The Crack’d and Crook’d Manse 01: ‘The Brothers Dodge’

*“In which the investigators tangle with Gamwell’s foremost legal minds…”*

The investigators are summoned to Gamwell, MA to investigate the missing-persons case of Arthur Cornthwaite, to whom they are all acquainted in varying degrees, by his lawyers the Dodge Brothers. The brothers explain they are worried about Cornthwaite since he has not been seen in some time, and as their most important client, they need to know where he is — or if he is deceased. After negotiating much higher salaries, the investigators get directions to the boarding house, library, and manse, as well as keys to the place. They decide to briefly split the party: as Sebastian reads through the accounts ledgers, Rose and Dr. Bergmann head to the library for some initial research. They find what they are looking for, as well as something unexpected.

## Synopsis (Spoiler Warning)

### Preamble/Intro

Newspaper clippings (read out as broadcast bulletins) and other material that was originally formatted as handouts frame this episode and provide context:

* “Gamwell Millionaire Absent!” notes Arthur Cornthwaite’s importance to the town, his recent disappearance, and Sheriff Whitford’s brief search of the house and grounds. It adds his history as an explorer and generous donor to the library.
* A letter from Walter Dodge sent to each investigator notes their connection to Cornthwaite, his sudden departure without notice, and a request to locate him and find his wishes for his accounts (or estate, if dead). It requests an interview at the Dodge Brothers’ office at their earliest convenience.

### Credits

Dom (in natural accent) reads out the credits for the scenario and writer, then the players, weaving in their own descriptions of their characters’ backgrounds. Joseph describes Rosalie as growing up poor in New Orleans, her mother a member of a religious sect, escaping via wild dance in the bayous though moving away “when Daddy died,” he says in her voice. Danann describes Sebastian as born in Ireland, Catholic, and having lived through a horrific workplace incident in which a gas tank exploded (after being made to fit it without the proper experience) burning half his face and down his left arm. Now he’s trying to unionize workers around the state. Dan describes Dr. Bergmann as “gaunt, frail, pale and clammy” and unwell. Dom, unusually, narrates their arrival to the town as a voiceover.

### Scene 1: Dodge Brothers’ Office

They arrive in Gamwell, a small “pass-through” kind of town, which has a fair few structures and amenities but no train station; rather, travel by bus is common to traverse the vast farmland surrounding these small Massachusetts towns. Rosalie clutches her fish-and-star pendant, the first mention of this precious item. At the Dodge Brothers’ office, the three of them bump into each other. Rosalie and Dr. Bergmann recognize each other, while Sebastian, who neither of them know, impatiently tries to get moving but is stopped by introductions. They listen at the door before knocking: the brothers are worried about their financial situation if Cornthwaite cannot be found.

Stepping inside, the investigators find 3 small men, clearly brothers. Walter, the middle brother and sender of the letter, thanks them for coming; Rose puts them off guard by draping herself over a chair immediately and lighting up a cigarette, then subsequently dancing. Walter brings the conversation back to why they have been summoned: to investigate Arthur’s disappearance, for which they will be compensated $100 plus a $100 bonus for completing the job within the week. Dr. Bergmann grills the brothers on why they did not check the house themselves, testing the limits of the scenario as written and Dom’s improvisational skills.

> It would have been impolite!
>
> Herbert Dodge

Herbert misnames the house as the Fitzgerald Mansion, dropping a clue. He mentions that Arthur recently came back from South America. Sebastian bulldozes the brothers into paying for expenses on top, and Dr. Bergmann persuades them to compensate $200 each, with $100 bonus each if done quickly, but almost reverses himself in subsequent roleplay.

> Any idiot could knock on the door, but you are sub-idiot and therefore could not?
>
> Dr. Bergmann

The investigators determine that the brothers are simply desperate, but also scared enough of the house to hire outside help rather than going themselves. Walter asks them not to damage the house, which sets off another round of grilling from Dr. Bergmann. Sebastian announces his intention to look through the accounts ledgers, focusing on his most recent expedition. Rose brazenly steals a lighter from Reginald while lighting another cigarette, and Sebastian is visibly nervous about the flame. Dr. Bergmann tries to flatter Herbert and offers some vodka, which he accepts but pretends is water. His tongue loosened, Herbert talks about murders in the house 30 years ago and alludes to prior violence there as well. Sebastian proposes he continue to work on the ledgers for another half-hour while the other two head to the library, intending to meet at the sandwich shop afterward.

### Scene 2a: The Library

The local library, the Gamwell Public Library, is small but crammed with books, most likely from Cornthwaite’s generous donations over the years. After an initial failed roll (in which Joseph describes Rose looking “alien”), Rose charms the librarian enough to net them more clues about the history of the Fitzgerald Manse. Susie, the librarian, says she’s writing a book on it and is happy to chat with Rose about what she’s discovered and share her notes. Dr. Bergmann steps away to the stacks, saying he’s searching for useful books.

### Scene 2b: Meanwhile…

Still at the Dodge Brothers office, Sebastian takes a look at Cornthwaite’s accounting ledgers and finds his employees are paid from a personal stipend, hiding their number and identity, as well as accounts from his most recent expedition to South America — Lima through Puno, and eventually back by way of Rio de Janeiro — in 1923. Passage back from that expedition was booked only for 1 person (“Not good,” says Danann). On 7 January (about a month prior to the scenario events) a purchase order for a dumpster-truck of salt was made but not fulfilled, since the Dodge Brothers were concerned it was not a legitimate purchase. Walter gives Sebastian keys to the manse.

### Scene 3: A Bit of a Mess

We learn that Dr. Bergmann actually stepped away to take some cocaine to “perk up,” although he does find that many of the books were obviously donated by Cornthwaite, and that the collection is weighted heavily toward South American anthropology. Rose, meanwhile, hears from Susie that 30 years prior, in 1895, there was a brutal set of murders at the mansion, but 30 years before that there was another set of murders there — the Fitzgerald murders. Susie also mentions a book that Cornthwaite borrowed back about a lost jungle tribe, and the name of the author pricks up Dr. Bergmann’s ears. Dan fails the roll, but with the Doctor’s high Anthropology score decides to push it by taking a cue from player banter and sniffing one of the books he picked up to “stimulate the synapses.” Unfortunately, this is a fumble, and Dr. Bergmann hallucinates Johnny Fitzgerald coming at him with an axe, knocking books off the shelf. Dr. Bergmann draws his Luger, fails a Sanity roll, and involuntarily fires his gun.

## Important NPCs

* The Dodge Brothers
	+ Herbert Dodge (living), the oldest Dodge brother
	+ Walter Dodge (living), the middle Dodge brother and main contact
	+ Reginald Dodge (living), the youngest Dodge brother
* Susan “Susie” Arwell (living)
* Sheriff Whitford (living)
* Arthur Cornthwaite (unknown)
* Arthur Curwen (unknown)
* John Fitzgerald (deceased)

## Places

* The Dodge Brothers’ offices
* Gamwell Public Library
* Haggerty’s Boarding House
* Cornthwaite (née Fitzgerald) Manse

## Quotes

DANANN: ”Did [the Dodge Brothers] appear in the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland?”
DOM: “They definitely did.”

DOM: ”Sort of… rainforest stuff.”

## Trivia

* The “occasional bus to Innsmouth” (and the Players’ subsequent reactions) are related to the Lovecraft story *The Shadow Over Innsmouth* but do not play a role in the scenario. A stooped figure waits for that bus, which may be intended as Lovecraft himself.
* The descriptions of the Dodge brothers are, as Dan points out in the recording, a riff on the Marx brothers. Dom punctuates this impression with Reginald giving an involuntary clap when the brothers are introduced.
* The very first roll of the podcast is Joseph’s roll for Rose’s dance (06, most likely an Extreme Success) in reaction to Reginald’s clap.
* Joseph tries to negotiate for a “Southern charm” bonus die on several occasions, but doesn’t convince Dom.
* Dr. Johannes “Hans” Wolfgang Bergmann is Dan’s accidental pulpy copy of Joseph’s Jonas Steinweg, a character we do not see until the release of Crimson Letters.
* Dan remarks they are “rolling amazingly!” (as there are a number of rolls under 10) but surmises this luck will not last, a prescient prediction.
* They never do go to the boarding house.
* Bits: As a fourth-wall break, Danann (half in character as Sebastian) refers to Arthur Cornthwaite by the alternate name “Mr. Cornflake” and occasionally “Mr. Kellogg.”

1. ↑ As stated in Instant San Loss 01: Season 1 Debrief (part 1)