a series of encounters, clues, and situations, tracking down clues and leads in a shorter time period. the exact order of which vary, based entirely on how Even so, the Keeper is advised to break the scenario into players decide to handle their characters’ investigation. at least two to three lengthy game sessions—or more Several “mandatory” encounters are included that the shorter sessions—to successfully complete the adventure Keeper may instigate either randomly or at will whenever so that his Investigators have every opportunity available the Investigators are in the proper places at the right to foil the Return of the Ripper. times. Additionally, a wealth of other situations are OPTIONAL: If the Keeper has only a small group of included, designed in part to add to the flavor of the East players and none already have 1890s Investigators, he End London environment of the late Victorian age in could allow them to run some of the allied NPC characters which the Investigators must conduct their investigation. described in the scenario rather than create new These situations can also feed additional clues (or offer Investigators for this adventure. Barker and Mallory are 3 Return of the Ripper Introduction musts if the Keeper chooses this course. Another and to the baronet’s torment. Unfortunately, the evil thing possibility is old seadog Sinbad Ahab (if any player wants he was twisted those clues, obscuring their true meanings. an especially challenging role-playing experience). Some And no one understood. effort on the part of the Keeper would be necessary, Meanwhile, Danielson gained some allies. One night, however, to integrate Ahab into the adventure early on when he’d enticed a young Whitechapel streetwalker into without giving away too much of his part in the plot. an alley and had called the Shambler to slash her up for Other possibilities might include George Lusk or another his evening’s prey, he was astonished to see the girl show Whitechapel vigilante, a police constable with the MPF no fear whatsoever at the creature’s appearance.

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