Hi everyone,
This is a new home brewed Role Playing Game I am taking part in Dark Things in New Wyndham. The Games Master is Richard Burd. We do have a few positions open still.
What is Dark Things?
It is a turn based role playing game. The player creates a character and then submits instructions as to the actions that character will perform. The game aims to be flexible, in effect a ‘sand box’ allowing players maximum freedom to direct their characters actions, but one can expect consequences of those actions.
The game is set in the New Town of Wyndham in 1983. Wyndham is situated mid-way between Birmingham and Wales. Dark Things have been awakened as the New Town development has disturbed ancient forces, buried far below in a time long since passed.
Prologue
It’s 1983 in the small, but growing town of Wyndham, Shropshire, UK. Well known for its involvement in the Industrial Revolution, Wyndham has historically been something of a dead water. That is all about to change. The authorities have their eyes firmly set on Wyndham, with the aim of expanding it to take the over spill from Manchester and Birmingham. Work is underway to introduce a new motorway, easing travel to Birmingham. Developments are underway, with Phase 2 of the New Shopping Mall due to open later in the year.
Major employers in the area are Wyndham Foundries which specializes in the manufacture of pipes, the Inland Revenue and Customs Offices, MOD Wyndham (a major military storage facility) and RAF Wyndham (hosting a squadron of harrier jets and some experimental aircraft). A new hospital has recently been opened north of the Old Town and these developments have been joined by a new mining complex called the Eye near Mount Wyndham.
The town is dominated by Mount Wyndham, a large hill to the west and a valley that runs east to west to the south, called the Delving. It is the Delving that formed the basis of the Industrial Revolution due to its richness in iron ore and rare minerals plus the existence of the fast flowing river El.
This is the map of the town and surrounding area. Don't worry, the maps do get better.
This is my Character Emlyn.
Character: Emlyn Cadoc
Profession: Reporter at the Wyndham Whistle
Description: Young with an innocent. Aged 23, Male.
STR: 14 DEX: 15 CON: 14 INT: 14 POW: 13 APP: 11 SIZ: 13 EDU: 12 MOVE: 9 LUCK: 11 SAN: 70 MP: 14 HP: 13 Attacks: 1 Punch Punch: (-1 to hit) doing 1d3+1d4+1
Skills: Photography 60%, Acting: 50%, Writing: 60%, Credit Rating: 50%, Dodge: 57%, Drive Auto: 20%, Brawling: 45%, Welsh Language: 21%, Advanced English: 20%, Library Use: 40%, Research: 70%, Gather Information: 40%, Diplomacy: 40%, Sense Motive: 40%
Equipment: Smart office suit, boots, notebook and pen, wallet with about £20 and the keys to a Land Rover!
Background: Born to Gareth and Olwyn Cadoc in 1960, Pontypool. Mom is a seamstress in the local tailors. Dad was an accountant at the local bookmaker. He got killed in a robbery in 1974. They were never caught. Sister Brynne works as a nurse in a local surgery. She is two years older than Emlyn. Mom is 41. After the murder of your father, the family relocated from Pontypool to Wyndham where you are now happily settled in an old terraced house in Old Wyndham Town.
You started journalism writing for the school paper, reviewing plays, concerts, sports days etc. You did a stint in the local library which boosted your education, which was a bit lacking. They gave you a good reference that got you in to the Whistle, where you’ve been for two years. You’ve been paired with press officer, Ramsay Mac Dougal, a crusty fellow in his late 50’s who has a strong Scottish accent, swears a lot and seems to smoke continuously!
Turn 1 – The Gathering Storm – June 1983
It’s been a busy time at the Whistle, with a full page lead story concerning the Eye. This mining venture is supposedly exploring for deep coal reserves under Mount Wyndham, however it is protected by military personnel. Further there have been a number of small quakes that seem linked to their operation. Their actions have drawn the attention of two environmental groups, Earth Friends and a breakaway group called Daughters of Earth who have offices not far from your house in Old Wyndham town. The activities at the Eye has also drawn the attention of a research team from the University of Birmingham who have based themselves near the Wash south of the Eye. This research group seems interested in the massive amount of power used at the Eye.
Ramsay recently finished an unofficial interview with a support office who works at MoD Wyndham. This officer called Douglas Mac Dougal is a cousin of Ramsay and has thrown some doubt on what is clearly a cover story for what is happening at the Eye. The site uses considerable power from the Power Station near the Wash, far more than should be the case. Next stop for Ramsay is a visit to contacts in Portsmouth who may be willing to share further information on the unusual goings on at the Eye and equipment that was delivered to the facility. This will involve a long train journey for Ramsay and you’ve been tasked with getting him to the station on time and then continuing the investigation as best you can using your own initiative.
You’re driving an old battered Land Rover, with Ramsay in the passenger seat puffing on a cigarette whilst he mulls over the contents of a small note book. It’s a wonderful June day, late afternoon as you drive along one of the new highways that will connect Wyndham to the motorway system which has its official opening ceremony due in November. A most bizarre event unfolds as blizzard white out conditions descend. This is crazy weather for this time of year and Ramsay slowly looks up from his notebook in amazement at what is happening.
You instantly slow down, not being the best of drivers these are the most challenging of conditions. You’re not far from the exit that will bring you to the New Wyndham train station, but as you take the turn you nearly lose control of the battered Land Rover. Luckily a combination of skill and the four wheel drive capabilities of the car prevent you from sliding off the road. You hear a high pitched screech and for a moment the surrounding air crackles and sparks with blue lightning! You both let out a gasp in surprise and then there is a large tremor that lifts the rover for a moment off of the ground. As you slide down the access road to the station car park you can see a police car parked outside of the New Wyndham hotel with its blue lights still flashing.
The vehicle blocks the access road preventing you from entering the near empty carpark and you slide to a halt. An abandoned taxi is parked nearby, with its door open and no sign of life within. A train has pulled into the new station and through the haze of large snowflakes it seems that the train station has been closed and several people are making their way from the station toward the hotel and neighboring restaurant. A police officer is stood in the entrance to the hotel and his attention at first you think is directed at you, after all you nearly slid into his car.
However, the police officer is staring past you, looking in awe at something behind you. Slowly you turn and look in amazement at the smoking remains of what seems to be an aircraft. It’s difficult to make it out in the blizzard, but it is embedded into the ground at an odd angle. You can make out at least one hunched figure walking away from the crash site and further movement on the silver structure of the aircraft. The police officer moves forward into the bitter wind, ill prepared as are you for the strange harsh weather. You hear him shout ‘There are survivors, we’ve got to help them!’
At that moment you hear breaking glass from the rear of the hotel, but the officer seems intent on advancing on the downed craft. He walks past you and you note that he is injured and has a bad limp. He’s also armed with a pistol at his hip. Oddly he carries a radio, but is making no attempt to call for help. A young woman, from the look of it a receptionist appears at the hotel entrance nursing her right hand and shouts after the mam ‘Officer, come back! I think someone’s breaking into the service room!’
He ignores her and moves slowly toward the crash site. Ramsays cigarette has fallen from his mouth and he seems at a loss at what to do and you note that he takes a step back to place you in front of him! In the distance you can hear a dull repetitive thumping noise, and after a moment you determine that it emanates from a helicopter which for the moment remains unseen due to the heavy snow. It is certainly getting nearer so help may be on the way.
So, what to do?
Do you want to approach the crash site and search for survivors or help a damsel in distress? Whatever you choose, you have an ominous impression that this is going to be far from a normal day!
There we go. What to do ? What would you do in my place ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dark Things is Copyright 2020 Richard Burd.
Ivor Cogdell
