Fire and Rain

Category:Mystery
Fire and Rain is the eleventh Mystery in the Saint Mary Vincent Campaign. 
== Set-Up ==
The mystery begins a day after Millicent Battersby & Delia Lovejoy return to Saint Mary Vincent with their Auditor, Mary-Anne McGravie, as well as Hector Paxton. Mary-Anne has been assigned as an impartial observer to monitor the behavior of Hazard Squad, after they surpassed the "Excessive Casualties" limit. 
The hunters have temporarily parted ways with the majority of their allies. The entire Suda Squad has remained in Romania to try and counteract the plans of the Brotherhood of Vampire Hunters to attack the upcoming Red Council Symposium. 
Taffy Bhatt has elected to accompany the newly freed vampire Madam Blenka to her home in Novaya Zemlya to help her reestablish her clan. 
Jarsten Kimblew is traveling to Gortys with the Foundling Werewolves to attend the Lykaia in the hopes of finding their families. He is accompanied by Ginger and Pixie Hazard. 
Marmaduke DeMontparnasse has been sent through a portal of, at this time, indeterminate destination. 
Hector Paxton, who returned with the group, will be travelling to Hoboken to try and track down the whereabouts of Marvin Carver and the Van Zandt Sisters. 
== Concept ==
Three fire elemental salamanders, newly hatched, are loose in Big Chonk Lake Park. These animals lay their eggs in ash beds, where they lie dormant until the incubation process is kickstarted by flames. If the eggs, once activated, can then remain within the flames for seven days straight without being touched by any moisture, they will hatch. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what seems to have a happened.
== Hook ==
Three student teachers working as volunteers for the Big Chonk Environmental Center’s summer day camp classes have been found dead outside of their cabin at Big Chonk Lake Park. Parts of their bodies are discolored and their hair seems to have all fallen out. There are large chunks of flesh missing from their bodies, though they seem to have been removed in quite small increments. The last people to see the three were a group of graduate students also staying in a nearby cabin, who have come to Big Chonk Lake with the privilege of assisting Professor Judith Norheim in a groundbreaking study of sonar communication and the intelligence of bats.
Victims: Brian Kerr, Nina Tolliver, Dallas Frank.
Erin Diskin took one look at the situation and turned it over to Sven Mandersson, advising him to bring the hunters in to assist.
== Countdown ==
Day          	Lazarus, the peregrine falcon who greets visitors, “dies” after biting off a chunk of Bacon as it enters the building, his body is taken to the taxidermy room; Kelly runs back to the cabin to hide Lettuce; Tomato eats the better part of a baby deer.
Shadows 	The Park Director is attacked by Bacon in the environmental center; Kevin discovers Lettuce where Kelly has hidden it; Tomato threatens a group of tweens during the scavenger hunt, but is swallowed whole by a black bear at the last moment
Sunset 	Lazarus is “resurrected”, Patty thinks she’s spotted a strange animal in the distance, but when she gets closer it’s just a large wiggling tail; Lettuce escapes his enclosure, if Kelly is present she will be injured but try to cover it up; Sven will arrive at the scavenger hunt to find a dead bear with Tomato crawling out of its mouth- it will attack if provoked and escape if injured.
Dusk 	Bacon returns to the center through the propped open back door, it stakes out an unmanned fireplace and begins to guard it as it prepares to lay eggs; Lettuce returns to the cabin fire pit, where Nadine sees it and tells Professor Norheim; Tomato begins guarding a large planter filled with sand that the center uses as an ashtray in the outdoor break area, Lois is attacked.
Nightfall 	All the salamanders manage to lay their eggs; Kelly attempts to collect eggs from the fire pit, but is attacked by Lettuce, Professor Norheim arrives to witness this; rain is coming, all three salamanders take shelter in the center, defending it against intruders
Midnight 	A plague of salamanders descends on the park and begins to spread out into town.
 
== Threats ==
=== MONSTERS ===
* Witch Lizard
=== MINIONS ===
* Kelly Hodon, graduate student
=== BYSTANDERS ===
* Professor Judith Norheim, Wildlife Ecologist
* Phil Rudaski, Parks Department Director
* Sven Mandersson, Head Park Ranger
* Samantha Cooper, Educational Coordinator
* Erin Diskin, Chief of Police
* Patty Barrow-Wilkes, Wildlife Rehabilitation Specialist
* Lois Getz, Administrative Assistant
* Rusty Mezher, Taxidermist
=== Minor Bystanders ===
Volunteer Educators (Kevin Pasternack, Everly Brinkley): They were in charge of setting up the scavenger hunt the previous evening and were too tired to go join the others at the other cabin, so they stayed home and worked on projects for the day camp. They didn’t think much of not seeing the others in the morning, since they fell asleep in the living room and woke up early to leave. 
Graduate Students (Nadine Kirshner, Nikki Meyers and Kelly): Had been hanging out with the student teachers the previous night until around midnight, when the girls went in to their cabin and the others went home. It was typical of the two groups and nothing seemed unusual about the night. They didn’t hear anything, but they did have music playing. All of the girls seem studious and serious about their project and don’t hesitate to explain what a privilege it is n=to be chosen by Professor Norheim for her summer program. They are a little bit fangirlish about her and covet any private information they can find on her, and want to impress her. 
Day Camp Kids: Gracie Noglet, Jack Pears, Daisy Tagrid, Scarlet Westinghouse, Archie Horowitz, Bella Campbell 
Other Rangers: Bobby Dempsey, Georgie Franks, Shawn Parker, Tim Gar 
Lazarus a peregrine falcon found as a hatchling with a broken wing. Lazarus is unable to fly and is too accustomed to people to live in the wilds. He is the unofficial environmental center mascot, and spends most of his time on an open perch in the entryway, greeting guests.
== Locations ==
* Big Chonk Lake Park Environmental Center
* Big Chonk Lake Park
* Cabin 105
== Notable Moments ==
* Millicent was able to infiltrate the Fairday Hills State Hospital and gain access to Dorcas Crocker, whom she confronted about the Jar of Salamander Eggs left in Cabin 105. Using strategic bribery (a chicken sandwich), Millicent was able to learn more details on the creature, including its weaknesses.
* In order to combat the salamander, two Giant Garter Snakes, approximately 20' long, were summoned to Big Chonk Lake Park, where they escaped after defeating the monster. They are breedable.
* Mary-Anne McGravie is working on a book, tentatively titled Eat, Slay, Love and looking to embark upon a journey of self discovery. She has acquired a Beekeeper's Hat and a peregrine falcon shaped, construction paper Name Tag.
Category:Mysteries