The Monkey Tree Puzzle - Part 1

This is a short scenario which can be dropped into pretty much any sort of campaign in any of the canon periods for “Call of Cthulhu” game play. It involves the deployment of a weapon by a Mythos race, in a first strike against the Earth and its denizens; to that end, it could lead to some serious repercussions in your players’ world, but only if they realise what it is and how to deal with it.

“Cthulhu Now” settings will generate a wealth of information about the weapon and how to deal with it. “Classic Cthulhu” players will have fewer options, and a “Gaslight” crowd fewer still; however, there are opportunities to win free of the menace in all three time periods. Given the entities behind this brutal attack (and it is deadly) a “Delta Green” team should be more than prepared to take this threat on.

For this game to work, the time of year that this story takes place must be during a time of frequent rain; it’s not necessary that it be raining constantly, but it should happen every other day or so. Establish the rainy nature of the weather with the party and then roll to see if it rains each day at a base 50% chance. Once you reach the section entitled “Rainfall”, you can let this feature slide.

The story begins with the observation of a strange meteor which penetrates the Earth’s atmosphere and slams down into a local wilderness not far from where the Investigators are residing. If the party is outside at night they will see the object streak down out of the heavens trailing a luminous blue tail. Those making a successful Idea Roll will realise that the object is moving at a relatively relaxed pace, unlike a true meteorite. It strikes with a muffled boom like distant thunder.

If the party is inside when the object appears, have them make Luck Rolls to determine if they see the spectacle through a window. Otherwise, they must make Listen Rolls to see if they hear the muted boom of the impact, sounding like distant thunder on this otherwise clear night.

The missile (for that is what it is) has come down on private property in a pine plantation covering a hillside below a moderately-sized house owned by a retired military man. If none of the party’s rolls or actions allowed them to see the arrival of the missile, they will find out about it from the local news reports the next day.

Getting to the impact site is not as easy as one might imagine. The object has come down on private property – Pinecrest Estate - and the owner of that property is a reclusive type who does not welcome intruders. Colonel Eustace Mayberry (ret.) has been living alone in his hilltop estate since the death of his wife. He resents the appearance of the Press outside his gates looking for information about the “meteor” and makes no bones about his willingness to defend his privacy with the firearms and guard dogs which he has at his disposal. Disgruntled members of the Fourth Estate wander around the perimeters of his property and, in a “Cthulhu Now” setting, some media helicopters might buzz the pine forest trying to get some footage.

Gaining access to the impact site will involve some ingenuity on the part of the Investigators. Firstly, they must arm themselves with some rationale as to why it should be they – rather than any other team – who should have access; then, they should ensure that they have sided with the local authorities, the local sheriff’s office or some other agency of a similar nature. The Colonel is wary of people about whom he knows little and he gives “Government” a wide berth; he does admit to the usefulness of local individuals whom he has known for some time, so if the party cosies up to these figures, their way will be easier. Successful Credit Rating Rolls and military backgrounds will also make the team appear more acceptable to the Colonel. Keep in mind that the journalists on the Colonel’s doorstep will have tried a myriad different ways and angles to gain entry, so methods which rely on Fast Talk and Bargaining will carry little weight.

Sheriff Alfred “Al” Cunningham

char.	value	char.	value	char.	value
STR	14	POW	15	Age	42
CON	15	DEX	12	HP	14
SIZ	13	APP	12	Magic Points	15
INT	12	EDU	17	SAN	75

Damage Bonus: +1d4

Weapon: .32 Revolver: 70% (1d8); Fist/Punch: 65% (1d3+db); Grapple: 70% (special); Head Butt: 25% (1d4+db); Kick: 40% (1d6+db)

Armour: None

Skills: Bargain 55%; Drive Auto 85%; Law 80%; Persuade 75%; Spot Hidden 65%

Spells: None

SAN Loss: It costs no Sanity Points to see Sheriff Cunningham

The Colonel’s house sits atop a steep prominence surrounded by pine forest. (Use any handy map that you have to represent this house, even one from another published scenario. It should be at least two storeys tall and very elegant.) A well-constructed road connects the front gate with an elegant driveway before the building. To the west, the estate is bordered by a long valley at the base of which is a large stream that connects to a river in the north. The estate is not enclosed by fences except the property line which hugs the road from the nearest town. Some members of the Press have tried sneaking in before the party arrives and their encounters with dogs have forced them back onto public land.

If the party fails to gain permission to examine the impact site, they may have to resort to nefarious means of gaining access. This involves some serious hiking so Wilderness Survival, Navigation, Track and Sneak rolls will all be useful. Keep in mind that, if the party is unable to gain access before the next rainfall, there will be little for them to see if they do make it to the locale. If the attempts of the Investigators all come to naught, after the next rain, with nothing remaining to show that anything happened at all, the incident passes from view, becoming a nine-days’ wonder, soon forgotten.

The scene at the impact site leaves no crater, as would a normal ballistic missile; rather the pine forest on the western side of the hill seems to be covered in a blanket of blue dust. Against the dark green of the pine trees, the weird colour doesn’t stand out that much but it is noticeable, especially from a distance. Breezes in the area give rise to eddies and flurries of the dust, and the trees – both foliage and branches – are seemingly powder-coated with whatever this strange stuff is. The party can take samples of it or conduct experiments with it; however it will only remain in place until the next time it rains, whereupon it will wash away entirely. Of course, it simply moves from the surface into the soil below, but the party members may not realise this at first.

Investigating The “Dust”

However the party tests or examines the “dust”, they will soon discover that it appears to be some kind of fungal spore bloom. Successful Biology Rolls will determine this fact, while very good rolls will reveal that, while fungal, the spores are quite far from standard. Modern science regarding fungi places them at a mid-point between plants and animals: whilst conforming in many ways to the definition of plants, fungi exhibit animal traits on a chemical level as well, most noticeably from the amount of chitin in their cell walls. Modern Investigators will know this, and will be amazed by the sheer amount of this material in the specimens that they obtain; Investigators in earlier periods will simply be amazed at the fact of its presence.

Keepers should monitor how the party handles this substance. Ideally, breathing apparatus should be used whilst in its presence – even the simple precaution of a disposable paper mask, or bandanna. Gloves should be used when handling specimens and those who eschew this protection will notice that it stains their skin a bright blue colour. All characters who come into contact with the substance should make Luck and, if unsuccessful, Constitution Rolls (rolling under their CON stat on a d20). Those who make the first roll dodge the bullet and remain stain-free; those who fail the first roll and make the second have been poisoned and are in for some trouble; those who fail both are doomed.

Poisoned characters will develop bronchial congestion and other flu-like symptoms after 1d2 days. The blue stains on their skin will itch appallingly; they will begin to cough up a dark-blue phlegm and will complain of breathlessness. They will be wracked with fever and receive bizarre hallucinations and nightmares, coupled with a severe paranoia. Most will rave about a pervasive sense of imminent doom. On top of this, the patient will experience convulsions and spasms, vomiting and diarrhoea. Each character will take 1d8 points of damage: they will accrue one point of this damage per day until all the rolled points have been taken and the fever breaks. Keepers should keep the amount of damage for each character secret so that the players are not aware of the duration of their poisoning; also, until the poison runs its course, medical treatment won’t restore these missing hit points.

Those characters who fail their Constitution Roll will suffer the same series of debilitations; however, they take 1d4 points of damage initially, rather than 1d8. When these points have been accrued as damage, they then take 1d8 points of further damage. After the points from this roll have been lost, they then take 2d8 points. The number of d8’s worth of damage that they take increases by 1 thereafter until they are dead. The damage taken by these individuals is part of a systemic injury to the liver and kidneys – much the same as the amanitin poisoning inflicted by that fungus called the “Destroying Angel” – and it is irreversible and incurable. The Keeper may rule that poisoned characters must incur a SAN Loss of 0/1d10.

An autopsy performed on a character that dies due to this cause will determine certain oddities. Most noticeably, the lungs of the victim are congested with long trailing filaments of a bluish-white colour; when examined this substance will be recognised as tightly-coiled fungal threads known as mycelia. Secondly, and if the players are situated in a Classic Era or Modern setting, a blood toxin screen or an examination of their cells will reveal that all of the victim’s cells have been invaded by a fungal material which seems to prevent oxygen absorption and which affects mitochondrial function. There is a definite blue colour associated with this substance. For all intents and purposes, the person has been suffocated slowly from a cellular level upwards.

For each character who dies from this exposure, unaffected characters might suffer a 1/1d3 SAN Loss from a sense of helplessness and despair, according to the whims of the Keeper.

The Mountain Goes To Mohammed

After awhile, the fuss dies down regarding the “meteor” (during which time, if the party has other issues to forge ahead with, they can see to their usual interests). Then one day, the Colonel goes into town to see the local constabulary. A Luck Roll will allow characters to be in town and to see the Colonel at this time, while a very good roll will see them in the local police station on some matter.

Colonel Eustace Mayberry

char.	value	char.	value	char.	value
STR	13	POW	15	Age	56
CON	13	DEX	12	HP	14
SIZ	15	APP	10	Magic Points	15
INT	14	EDU	18	SAN	45

Damage Bonus: +1d4

Weapon: .30-06 Bolt-action Rifle: 60% (2d6+4); Fist/Punch: 50% (1d3+db); Grapple: 30% (special); Head Butt: 10% (1d4+db); Kick: 35% (1d6+db)

Armour: None

Skills: Accounting 75%; Electrical Repair 75%; Drive Auto 65%; History 70%; Law 60%; Mechanical Repair 45%; Navigate 85%; Revolver 55%; Wilderness Survival 65%

Spells: None

SAN Loss: It costs no Sanity Points to see Colonel Mayberry

Colonel Mayberry has come to town to report the presence of an intruder lurking around his house. He suspects that the reporters are back, sniffing out a story, and he wants the local police to do something about it. He claims that, whoever it is, they’ve been killing or capturing his dogs, because most of them have gone missing.

This is the moment that the party should stick in its oar and offer assistance. If they miss the opportunity, the Keeper should take the lead and push the issue. The local police authority will carry a lot of weight with Mayberry, but the players will still need to convince him that they are able to be of assistance. Again, Credit Rating Rolls and military experience will help.

Welcome To Pinecrest!

Having pleaded their case, the party receives an invite to visit the Mayberry home. However, Colonel Mayberry is not about to throw wide the doors and kill the fatted calf: when the players arrive, they will be met at the gate by the Colonel, his rifle and his two remaining dogs. He welcomes them onto the property, suggesting they bring what useful equipment they can carry, and leads them a short way along the main drive. Then, without warning, he turns off into the forest, urging the party to keep pace. If the group thought they were in for tea-and-biscuits and polite conversation, they have another think coming!

Mayberry leads the party west, around the hill upon which his house is built, and deep into the pine forest. As they begin to turn north, the trees start to thin out, and the bluff overhead upon which the house sits comes into view. If this is the first time that the team has had access to this locale, follow ahead with the description below; if this is a return trip for the party, things will be starkly different from their first visit.

Eventually, the party steps out into a wide clearing at the base of the western side of the hill. The ground here is covered with the crumbling trunks and branches of decaying pine trees. As they step through this carpet of rotting lumber, they can see that the remains of the trees are coated with a thick charcoal-coloured mould and wide, flat toadstool caps with greasy black skin are blossoming up from the earth below. Footing here is treacherous, not only because of all the deliquescing foliage, but also because all the rain has made the ground beneath very boggy. The clearing has a diameter of about 200 metres (600 feet) and the only feature visible within its compass is a blue-coloured tree with a complex canopy, about 7 metres tall, right in the middle of the space.

Characters returning here from a previous visit should be stunned. On their first trip, this area was completely forested with well-established pine-trees, albeit possibly covered with blue dust; now there is nothing here but dead and rotting wood, in a thick carpet roughly a metre deep, covering a soupy bog. The transformation is sudden and dramatic and should immediate alert the party to the fact that all is not what it seems.

The only thing in the area which is seemingly unaffected is the single tree in the middle of the clearing. Those with Botany or Biology skills can take a stab at identifying it; a successful roll will reveal it to be a member of the species Araucaria araucana, commonly known as a “Monkey Puzzle” tree. The species was first discovered in the 1780s and – after much haggling – was formally classified in 1873. It is a masting species of pine, indigenous to Chile, which can survive for up to 1,300 years. When young – as this specimen is here – it has abundant scaly foliage which shrouds the trunk; as it matures it grows very tall (averaging 40m or 130ft) and the foliage reduces until it forms a wide platform at the very summit of the tree. In the golden age of sailing, it was much sought after for making ships’ masts, but nowadays it is a threatened, and thus protected, species. A thing that the party members should immediately note is that this specimen is blue, and not the standard bottle green.

Some party members should become intrigued by the tree’s presence and aberrant features; however, any attempt to examine the plant will meet with steadfast opposition from Mayberry. If the sheriff is with the group, he may intervene on the party’s behalf and gain them some discreet access, but if not, Mayberry will absolutely resist the party’s attempts to investigate. He refuses to offer an explanation but seems bent upon guarding the tree from examination, even threatening violence if necessary.

Getting out into the clearing is very difficult in and of itself, given that the footing is treacherous in the extreme. Ropes and poles are the easiest solution, but even then, the attempt to cross the bog should be made with plenty of DEX rolls. The party is free to take samples and otherwise conduct an investigation of the site, but Mayberry keeps a watchful eye on anyone who approaches too near the tree. If a party member passes below the tree, down the slope from its position, have them make a Spot Hidden or Luck Roll: if successful, they notice a worked piece of stone amongst the rotting foliage and fungus. This is a marker stone bearing a bronze plate with the inscription “In memory of Dulcinea Mayberry. Taken too soon”. It’s apparent that the stone once stood at a higher point up the slope right by the tree, but that it has slipped down the hill.

If the party make too much of a fuss about this discovery, hauling it out of the morass or drawing Mayberry’s attention to it, he immediately becomes aggressive, arming his rifle and warning the party members not to mess with it. He starts trying to haul it about, attempting to free it from the mud and decaying matter and will not accept any assistance.

Psychology Rolls are appropriate here. Obviously the stone is some kind of memorial, and at one time was situated next to the monkey puzzle tree; successful rolls will discern that it is a grave marker of some kind and that the person it refers to was someone dear to the Colonel. It becomes apparent that the tree has been deliberately planted on somebody’s grave. As the Colonel is obviously not open to questioning, the party may choose to refer this matter to the sheriff or some other individual who may have more information concerning it. Town hall or church records may well contain details, even about an interment on private land, and the local newspaper may be a source of information too.

Suddenly: Puffballs!

It’s possible that not all the party members would be willing to risk a broken ankle by wandering out into the clearing; some may have chosen to wait on the sidelines in a support capacity. Have such individuals make Spot Hidden rolls: if successful, they will notice a ring of pale, football-sized orbs slowly growing up out of the decaying matter along the edge of the clearing. These are readily identifiable as some kind of white fungus, not unlike a puffball. Soon after they observe this emergence, they see one of them balloon up under a fallen branch and get popped by the weight of that limb. As the pale fungus collapses beneath the weight, a gasp of blue dust billows upwards and is carried away by the breeze. If the party has seen the effects of this stuff already, they’ll know to get out of range with all speed.

Obviously, the first priority is to recall all the party members and NPCs from the clearing. All those wandering in the bog need to get back to safety as soon as possible; Colonel Mayberry will be unwilling to abandon his gravestone and will insist on trying to haul it back to its former position. The players may have to make a hard choice about his survival. In the meantime, those party members not out in the swamp might try various means of trying to contain the dust: covering the puffballs with sodden blankets or tarpaulins – possibly the fabric of a tent – would probably capture most of the spores before they hit the air, but other methods may also occur to them. The puffballs are growing in a solid band all around the clearing, roughly a metre wide; where one of them pops, there are plenty more of them to fill the gap.

Once the party members have returned to the clearing’s edge, they will need to Jump over the puffballs or slip past them using DEX rolls, without bursting them; failing these rolls means that they have klutzed their attempt and the mushroom pops beneath them. Even if they succeed in their attempt, have them make a Luck Roll to ensure that a stray piece of their equipment hasn’t unfortunately poked or torn one of the puffballs. If the worst happens, have all those in the vicinity make Luck and CON Rolls to avoid contamination, as mentioned above.

Let the chips fall where they may. As the party re-convenes, have them note that the Colonel has abandoned his stone and is taking shelter from the dust within the coiling branches of the monkey puzzle tree. If anyone makes the observation that the emergence of the puffballs seemed like a calculated response to the party’s investigation, have them all make SAN rolls – 1/1d2.

To Be Continued...