Every kid sees danger in the dark, it’s the primordial instinct that allowed us to survive and thrive into what we are now. But this isn’t just kids being scared of the dark, there’s something there taking them! There’s been a consistent number of disappearances and I think I found a pattern. I think something is taking them, every year the pattern goes to a different state, but all of the victims attended the same health care centers before disappearing. There is something actually in the dark, preying on children and using the parents as patsies for their crimes. I have a lead, a serious lead, I think that the murderer is using the system of treatment to identify suitable families to prey on and then blame the parents to keep the heat of them. I am meeting a contact tonight who reached out to me after my last attempt to interview a Dr, whom I think is connected to it all. If all goes well, I should be able to blow the lid on this and help to capture Dr Death.
Ethan Brooks, Investigative citizen journalist, last post given before his body was found 2 weeks later in a sewer network. News reports suggest it was a gang land-style execution with him being dismembered by an expert surgeon. The police have yet to name any suspects or leads in the case.
The truth
Ethan had in fact found a conspiracy, sadly his contact was the disarming elderly front of the creature he was hunting. He had mistakenly suspected the Dr of the practice he had visited and not the helpful old lady. The creature is rarely seen or heard; its disciplined approach has made detecting it almost impossible. Some have suggested its origins could be traced to the legend of the werewolves of old Europe. However, the creature’s control of its transformations and ambivalence to silver quash these beliefs. Even fewer believe that the origin of the creature is from the imagination of children run rampant and made flesh, an avatar of the fears of what’s lurking under the bed, in the dark, or at the window.
When fully out of its human guise “The Thing at the Window” stands 15 feet tall, taking on the proportions of an elongated wolf standing on its hind legs. It can stretch its body to a maximin of 30 feet. Its back and head are covered in thick crystal spikes that reflect light, camouflaging it to all but the victim who can see it leering in the window. The sound of its camouflage adjusting can be easily confused with the wind causing a nearby tree to shake and scraping the house roof or walls.
In its human guise, it is a kindly old lady, using its spells and charm it will secure work as a receptionist in children’s psychology practices. It’s access to patient records and observing family dynamics in the waiting room gives it the ideal hunting ground. Only needing to feed a few times a year it will typically lead a reclusive life, hiding in plain sight and once it has identified 2 or 3 families to feed from it strikes. Once satiated it will leave, find another suitable cover identity, murder, and consume them taking their likeness and memories and begin the process all over again.
Char. Rolls Average
STR 225 (3D6x25)
CON 120 (4D6x10)
SIZ 225 (3D6x25)
DEX 90 (3D6x10)
INT 110 (3D6x10+10)
POW 100 (2D6+10×10)
Average Hit Points: 35
Average Damage Bonus: 5d6
Average Build: 6 when in true form, 0 when in human disguise.
Average Magic Points: 20
Move: 9 in natural form and 6 in human disguise.
Combat:
Attacks per round: 2
When attacking in melee the “Thing at the window” uses both of its razor-sharp claws to cut cleanly through skin, muscle, and bone with ease.
Fighting 50% (25/12) 1D6 plus half of the damage dice.
When outside of melee range the entity can flex and erupt 3 crystal spikes from its back as a ranged attack using the following profile. It may focus fire on 1 target or up to 3 within a 100 ft range.
Shooting 30% (15/7) projectiles doing 2 d6 damage each.
Dodge 45%
Skills
Listen 70%, Spot Hidden 50%, Stealth 60% (When using its camouflage its gains an additional +20% to its stealth skill).
Disguise 90%, when in human disguise the creature still possesses its base stats and is an expert at limiting its speed, strength and behaviour to appear as a friendly elderly lady.
Use Library: 70%, Psychology 60%, Fast talk 50%
Armor: 5-point Spike armour, firearms and projectiles do half-rolled damage
Spells: Cloud Memory, Consume Likeness, Enthral victim, Implant Fear, Mental Suggestion.
Sanity Loss: 1D4/1D8 when seen in its natural form, camouflaging or shifting from disguise to true form.
A career educator, dramatist, and newly minted author. Debuted as part of the Golden Goblin and Shoggoth.net collaboration Kickstarter project “Terrors of OctoberNomicon”. A long-time fan of horror and a constant companion to the void and an avid tabletop wargamer. He regularly streams Call of Cthulhu and Pathfinder @https://www.twitch.tv/danielanddice and will soon be releasing his own Miskatonic Repository scenario for Call of Cthulhu, “Operation Wagey Cage”.
