Episode 20

# 02.20: Threats, Research, and Recaps

Cynthia's life was threatened, Frank made another deal, Milo made progress on his email conundrum, and Tom did some research.

## Characters

The PCs:

* Cynthia
* Frank Smith
* Milo McCrery
* Tom di Pasqua

NPCs:

* Eero Kirst
* Quest Oyer
* Marshall Evins
* Madoc Jones
* Shawn Durkee
* Frank's employees
* Cyrus
* Beth Lawrence
* Jo Brennan
* Lorna Crawford

## Summary

##### **12/20/2014: Saturday**

Milo finally had his promised meeting with Quest’s (retired) paranormal investigator friend. Despite Eero not wanting visitors, Quest talked his way in, and Milo managed to convince her to interpret the emails he’s been getting. She provided him with a direction, and on the way out Milo noticed an odd shape in her dimly-lit house.

Quest, despite not particularly wanting to be involved, asked to be kept in the loop if anything big and important comes up.

Frank’s morning was interrupted by Marshall’s arrival, and his report of seeing Cynthia throw a body in Mill Stream. Marshall isn’t on the best terms with the cops, so Frank volunteered to take care of it. After Marshall left, he called Madoc Jones, and the two arranged a meeting.

At the B&B, Frank reported Cynthia’s murder of 26 to an impressively tired-looking Madoc Jones. Jones wasn’t terribly surprised by this news, since he spent most of the past night looking for 26 after they didn’t show up to an event they had scheduled for the previous evening. The two decided to pay Cynthia a visit.

Meanwhile, Tom called Cynthia to try to reschedule dinner. Cynthia will be busy for the forseeable, since she has business to be taking care of, but she will let him know if she’s free.

Frank and Madoc confronted Cynthia at her house, with Frank revealing the fact she was saving him from dying. After Cynthia failed to offer a satisfactory answer, Jones pulled a gun on her, and was fully ready to commit a murder before Frank talked him out of it. They came to the agreement Cynthia would hand over the book she gets orders through, and she can stay alive for now.

Tom visited Christmas’s house, but they weren’t home.

Milo called Tom to let him know what he learned from Eero. Tom got the two of them access to the town records the next day, since he’s still on decent terms with Shawn Durkee.

At Frank’ Franks, his employees were obviously feeling the effects of being cooped up by the weather, and Frank offered the store as a place they could gather. Tom tried to ask Frank some questions, but he wasn’t willing to talk in front of his employees.

In the evening, Tom saw the shadow in his yard again.

##### **12/21/2014: Sunday**

Frank and Cynthia both attempted to have normal, uneventful days.

Tom and Milo visited the town records, and learned disappearances in the Gore happen fairly frequently. The disappearance of Arthur Lawrence in particular caught their eye.

Frank, being a good neighbor, checked on the people who live at the courthouse. The door was answered by Cyrus, who seemed confused to have visitors but assured Frank they were doing fine.

Milo mentioned Arthur Lawrence to Beth, and was surprised to learn she has no memory of an Arthur or having a Lawrence. Tom, hearing of this, recommended asking Frank. Upon calling Frank, Milo learned he also has no memory of an Arthur Lawrence, and isn’t able to remember any specifics of anyone who disappeared in the Gore. Frank didn't take this well, and went to bed in winter clothes, expecting a visit to the clearing in the Gore.

##### **12/22/2014: Monday**

Frank woke up in the train clearing, and made another deal with Jo Brennan: Cynthia’s book, in exchange for Brennan’s attempt to rehabilitate the feral(/corrupted?) reapers. Brennan will keep the book out of Cynthia’s hands, though it’s likely she’ll find another way to communicate with her boss.

Cynthia made arrangements to visit Lorna’s house again, in another attempt to find her ghost.

Frank called Madoc Jones, letting him know about his deal with Brennan.

Tom spent the day compiling everything he’s learned so far, and looking for something to do next.

Cynthia canvassed Lorna’s house, and didn’t find any evidence of a ghost. She did find a closet in Lorna’s bedroom with a handle that burned her when she tried to open it, apparently warded against entry.

Tom dropped by the ice cream shop, and heard from Frank about his recent adventures in the Gore, including 26's death at Cynthia's hand, but leaving out his deal with Brennan. Afterwards, reluctantly, Frank called Marshall, and made a fairly unconvincing case that he had “taken care of” Cynthia’s recent crime.

   That night, the thing that has been spending time in Tom’s yard finally made it to his window.

## Notes

Milo's chat with Eero:

* WH has been dead for 3 years, so it’s odd/unsettling the emails are using that name
* Kirst isn’t anything—what, do you want her Social Security number too?
* All the mentions of water are odd, she's not quite sure what those mean
* Looking into the Gore isn’t a great idea, but you could start with old records of people disappearing

Arthur Lawrence:

* Hiker/woodsman/business owner, Beth Lawrence's husband
* Went missing about 10 years ago
* No one remembers he exists, or anyone else who went missing in the Gore
* Weird that they wrote an article about him then, but who knows

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