From: To: Subject: Chaosium Digest v36.03 Date: Thursday, April 25, 2002 2:47 PM Chaosium Digest Volume 36, Number 03 Date: Thursday, April 25, 2002 Number: 3 of 3 DER HEXENHAMMER (pt. 3) by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk Witch-finders & The Inquisition The Inquisition was established by a series of papal decrees between 1227 and 1235. Pope Innocent IV authorized the use of torture in 1252, and Pope Alexander IV gave the Inquisition authority over all cases of sorcery involving heresy. Inquisitors were charged with stamping out witchcraft - however inquisitional procedure demanded a confession as proof. Confessions were often exacted by torturing the defendant. Torture, however, was euphemistically called "the question", and according to inquisitional doctrine it was applied only once. Since this was a loophole, the idea was to have a never ending question put to the presumed witch. In other words, the torture never ended until the witch confessed or had died from the ordeal. Torture methods were many and varied. Examples being: The ones previously mentioned at the beginning of the scenario, thumbscrews, the Iron Maiden, the rack, stoning, the Heretic's Fork; an iron rod with several points at each which were rammed deep into the flesh under the chin and into the bone of the sternum, the fork prevented all movement of the head and allowed the victim only to murmur. The Spider, a multi-clawed gripper which was heated until the iron was red and used to mutilate and tear a woman's breasts off. Knotting, wherein a stick was tied to a woman's hair and twisted tighter and tighter. Not only would the hair be ripped out, but the scalp would often be torn open, exposing the skull-cap. Blooding, it was commonly believed that a witch's power could be nullified by blooding. Convicted witches were slashed over the nose and mouth and allowed to bleed. Sometimes witches blooded this way bled to death. Burning at the stake was by far the most well-known punishment for witches. Sometimes uncooperative witches were burned with green wood, which took longer to kill them. Others were inverted, their legs spread apart and sawed down the middle. Owing to his inverted position, which assured ample oxygenation of the brain and impeded the general loss of blood, the victim did not lose consciousness until the saw reached the navel, or sternum. Sprenger has used tall these and others at some point during is career. Pervert in the Bushes This event can be thrown in at any time of day. If the keeper decides to use it a relevant investigative character receives a phone call from a concerned neighbour, who explains that there is a man across the road acting suspicious. The caller (Estelle DiMarco), she says he's lurking in the bushes watching the house next door, and has been there several hours now, and what should she do. This is Sprenger... waiting, watching his next victim, calculating Oh, one more thing. Estelle's address: 1228 Lancaster Road. By the time any character arrives, or if a squad car is simply dispatched, Sprenger will be long gone - having been scared off by Estelle who disturbed her curtains for a better look. Interviewing Estelle The white-haired and elderly Estelle peeks out from the curtains when the players knock on her door. She lives alone and is quite weak and feeble and easily scared. She asks who it is before opening the door; demanding to see ID. Gaining her confidence, she opens the door gingerly and invites them in. The first thing she does is to point to the spot where she saw Sprenger in amongst the dense foliage. Whoever takes the lead in questioning her receives a 1/2LUCK check. Failure results in confusion and no real description save for he was white. She didn't get a good look due to the bushes obscuring her vision. Success on the other hand nets the following description: "White, Average Height, Stocky or Well built, Balding with a full beard and moustache. He was also wearing a shabby rain coat." If the players request an artists rendering of Sprenger, they get a general likeness of him, otherwise they'll just have to go on her description. If Estelle is shown the image from Illinois then she gives a positive ID. The neighbouring household which held Sprenger's interest is unaware of his activities, and once told will anger Peter Armstrong (husband), worry the shit out Susanna (wife), and concern Sarah (daughter, who by the way, follows the Wiccan way). Diligent investigation discovers Sarah's bedroom faces the bushes. Anyone wishing to stake the place out this night is in for a long night. Sprenger has been chased off - he won't be back. For now Sarah is safe thanks to a gray-haired old lady. Investigation of the spot where Sprenger stood gains a couple of clues. 1d3+2 cigarette ends are easily found. No matches though. Must've used a lighter. Eagle eyed investigators see with a SPOT HIDDEN check a partial boot print. Size 11s by the looks of it. Tracks are easily lost in the bushes. Taking a plaster cast of the imprint is difficult so a DEXx4 check must be succeeded. Lab tests on these reveal the brand of cigarette is the same as those found in Miriama Spence's grave. Saliva and DNA samples extracted from the cigarette ends also match. Patience and persistence coupled with a LIBRARY USE check reveals the partial boot print to belong to a common domestic hiking boot. 1d3+1 days later To get involved with this, a relevant investigating character really needs to be working late one evening. A failed POWx1 roll ensures this when Captain Dreyfuss orders the character to catch up on paperwork. Or, due to the circumstance of the case the relevant player gets a phone call at home from the late shift. It's about 11.45pm when a woman and two men enter LRPD HQ and ask for assistance. Role play the interrogation for effect. Note: Bruce and Moses will hold information back, particularly that of firing a gun when they account for their actions. PSYCHOLOGY checks enable detectives to sense the deception. Laura-Lee, will, however openly say Moses fired a gun. Oops, sorry Moses. All in all, this is what can be learnt: This is Laura-Lee Wilkinson, owner of a local occult shop. She had just locked up and was on her was to her car in a nearby car park when Sprenger rushed her from behind and pulled her, kicking and screaming, into an alleyway. The two men were near by, and witnessed the event. They hurried to the scene and saw Sprenger struggling with Laura-Lee. Moses shouted a warning and pulled a .38 auto and fired into a dumpster, while Bruce picked up a broken chair leg before running to her aid. By this time Sprenger had nearly bundled her into his black Toyota van, then WHACK, Bruce smacks Sprenger in the head with his chair leg. Moses then began to run up too. That's when Sprenger dropped Laura-Lee and jumped into his van, closing the door before pulling away bleeding from a gash in his temple. Moses then fired again at the fleeing van puncturing the rear door. That's when they brought her here. Other Info. * Another physical description of Sprenger is given. White, Late 30s early 40s, 5' 10", Well built, Receding brown hair, Full beard and moustache. He was also wearing a shabby rain coat, and spoke with an accent -possibly German. The lead investigator has his LUCK chance to learn that the attacker has a scar bridging his nose. If the characters have a photo of Sprenger, then he will be positively identified. * Fortunately, Bruce had the presence of mind to take note of the license plate number as he sped away. Following this up, it appears that the van is registered to Anthony R. Williams of 214 East Street, Maumelle (a few miles north-west of Little Rock). Paying Anthony a visit, he will deny owning the van, but will confirm selling it about two years ago to some guy for 300 bucks cash. Digging out the record of sale we find the name that Sprenger gave is Heinrich Kepler who lives at a location which turns out to be a tenement building in Little Rock run by a coke dealing slum lord. Checking it out is a dead end. Nobody remembers anything. It's really doubtful that Sprenger was really ever here anyway. If the players don't come to the conclusion, a half IDEA check suggests that the probability of the name being false is high. Running Kepler through FBI / Police databases is fruitless. A phone book search comes back with zero Keplers in Little Rock. A wider search can uncover 1d4+1 Keplers outside Little Rock - all of whom check out. None of them are the guy we're looking for. An All Points Bulletin can be put out on the van. See later. * Firing guns in the street is pretty much illegal without good reason, and Moses can be cautioned on this event. Confiscating his weapon and forensically checking it has these results. The gun is clean. It is not listed as having been used in any prior robberies or murders. It is registered to Moses Wolfe, and he does have a license for it. Both men also are free from police records, as is Laura-lee. Going to the crime scene, the players can find assorted clues to help in their investigation. In the alleyway they can find the first bullet (in the dumpster) and both casings from Wolfe's gun. Further up the alley they find a blood stained chair leg. (DNA and blood typing prove the assailant to be our killer.) Thorough investigation of the scene turns up some black paint scrapings on a wall. Could be from a black van. Checking all the CCTV footage from Laura-Lee' shop to the alleyway takes time and shows Laura-Lee as she makes her way to her car. In pursuit of her is our man, Sprenger, although only a LUCK roll will have him showing his face, otherwise it's always be obscured in some way. Checking her car is fruitless. It has nothing to provide, and nor will her place of work and residence, although her shop does get set fire too later in the week. I wonder who? Sooner or later Within a day or two of his failed attempt at abducting Laura-Lee, Sprenger is at it again. This time with success on his side. Prowling around town late one night he spots a potential victim What's she doing? It's not natural to be lurking in a graveyard at close to midnight. Sprenger stops and watches, finally coming to the conclusion that she's either communing with the dead, or trying to raise them. With relative ease, his latest victim is overpowered and bundled into his van and secured. 37 hours later she is reported missing by her parent. Lara lives with her mother. Again, for reasons of the plot the call is put though to a relevant investigating character. This victim is Lara Crosby, a 17 year old female. She was last seen about 10 pm 37 hours ago by her mother (Carol) as Lara was heading out. She often "haunted" grave yards at night, especially the old one at Saint Andrew's Church, because there's plenty of nooks and crannies and it's creepy at night. Investigating the new abduction, investigators learn that Lara was a very strange and unusual person. Interestingly, she was not a witch or had any real interest in the occult. Speaking to Carol, investigators find that Lara is a single child, has no real friends, and has been into death ever since she was five when she brought a dead cat home and hid it until it began to stink out the house. A battery of child psychologists couldn't help. A search of her room is largely unsurprising. It's painted solidly black, with a black carpet, and has black lace draped in imitation of spider webs. The air is musty and the room is tidy. A few sickly wilting plants sit on shelves, and are meticulously cared for so that they are permanently on this side of death. A collection of books and photo albums and VHS tapes are stacked on other shelves between two animal skulls; their content dealing with death. Books of medical procedures, photos of road-kill, gravestones, funerals. Hand-written prose is inserted into the albums - all dark, twisted, morbid and lurid. There are also hand-drawn charcoal sketches of emaciated corpses, the Grim Reaper, body part cross-sections, and the like. Sitting on a desk is a computer with audio/video software installed. Booting it up, the players see the wallpaper is of a graveyard scene at night. Obviously manipulated to give it a misty appearance with a full reddish moon. IDEA rolls can identify the cemetery as St. Andrew's - about a mile away. On the hard drive players find assorted MPEG files of graveyards at night in varying states of manipulation; and WAV files of Lara reciting her poetry. The computer also has internet access and some of her favorite places include sites that contain pictures of death, decay, and accident victims. There's no email to read. The recycle bin is full and has flies buzzing round it - unwanted edited footage. In the desktop tray players find with a SPOT HIDDEN check a little downloaded application called Death Clock. The timer is running. 120 hours, 43 minutes and dropping. A search through her belongings uncovers a couple of syringes and bottles of insulin. There's nothing more of interest, except that there is no camcorder to be found. Carol can confirm Lara took the camera when she last saw her. A search of the St. Andrew's cemetery requires SPOT HIDDEN and TRACK rolls. The first enables sharp eyed characters to find, glinting at the base of a tombstone, a dolphin shaped hair clasp with a few strands of black hair. Carol can identify it as a present she gave a year or so ago. DNA testing and comparison with hair taken from a brush in Lara's bedroom match. There are also scuff and drag marks where it appears an assault took place. Boot imprints can be taken and they similarly match the one taken earlier. They head towards the main gate, then stop. Another SPOT HIDDEN check finds a tire tread imprint in some mud which can be lifted. No camera can be found. An APB on Sprenger's Van Once the players put out the description of Sprenger's van, their wait is not long. Three days later a patrol car spots it in Sweet Home (just outside Little Rock to the South East). It's parked in a Wal-Mart car park. Don't worry, Sprenger hasn't abandoned it. He's off doing something or other and won't be back for some time - time enough to tow the van away and have it impounded for a forensic search, although it'll probably be a better idea to set up an observation post and wait for Sprenger, he'll be a no show for at least four hours. Sitting it out the players can then follow him to his hide out or arrest him there and then. A cursory search of the van right now requires a PICKLOCK check to get inside. On the exterior, players find scratches as though it was scraped along a wall . One of the rear doors has a puncture - could be a bullet hole. The driver compartment is littered with trash, and placed on the floor is a bag containing duct tape, canned food, Marlboro lights cigarettes, and other stuff. The ashtray is full with cigarette stubs. The storage compartment is grimy, and has been modified so that a person could be securely manacled as the handcuffs attest. Dumped in a pile in the corner, the players find lengths of rope, cable ties, some duct tape rolls that are nearly finished, some oily rags, and a few small cloth sacks. An IDEA roll suggests that they could fit over the head. Assorted hair strands can be found inside. A tool box and also be found. A more extensive search recovers a bullet that has lodged in the foam padding of the drivers seat. The use of Luminol or some other reactant shows blood smears. Sprenger's fingerprints can be found everywhere, as can the prints from his victims. Interviewing Staff in the store, one of the checkout ladies can ID Sprenger from a picture, or description and can confirm that he bought a carton of 300 cigarettes, a couple of rolls of duct tape, a can of lighter fluid, some canned food, and some other stuff but she can't be sure what it was. He paid with cash. That was about half an hour ago. CCTV shows Sprenger clearly. Towing his van Eventually Sprenger comes back. He'll obviously notice his van missing. As he decides what to do, he conveniently overhears two people talking: "Yeah, the cops were here and took it away". Now Sprenger knows they're on to him for sure. Time to pack up and leave. He attacks a victim of opportunity and forces her to drive out of Sweet Home, onto highway 65, out to mile marker six, before kicking her out to thumb a lift home. He then makes his way to his base of operations - a disused steel works, to burn any evidence there, including Lara. May God have mercy on her soul. He then heads to wherever. A detailed forensics sweep of Sprenger's van recovers blood smears, prints (from Sprenger and his victims), and the bullet. Analysis of dirt and mud collected from the van comes back indeterminate. An unusually high concentration of steel particulates and shavings are embedded within the tire tread, which suggests that the van has passed through a place, probably on more than one occasion, which sees a lot of steel usage. An entomologist can identify dead bugs collected from the windshield air intake, and other places. After a while he can identify the locality that they came from. The best he can say with certainty is the country side, most probably to the south. So where in the countryside sees a lot of steel usage? Up-to-date trade directories offer no clue. A good map of the area might, if it's old enough (LUCK roll) show the location of the old Macfarlane steel works. Failing this an INTx2 check might allow local characters to remember it, if they've lived here long enough. The car-jacking victim manages to flag down a lift and is taken back to Sweet Home to report the robbery. As the investigation takes shape there, she describes Sprenger. The lead player of the investigating team has his/her LUCK chance to be informed of what she has to say if APBs are posted on Sprenger. The fact that she was forced to drive in a particular direction and kicked out should tell the players something. Why drive that way? Why kick her out at that point? Why let her live?? Concentrating on that location and looking at maps the players can notice that it's pretty desolate out there. Not much there except for the old Macfarlane steelworks that shut down almost 15 years ago. Following Sprenger In the hopes of discovering where Sprenger is operating from, the players may opt to trail him. In order to remain unnoticed the driver requires an INTx3 check. Failure results in Sprenger having a 50% chance in spotting his pursuers. He receives a +25 bonus if they are in a standard police car or similarly marked vehicle. Remaining oblivious, Sprenger leads the players southbound on highway 65 to mile marker 7 before turning off towards the old Macfarlane Steel works. Spotting his tail, Sprenger checks his speed and slows down regardless, while keeping an eye on the wing mirror. He'll attempt to wave the players past. This is his test, if the players don't pass by, he'll rightly suspect that they are tailing him. To further this assumption he'll indicate and pull to the side of the road and stop. If the players similarly pull to a stop behind Sprenger, he'll know for sure they're on to him. Time to make a decision: Give up or gun the engine. With an open road in front of him, Sprenger chooses to flee. He floors the accelerator and screeches away, but not before the players get out to talk to him. For reasons known only to him, he heads for the Macfarlane Steel works. Wouldn't it be best to zip on by and head for the next town? Maybe he feels safe there. Maybe he's got a plan... The chase scene Sprenger does his best to evade capture, but if the players are able to keep pace, he'll try to disable their vehicle by forcing them into a ditch, telephone pole or whatever. It's up to the players whether they try similar tactics or just open fire. If for any reason Sprenger is cornered and there's no way out for him - he'll simply surrender. He's not stupid. He won't fight to the death even though he'll begin to regenerate after death. The effects of what happens in the chase is left to the keeper. DRIVE rolls with MODIFICATIONS must surely be had. Depending on the desired effect, damage can vary from dents and scrapes, to broken tail lights, or ripped-off bumpers. Anybody who fails their drive roll begins to lose control of their vehicle (a fumbled roll involves an automatic crash or effect). A secondary drive check at half chance (due to the speed involved) recovers control, otherwise something like this occurs: Stalling the engine, Skidding off the road, Spinning out of control, a tire bursting. Use your judgment. Damage to players is also left to the keeper. If the chase is still on going after 15 minutes, Sprenger heads for the Macfarlane Steel works. He speeds through the derelict buildings, heading for the main plant, where he hopes to take Lara hostage. Successfully tailing Sprenger without being noticed, he leads the players directly to the steel works. He drives into the main foundry, wheels his van round, gets out, then heads though some doors, down some stairs to a sub-level of storage rooms to the torture chamber to continue extracting a confession from Lara. Sprenger should have a LISTEN check to hear the characters approach, if applicable. It has to end somewhere However the characters come to be here, they soon make their way to the torture room where Sprenger is rousing Lara from unconsciousness or frantically unshackling the last manacle to use her as a shield. She is dirty, extensively bruised and mindless. She stares blankly at him, barely aware that she has visitors. She drools. The players should notice with a SPOT HIDDEN check that the door to the makeshift prison is a thick security door, with a heavy duty padlock attached. The padlock is a key turn type, not a snap lock. The padlock is in Sprenger's possession. Beyond is a dank windowless storeroom measuring roughly 20 feet by 20 feet. Ample light is radiated from a single light bulb, powered by a car battery. They see a tray containing an array of surgical looking implements; a couple of wooden chairs, complete with restraining straps. A couple of car batteries lie about and are attached to probes which Sprenger uses for electrocution purposes. Hanging from the high ceiling pipes are a couple of chains and handcuffs, and heavy duty canvas sacks large enough to hold a body. In the corner is a large tank of grimy water. Tool boxes of assorted rusty tools sit on shelves, as do rolls of tape, and wire. A small wire cage contains some mice and a bowl of dog food. Boxes of other odds and ends, which may or may not be of use to Sprenger are also at hand. Sprenger will make sure he keeps the players at bay by threatening the life of Lara. Players should lose sanity if Sprenger kills Lara. 1d4+1 sounds good. (Anybody who loses 5 and goes insane for a while should pick up a psychosis of the event. For the rest of his/her life he/she will wonder if something else could've been done to prevent Lara's death. Psychotherapy may also be needed). Sprenger jabs a rusty spike to her throat angled upwards to penetrate the head. He orders the players to remove the clips from their guns and eject any remaining shells, and to throw their guns over there, and to move deeper into the room, to some pipes and handcuff themselves together. If they say they don't have cuffs, he'll motion to some handy plastic cable ties. Sprenger receives a PSYCHOLOGY check to realize if the players are lying or holding something back. You might want to give him a SPOT HIDDEN also to see those other concealed weapons. Once Sprenger is sure the situation is in his favour he'll drag Lara to the door, drops her then darts out the door, which he closes and padlocks shut. By the time the players free themselves and from the room Sprenger'll be long gone. But before he goes he has just enough time to slash the tires of the other vehicles. Ignatius Sprenger STR: 16, CON: 11, SIZ: 13, INT: 17, POW: 14, DEX: 14, MOVE: 8, HITS: 12 WEAPON ATTK% DAMAGE Fist 70 1d3+1d6db Grapple 80 varies Skills: Drive 70%, First Aid 80%,Library Use 80%, Occult 90%, R/W English 100%, R/W Latin 100%, Psychology 75% Equipment: Watch, Gospel, Crucifix, $43.87, Black Toyota van (keys), Extensive witch Torture Kit (some store bought, some home-made) Arresting Sprenger / Interrogation Approaching Sprenger in the Wal-mart car park with the intent of arresting him is easy. When faced with a guy holding a gun, he simply gives up. Why give the players the satisfaction of a chase or a shooting. Players should remember Sprenger has a victim holed up somewhere, and only remarkable detective work will find her. Sprenger does not have a lawyer so one must be appointed by the court. I hope somebody remembered to read him his Rights, otherwise he's free to walk; and once free he skips town as soon as possible. If the opportunity for Sprenger to escape presents itself he'll take it, whether its jumping out a window when he's left momentarily alone, or removing the hinges from the door. Whenever Sprenger is brought in for questioning the process will be long. Throughout the interview, he remains stoic. Cold. Silent. Focused. He speaks only when he wants to, and then it'll be to give his name and to verify his victims; those being the ones found at Pinnacle Mountain State Park. He'll assert the fact that he's "brought salvation" (killed) to those witches - while staying silent about the others and Lara Crosby. After 1d3+6 hours of intense interrogation he'll confess to where the others are; there's a couple in Burns Park, and Rebsamen Park, the rest are at Lake Maumelle somewhere. Sprenger does not rant or rave, or brag about why he's doing it, if asked, but he does explain that he's a servant of God, dispensing justice to those who have strayed. Those witches who blaspheme and consort with Evil must be punished in accordance with EXODUS, 22:18 of the Holy Bible (Thou shall not suffer a witch to live). As players listen to him they receive a PSYCHOLOGY check. Success allows characters to believe what he's saying, and to know that he derived no sexual pleasure from his actions, and nor did he gain any real satisfaction from it other than the satisfaction in knowing that Devil worshipers had been brought to justice in the eyes of God, and for that he believes himself to be innocent - no matter what others say. The law of man is not greater than the word of God. When questioned about Lara, Sprenger remains silent, save for: "The Inquisition is upon her. She is being questioned" Just what he means by that, Sprenger does not say, although he does look at his watch. Does Sprenger want to know what time it is or does Lara have 20 minutes to live? He still won't say where she is. If alternate ways of persuading Sprenger are used (extended beatings and torture of the caliber he inflicts), Sprenger will eventually break and will answer anything put to him, even to the location of Lara. Pushing him further, Sprenger may even say that he is immortal and was born in 1656 and has been blessed by God to carry out his mission to eradicate the world of witches. However the interrogation plays out is left to the keeper to decide upon. Forensically testing Sprenger's clothing and shoes enables the players to find some clues. The boot prints match any plaster casts taken at other crime scenes. In the boot soles are fragments of steel shavings. Metallurgical analysis match the fragments from the van's tread. Sprenger has a pack of Marlboro lights cigarettes in his pocket. DNA samples match samples taken from elsewhere. A few stray hairs adhering to Sprenger's clothing matches Lara's hair. The Scenario's Conclusion Completion of this scenario really comes about with the rescue of Lara Crosby. Whether Sprenger is killed, imprisoned for life with no chance of parole, is executed after 14 years on death row, or is committed to a psychiatric hospital for the criminally insane is academic. He'll eventually escape or come back to life to carry on with his quest. As for the players; well that's another case solved. Time for the next one.... Any sanity rewards are left to the keeper. Wanted Bulletin SPECIAL BULLETIN ILLINOIS STATE POLICE DEPARTMENT Case Number: I45-2574-9-A $35,000 REWARD Description Name: Unknown Sex: Male Age: Early to mid 40s. Race: Caucasian Height: 5' 10" Weight: 250 lbs Eyes: Brown, dull & lifeless Hair: Receding brown hair with gray flecks Distinguishing Features: Full beard and moustache Scar bridging ridge of nose between eyes. Strong German Accent Wanted For: The Illinois Bureau of Crime are looking for this man in connection with the abduction, brutal torture, and murder of several women. The murders stopped shortly after his image was displayed on the TV and newspapers. It is believed that he may have moved on. Contact information For further information, or if you have information, contact M/Sgt Benjamin Harris at 312-555-3543 (office), or after hours at 312-555-2695 (mobile), or E-Mail: info@isp.state.il.us -- To unsubscribe from the chaos-digest ML, send an "unsubscribe" command to chaos-digest-request@chaosium.com. Chaosium Inc., Call of Cthulhu, and Nephilim are Registered Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Elric! and Pendragon are Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. All articles remain copyright their original authors unless otherwise noted.