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introduction This Haunt is intended to be used with the EVP roleplaying game which can be purchased from the Forever People website: www.foreverpeople.co.uk

HAUNT DETAILS Kudos Cost: 200 Site: The Salem House Type: Residential house / period museum Lockdown? No Address: 504 South Second Street, Atchison, Kansas Electricity Supply: standard fuse box and power supply. Risk of power outage if more than 6 electrical items are plugged in, requiring fuse box is located and reset. When seventh item is plugged in, Overseer rolls 1d6 and on a roll of 1 or 6 the power fails. This is a standard Haunt suitable for groups who are new to the EVP game, or low experience player teams with limited Kudos.

HPI (Haunt Photographic Image)

The HPI is provided to the player group as representative of this Haunt and should be printed out then included with all Haunts the Overseer intends to offer to the game group. The Kudos cost of the Haunt should be marked on the back of the image. The image is an old photograph of the house taken in 1906 and is famous for showing what many people believe to be a ghostly figure standing in the upstairs window (on the right of the photograph). Skeptics refute this claim, stating this is merely the shape of the drapes casting a dark area on the glass.

HISTORY

CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY The lot upon which the Salem House stands was sold to Hatty and Samuel Salem in April 1857. Samuel Salem constructed the house based on architectural designs drawn up by his brother Kane Salem. Samuel died in 1866 (cause of death noted as suicide by hanging) and Hatty died in 1874 of natural causes. Their son Edwin Salem inherited the house at this time but did not live there. The house stood empty until 1905 when the lot was sold to Joanne and Robson Bram.

The house was renovated and extended at this time. It was then occupied by the Brams until 1938. During this fateful year, Robson Bram is reported to have killed himself and his wife in the attic. The details of this murder suicide are poorly documented, but it is believed Robson first shot his wife and then himself. The house was subsequently inherited by representatives of the Bram estate but remained unoccupied for a further twenty years with intermittent periods when boarders rented rooms in the property but only for a few months at a time (rumours of ghostly goings on begin around this time). In 1958 the lot was sold to David and Agnes True who lived in the house with their three children. The Trues were plagued by the presence of an apparently mischievious entity whom they named Molly, a supposed spirit who was seen on several occassions as an apparition on the landing of the first floor.

Molly, a female child, was believed by Agnes True to be the troubled spirit of a young girl who might have been the illegitimate child of the Salem family. David True, famously a skeptic who always denied the existence of Molly, died in 1974, hanging himself from a tree on the grounds of the property. After her husband's suicide, Agnes True took in boarders until her death in 2013. The year before her death Agnes wrote a book called 'The Molly House Haunting' which recounted the story of her experiences in the house. In the book Agnes revealed she had never set foot in the basement of the property which she found terrifying and that before his death (and despite warnings from her) her husband had decided to utilise the basement space and create a TV room. His mental state, she claims in the book, deteriorated from that point and she reveals her belief that his suicide was connected with, what she dubbed, the 'evil under the house'.

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In her book Agnes also revealed that the spirit of Molly had vanished in 1988 after a TV crew attended the house and, as the culmination of their show staged an exorcism, using a Catholic priest to bless the building and grounds. Agnes believed firmly that Molly had passed over and was now in a better place. The property was inherited by the True children, Stephen and Philippa in 2014 but has remained unoccupied ever since. The property remains in the possession of the Trues who currently run the site as a museum in order to take advantage of its infamy. Publicity surrounding the Salem House Haunting still generates great interest in the parascientific community and the local tourist trade has also become a source of income for the Trues. Much to the disgust of investigators (who would prefer the house was empty) 504 South Second Street has been redecorated and outfitted to resemble the original furnishings of 1857. The house is now populated by mannequins dressed in period clothing, props designed to represent the late 1800s period, and clutter salvaged from a time when the house remained occupied. The site has become extremely popular with ghost hunters and tourists of the paranormal.

PARANORMAL HISTORY (Public Knowledge)

Salem House is reputedly haunted by numerous spirits. One is said to be the restless and mischievious ghost of a small girl called Molly, though it is believed a TV staged exorcism in 1988 was responsible for exorcising Molly who has not been encountered or detected since.

The Haunted Basement A sinister entity is said to lurk in the basement and has been felt by psychics and mediums there and in the spare room on the first floor. Other psychics have noted the presence of female spirits and a demonologist has claimed the house is home to more than one unholy being.

The TV Exorcism In 1988 a TV film crew stayed at the house for five days and documented a variety of strange events. The producer suffered strange scratches on his torso, arms and face while filming in the basement, an event that caused him to quit the show entirely. Strange glowing orbs were filmed from the rear windows of the property hovering over the road at the bottom of the garden and at various points the crew identified cold spots and draughts where the air should have been still and the temperature steady. The show culminated with the staging of an exorcism using a 'genuine' Catholic priest who was famously unmasked as an actor. Despite this revelation (which received surprisingly little press) the vanishing of Molly is almost always credited to the exorcism.

The Haunted Road

The road at the end of the garden is also said to be the site of various unusual occurrences. Motorists often complain of headlights failing as they approach the intersection, only for the lights to come back on as soon as they have passed the house. This has happened so often that video evidence exists on YouTube showing cars repeatedly suffering this effect as they pass by.

Something in the Attic Occupants of the house, visitors and paranormal investigators have all heard strange sounds coming from the attic. These include scrabbling noises, the patter of footsteps (which have been described as that of childrens' feet) and unholy voices speaking some unintelligible language.

PARANORMAL HISTORY

(Overseer's Eyes Only) Salem House is said to be haunted primarily by the ghost of Samuel Salem, a physician who practised dark magic in the basement of the property and who summoned a demon in the spare bedroom at the rear of the property in the hope of using the demon's influence to gain power and wealth. Samuel engaged in vivisection experiments in the basement and was responsible for the abduction and imprisonment of two young women from the immediate neighbourhood. Both suffered appalling deaths at the hands of Samuel, their remains buried in a plot of land at the end of the garden at the rear of the property, now a busy intersection. They are responsible for all paranormal anomolies occurring in that part of the Haunt. Samuel's third victim survived and managed to escape, bringing police to the house. Samuel's crimes were revealed, but by the time police arrived Samuel had hanged himself (in the back bedroom of the first floor), leaving a suicide note to confess his crimes. The house is haunted by the lingering and restless spirits of the two murdered women from the late 1850s to early 1860s, by the demon summoned by Samuel and by the spirits of those later occupants of the house whom the demon was able to possess. The possessed include Robson Bram (1938) who, after being taken by the demon, killed himself and his wife Joanne; and David True (1974) who hanged himself from a tree in the garden. These two spirits are controlled by the demon who won't let them communicate if he is present. Joanne Bram also haunts the house but is confined to the attic where she is entrapped. She remains there in order to avoid the demon who cannot ascend to this part of the house. The demon dwells in the basement and cannot leave this area. The demon is able to produce

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significant activity in the basement but is ensnared behind a hatch in a dividing wall separating the modern basement from Samuel Salem's old surgery. The surgery is where Samuel bound the demon after the summoning, trapping it to ensure the damage it wrought was always under control and focused on the murder and torture of Samuel's victims. Only if the hatch is open can the demon move freely within the boundary external wall of the house, haunting all rooms except the attic. In 1874 Edwin Salem, son of Samuel, inherited the house, located the hatch in the basement and discovered his father's gruesome surgery. Always an empathic individual, entirely lacking his father's sociopathic tendencies, Edwin sensed the presence of something evil. Thinking his father's ghost dwelled in the surgery, Edwin closed the hatch and fled the house. The hatch remained closed until 1905 when, during renovations, it was discovered by Robson Bram and opened, revealing its hidden secrets. Robson Bram came under the influence of the demon who ensured the hatch remained open and the surgery was not disturbed and was not seen by anyone else. The hidden chamber behind the hatch was not explored again until 1988 when a TV crew began an extensive investigation of the house. They found the hidden surgery but were never able to capture its existence on film due to the anomolous problems the room seemed to create in electronic equipment and cameras. Before these problems could be addressed the demon attacked a producer of the show and the investigation was brought to an end, culminating with a mock-exorcism designed to sensationalise the event. The hatch was closed and hidden behind boxes by the TV crew who recognised an exclusive scoop. But after the demon attack, producers were reluctant to return to the house and a follow up show never materialized. The hatch was forgotten and has remained closed ever since, trapping the demon in the old surgery and preventing it from freely manifesting the 'Molly' persona. It is for this reason that Molly has not been seen since the TV crew left and not as a result of the sham exorcism. Samuel Salem remains wicked in death as he was in life and is a daunting entity to encounter. The demon uses the unbreakable seal which Samuel forged in his rituals and the energy of the two murdered women and the murder/suicides to bind itself to the house. It cannot be dispelled from the property unless the souls of all human spirits are first released, including the malevolent spirit of Samuel Salem.

ENTITIES

Samuel Salem Type: human spirit (male, older) bound as a result of a pact with the demon Murmur Personality: melancholy in audio, evil and disturbing when manifest. Appearance: period dress, a receding hairline and large forehead, dark, menacing eyes and a beaky nose. Most Active: Spare Room (first floor), Master Bedroom (first floor) and Basement.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS Samuel is likely to manifest in EVPs. He will speak his first or last name if asked but most conversations with him, either through EVP, Ouija or Ghost Box will deteriorate into abuse and threats as the demon draws him away and takes over the conversation. If Samuel is seen he will appear as a sallow faced shadow figure with black eyeballs. His appearance will be extremely rare (minimum EMF readings of 9.5 for the area) and very fleeting so that any devices recording the event must be perfectly situated or highly sensitive. Samuel will attempt to reveal the crimes he committed in life by leading the player group to pull up the carpet in the spare room (first floor). This will reveal the blood stains, satanic symbolism and summoning pentagram scratched into the concrete.

Murmur Type: demon Power: 9 Other Names: Murmus, Murmux. Personality: evil, abusive, threatening, murderous. Appearance: varies but Murmur is believed to resemble a malformed vulture-like monstrosity with hunched shoulders, black wings which he can stretch to great width and black eyes. His presence is accompanied by certain supernatural sounds such as a resonating tone as of a horn playing somewhere far away, or the distant tolling of a heavy bell. His features are said to be 'malevolent beyond the imagination of human minds' and those who purport to have seen his true face say it cannot be described. Most Active: basement, especially the secret room behind the hatch. If the hatch is opened and left open Murmur will have the run of the house and activity will be extremely high until the hatch is closed. While the hatch is closed Murmur can still influence activity in the house but is much less powerful and much less likely to impinge on investigative sessions held on the upper floors.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS Murmur is likely to be encountered initially in the basement where he will make his presence known by causing dizziness, feelings of nausea

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and depression and a general oppressive atmosphere that investigators will interpret as 'heavy' and 'dark'. He will speak through EVP and Ghost Box sessions using abusive language, threats and graphic phrases while repeatedly uttering his own name. He is, however, mischievous and will also utter the names of more powerful demons including Satan, Lucifer and Devil, all of which refer to the same overarching entity. If Murmur is allowed full run of the house he will pose as the spirit of a girl called Molly, using this fake persona to fool psychics and mediums and confuse investigators. Molly will prove to be extraordinarily spiteful and in this guise Murmur is likely to cause painful scratches if energy levels are high enough.

Lucy Coats Type: human spirit (female 25) murdered by Samuel Salem in a vivisection ritual within the basement of the house. She haunts the area because her death was so traumatic. She is unaware that she has died and relives the terrible memory of her death on a continual basis. Personality: confused, helpless, her mind may appear to wander from subject to subject if she is addressed in EVP sessions, through the Ouija Board or any other contact medium. Appearance: pretty and petite, dressed in clothing of the mid to late 19th century period and wearing round-rim wire spectacles. Most Active: the closet at the back of the lounge and the crossroads at the end of the back garden.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS Lucy was buried in ground bordering the Salem property at the end of the back garden. A busy intersection was built there and she is sometimes seen at night as a drifting orb of light. Motorists have also reported strange mechanical failures or sudden radio static and there have also been very rare sightings of a woman in a white medical gown wandering across the road. The Hunters will encounter Lucy through EVPs and other contact mediums but she is likely to be repressed by the demon if he is at large and will never be felt in the basement or the attic.

Emily Harrold Type: human spirit (female 23) murdered by Samuel Salem in a vivisection ritual within the basement of the house. She haunts the area because her death was so traumatic. Emily wishes for her story to be known by the living so that she can achieve closure and leave the purgatory of Salem House. Personality: melancholy, tormented Appearance: small, thin and attractive, dressed in period clothing of the mid to late 19th century. Most Active: the dining room or the crossroads at the bottom of the garden.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS

Emily will ask for help but is unable to speak if the demon is abroad in the house. She will try to reveal the nature of her death by directing the Hunters toward the attic where Samuel Salem's surgical tools are stored in an old crate. She will also repeat, if given the chance, her own name, the name of Lucy Coats and the year 1859 (the year of her death). If any Hunter with the Research Expertise value subsequently succeeds in making a Research Expertise dice check he should be given Handout A. The previous pages of this document are missing, but the two remaining may be pertinent enough to give the group some idea of the history of the house.

Robson Bram Type: human spirit (male 50), was possessed by the demon Murmur when alive. The demon's influence then caused Robson to kill his wife and himself in the attic of the Salem House. Personality: melancholy, remorseful, lost, hateful of himself Appearance: Harsh looking with sad, empty eyes, a downturned mouth and walrus style moustache, dressed in austere clothing. Most Active: On the stairs between the ground and first floors or in the dining room.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS If the demon is freely abroad in the house it will suppress Robson Bram's spirit and prevent him speaking or manifesting in any way. Otherwise Robson will likely be felt as patches of vibrating energy, sudden fluctuations in electromagnetic or seismic fields and cold spots which seem to move around the room. The cold spots will be particularly active and can be detected using thermal imaging cameras or temperature gauges. If Robson is contacted using Ouija or seance he will speak his own name and that of his wife...

Joanne Bram Type: human spirit (female 48), killed by Robson Bram under the influence of the demon Murmur. Robson shot his wife with a rifle and then killed himself. Both murder and suicide occurred in the attic of the Salem House. Joanne cannot escape the house and move on to the afterlife unless her husband is released from the grip of the demon. She is, however, immune to the demon's attentions, the attic being a place the demon cannot venture for a variety of different reasons. Personality: Very quiet, morose, fearful. Appearance: homely/plain, usually wears a hat and a smock over a white dress.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS Joanne will only be encountered in EVPs etc. if the group venture into the attic and perform a session there. She may speak but what she says will be sparse. She will not engage with the Hunters and will not be triggered by objects and

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will not respond to Yes/No games. Her presence may be detected as cold spots and fluctuations in EMFs.

David True Type: human spirit (male 46), hanged himself from a tree in the grounds of the house under the influence of the demon Murmur. Personality: depressed, afraid, will cry for help. When alive, David was a huge football fan and watched football games avidly. He will react to football paraphernalia (for the Kansas City Chiefs specifically) or football games shown on the television in the living room, which was his. Appearance: grizzled and gaunt, usually wears jeans, a checkered shirt and baseball cap but his face will seem inhuman and sunken, his eyes hollow like those of a skull and his features inconsistent as though malleable and unformed. Most Active: sitting room and lounge or under the tree where he hanged himself.

LIKELY ENCOUNTERS David will be felt in most parts of the house but will be strongest in the garden under the tree where he hanged himself.

scenario ARRIVAL

Your team van pulls into a nondescript, small town road in the backwaters of Atchison Kansas and park on the side of the road outside 504 South Second Street. At the end of a flagstone approach flanked on either side by weed-choked lawn stands the Salem House, a local landmark, as infamous in reputation as it is imposing in appearance. A mid-1800s design shingle clad house, the building stands alone within its grounds, the bare branches of trees bordering the plot and swaying in a whispering breeze. A wooden swing on the porch creaks back and forth. As you haul your various cases and equipment to the front porch you notice a sign attached to the underside of the porch ceiling. It reads "The House of Samuel Salem, A Reconstruction of Life in Simpler Times".

Initial Interview

Stephen True, son of David True who hanged himself from a tree in the garden of Salem House, will be waiting for the investigating team on the porch of the property with a key. Stephen dislikes the house and hates to spend too long here. He will hand over the key, along with an 'introductory fact sheet' and will then leave as quickly as possible. He will avoid answering questions about the house, focusing

instead on ensuring the team know about the various covenants required of them in return for access to the property. If they do not know about these, he will refer them to the 'fact sheet' and while they are examining this he will leave. See Handout B Introductory Fact Sheet

GENERIC SESSIONS The following sessions can be carried out anywhere on site and will result in activity where the EMF levels are measured as being 4.0 or higher. For every point of EMF above 4.0 the area is deemed to have a Possession Risk value of an additional 1 point, beginning with 1 point at 4.0. (For example, where EMF are measured between 4.0 and 4.9, the Possession Risk is deemed to be 1; where EMF are measured between 5.0 and 5.9 the Possession Risk is 2; where EMFs are between 6.0 and 6.9 the Possession Risk is 3 and so on).

Ouija If the hatch in the basement is open, the demon Murmur will dominate Ouija sessions and will inevitably attempt to possess one of the subjects of the session (anyone with a finger on the planchette). The demon will provide confusing or mischievous answers (spelling backwards will be common) or will use the board to offer threats and insults. If the demon is subsequently provoked by anyone or someone with a finger on the planchette returns insults/threats to the demon, the planchette will start to make figure of eight patterns on the board, boosting the Possession Risk value by an additional 1 point. If the Possession Risk value reaches 8, the demon will scratch the character with a finger on the planchette who possesses the highest Leadership value. Scratches will leave visible welts which will take hours to fade and may appear on the back, face or arms. The victim will feel as though a knife has been drawn through the core of their body, a sensation similar to an electric shock but with a heavier and sharper feeling. The scratches will sting for as long as they remain. The demon may pose as the spirit of a child called Molly if the session is held upstairs. Molly's answers will prove confusing, mischievous and spiteful but surprisingly lucid for such a supposedly young child. Her answers will also be inconsistent and the demon will inevitably slip back into its usual character. If the hatch in the basement is closed, the demon will not participate and one of the human spirits of the house (or numerous spirits) will participate instead. The usual risk of summoning a random Ouija demon applies.

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Ganzfeld and God Helmet

The player makes a Ganzfeld Medium Expertise dice check to enter a trance. Where he attempts to do this in an area full of noise or distractions (outdoors in the cold, in a noisy environment, etc) he incurs +1 to his dice roll. If the dice check succeeds he enters a ganzfeld trance and experiences any one of the visions listed below. If the dice check fails he is either distracted or fails to get into the zone. While he may appear to be spaced-out for anything up to twenty minutes he will experience nothing other than the usual random sensations, noises and visual artefacts associated with the method. Whether the dice check succeeds or not, the ganzfeld always opens a Hunter to risk of possession. The Overseer should determine EMF levels if she hasn't already done so and applies a Possession Risk value using the method described above. If the session is successful the medium experiences one of the following visions (Overseer can roll d6 for a random vision, but should aim to give a different vision each time).

Vision One All becomes dark and you see an undulating landscape of black stone beneath swirling clouds filled with squawking ravens. Vague shapes, vast and terrible, loom and stride across the horizon, veiled within clouds of black mist. You see the Salem House, twisted and strange on a nearby hill of broken rock. You enter the house which is empty and somehow deformed. The walls are brown and run with a strange green slime and the grey ceilings sag horribly, pulsing with veins as though their surface were made of living flesh. You climb the stairs to a back bedroom, opening the door to see an oily black cloud swirling about the ceiling and beneath this a man dressed in period clothing, croached over something on the floor. He becomes aware of your presence and turns slowly to reveal a sallow face with eyes like black pools. His chin dribbles blood and clutched in claw like hands are coils of something meaty and red that glistens and throbs. He grins, revealing his mouth is filled with the same bloody pulp and... the vision ends. The Hunter must make a Stability dice check. Vision Two A scene slowly resolves around you. You stand on a desolate plane of scorched earth. Trees stand withered or burned and the sky is bruised with grim clouds. The Salem House stands alone a short distance away, but

appears somehow contorted and ugly, rooftops crooked, walls sagging and cracked. Faces appear at the windows, their features smudged and indistinct, their bodies shaking with a hideous palsy which almost renders them a blur. The front door opens and a hook-nosed man stalks onto the porch, his black eyes locked on you. He wears a leather apron stained with blood and in one hand he grips a bone saw of the type used by surgeons for the purpose of amputation and other grisly procedures. He smiles, though his eyes lack all warmth, and beckons to you. Despite yourself you feel compelled to go to him and somehow you know that when he has you the bone saw will be put to good use... the vision ends but the Hunter slumps and does not immediately revive. If the hatch in the basement is open and the demon Murmur is abroad in the house or if the Ganzfeld session takes place in any part of the basement, Murmur achieves automatic temporary possession of the Hunter. Vision Three A scene begins to take shape. A darkened room lit by a single gas lamp which hangs from a rusty hook in the ceiling, swinging to and fro so that it's yellow light drifts from one end of the room to the other. There are no windows and you can see no doors. A table of rotten wood, like a surgical gurney, stands in the middle of the room and to one side is an old fashioned wheel chair, the arm rests furnished with leather buckles. A bench runs the length of the room on one side and upon this are various glass jars, surgical instruments and items you might expect to find in a medical museum. A moth flutters past, its soft body brushing against your face. It flies into the gas lamp with an audible bump, causing the lamp to swing in a different direction. The light illuminates a female mannequin fixed to the stone wall. The mannequin has no arms or legs and its bald head is bent at an angle. You feel yourself drawn to this strange ornament, but when you approach for a closer look cold fingers of dread scrabble at your spine. The eyes of the mannequin flicker open, pale blue and bloodshot. "Kill me" she whispers and you notice now the stumps of her legs and the rounded nubs of her shoulders, the stitched black thread. A long, ragged line of stitches also travel from her navel to her throat. Meat hooks, inserted under the arc of her collar bone, pin her to the wall... the vision ends.

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The Hunter must make a Stability dice check. This vision is of Samuel Salem's basement laboratory and if/when the Hunter finds that location in the house they will recognise it from their vision. Vision Four Your eyes seem to open as if from sleep and you find yourself in a strange room, a vivid pink in colour. There are no windows or doors and the walls seem to pulse with life, as though some vital fluid were pumping through them. A stool stands before you and upon the stool a child, her back to you. She wears a white smock and has long black hair which reaches almost to her waist. The child hops down from the chair and turns slowly so that you can see her face. Her skin is white and pinched, framed by the lank curtains of her hair. Her nostrils and lips are sewn shut and her eyes are covered with two coins. She plucks the coins away suddenly to reveal two mouths in place of eyes, each mouth filled with tiny teeth and a small red tongue. The mouths smile and speak together with a deep, unearthly voice. "Do you want to play?"... the vision ends. When the Hunter emerges from the trance he makes a Stability dice check and, if successful, finds that the name 'Molly' seems now to have some kind of profound meaning. Vision Five You catch an odour of pipe or cigar smoke and are suddenly struck with an overwhelming sense that somebody has come to sit next to you. Something touches you on the shoulder and you feel it is a hand resting there. The realisation causes you to emerge from the trance. No Stability dice check is necessary. Vision Six You are in a darkened space with a low roof. Numerous windows surround you but these are black, the only light coming from a single electric bulb which hangs from the middle of the sloping ceiling. If the Hunter has already explored the attic they will recognise the place in their vision as a somewhat more sinister version of that location. You hear the sound of commotion coming from beyond a door which is suddenly thrown open. A man enters, his fist bunched in the hair of a bedraggled looking woman whom he seems to be dragging behind him. In his other hand he carries a Winchester rifle. The man is severe looking, dressed in

turn of the century clothing. His eyes are fierce, his teeth bared behind a drooping moustache. The man throws the woman down and roars "This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil!" He loads a bullet into the rifle and aims the weapon at the woman who cowers on the floor "For everyone who does evil hates the light. May God show forgiveness to our souls!" Mercifully the vision ends and you emerge from the trance. No Stability dice check is necessary. The vision shows Robson Bram in the process of executing his wife Joanne before turning his rifle on himself. If the Hunter possesses either the Psychic or Empath Expertise skill they may make a dice check for either and if successful glean the names Robson and Joanne.

Interview Subjects The following subjects are available for interview sessions at the player group's convenience.

PHILLIPA TRUE Daughter to David and Agnes True, and joint inheritor of the Salem House along with her brother, Stephen. Phillipa is 53 years old, quiet and with only limited experiences to impart. Her brother runs the museum aspect of the house and she will be keen to point this out. She considers Stephen's activity macabre and prefers to drop in once in a while to clean and tidy. Phillipa shares her late mother's dread of the basement and believes there is an evil presence in the house. As a child she remembers sleeping in what is now the spare bedroom and recalls the night her parents left her on her own for the first time. She was 17 and even her brother, older than Phillipa by three years, was out of the house. "I was 17. I was listening to music. I heard a noise so switched off the record player. There was this strange noise coming from my closet. You always heard weird noises in the house, but this was different. It was like somebody was scratching at the door on the inside. I got scared because I thought there might be an intruder. But then I got brave and decided to just take a look. I threw open the door but the closet was empty. "I remember feeling a breeze on my face. Then I heard a low chuckling behind me. I saw a black shadow growing in the corner of my room, like smoke filling up the room. The laughing grew louder and the air became icy cold. I just grabbed the door to my room and ran. Mum and dad found me out on the porch. It always felt safe on the porch for some reason. I heard lots of noises and felt chills all the time, but that was the most terrifying experience I had in this house."

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ASV Any ASV undertaken anywhere in the house where EMF levels rise to 8.0 or higher will result in a successful ASV. Overseer should present players with Handout C.

Exorcisms The human spirits cannot be persuaded to move on unless the demon is first dispelled. In order to achieve this the demon's lair must first be located (the secret chamber in the basement) and the exorcism performed there. Human spirits must be dispelled beginning with Samuel Salem. If the exorcist doesn't focus first on Samuel he will hold the other spirits in place and if the team leave the house and return at a later time they will discover that the demon has returned. To dispel Samuel the remains of his two victims, Emily Harrold and Lucy Coats must first be excavated from under the road at the end of the garden. When this is done Samuel will be dispelled but Emily and Lucy will only leave if their story is revealed. The other spirits will leave if the areas they haunt are blessed by a priest, Samuel has gone and the demon has been exorcised. David True must be dispelled from the tree where he took his own life, while Robson and Joanne Bram must be dispelled from the attic where they died. Where a location is blessed with a view to freeing a trapped spirit, the character blessing the location sprinkles holy water and commands the spirit by name to go into the light. A Faith dice check must also be made successfully.

GROUND FLOOR KEY

Porch See 'Arrival' for read-aloud description of the porch and the first impression of Salem House. The front porch is a relatively safe area and will see no paranormal activity. This is a location the Hunters can retreat to in order to decompress and breathe the fresh air. All Faith, Positivity, Stability and Humour dice checks made on the porch gain a -2 reduction on the roll. Reductive attributes are not reduced by one point where the dice check fails.

Ambient Temperature: 45oF/7.2oC EMF: 0.0 Active Spirits: none Seismic: nominal (caused by wind and vibration of passing cars) Power Supply: 0 sockets Light: Porch Light (auto) Research: Local rumours claim a young Catholic priest was called to the house to perform an exorcism and suffered a fatal heart attack on the front door step. Overseer: The rumours are untrue. Nobody ever died on the porch and a priest was never called to perform an exorcism, though priests have attended the house at various points in the past.

EMPATH A sense of forboding; that visitors are unwelcome; a brooding, sinister atmosphere but one which does not extend out of the house and onto the porch specifically. The name Melinda or Molly and Lucy or Lucille.

PSYCHIC The psychic will have no experience on the porch.

ENCOUNTERS

Bats At night, dark shadows flit between the trees (the shadows are bats; use of IR or camera with flash to detect shape of flying bats). Overseer should apply Kudos penalty if flying bats are mistaken for paranormal activity.

Porch Swing The porch swing will start to move apparently of its own accord. However the cause is merely a sudden breeze which may be felt by anyone who sits on the swing. Overseer should apply Kudos penalty if the movement is mistaken for paranormal activity.

Entrance Hallway A small reception hallway between the front door and living area. An angled wall furnished with a square arch leads to a dining room ahead while a second arch of the same design leads to a sitting room. Wallpaper is dated and yellowed by nicotene. If the team have just arrived the Overseer should remember to mention that the house is dark and the lights are off. The time is approximately 10pm. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when any downstairs fire is lit (fluctuations of up to a full degree colder when front door has recently been opened) EMF: 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: if EMF levels are at 7.0 or higher, Emily Harrold or Robson Bram may be present. If the hatch in the basement is open and EMF levels are greater than 7.0 the demon Murmur will also be here. Seismic: none

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Power Supply: 0 sockets Lights: overhead light (unlit by default) Research none.

EMPATH A sense of waiting, of anticipation, as though the house itself were holding its breath, waiting to see what the team will do.

PSYCHIC No results.

Sitting Room The living room is decorated with a 19th century style. Wallpaper, furnishings and ornaments are true to the period and tastefully arranged. A crudely made mannequin sits on the couch, his clothes typical of those worn in the 1800s. The only

non-period detail is a television which stands on a low table against the inner wall. You draw up short when you see a face peering at you from the wall above an unlit fireplace in the corner of the room. But then you realise you're looking at your own reflection in a mirror which hangs over the mantlepiece. A square arch leads into a secondary lounge which looks more comfortable and less formal than this room. Next to the fire is a basket filled with wood and some firelighters. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when fire is lit (fluctuations of up to a full degree colder when front door has recently been opened) EMF: 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: if EMF levels are at 7.0 or higher, Emily Harrold or Robson Bram may be present. If the hatch in the basement is open and EMF levels are greater than 7.0 the demon Murmur will also be here. Seismic: none Power Supply: 4 sockets Light: overhead light Research: none

EMPATH The empath will feel the presence of a male spirit sitting in one of the chairs. There is a sense that the spirit is waiting for the TV to be switched on.

PSYCHIC The name David, Kansas and Chief.

ENCOUNTERS

Strange Footsteps (EMF ≥ 4.0) Frequent sounds from the rooms overhead, including footsteps, floorboards creaking. Thumps and bangs as though furniture is being dragged around and sobs, as though someone were crying in one of the bedrooms. (5 Kudos for good recordings of this encounter).

An Entity in the Mirror (EMF ≥ 8.0) One of the Hunters looks into the mirror over the fireplace and notices his reflection is looking in a different direction. The affected Hunter makes a Stability dice check. This Encounter will be hard to capture on camera as it will only really be visible to the Hunter himself. From the perspective of others in the room or cameras the Hunter will seem to be looking at himself. (20 Kudos if this effect is captured on camera).

A Presence on the Couch (EMF ≥ 3.0) A Hunter sits on the couch next to the mannequin and feels the seat underneath him is very warm, as though somebody was already sitting there and only recently got up. Temperature readings will confirm the seat is considerably warmer than its surroundings.

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A Disembodied Voice (EMF ≥ 5.0)

A Hunter hears an audible EVP that one other Hunter hears (x2 players are taken to one side). The voice speaks the name of one of the Hunters.

Shadow Figure If the fire is lit, one Hunter catches a glimpse of a shadow flickering across the wall (caused by the fire light). Hunters with the Debunk or Data Analysis Expertise will identify the cause if they succeed in their respective dice checks. If the shadow is submitted as evidence the Overseer should apply a Kudos penalty.

Dining Room A large oval dining table stands in the middle of this room, a simple chandelier suspended above. In the two chairs at either end of the table are mannequins dressed to resemble characters from the late 1850s. The table is laid for dinner but the food is waxwork. The mannequins seem to stare at one another with blank expressions. Cabinets standing around the edges of the room contain photographs and ornaments dating, perhaps, from various points in the history of the house. Against one wall stands an old organ upon which a sheet of music is arranged. There's also a fireplace and a door. Elsewhere in this room is a grandfather clock whose face is etched with the date 1903 and two standard lamps (working). The sheet music is titled, 'The Haunted Ground', the sheet perched on the organ tray as though ready to be played (see Handout D). See Encounters below for details of how players can use the organ.

If the room is searched, Hunters will find the following items: A large globe* filled with bottles of alcohol, a crystal decanter and glasses Numerous books*, apparently chosen for their exquisite leather book bindings than for their subject matter which appears to include surgical and pharmaceutical methods and biology. A stack of wooden table mats carved with acorn insignia A vase filled with plastic flowers A wooden elephant missing a tusk An ornate tiffany lamp (no bulb) A Scrabble board game. Notepaper inside the game used to keep player scores is marked David/Agnes and at the bottom of one of these pieces of paper is a doodle of the Kansas Chief's (football team) insignia. Will only be found if players take out the board game and examine it carefully.

A photograph in a frame titled 'Joanne 1935' (see Handout E) A photograph in a frame* titled 'Samuel Salem in surgery (Atchison, Kansas 1864)' (see Handout F) A photograph on the wall* titled 'Hatty & Samuel Salem 1866' (see Handout G) *Empath/psychic rolls should be allowed for anyone touching these items. They will get a sense of strange nostalgia (similar to de-ja-vu) from any of the photographs but if they touch the large globe full of alcohol they will feel a flash of disapproval which seems to suddenly, but only fleetingly, fill the room. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when fire is lit (fluctuations of up to a full degree colder when front door has recently been opened) EMF: 0.0 or d10.d10 if the hatch in the basement is open Active Spirits: the demon will be active here if the player group are present, but only if it has the run of the house (the hatch in the basement is open). The demon will be responsible for any of the paranormal encounters listed below. Samuel Salem is likely to visit this room often. Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: 2 Standard Lamps, 1 Overhead Light Research: none

EMPATH this room is filled with strange energy, as though the air is vibrating with a sense of waiting. The empath will feel a sense of foreboding when approaching the foot of the stairs.

PSYCHIC The psychic will read nothing from this room.

ENCOUNTERS

The Haunted Ground Any player who wishes to play the organ will either need to already possess a musical Talent or will need to check if their character possesses the ability to read and play sheet music by making a Talent check (see main EVP rules). If the Haunted Ground sheet music is played on the organ (Overseer may play audio file Haunted_Ground.wav) the player will hear a click and a secret compartment in the wall against which the organ stands will swing open. Inside the compartment is a cobweb strewn cupboard large enough for one person to fit and in this is an old travel trunk filled with paraphernalia. The objects in the trunk include an old fashioned boot (very small with a silver buckle), a rusty meat hook, six silver candelabra, a moth-eaten red robe marked with strange sigils, a small box which contains a few items of women's jewellery

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(rings, necklaces and bracelets), a small box containing rusty surgical instruments (scalpel, rib-separators, a bone saw and old fashioned hypodermic needle), a purse containing a pair of thin wire rimmed spectacles and another small box containing a tooth, some whispy grey hair and an old paint brush whose bristles are almost fossilized in old paint. If any player has experienced (or later experiences) the gansfeld vision in which Samuel Salem appears brandishing a bone saw, they will recognise that saw as being identical to the one in the hidden compartment.

The Clock Chimes The grandfather clock marks the hour with a chiming bell. If Hunters are in the dining room at the time the Overseer plays Clock_Chimes.wav at as high a volume as she deems acceptable to the neighbours and without announcing the chimes in order to use the sudden sound to utmost effect (expect players to jump out of their skin). Hunters who are in another part of the house (not outside) will hear the clock chiming as well, but the sound they hear will be much quieter and somehow strangely different. The Overseer should play Clock_Chimes_Alt.wav for these players after playing the initial file.

Footsteps From Hell (EMF ≥ 6.0) This encounter only occurs if the secret hatch in the basement has been uncovered. Whenever EMF levels rise to 6.0 or higher anyone in this room or an adjacent room will hear the sound of stealthy footsteps crossing the floor, the floorboards creaking. If talc is sprinkled onto the floor, or some other detecting method is used, strange three toed footprints will manifest in concert with the sound of the footsteps when they next occur. If this manifestation is caught on camera it results in a 30 Kudos award.

Lounge A lounge with chintzy decorations and fussy ornaments. Two comfortable looking couches and a velvet chaise-lounge rest against the inside wall while the outer wall is furnished with built in shelves and cabinets containing numerous period objects. A low coffee table in the middle of the room is strewn with periodicals from the turn of the century, while the walls are decorated with cross stitch patterns of flowers and kittens playing with balls of wool. A large wagon wheel is suspended from the ceiling and seems to be some kind of light fixture. Against the far wall one of the couches has been pushed in front of a closed door, presumably blocking it from opening.

The periodicals are a mish-mash of different magazines from the late 1800s including Harper's Bazar, Thrilling Adventures for Boys and Park's Flower Arranging Monthly. The ornaments include those listed below, but most will be of little use or interest to the investigation and none are original to the house so will return no empathic or psychic results. Selection of antique teapots made from brass, copper and iron. Silver cigarette case. Pewter tankard* Carved wooden lion Large wooden egg timer Vintage clock A china teaset A long neck vase *The pewter tankard contains a tiny key which will be discovered by anyone who takes a look at the item as the key will rattle when the tankard is moved or picked up. The key opens the door into the closet on the far side of this room. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when fire is lit EMF: 0.0 or d10.d10 if the hatch in the basement is open or the closet door is open. Active Spirits: the demon will be active here if the player group are present, but only if it has the run of the house (the hatch in the basement is open). The demon will be responsible for any of the encounters listed below. David True is likely to visit this room from time to time. Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: 1 Overhead light (wagon wheel chandelier) Research: none

EMPATH The empath will feel nothing specific.

PSYCHIC The psychic will read nothing from this room.

ENCOUNTERS This room has no notable encounters.

Closet The door to the closet is locked and requires the small key hidden in the tankard in the lounge. A closet containing a vacuum cleaner and an old cardboard box filled with musty smelling period clothes. A green carpet marked with mildew spots covers the floor. An unclothed mannequin wearing a pair of wire rim spectacles with one broken lens leans in one corner, one of its arms missing.

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A window at the back of the closet is veiled by wooden blinds and in the ceiling is a round metal ring attached to a circular bracket. This is bolted to a beam which runs across the length of the ceiling. The clothes in the box were purchased from a flea market by the True children as props for the mannequins and are in no way original to the house. The mannequin is merely a spare which is yet to be used in the house. This closet was originally used by Samuel Salem as a holding cell for his victims. If the mildew carpet is lifted and the plywood square resting on the floorboards underneath is also hoisted up the Hunters will find an old trapdoor hidden underneath. The hinges are rusted and fused and the door has swollen so much with damp and age that it can no longer be opened. The trap door leads to the basement (see Basement) and was used by Samuel Salem to drag those trapped in the closet to his lair in a way that his wife did not have to witness the process. If the window is examined the Hunters will notice the outline of what might once have been a doorway, suggesting the doorway has been transformed into a window at some point during renovations. In fact this is precisely what happened when Robson Bram purchased the house. The door was originally used by Samuel Salem as a way to entrap his victims in the closet without dragging them through the house. Ambient Temperature: 55oF/12.7oC with sudden cold spots when EMF levels drop rise to 2.0 or higher. EMF: 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: The demon will be active here whether the hatch in the basement is open or not, though his ability to cause harm and disruption will be extremely limited unless EMF are measured as being greater than 9.5 - also here from time to time are the restless spirits of Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold. Seismic: nominal. If motion detectors are used they will detect movement as the restless spirits here are highly active. If a seismometer is placed on the floor it will produce unusual results caused by paranormal vibration coming from the trapdoor. Power Supply: 0 sockets Light: overhead bulb with pullstring switch Research: if the outline of the old door is noticed a Research roll will jog the memory of the researcher who recalls seeing renovation blueprints where the current window replaced the original doorway.

EMPATH The empath will feel trapped and a terrible feeling of panic that will make him want to exit the closet immediately. He will feel his hands are bound behind his back and the door is locked. He will also sense a dark essence nearby, something raw and evil, but the essence fears the closet for some reason. The empath will sense the name Anna Lee, or maybe Emily.

PSYCHIC

If the psychic picks up the spectacles and makes a successful Psychic dice check, they will briefly see a woman about the age of 25, dressed in blood splattered clothing (style typical of the mid to late 19th century) and wearing the same spectacles, one lens broken and the eye behind puffy and bloodshot. Her mouth is covered with a gag and she hangs from the ring in the ceiling by her arms, a meat hook impaling both wrists. Her hands and ankles are bound. Her terrified eyes will look directly at the psychic and will then look pointedly at the floor. After this vision the psychic will need to make a Stability dice check.

ENCOUNTERS

Dizziness/Nausea (EMF ≥ 2.0) The demon Murmur will fill the closet with negative energy whether the hatch in the basement is open or not. He will make anyone who remains here for more than a few minutes where EMF levels are measured at 2.0 or higher feel extremely dizzy, nauseous and uncomfortable.

Shadows (EMF ≥ 1.0) Static cams trained on the open closet door will capture subtle shadows cast by something or someone that seems to be moving inside. The movement will only be detected if the cam is fitted with motion detection, the sitting is streamed live on the internet or Hunters perform data analysis at the end of the sitting.

The Moving Mannequin Regardless of EMF levels, when the closet door is closed for any protracted period and then revisited, items within will have moved position, especially the mannequin whose head will be turned to face in different directions. Such movement will not occur if the door is open, if a Hunter is present in the closet or the window blind is open. If cameras are trained on the closet all activity will cease.

Kitchen and Larder The kitchen has been refurbished to appear as it must once have been in the 19th century when the house was first built. A mannequin in period clothing and smock stands at the sink washing dishes. The larder is half filled with waxwork food, cans and old tins, with some shelves left empty for investigators to store their own supplies. Drawers are filled with cutlery and cupboards furnished with pots, pans and dishes. A staircase leads up to the next floor and another leads down into what must be the basement. A double window looks out onto the side yard and a large dead oak tree, while a back door leads out onto the decking and rear garden of the property.

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Ambient Temperature: 49oF/9.4oC unheated; 53oF/11.6oC when fire is lit in dining room (fluctuations of up to a full degree colder when back door has recently been opened) EMF: 0.0 or d10.d10 if the hatch in the basement is open. Active Spirits: no human spirits, but if the hatch in the basement is open, Overseer should play KitchenDemon_EVP.wav Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: overhead bulb Research: none.

EMPATH Empaths will feel uneasy about the stairs into the basement and will sense something bad waiting for them in the gloom below.

PSYCHIC The psychic Hunter will feel there is somebody standing on the stairs; a male figure whose name is Robert or Roman.

ENCOUNTERS

The Demon Manifest (EMF ≥ 7.0) Murmur will be present if the hatch in the basement is open. Any Hunter in the kitchen on their own will witness a strange black spider-like shape crawling up the basement stairs on all fours. The vision will vanish as soon as the witness blinks. The victim must make a Stability dice check as a result. If any static cam or roving cam is trained on the basement stairs specifically a boiling cloud of black smoke is captured moving over the uppermost step before curling away into the cracks between the floorboards. If a static cam is monitoring the kitchen the Hunter who placed it there should make a Fluke dice check to have positioned the camera in a way that captures the demon manifestation.

The Hanging Tree (EMF ≥ 4.0) A Hunter sees movement from the corner of his eye through the large double window. They look but see nothing. They could swear, however, that they saw something large and black hanging from the branches of the tree directly outside. They have actually seen the spirit of David True who hanged himself from the branches of the tree. The event will not be picked up by any recording equipment and is an entirely psychic projection seen only in the viewer's mind.

Murmur Posession (EMF ≥ 8.0) If the hatch in the basement is open and a Hunter who either does not possess the Resolve Expertise skill or possesses the skill but has a value of 4 or less, is in the kitchen alone, the demon Murmur will possess them temporarily. They will experience a vision which the Overseer should describe to the respective player out of earshot of other players. They see a terrible figure whom they cannot discern clearly looming over a number of surgical operating tables (one per player character). On each table, strapped down by leather strops are the Hunters who have attended this Haunt. The

terrible figure is difficult to discern as it seems blurred and incorporeal. The vision ends then. While possessed the Hunter opens a kitchen drawer and removes a bread knife. He wanders down into the basement and clambers into the secret room behind the hatch and will be found there, crying, with the knife resting on his wrist. The Hunter must make a Stability dice check but as soon as he is discovered will emerge from his vision and the demon will dispossess him.

Deck & Back Garden The deck is a simple platform made of hardwood, lit by a bulkhead light that switches on automatically if anyone exits through or approaches the back door from outside. The garden is overgrown, unkempt and filled with weeds. Trees are bare. A stone path meanders the length of the garden and ends at a wooden gate, a moldering old thing of peeling paint and rusty hinges. Beyond this is the road and the occassional flash of car headlights. Ambient Temperature: 45oF/7.2oC EMF: 0.0 Active Spirits: Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold will be active at the end of the garden but are unlikely to be felt near the house. Seismic: nominal (from passing traffic vibrations) Power Supply: 1 external socket Light: Outdoor Light (auto) Research the garden is now only a small patch of the land that was once part of the Salem House grounds. Originally the house stood in a field an acre in size, but this land has since been sold off piece by piece to realtors building in the area and to local authorities for purposes of building roadways, including the one that passes across the back and front of the property.

EMPATH The empath will feel nothing of note.

PSYCHIC The psychic will experience nothing of note.

ENCOUNTERS

Orbs If static cams are trained on the garden for the duration of the sitting they will two strange light anomolies on the road at the rear of the house. The lights will seem to circle one another before winking out.

The Hanging Tree If Hunters explore the garden they may come across this gnarled old tree, the largest in the Salem grounds and one with particularly large lower boughs. Ambient Temperature: 45oF/7.2oC EMF: 1d10.1d10

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Active Spirits: the restless spirit of David True haunts this location. Seismic: nominal (from passing traffic) Power Supply: 0 socket Light: none Research local news archives from 1974 list the death of David Solomon True, 46, husband to Agnes True, father of Stephen and Philippa, and a well known face at Kansas Chief football games, committed suicide by hanging himself from the oak tree in the grounds of the Salem property.

EMPATH The empath will sense the presence of death and of great sadness. If EMF levels are at 5.0 or higher the empath will see the shadowy shape of a noose swinging from one of the tree's sturdier branches. The noose will also appear on old school Polaroid/film cameras but not digital.

PSYCHIC The Psychic will watch as David True, overweight and ageing, approaches the tree and throws a rope over the lower bough. He steps onto an upturned wooden crate and passes the noose over his head. Before he jumps off the crate he looks into the eyes of the psychic, almost as though he can see her standing there, and the psychic is disturbed to see his eyes are completely black.

ENCOUNTERS

The Hanging Shadow (EMF ≥ 8.0) Hunters will see a shadowy shape hanging from the tree as they turn to leave the area. The shadow is accompanied by the creaking sound of a rope being stretched. As soon as they look up to the tree the shadow will vanish and the sound will stop.

Heavy Breathing A Hunter hears heavy breathing and others hear it too. The sound is recordable and consistent. Any Hunter with the Debunk Expertise skill makes a dice check and identifies the sighing sound as the distant sound of traffic passing along the highway half a mile from the house.

The Road A road passes by at the end of the garden and a short way to the east is a crossroad intersection. This entire patch of land was once within the boundary of the Salem property. When David True purchased the house in 1958 local authorities, planning a new route through the area, approached him with an offer and purchased the land, reducing the garden size. Almost one hundred years earlier the Salem House stood in an acre of land and the area now covered by the road and the crossroad were within the boundaries of the property. Samuel Salem dragged the bodies of murder victims Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold to the spot where the crossroads now stand and there he buried them in shallow graves.

He used his medical knowledge to inter the bodies well enough that no evidence of decay was ever detected. Ambient Temperature: 45oF/7.2oC EMF: 0.0 or 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold Seismic: nominal, associated with passing cars and wind. Power Supply: 0 sockets Light: none Research the road at the end of the garden was only constructed in 1959 when the then owner of Salem House, David True, sold disused land at the end of the garden to local authorities.

EMPATH The Empath will sense a definite presence and an ambiguous restlessness. He will be in no doubt that someone or something is intrinsically linked with the crossroads and is connected somehow with the house and, specifically, the basement.

PSYCHIC The psychic will sense the names Lucy and Emily. Death did not occur in this location but there is some morbid connection here with the house.

ENCOUNTERS

Light Anomaly (EMF ≥ 6.0) Two orbs will be seen on any camera equipment but are invisible to the naked eye. They move in such a way that suggests they are not bugs or motes of dust and at one point seem to become brighter, growing vertically so that the vague outline of a human form can be seen for a brief second. If the orbs are caught on camera Overseer should award 10 Kudos.

Spectral Mists Whenever cars drive past Hunters will see small clouds of white mist which float in torch beams and fade slowly. Overseer makes a covert Debunk Expertise dice check for anyone with that skill. If the roll is successful the Hunter identifies the mist as residual exhaust fumes caught in the torch light. If the mist is submitted as evidence of the paranormal the Overseer should apply a -10 Kudos penalty.

Excavations If the player group suspect the road hides a dark secret and they possess either the Cop contact or Councillor contact they will be able to bring that contact in. The contact will require a repeat of previous sessions which have given suggestive results, or to watch recorded evidence of the original sessions and if he deems the evidence is compelling enough (this is left to the Overseer's discretion) he will have the road excavated and the ground underneath searched. This event will occur after the sitting has reached its conclusion. The Overseer should present the player group with the results at the start of the next sitting. The authorities dig up human

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remains under the crossroads dated as being almost one hundred years old and belonging to two females of between 20 and 30 years of age. Trauma to the bones revealed during autopsy show they were victims of quadruple amputation and organ removal, all of which was performed with surgical precision. The result is a one off Kudos bonus of 300 Kudos (300 per player) with an additional 50 Kudos if the players have figured out the identity of the victims which will be found if the names Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold are searched in local historical archives (requires the Research Expertise skill or the Historian contact).

BASEMENT KEY The basement is dark, dank and creepy. The ceiling is just four feet overhead and consists of thick wooden beams, pipes and electrical wiring filled with spiders and cobwebs. The roots of a tree that stands in the garden overhead fill the lower corner and amongst the roots you can clearly see the shedded skins of rattlesnakes. A low table made of teak straddles the roots and opposite this is a threadbare corduroy sofa, wormeaten and covered in mold. A small cooler is here and above that the main electrical fuse box for the house. Rusty metal shelves stand on the other side of the room and these are filled with paint tins so rusty they are completely orange and so densely covered with cobweb that they are almost completely hidden under the stuff. Two shelves are filled with cardboard boxes which look relatively new and are marked with a logo depicting a ghost fleeing a cartoon character who seems to be chasing it with a video camera, a banner fluttering out of the cartoon character's pocket is marked with the slogan "Spook Store, Equipment Designed and Built by Investigators For Investigators."

(Hunters may make a Fluke dice check and anyone who succeeds remembers that Spook Store was a retailer selling ghost hunting equipment in the late 80s and early 90s, since gone out of business). The floor of the basement is earthen and if it starts raining outdoors the floor will become sodden and treacherous, covering the boots of Hunters with mud and endangering electrical equipment. The cooler is plugged in but doesn't work and none of the power sockets here supply

electricity). If the boxes are moved off the metal shelves the Hunters will reveal a rusty metal hatch, just 2ft x 2ft, hinged on one side and covered here and there with flakes of yellow paint. If the hatch is opened the group will gain access to the secret chamber on the other side. However, the chamber is home to the demon Murmur and if the hatch is left open the demon will have the run of the entire house. As soon as the hatch is closed the demon is immediately entrapped again in the secret chamber. The hatch has already been

discovered and was open in 1988 when the television crew arrived to film. They subsequently closed the hatch and hid it behind their own boxes in order to hide their discovery, retaining it for exclusive exploration in a subsequent show. After being attacked, the producer of the show never returned to the house and other producers were forced to pull out, unable to make use of their 'exclusive' which was promptly forgotten. It is for this reason that the ghost of 'Molly' has not been sensed in the house since the TV crew left. Molly is merely a fabricated persona created by the demon who cannot project her into the house unless the hatch is open. Ambient Temperature: 32oF/0oC with plenty of sudden cold spots. EMF: 1d12.1d10 (18.d10 if EMF devices are placed near to the electrical junction box). Active Spirits: the demon and Samuel Salem will both be active in the basement. Seismic: noteworthy if a seismometer is positioned anywhere on the metal shelves. It will detect a high level of unusual seismic activity which will cease only if the hatch is found and then opened. Power Supply: 2 sockets but neither work Light: dim bare bulb Research: in 1988 a TV film crew visited the Salem house basement and the producer was famously scratched by an unseen entity during a

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scene shot there. Others who have visited the house, and especially other paranormal investigating teams, have also reported the presence of something sinister in the basement.

EMPATH A sense of extreme cold and an unsettling desire to head back up the stairs. They will feel a deal of dark energy and malevolence lurking down here. If EMF levels are at 7.0 or higher the empath is immediately subject to risk of possession as detailed in the main EVP rules.

PSYCHIC The psychic making a successful roll will be drawn to the metal shelving where they will find spots of rust which they identify as dry blood and will catch a smell of rotting meat. They will feel as though they are holding one of the paint cans in their hands and the feeling will be repulsive. If EMF levels are at 7.0 or higher the empath is immediately subject to risk of possession as detailed in the main EVP rules.

ENCOUNTERS

The Demon Murmur The basement is the domain of Murmur the demon. Here he is at his strongest and will be more than capable of inflicting true horror on those who venture into his presence. The full power of the demon is ensnared in the secret chamber behind the false wall separating the basement into two parts. Nevertheless, the demon is still active in the entire basement and capable of causing hallucinations, dizziness, nausea and inexplicable moments of melancholy and depression in anyone who spends too long down here. In addition the demon will prod and stroke Hunters, tug at their clothes and hair and where EMF levels (of a non man-made or natural kind) reach 10.0 or higher the demon will scratch the Hunter with the highest Leadership value, raking their flesh with three talons and drawing beads of blood. The demon cannot touch or harm anyone wearing religious iconography such as prayer beads or a crucifix. Nor can he touch or harm anyone reading scripture, prayer or carrying a holy book.

Exorcising the Demon This is where any exorcism directed against the demon Murmur must be performed. Anyone present during the exorcism who lacks the Exorcist Expertise skill or who is not a member of the clergy will be subject to the effects of Possession as detailed in the main EVP rules.

Growls and Hissing (EMF ≥ 3.0) Cassette recorders and EVP will pick up growls and hisses that cannot be explained. The Overseer should play the Basement_Hiss.wav audio file. Strange Photographic Effects (EMF ≥ 3.0)

Polaroid pictures will show strange dark spots and the faces of Hunters will be oddly blurred with shadowy suggestions of demonic features.

Shadows and Motion

Anyone in the basement for longer than a few minutes will begin to see shadowy figures in the corners and sudden, darting movements.

Motion Detection Static cams trained permanently on the basement will record movement if they are fitted with motion detection. There will be no visible movement but the cameras will detect definite signs of motion.

A Gruesome Discovery If any of the old paint tins are pried open a foul smell so bad that it causes anyone in the basement to throw up will emerge from the can and inside the Hunter will discover the moldering remains of what they first assume is a gigantic prune or coils of ancient sausage. They will quickly realise the tins are filled with human remains including hearts, livers and intestines, all of which are dessicated with age. DNA checks made on the remains will fail to find a match within any known database.

The Old Bowl After rain, all Hunters entering the basement make a Fluke dice check. The first to succeed stubs their toe on something protruding from the now muddy earth floor. The object is revealed to be a chipped ceramic bowl stained orange, almost completely buried. The hallmark on the bottom of the bowl indicates the item was made in 1828 (successful Academia dice check required, or presence of Historian contact) and is made by a local pottery. The bowl is worth a considerable amount of money and as it is not recorded in the house inventory, Hunters might take it and sell it in which case the Overseer should award a one off Kudos bonus of 300 (300 per player).

Rattling Tins (EMF ≥ 7.0) The rusty shelves begin to vibrate enough that the paint tins and pots rattle together and make an audible sound which will be heard anywhere on the first floor of the house.

Salem's Secret

Chamber You find yourself in a dark square chamber of considerable size. Around the edges of the chamber stand lines of old benches, the timber rotten and riddled with woodworm. The benches are bare except for an old wooden test-tube container and a smashed glass test tube which is so old the glass is now opaque. Various bottles and jars of thick green and brown glass lie strewn on the floor and in one corner is a mass of debris containing what looks like broken bricks, soil and rotten wood shards. The bottles and jars are grimy and almost too dark to make out their contents, but most seem to contain small

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animal bones or a mass of cobweb and spiders. In the middle of the room stands a long wooden table on rusty metal legs furnished with wheels. The middle of the table is concave and from the concavity runs a shallow groove which leads to the end of the tabletop. At this end of the table is a rusty hook and a wooden bucket hangs from the hook. Next to this is an antique wheelchair. Elsewhere you can see two antique gaslamps hanging from hooks. (If the Hunters entered via the hatch) On the ceiling in the far corner of the room you can see the outline of a trapdoor and metal rungs embedded into the wall underneath. (If the Hunters entered via the trapdoor) On the far wall you can see a metal hatch covered in peeling yellow paint. The hatch stands halfway up the wall and looks large enough to admit one person, though crawling through would probably prove uncomfortable. Both the tabletop and bucket are so rotten that the wood will crumble to the touch. At each corner of the table are fixed rusty chains ending in restraint straps made of old leather. The straps are so ancient they have deteriorated at the stitches and would no longer be fit for purpose. This was Samuel Salem's macabre laboratory and surgical theatre where he performed his gruesome vivisection experiments, beginning with animals and then moving onto human subjects. Lucy Coats and Emily Harrold were unlucky victims before Salem, disgusted even by his own actions (performed under influence of the demon) took his own life. A suicide note left behind explained his crimes and revealed this chamber which was subsequently bricked up. In 1905 the house was sold to Robson Bram and during renovations the walled up chamber was discovered. During his exploration of the chamber the suggestible Robson was possessed by the demon, but throughout the possession Robson fought the demon's influence. Refusing to fully expose the chamber and pick up where Salem had left off, Robson instead installed a hatch, allowing the demon room to move but cutting the chamber off from the main house. Since Robson's death the chamber has been hidden, its existence unknown by any subsequent resident. Some time around 1972 David True decided to turn the basement into a TV room for watching football games. He installed the television which now stands in the main sitting room. He also installed the sofa which remains here still and the fridge in which he intended to store beer. True's decision to use the basement was his downfall. He fell under

the demon's influence but was so disturbed by the entity's presence that he took his own life. The trap door in the ceiling of the secret chamber is accessed through an old and rotten wooden door. The trap door is fused shut with age, the wood swollen and the hinges rusted. Iron rungs bolted to the wall provide a ladder up and down. Any electrical equipment introduced to the secret chamber will seem to fail in some way. Batteries will drain within seconds, measuring devices will show absurd results or violent fluctuations too disparate to be taken seriously and even apparently infallible devices, like a compass, will seem to be broken. IR devices and cameras will break up and lag while lights will flicker. Only candle light and gas lamp light will remain unaffected. Hunters will find that the two gas lamps still work and are filled with fuel which hasn't evaporated and which will provide light for as long as they need it. Anyone who lingers in this room will see shadowy shapes moving on the edge of vision and will sense a dark energy watching them. They will feel a sense of paranoia and fear, as though some unseen predator were stalking them. Ambient Temperature: 28oF/-2.2oC (heaters will fail to warm the room) EMF: 9+d20.d10 Active Spirits: Murmur the demon and the spirit of Samuel Salem Seismic: seismometers and motion detectors will appear to malfunction in this room, going haywire whenever switched on. Power Supply: 0 sockets and any electricity introduced to the room will be used by the demon to ramp up its own power. For each socket powered item (not battery powered) in the chamber, the demon's Power value should be increased by 1 point. Light: torches and other forms of electrical light will flicker and batteries will drain. Candles and gas lights will provide the only reliable source of light. Research if the Hunter has discovered Handout F they now connect the laboratory in that photograph as being identical to the secret chamber.

EMPATH Empaths who venture into this chamber and attempt an Empath dice check will suffer an immediate panic attack and will scramble to get back out again (they make a Stability dice check at this point). They will have time to experience a sense of horror, death, pain and fear before they escape. They will never be able to go back into the room again, even if they return to the house in another sitting, and if forced to do so their Stability will immediately drop to zero.

PSYCHIC The psychic will suffer intense feelings of terror and makes a Stability dice check but can remain

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in the room provided they possess a Positivity value of 4 or more or have the Resolve Expertise skill, otherwise they suffer the same effects as the empath (see Empath above). If the psychic is able to remain in situ they reveal that this room was used to perform hideous tortures on female victims. The presence of an evil man is strong but also something inhuman that crouches in the dark and watches with a malevolence born not of this world.

ENCOUNTERS

Tugged Clothes (EMF ≥ 21.0) The demon will yank the clothing of the Hunter with the lowest Faith value, tugging so hard that the victim will stagger sideways.

Icy Cold (EMF ≥ 22.0) The demon will cause the temperature in the room to plunge so far that anyone in the room will shiver, their teeth will chatter and they will experience pain in any exposed skin. After a few minutes frost will begin to form on glass jars and bottles. Shortly afterwards the temperature will return to normal. Thermal measuring devices will fail entirely to capture the temperature drop or to detect any fluctuations at all.

Thrown Objects (EMF ≥ 23.0) The demon will pick up and hurl a glass jar so that it smashes against the wall next to a Hunter. Nobody will witness the jar being picked up.

Demonic Scratch (EMF ≥ 24.0) The demon will scratch the Hunter with the highest Leadership value. If the hatch is open the demon will seek out this Hunter elsewhere in the house if necessary. The scratches will appear to show the number 54.

Drawn Blood (EMF ≥ 25.0) The demon will scratch the Hunter with the highest Leadership value so badly across his face that blood is drawn and the character is left with a permanent scar. If the hatch is open the demon will seek out this Hunter elsewhere in the house if necessary. The scratch will take the form of the letter M.

Apparition (EMF ≥ 26.0) The demon will temporarily manifest as a spider with the head of a vulture crawling across the ceiling, never more visible than the shadows, but denser than the surrounding darkness and with definite form. Anyone witnessing the apparition must make a Stability roll.

Hellish Scratch (EMF ≥ 27.0) The demon will select the Hunter with the highest Faith value and will scratch them so badly across their forehead that blood is drawn and the character is left with a permanent scar. If the hatch is open the demon will seek out this Hunter elsewhere in the house if necessary. The scratch will take the form of an inverted cross.

Violence (EMF ≥ 28.0)

The demon selects the Hunter with the highest Faith value and hurls them backwards so hard that they fly out of their own shoes. The victim makes a Fluke dice check and if they fail, hit their head hard enough that they are knocked unconscious. The player makes a Condition dice check and must drop out of play for the rest of the sitting. At least one other player must drop out also in order for his character to drive the injured Hunter to the emergency room of the local hospital. The injured character is concussed but by the next sitting has recovered, though any lost Condition points remain lost unless the character expends Kudos on medical treatment.

Attempted Murder (EMF ≥ 29.0) The hatch in the basement must be left open for this encounter to occur. The demon will select the Hunter with the highest Leadership value and will bide his time until that character is at the top of the stairs. He will then push the character hard enough that he falls down the full height of the stairwell. The player makes a Condition dice check and if he fails, Condition is reduced to 1 point. The character is grievously injured and hospital treatment will be required. The player drops out of the game for the rest of the sitting. Other players may continue the sitting as the injured character is taken by ambulance to the emergency room. If the player succeeds his dice check he falls awkwardly but suffers only minor bruises and is winded enough that he has to sit out the next session only.

FIRST FLOOR KEY Landing

An angular landing with stairways going down (splitting at a half landing to go two ways, one leading to the dining room and the other to the kitchen) and one going up to the attic. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC or 62oF/16.6oC if fires are lit downstairs. EMF: 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: Murmur the demon will only be apparent if the hatch in the basement is open and only if EMF levels are at 4.0 or higher. He will take on his favourite guise, that of a small female child called Molly. In this guise he will first attempt to provoke the Hunters into communicating with him. He will then encourage frustration and anger by giving confusing answers, abuse and outright lies. His aim is to bring as much electronic equipment to the landing as he can in order to drain energy. For each item of equipment installed or brought to the landing EMF levels will increase by 1.0 above the level rolled by the Overseer. If EMF levels reach 8.0 'Molly' will start scratching and poking the Hunter with the highest Leadership value. Seismic: none Power Supply: 1 socket Light: two overhead bulbs

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Research: in 1988 a TV crew filmed a large orb floating across the landing, emerging from the back bedroom door and drifting into the master bedroom. Most references to past investigations indicate the ghost of a little girl called Molly is typically experienced on the landing.

EMPATH If the hatch in the basement is closed, the empath will feel little in the way of spiritual energy on the landing but will sense the stairs into the attic are forbidding and somehow sinister. If the hatch is open the empath will sense the presence of a little girl who seems eager to play. Anyone who attempts to engage the girl with communication or trigger objects, however, is actually engaging the demon Murmur who is pretending to be a child in order to frustrate and confuse the Hunters.

PSYCHIC If the hatch in the basement is closed, the psychic will pick up the name Joe (actually Jo, short for Joanne) and if he ventures close to the attic stairs will briefly experience a vision of a man dressed in turn of the century clothing

dragging a woman up the stairs by her hair. In one hand he carries a rifle. This is not an apparition visible to anyone else or available to be captured on any equipment and is entirely seen within the psychic's mind. If the hatch is open the psychic will pick up a name that begins with Mol and might be Molly or Mollo. He will also sense a childish mind is present but one filled with mischief and spite.

ENCOUNTERS Static cams trained in the right place while the hatch in the basement is open will capture a face on the landing. The features of the face will be indiscernable and the footage should only count toward evidence if the positions of all Hunters can be established and everyone accounted for at the time the image was captured. If the team possess Photoshop a Hunter with the Systems Expertise skill makes a dice check and if successful is able to enhance the face and use image filters to show features. The result is Handout H which the Overseer should hand to players at the end of the sitting. The face is that of the demon in one of its manifest guises.

The Hatch is Open (EMF ≥ 4.0) The following encounters will only occur if the hatch in the basement has been discovered and is open: - One of the light bulbs illuminating the landing will start to swing, as if in a breeze. - While Hunters are absent and in a place where cameras are not trained the word YL LO M will be scratched into the wallpaper (Molly spelled backwards). The Hatch is Open or Closed (EMF ≥ 5.0)

The following encounters will occur whether the hatch in the basement is open or closed. All can be recorded clearly on any recording equipment as well as being audible to human hearing: - Thumps are heard coming from somewhere downstairs. - The sound of running/pattering footsteps overhead in the attic. - Hunters hear odd garbled voices, clearly speaking but seemingly in some gibberish language, coming from the attic via the stairs. - Hunters hear scrabbling noises coming from the attic.

The Hum Hunters hear a low, steady humming sound whenever anyone nears the chimney walls around which the landing is wrapped. The humming comes from a wasp nest situated in the chimney. If Hunters head out to the

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garden and look up at the roof of the house they will see many wasps continually flying in and out of the chimney. They will also notice many birds nesting in the fold where the chimney meets the roof, some of these birds waddling around on the tiles. If the hum is submitted as evidence of the paranormal it will cost the team a -20 Kudos penalty.

Front Bedroom The first things that grab your attention are the flowery wallpaper, a bed dressed with pink covers, a patchwork quilt and numerous plump pillows furnished with an antique teddy bear and a large wooden dresser with six drawers. An occassional table stands under the window and on this is a porcelain jug and bowl, a sconse and candle and a hairbrush. Photographs on the walls show black and white photography of Kansas countryside probably from some time in the last century. Against another wall is a table furnished with a large vase and this is filled with plastic flowers arranged in an aesthetically pleasing way. Next to the table is a cross-stitch frame with a Home Sweet Home picture half completed in the frame. A stool stands next to the frame. Above the bed hang two cross-stitch pictures in frames. One reads

"THE LORD MADE THIS DAY, LET US BE HAPPY AND REJOICE IN IT"

and the other

"HOME IS WEAR THE HEART IS" with the word 'where' mis-spelt. (Overseer should give players Handout I) Above the door, above the pictures over the bed and above the window are pale marks in the shape of crucifix, suggesting religious crosses were once situated in these positions for a long time but have since been removed. The dresser is filled with items of period clothing and linen sheets. If Hunters check under the bed they will find an antique bedpan and a shoe-box containing the three crucifixes taken from the walls. These are made of wood and each has been scorched as if in a fire. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 55oF/12.7oC when log fire is lit in any of the bedrooms or downstairs. EMF: 1d4.1d10 Active Spirits: the demon Murmur dislikes this room. It was used by most of the women who

lived in the house as a place to escape from their male partners and was originally used by Hatty Salem as a sanctuary from her husband's insanities. The crucifixes were put up by Hatty and knocked down by the demon when he escaped the basement. They burned him and were themselves scorched. Their lingering presence in the room keeps him at bay and means he is unlikely to be very active here. Only the spirit of Joanne Bram might otherwise be found here. Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: one overhead bulb Research: this room was rented to boarders by Agnes True during the period 1975 to 2014. The researcher will have an advertisement found in local newspaper archives offering the room for rent.

EMPATH This room will provide a welcome respite to the empath as a place relatively free of empathic sensations. The Empath will detect a feminine influence on the room and will surmise that this bedroom was favoured by female occupants of the house. There is a good feeling here and a calm, almost serene atmosphere.

PSYCHIC The psychic will experience no visions here but, like the empath, will feel the room has positive vibrations and is a place the psychic will feel serves as a welcome retreat from the horrors of the rest of the house.

ENCOUNTERS

Crucifixes If the crucifixes are returned to their positions on the walls of this room and the hatch in the basement is either open or is opened, the crucifixes will vanish one by one when the team are absent. If cameras are trained on the room the image will flicker and lag for a moment and when it regains stability the crucifix will be gone from the scene. This awards the team a 5 Kudos bonus.

Master Bedroom A large bedroom furnished with an antique four poster bed above which hangs a large ceiling fan. An occassional table stands in the corner and on this is a porcelain wash basin and jug filled with stagnant water. The wallpaper is drab, peeling in places, and the walls, ceiling and most of the furniture is yellowed with nicotene. There are no pictures on the walls but square and rectangular pale patches where pictures once hung. The bed is dressed with starched sheet and white pillows. A male and female mannequin in period costume (the male wearing a night gown and cap and the female a smock buttoned to the neck) are lying on top of the

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sheets. The plastic face of the female mannequin has, at some point, been exposed to heat and has melted, sinking in to leave a gruesome looking hole. A fireplace stands against one wall and two sash windows look out over the front aspect of the house. Three antique Windsor chairs stand in various positions and white sheets cover a large antique wardrobe and an antique dresser. If the furniture coverings are removed and the furniture examined the wardrobe is found to be empty and the dresser drawers contain nothing but dust and cobweb. If the top of the wardrobe is checked Hunters will find three photographs (Handouts J, K and L). The pictures are covered in such a thick layer of dust it seems likely they have been here for a very long time. If Hunters search a drawer in the occassional table they will find a Gideon Bible but if the bible is inspected, the ink on all the pages is smudged and cannot be read. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when fire is lit. EMF Level: 1d10.1d10 Active Spirits: this isn't the demon's favourite room and is strong with the presence of Samuel Salem and Robson Bram who both dwelled here alone after relations with their respective wives deteriorated to the point where they inhabited separate bedrooms. Nevertheless the demon may attend the room if provoked or if Hunters find the photographs on top of the wardrobe and the hatch in the basement is open. Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: overhead bulb and an old fashioned lamp on a bedside table. Research numerous eye witness testimonies report seeing a ghostly figure standing in the window of this room. The photograph given to the player group at the start of the sitting also purportedly shows this figure, though skeptics maintain it is merely the shape of curtains drawn across the window and have pointed out that the same shape is visible to a lesser degree in other windows.

EMPATH The empath will sense a masculine presence and a watching menace. The room feels empty, despite its furnishings, and heavy with oppressive energy. If EMFs rise above 5.0 the empath will be forced to leave the room as they gag on the stench of pipe smoke.

PSYCHIC The psychic will detect names beginning with S and R. The smell of pipe smoke will, at times, become overpowering. Any Hunter who possesses the Psychic Expertise skill (successful dice roll unecessary) will enter the room and immediately sees three figures lying on the bed, instead of two. When they look again they see only the two mannequins.

ENCOUNTERS

Misleading Mist

If a picture of the windows facing the front of the house is taken using a flash it will show a whispy shape in front of the window. Characters with the Debunk Expertise skill or the Photography Expertise skill who make successful respective dice checks will identify the shape as light reflecting off the old warped glass of the window pane. If the picture remains unidentified and is submitted as evidence the team lose 5 Kudos points.

Trigger Objects If any of the objects found in the secret compartment in the dining room are brought to this room each one will add 1.0 to the EMF levels and if this brings the levels above 10.0 the ghost of Samuel Salem will manifest in the corner of the room, appearing at first as swirling motes of dust which then resolve to create a deep black shadow out of which Salem's malevolent black eyes stare. The apparition will last only a few seconds before merging with the natural shadow in that part of the room. If light is turned on the apparition it will vanish immediately. If the apparition is caught on camera the team are awarded a 100 Kudos bonus and the video/photograph becomes famous as part of the general Salem House haunting.

The Whistler Hunters hear someone whistling a tune somewhere near the fireplace. If they investigate and make a successful Fluke dice check, or if they possess the Debunk Expertise skill (no dice check necessary) they locate a brass air vent in the side of the chimney breast and identify this as the source of the sound. The wind is whistling down the chimney and through the vent, creating a fluting sound remarkably similar to a whistle.

Spare Room This room is empty save for a pile of empty cardboard boxes, a modern desk and a swivel chair. The walls are bare to the plaster which is algae and nicotene stained. White spaces indicate where a large wardrobe and the headboard of a bed probably once stood. If the threadbare carpet is pulled back Hunters will reveal a pentagram painted on the floorboards. Evidence of melted candle wax is visible at the corners of the symbol and marks inside the pentagram are stained with what looks like blood. Hunters with the Demonology Expertise skill will identify the marks as being those associated with the demon Murmur and will recount the following information if they succeed a Demonology dice check: The fifty fourth spirit is called Murmur, Murmus, or Murmux. He is a Great Duke, and an Earl' and appeared in the form of a

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warrior riding upon a gryphon with a ducal crown upon his head, and in latter days as a vulture upon the form of a spider of many limbs. According to Ars Goecia, 'There do go before him his Ministers with trumpets sounding. His office is to constrain Souls Deceased to come before the magician to answer those questions which he may wish to put to them if desired. He was partly of the Order of thrones, and partly of the Angels who fell. He now ruleth 30 Legions of spirit.' Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 55oF/12.7oC when log fire is lit in any of the bedrooms or downstairs. EMF: 1d20.1d10 Active Spirits: the demon Murmur was originally summoned into this room by Samuel Salem, his essence emerging from the pentagram only to be immediately banished to the basement using rites and ceremonies perfected by Salem prior to the summoning. The room is thus forever tainted and when the hatch in the basement is open and the demon is loose, EMF levels will jump by 10.0 points and the air will become extraordinarily heavy, oppressive and nauseating to occupy. Seismic: noteable. Seismometers will pick up a vibration if placed on the floor of the room where the pentagram is situated. Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: overhead bulb. Research: this was the room in which Samuel Salem was found hanged in 1866.

EMPATH Empaths will feel unhappy to be in this room which has an atmosphere of lingering energy which the empath identifies as 'otherworldly' but which is difficult to specify as being either the energy of a spiritual entity or the memory of some event. Their mouths will become unusually dry and they will suddenly crave a drink of water to the extent they will need to run to the bathroom (if they know where it is) or to the kitchen to quench their thirst.

PSYCHIC The psychic will feel strangely scrambled, unable to tap into his usual stream of feeling and spirit voices and numbed by the bizarre energy of the room which seems to vibrate around him. He will sense a shadow which seems to be moving slowly to and fro in the middle of the room, as though the bulb were swinging (though it is not).

ENCOUNTERS

Erasing the Pentagram If the pentagram is erased, painted over or otherwise destroyed the demon Murmur loses one point from his Power value.

Vanishing Gadgets Any battery operated devices that are not connected to anything by a wire and are small enough to be held in one hand are left unattended in this room they will vanish and will never be seen again.

Hallucinations (EMF ≥ 10.0)

The Hunter with the lowest Positivity value will suddenly witness the faces of his fellow Hunters becoming blurred. The others will feel an odd prickling sensation around their faces. The affected Hunter will think he sees the features of his friends changing behind the blurring effect to become demonic. As soon as he blinks the effect will vanish, but the horror will linger. He must make a Stability dice check.

Heart Attack (EMF ≥ 15.0) The Hunter with the highest Faith value will feel a stabbing pain in his chest, his heart rate will suddenly increase and he will begin to sweat. If he doesn't leave the room immediately he risks suffering a heart attack and will need to make a Condition dice check as though for a catastrophic injury (see main EVP rules). If his chest is examined a red mark is revealed which looks like M 54. The Hunter must make a Stability dice check and will need to sit out the next session as he rests somewhere in the house.

Back Bedroom A bedroom which has been furnished to resemble an old fashioned nursery. A cot stands in the corner, complete with mannequin baby swaddled in muslin. A rocking horse, doll house and box filled with wooden toys also occupy the space. The wall is decorated around its uppermost part with a mural depicting A,B,Cs with a picture for each letter (A for Apple, for example) all painted in a quaint fashion. The fireplace is cast iron, but the hearth is covered by a piece of plywood screwed into the wall. Next to the fire is a scuttle filled with lumps of fake coal made from wax. Altogether you count eight crucifixes either fixed to the walls, or standing on surfaces. A framed picture of Jesus with his arms spread and head surrounded by heavenly light hangs over the cot. Ambient Temperature: 50oF/10oC unheated; 62oF/16.6oC when fire is lit. EMF: 0.0 Active Spirits: this room has, at some point in the past, been blessed by a priest. As a result most of the spirits do not come here and the demon dislikes the room. Seismic: none Power Supply: 2 sockets Light: overhead bulb Research: local historical archives indicate that a Catholic priest attended the house in order to bless this room prior to the True family baptising their daughter, Phillipa, who would sleep here as a baby. As a teenager Phillipa moved into the Spare Bedroom where she experienced some of the haunted aspects of the house, but during her earliest years she remained unmolested by demons and spirits.

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EMPATH

The empath will feel very little in this room which seems to him to be neutral.

PSYCHIC The psychic will pick up nothing from this room.

ENCOUNTERS

The Wasps A wasp will be seen on the window if Hunters linger here for more than a few minutes. If this wasp is killed another will take its place, appearing elsewhere in the room. In fact there are about ten wasps to be found here and there. The plywood covering the fireplace has been put there to keep out the hundreds (if not thousands) of wasps occupying a nest inside the chimney flue, but some stragglers still manage to squeeze through. If the plywood is removed the wasps will start flying into the room in more significant numbers and if a fire is lit the wasps will come into the room in their hundreds, attempting to attack the threat. Any Hunters present will be stung multiple times and forced to flee, closing the door behind them to contain the wasps. Anyone who stays in or re-enters the room (up to an hour after) will be stung so many times they suffer anaphylatic shock and suffer a seizure. They must make a Condition dice check and a visit to the emergency room. The player controlling the afflicted character must sit out the remainder of the game as his Hunter is taken to hospital by ambulance. The wasp incident is utterly unrelated to paranormal activity.

WC/Bathroom A simple bathroom with a roll-top bath whose inner surface is chipped and stained, an antique washstand with basin and a jug of water, and ceramic toilet beneath a cast iron cistern high on the wall above. Ambient Temperature: 48oF/8.8oC unheated; 55oF/12.7oC when log fire is lit in any of the bedrooms or downstairs. EMF: 0.0 or 1d4.1d10 if the hatch in the basement is open. Active Spirits: no notable spirits except possibly the demon (see Encounters). Seismic: none Power Supply: 0 sockets Light: overhead bulb (not working) Research: none

EMPATH The empath will sense nothing unusual.

PSYCHIC The psychic will sense nothing in particular.

ENCOUNTERS

The Looming Shadow (EMF ≥ 4.0) One of the Hunters will glance in the mirror and sees a huge dark figure looming behind them.

The Overseer should take the player to one side to explain what he sees: The figure looks like a great cloaked man of between eight and nine feet with boney hunched shoulders and a stooping form. His head is that of a deformed bird with a large black beak and a long scrawny neck framed by a mane of inky black feathers. The head is turned to the side so that one marble-like eye glowers at you, seeming to pierce your very soul. You cry out and swivel to confront the monster but find nothing there. When you look back to the mirror you see only your own pale reflection staring back. The horror has vanished. The affected Hunter must make a Stability dice check. The event will not be picked up by any recording device, even if the device is aimed directly at the mirror at the time.

ATTIC A wide open space occupying the entire roof of the old house. The room is criss crossed with low rafters, enormous oak purlins and vertical supporting beams, all of which divide the open plan design into smaller, awkward spaces. Pipes and wires also look like they will make exploration difficult. Various grime-covered windows are positioned around the sloping walls, their black surfaces, almost like multiple scrying mirrors, casting strange reflections as you move into the room. Movement is only possible to within a few feet of the edges of the space where the roof angles down to the floor making some parts of the attic too cramped to reach. In the eaves you see evidence of rats and birds nests. The attic is spiritually off-limits to Murmur the demon, being outside the threshold of the surrounding walls of the building. But the room is still as oppressive as the rest of the house, being the site of the murder/homicide associated with the Brams. If the team explore this room they will find evidence of a bullet hole in one of the large purlins and what looks suspiciously like a large blood stain on the floor beneath. Exploration and a search will also reveal an old crate (if the psychic vision of David True hanging himself at the old tree in the garden has been experienced the psychic will recognize the crate as the box used by True as a step-up to the noose). The crate contains antique surgical instruments including calipers, scalpels, rib-separators, a stethoscope and a hand-turned drill. Underneath these tools are neatly folded period dresses, petticoats and underwear.

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Ambient Temperature: 62oF/16.6oC EMF: 1d6.1d10 Active Spirits: Only Joanne Bram will be here, hiding from her husband's spirit and from the demon in the basement. Seismic: none Power Supply: 0 socket Light: one dim overhead bulb, the switch at the top of the stairs. Research: national news archives detail a story describing a local man called Robson Bram who shot himself and his wife Joanne in the attic of their home in the year 1938. The house is detailed as being situated in Atchison Kansas but the Salem House is not specifically mentioned. Unless Hunters have already learned the names Joanne or Joe and Robson Bram they will not connect this story to the Salem House.

EMPATH The empath will feel the unsettling sensation of being closely watched but will not sense any malevolence or evil in the nature of the observer. More than anything they will sense sadness, reproach and fear directed not toward the team but felt instead by the entity who dwells here.

PSYCHIC The psychic will detect the name Joanna or Joanne and as they explore the attic will be startled by a sudden pair of loud bangs that seem to come from the middle of the room. This is a psychic echo of the fatal gunshots. Only the psychic will hear them.

ENCOUNTERS

Weapons Dissarmed Any kind of gun brought into the attic (by, for example, the cop contact) will be rendered useless by Joanne. The mechanism will subsequently require repair and any NPC who repairs the gun will mention that the damage seems impossible and had he not seen it for himself wouldn't have believed it true.

Footsteps & Voices Revealed The sound of pattering footsteps and strange jabbering voices can be heard clearly here, though the source still cannot be seen. The footsteps come from overhead, suggesting someone is walking around on the roof. If Hunters go outside and look up at the roof they will notice many birds nesting in the crook between chimney and roof and some of the birds are running on the tiles. This is the source both of the pattering footsteps and the weird jabbering language, which is merely the birds' chattering amplified by the chimney.

Trip Hazards The attic is entirely empty of clutter but filled with trip hazards in the shape of wires, pipes and pieces of insulation poking through the hardwood floor. All Hunters who enter the attic must make a Skill dice check covering their time there (a new check is required if they leave and return). A fail indicates they trip and fall. The

overseer rolls 1d6 and if he rolls 6 the falling Hunter drops any electronic gear he carries and the gear subsequently breaks. Repairs will be required at the start of the next sitting if the equipment is to be used again.

Joanne Manifests (EMF ≥ 6.5) The spectral shape of Joanne Bram manifests, hovering behind the chimney breast and seeming to watch the Hunters. As soon as they see her, Joanne will vanish and a rush of cold air will fill the room. The event will be visible on cameras if any are trained toward the middle of the room but the light is poor and the overseer should remember this when calculating Kudos.

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Handouts The Overseer should print out all handouts and place them in an envelope marked 'The Salem House' before play begins. The Overseer should ensure he brings all image envelopes to sittings if he intends to offer the associated Haunt to players. The HPI image should be given to players as soon as the sitting begins, representing this Haunt as a choice. The Kudos price of the Haunt should be written on the back of the picture (200 Kudos).

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Welcome to the Yesteryear of Atchison!!

Salem House is both a residential house and a period museum, kept now the same way it would have been kept when it was first used by its original owners in order to give the Atchison community a glimpse into the past. The house was designed by Kane Salem, brother of local doctor and pharmacist Samuel Salem who, in April 1857, would commission the building of his brother's plan. Samuel lived in the house with his wife Hatty until 1866 when Samuel passed away. Hatty continued to live in the house for a further eight years. Samuel and Hatty's only child, Edwin Salem, inherited the property but did not live there and the house is believed to have stood empty for three decades before being sold. Over the years various families have lived at Salem House, most famously Agnes True who lived here until 2013. Agnes was the author of 'The Molly House Haunting' and was the first resident to speak openly of ghostly goings on! For those who don't know, the Salem House is said to be

haunted by the restless but playful spirit of a little girl called Molly. Today the house is open to the public as a museum between the months of April and October (10am to 5pm) and during off-season months the house is often visited by paranormal teams who come in search of Molly! Please enjoy your time at Salem House and don't forget to visit our trust fund website where you can make a Paypal donation to help us keep the house open and well maintained. And remember, if you see Molly, tell her we said hi!! Addendum for paranormal teams PLEASE READ IF THAT IS YOU. The key to the back door is the only copy provided so please look after it. If it is lost or you lock yourselves out you will be expected to pay for a new key. Breakages and damages must be paid for. A full inventory is made prior to and after any use the premises. Please ensure none of the ornaments or items go 'walkabout'. Do not mess with the fixtures and fittings, pull up carpets, tear wallpaper or otherwise disrupt the house as it is when you find it. Do not reorganise the mannequins into 'humorous poses'.

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The Salem House Haunting EVP Haunt #1 Written and produced by David Sharrock for Forever People Digital Press. Forever People © 2015 all rights reserved. No part of this

publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests please contact

admin@foreverpeople.co.uk

Forever People Digital Press www.foreverpeople.co.uk

Published digitally 2015