Useless Blob's Alone Against the Flames IC

[zingbobco000]

For reference this is taken from Alone Against the Flames written by Mike Mason, Paul Fricker, and Gavin Inglis, thank you!

Do You Hear the Call of Cthulhu?
“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.”
—H. P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu

Welcome to Call of Cthulhu, a Horror/Investigative roleplaying game of mystery wherein you, an ordinary person, shall encounter and confront the terrifying alien forces of the Cthulhu mythos. Now, to begin is quite simple, and this first introduction shall operate similar to a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure story (this is done in order to help with an easy transition between the investigation-heavy Call of Cthulhu, and most other RPGs). Nevertheless, it is time to begin... welcome, to Alone Against the Flames.

----
Unknown New England Town, 2:44 PM, September 1st, 1921.

The sun is high in the sky, a merciless ball of heat. You feel scorched by the time you reach the bus halt in front of Osborn’s Drug Store. It’s a relief to put down your heavy cases and take off your hat for a moment. You fan your face. It has been a long summer here, in your hometown, and yet a curiously empty one.
You look across the street at the grubby butcher’s shop, the grocers with its faded awning, and the shabby tobacconist. Mistrustful faces glare at you as they pass, eyeing your clothes and luggage. It was your parents’ choice to live here, not yours. You were happy down south as a child, among Providence’s white-walled houses and leafy churchyards. Perhaps this new job in Arkham will supply the change you need.
Yet everybody you know in the world lives here. You know nobody in Arkham, not one soul. You ask yourself one last
time if you are doing the right thing.
The answer is here. None of your supposed friends have come to see you off. You are alone. Whatever challenges lie in Arkham, it will be a new life, and a brave one.
A small gray motor coach approaches and rattles to a stop. You put your hat back on and pick up your cases.

Two young men with sullen expressions alight from the coach. One looks you up and down before heading away. The driver also steps down, glancing at you before crossing the road to visit the tobacconist. When he returns, he is rolling a cigarette between his yellowed fingers. He gives it a final twist and examines you as he reaches for his matchbox. He is a thin man in his fifties, dressed in a stained shirt with the bus company emblem. Yet his eyes are sharp in their dark sockets.
“Where to?”

You show him your ticket for Ossipee. From there you will connect to Rochester and Portsmouth, before the coastal line to Newburyport and, finally, Arkham. You should be able to afford a rail ticket for at least some of the way; otherwise this will be the first of many long bus trips.
“Mmm-hm.” The driver scratches the match and lights his cigarette. The end flares as he takes a draw. Then he exhales and gestures to the back of the coach. “Luggage rack’s up there.”

----
In Call of Cthulhu (somewhat like most other RPGs) there are eight characteristics Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Appearance, Size, Power, Education, and Intelligence

• Strength: This is a measure of the physical prowess of your investigator
• Dexterity: This is a measure of the agility and speed of your investigator
• Constitution: This is a measure of the physical toughness and stamina of your investigator
• Appearance: This is a measure of the physical appeal of your investigator
• Size: This is a combined measure of your investigator's height and weight, also used in determining their force behind their attacks and health
• Power: This is a measure of your investigator's mental stability, force of will, or spirit
• Intelligence: This is a measure of the logic and cunning of your investigator
• Education: This is a measure of your investigator's tutelage, be it from formal education or the "school of hard knocks"

For the very early image you have of your character, please rank these characteristics in whatever order you choose. No need for anything other than this right now. Also, yes, I understand that this is not really your standard introduction to an In-Character Thread, but let's roll with it!

[UselessBlob]

Education
Intelligence
Power
Constitution
Dexterity
Appearance
Size
Strength

[zingbobco000]

The driver smokes and watches as you drag your cases to the back of the motor coach. The rack is set inconveniently high on the vehicle. You get a grip on the heavier case.

The driver continues to enjoy his cigarette, watching with keen interest as you struggle with the cases. You grit your teeth and heave the second one into place. Perhaps the residents of Arkham will have better manners.

The driver flicks his cigarette into the gutter and steps into the motor coach. Its engine coughs into life. You board, grateful that you will be the only passenger for the initial part of your trip at least. With mixed emotions, you watch from the window as the tired avenues of your old home slip behind you, receding into the distance. For a few minutes, you can still see the church spire over the brow of a low hill. Then the road dips and it, too, is gone.
Arkham is your new home. You will travel there, and make a new start.
----

Note that you have a sanity score that is based on your power, throughout the game this sanity score will most likely fluctuate wildly. In addition, you have a number of Magic Points also based on said power. This will deplete and over time eventually return back to its original score. However, in all likelihood, magic points shall rarely be used by an investigator early on in their career, but it is important to note that they do exist.
----

The coach putters through the countryside. At first, the interior is stifling and your stomach lurches with every bend in the road. However, the driver opens his window, and by switching seats you find a spot where the breeze hits your face. You soon relax into the journey, observing the quaint little hamlets that the coach serves. A heavy-set woman boards at one settlement and gives you a polite nod. She gets off at the next one.
----

You have a certain amount of hit points based on both your Constitution and Size. Your current may drop, but it is unlikely to ever exceed its maximum.
You also have something called a "Luck score." This is used to represent when circumstances external to your investigator are in question, and also when determining the fickle hand of fate. Please give me 3d6 to assist in generating your beginning luck.

[UselessBlob]

All right, lets see if this works.
(3d6)[8]

[zingbobco000]

Indeed it does!
----

The road rises a little, passing cornfields and orchards. The leaves are turning and the trees are alive with glorious reds and golds. You have just begun to doze when the driver takes a tight bend at speed.
----

Please now give me a Dexterity roll. What this means is that you'll be rolling a d100 and comparing it to your Dexterity. For now, I hold your stats (mwahahahah), but eventually, I'll hand the character over to you once I feel like you've got a good handle on the mechanics (presumably at the end of the adventure)! So, just give me the d100 roll.

[UselessBlob]

Oh boy, d100.
(1d100)[40]

[zingbobco000]

You rolled below your dexterity, which means that you have succeeded on your role. Interestingly, in Call of Cthulhu, your stats are what actually determine the difficulty of your attempt as opposed to a set DC like in D&D.
----

A desperate yell awakens you. You feel yourself slide from the seat as the driver spins the wheel and the motor-coach plunges off the road. You grab hold of the seat in front, just in time to prevent a painful fall. The coach stops with a thump.
Now you see what has happened. A Fordson tractor has stopped in the road and your driver has had to swerve to avoid this steel obstacle. He leaps from his seat into the road, unleashing a string of curses at the farmer.
You take a moment to catch your breath. Perhaps you should offer assistance? But the driver has already returned. He backs the coach up a little and threads it around the tractor, glaring at the farmer.

You resume your journey. The driver takes the curves with more caution than before. He glances over his shoulder at you a couple of times.
“Sorry about before,” he says. “That fella was dumber than a hog. I’m Silas. What’s your name?”



The accident was at least as much Silas’s fault as the farmer’s. But it doesn’t seem shrewd to antagonize the man while he is driving you through the middle of nowhere.
----

Make up a name for your character and record it on your investigator sheet. You may add your age; for the purposes of this adventure your character should probably be aged between 23 and 36.

[UselessBlob]

Evan Grant, 29
(Do I need a sheet?)

[zingbobco000]

Evan Grant, 29
(Do I need a sheet?)

I've actually got a character sheet set up for you on my computer, so no need to worry about the nitty-gritty details just yet. However, after this adventure, I will hand it over to you.
----

The coach turns onto a narrower road, which weaves uphill through woodland. Silas becomes chatty.
“Going to Arkham, eh Evan? Can’t say I ever heard of the place. Went to Boston once. Didn’t like it. Too much hustle and bustle. You got family there? A special someone waiting?”
The afternoon is wearing on. You see no harm in confiding in Silas about your new life.
“A job, eh? What’s your line?”

----
Now it's time for your character to choose an occupation. In Call of Cthulhu an occupation provides you with several occupation skills. It's comparable to a class, but the main distinction is that it's not representative of all your characters abilities, and it does not really affect advancement.
Some common occupations for investigators include:

• Antiquarian
• Doctor of Medicine
• Journalist
• Private Investigator
• Professor
• Something Else... (we can discuss)?

[UselessBlob]

"I happen to be a Medical Doctor, sir, fresh from Harvard."

[zingbobco000]

Silas nods as you continue, mentioning the residency you will be taking up at St. Mary’s Hospital. The institution is well regarded, and you are both thrilled and slightly uneasy at the range of patients and maladies it receives. Still, as an old professor of yours used to say, “By practice alone can you become expert.”
“A doctor, eh? Folks’ll always be needing those.” Did you catch a note of distrust in Silas’s voice? Or are you just being paranoid?
----

You gain the following occupational skills: First Aid, Other Language (Latin), Medicine, Psychology, Science (Biology), Science (Pharmacy), and two other skills from the following list that you would perceive to be related to Evan's life as a doctor. I'll also provide a short sentence description or so for each.

Spoiler: Skills (so many)

Show

• Accounting - understanding of accountacy procedures; reveals the financial functioning of a business or a person.
• Antropology - identify and understand an individual's or culture's way of life throuh observation
• Appraise - estimate the value of a particular item, including the quality, material used, and workmanship.
• Archeology - allows dating and idetifying artifacts from past cultures as well as detecting fakes
• Arts/Crafts - allows the creation, making, or repair of an item which could be artistic (painting, singing, etc...) or craft-related (woodworking, cookery, etc...). Each one requires its own choice.
• Charm - physical attraction, seduction, flattery, or simply warmth of personality.
• Climb - climb trees, walls, and other vertical surfaces with or without ropes or climbing gear.
• Disguise - used whenever you wish to appear to be someone other than whom you are.
• Dodge - allows one to instinctively evade blows, thrown missiles, and so forth.
• Drive Auto - drive a car or light truck, make ordinary maneuvers, and cope with ordinary vehicle problems.
• Electrical Repair - repair or reconfigure electrical equipment, such as auto ignitions, electric motors, fuse boxes, and burglar alarms.
• Fast Talk - specifically limited to verbal trickery, deception, and misdirection, such as bamboozling a bouncer to let you inside a club, getting someone to sign a form they haven't read, making a policeman look the other way, and so on.
• Fighting - one's skill in melee combat. There are also different specializations such as Sword, Axe, Spear, or Whip, which each require their own choice.
• Firearms - covers all manner of firearms, as well as bows and crossbows. There are different specializations including Handguns, Rifles/Shotguns, Bows, and Crossbows
• First Aid (you have this) - emergency medical care, not for diseases (see Medicine).
• History - recall a historical detail or event, the significance of a country, city, region, or person, as pertinent.
• Intimidate - browbeating or making verbal threats to get your way.
• Other Language (you have this) - Knowledge (ability to understand, speak, read, and write) of a language that's not your own. Each language is its own choice.
• Own Language - Knowledge of your own language (presumably English)
• Law - represents the chance of knowing pertinent law, precedent, legal maneuvers, or court procedure.
• Library Use - Find a piece of information, such as a certain book, newspaper, reference in a library, or a collection of documents (assuming there's information to be found).
• Listen - interpret and understand sound, including overheard conversations, mutters behind a closed door, and whispered words in a cafe.
• Locksmith - open car doors, hotwire autos, jimmy libtary windows, figure out Chinese puzzle boxes, and penetrate ordinary alarm systems.
• Mechanical Repair - repair a broken machine or create a new one.
• Medicine (you have this) - diagnose and treat accidents, injuries, diseases, poisonings, etc...
• Natural World - represents the traditional (unscientific) knowledge and personal observation of farmers, fishermen, inspired amateurs, and hobbyists.
• Navigate - take the correct path to a destination, whether in a strange city or the wilderness.
• Occult - recognize occult paraphernalia, words and concepts, as well as folk traditions; can also identify grimoires of magic and occult codes.
• Operate Heavy Machinery - required to drive and operate a train, steam engine, bulldozer, or other large-scale land machine.
• Persuade - convince a person of a particular idea, concept, or belief through reasoned argument, debate, and discussion (although this does not necessarily have to employ the truth).
• Pilot - allows the safe operation of a boat, aircraft, or dirigible. Each one is its own skill.
• Psychoanalysis - refers to the range of emotional therapies.
• Psychology (you have this) - perception, common to all humans, to form an idea of another person's motives and character, and detect if a person is lying.
• Ride - applies to saddle horses, donkeys, and mules, granting knowledge of basic care of the riding anaimal, riding gear, and how to handle the steed at a gallop or on difficult terrain.
• Science (you have this) - practical and theoretical ability with a science specialty gained from some degree of formalized education and training, although a well-read amateur scientist may also be a possibility. These specializations include: Astronomy, Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Cryptography, Geology, Pharmacy, Physics, Zoology, etc... Each one is its own skill.
• Sleight of Hand - allows the visual covering-up, secreting, or masking of an object or objects, perhaps with debris, cloth, or other illusion-promoting materials.
• Spot Hidden - find a secret door or compartment, notice a hidden intruder, see an inconspicuous clude, recognize a repainted automobile, become aware of ambushers, etc. - an important skill in the armory of an investigator.
• Stealth - when attempting to avoid detection, moving quietly, and hiding without alerting those who might hear or see.
• Survival - expertise required to survive in extreme conditions, such as in desert or arctic conditions, as well as on the sea or in wilderness terrain. Each environment is its own skill.
• Swim - ability to float and to move through water or other liquid in times of crisis or danger.
• Throw - hit a target with an object.
• Track - follow a person, vehicle, or animal over earth, and through plants.

Oh boy, that was long. I listed all of them for later reference, as well as to let you know that as long as it makes sense, any of these can be involved in your occupation. So, with all that out of the way, choose two![/I]

[UselessBlob]

I'll take Library Use, as Dr. Grant spends most of his down time reading old books, and Spot Hidden, since observation is crucial in medicine.

[zingbobco000]

You soon realize Silas hasn’t made a stop since the incident with the tractor. The motor coach winds its way uphill. However, your thoughts are interrupted as the road crests a ridge and you are treated to a magnificent view of the vista below.
A creek snakes through the valley, breaking the rich autumn palette of the tree line. In the distance the White Mountains rise into hazy cloud. There is no settlement, not even a cabin, as far as the eye can see. Birds drift through the treetops, and you can just make out what might be two white-tailed deer lingering by the water.
Perhaps you are making a mistake by moving to the city. Could you maybe survive on your own in this lush wilderness?
----

I'm just going to note that just because a skill is not from your occupation or personal interest, you can always attempt it. That's not to say that you'll have a large chance of success but there is almost always a chance. Now, speaking of personal interest skills, please choose four more skills that you did not choose from your occupation, and these will be your personal interests!

[UselessBlob]

Ride, Navigate, Natural World, and Swim

[zingbobco000]

Now that you've chosen your occupation and your personal interest skills, please rank your occupational skills just like you did with your characteristics - from best to worst. For reference, your occupational skills are: First Aid, Other Language (Latin), Medicine, Psychology, Science (Biology), Science (Pharmacy), Spot Hidden, and Library Use.

[UselessBlob]

Medicine
Science (Biology)
Spot Hidden
First Aid
Science(Pharmacy)
Library Use
Psychology
Other Language (Latin)

[zingbobco000]

The motor coach rattles on through the hills and Silas lapses into silence. The sky darkens behind you, pinks tinting the clouds as the sun descends. Finally a welcome sight comes into view: a settlement on the crest of a hill. This doesn’t look like the pictures you’ve seen of Ossipee. But perhaps you can persuade Silas to stop while you stretch your legs.
Minutes later, a harsh stuttering from the engine interrupts your reverie. Silas frowns and rattles the gear stick. The motor coach falters in its ascent. Silas utters a curse you don’t recognize and grinds his teeth, struggling at the wheel. You seem to inch up the hill until you reach the first buildings, low dwellings constructed from a rough red stone. Silas wrestles the coach into a small bay off the road. He scrambles from his seat and makes for the engine compartment.
----

Now it is time to make our first skill check! However, I'm going to offer you the choice between two, but you could arguably think of doing something else and I'll rule what it would be for now. Or you could try both, but it would be hard concentrating on both things at once. Do you think your character would go out and check on the car? If so, please give me a Drive Auto roll (a d100 which I will compare to your drive auto skill [you consider yourself an amateur in this field]). Or, does this all seem strangely convenient - breaking down right as you enter a village - and you'd like to guage Silas's reactions? If so, please give me a hard Psychology roll (a d100 which I will compare to half your Psychology skill [you consider yourself an amateur in this field]). Either way, roll a d100 and tell me which one you'd rather compare it to.

[UselessBlob]

Psychology, but I have that in my skills. Doesn't that make me more than an amateur?

(1d100)[20]

[zingbobco000]

You do, however, it's not high enough to really call yourself a professional psychologist. You're a skilled amateur, yes, but an amateur nonetheless.
----

You sense a falseness to Silas’s actions. He is acting. Either he is not as aggravated about the breakdown as his behavior suggests, or perhaps the breakdown itself is an act.
If this is a ruse to make you spend your time and money in a local shop, he will be sadly disappointed in your purchasing power.
----

I will mark down that you have succeeded in a Psychology roll, this means that at the end of this scenario, you may have the opportunity to improve your abilities in this skill and learn from your time with Silas.
----

Silas opens the engine compartment open and sticks his head inside. The hot metal pops and sizzles. He pokes at various components, then withdraws and wipes his brow, smearing it with dark grease.
“I ain’t sure what’s wrong. Might be the oil pressure. Might be something knocked off kilter when we took that spill. Can’t do much until the engine cools neither. And with the light failing… I reckon we’ll be here through the night.” He wipes his hands on a rag.
The shadows from your surroundings are already long, and the air is chilly. You feel stiff from the journey and a night in the rickety coach sounds unappealing. Silas sees your dismay.
“This here’s Emberhead. Miles from anyplace. I only come through twice a week. But the folks here are good people. May Ledbetter keeps a spare room. She’ll look after you. Up that alley, turn right, first house on the left.”
He scratches his cheek, looks again into the engine compartment, and spits on the ground.
“Meet me back here at eight in the morning and we’ll see how’s we stand.”
----

Now we're entering the more freeform part of the adventure. Nevertheless, given that this is still an introductory scenario. I'll be providing little prompts at the bottom of example things your character could attempt so that you can formulate a post in-line with general Call of Cthulhu ideas. In this instance, I have three possibilities.
1. Head out and look for this May Ledbetter's house
2. Ask Silas where he's going to stay the night
3. Challenge Silas about the breakdown

[UselessBlob]

"If I might ask, sir, where will you be staying the night?"

[zingbobco000]

You ask about Silas’ plans. He gives the engine a sour glance before answering.
“I’ve got acquaintances here in the village. Reckon one of ‘em owes me a favor. Enough for bed and breakfast, in any case.” He stares at his grubby hands. “Probably won’t stretch to a hot bath.”
You don’t seem to have a lot of options. You fetch your cases from the back of the motor coach. The last thing you need is for all your worldly possessions to disappear into some stranger’s hovel overnight.

You drag your cases between the sullen buildings. You feel surprisingly weary, considering you have spent all day sitting down. Silas’ directions lead you to a modest dwelling with a slate roof. A nameplate reads LEDBETTER, and underneath, a sign in neat copperplate reads, LODGING ROOM. The lane around you is gloomy, but a lamp flickers in the window.
A breeze chills your face. You’re not about to begin your new life by sleeping in the street. You rap on the weatherbeaten door.

After a moment, you hear footsteps inside the house. A bolt is drawn back and the wooden door swings open. A figure with loose curls and a rough-looking housedress peers at you. Her gaze takes in your traveling suit and your cases. Her voice has a slight Irish lilt.
“Hello. Should I take it as you’re looking for a room for the night?”
You enquire as to her rates, suppressing a grimace. As far as you’ve seen, the village does not offer you many alternatives.
“Oh, you’ll find them very reasonable,” she says. “You look tired. I’m May. Come inside and we’ll talk over a cup of tea.”



The Ledbetter house feels cramped, with a low ceiling and simple fittings. But it is well kept and a cheerful fire crackles in the grate. The aroma of the tea is soothing and the cup warms your fingers.
“Have you come to Emberhead for the festival?” asks May.

----
Again, just simple prompting, you do not have to follow these ideas at all.
1. Do you want to explain what happened with Silas and his coach?
2. Would you rather ask about what this festival is?

[UselessBlob]

"I'm afraid I am merely passing through, ma'am. The automobile I was riding in broke down, so I must stay here until it is repaired. I would like to know more about this festival, though."

[zingbobco000]

Emberhead, 8:18 PM, September 1st, 1921

“Well now, I suppose the Festival is about the only reason folks come to Emberhead. I thought you had maybe come to study it or take photographs. Well, it’s not tomorrow night but the night after. I suppose it looks very strange to a passerby.”
May tops up your tea. The spout chinks against your cup.
“We’ve got the Beacon, you see. One night every year there’s a torch-lit procession and we light the Beacon on the cliffs. You’ve never seen the like of it. They say it keeps the spirit of the village alive for another year. It’s a celebration. A celebration...”
She tails off for a moment, and blinks.
“But you didn’t come here to listen to me blather, and you must be hungry. I can rustle you up a bit of stew. How would that be?”
You ask again about her rates, ready to begin haggling, but May names a price so low you accept it without hesitation. The room is small but comfortable, and the stew dark and hearty. After dinner, you have a couple of hours before your usual bedtime.
----

So, what to do before bedtime? May certainly hasn't gone to sleep yet, so maybe interacting with her? Although it's dark you could maybe ask May for a lantern of some kind to maybe investigate small village where you're sleeping for the night? Or has it just been an exhausting day?

[UselessBlob]

I'll go ask May about the town, and possibly the festival's history.

[zingbobco000]

You ask May about the town and the festival, as she begins to talk about life as a whole in Emberhead, acknowledging your question, but not really responding to the latter one. “In her letters my sister always asks if I’m not bored, living in such a small place. She lives in New York. Then she writes about how frightened she is to walk home at night! I ask you.”
You mention your hopes for a new life in Arkham, while also trying to insert another query concerning the festival. May doesn’t seem to hear you.
“It’s a small place here, yes, but that means we have real community. Everybody’s face is known. Everybody works together. Nobody is excluded. Except those who choose to exclude themselves, of course. I couldn’t live anywhere else now.”
----

As you're talking to May let's see how well she initially reacts to you, so please give me a Charm roll (you consider yourself a neophyte in this field).

[UselessBlob]

Charisma, my one (out of many) weakness!
(1d100)[86]

[zingbobco000]

Oof
----

As the hour wears on, you eventually give up your attempts to gather information about the beacon, presuming May is either too wrapped up in her own world, or just incredibly tired. Instead you simply listen along and you are amused to hear May transform into a sort of tired tourist guide.
“Of course the views from here are spectacular on a good day. A clear view all the way round. If you’re a painter you’ll be right at home. If your tastes run more to the artisan, there are workshops on Silbury Street. Just at the end here and turn right. They’re not set up for visitors, you understand? But you’ll see the real craftsmen at work. The genuine article. Now, if you’re looking for freshly baked bread...”
It seems a shame to point out that you intend to be on the road again shortly. You let May continue until she begins to yawn.
“Would you listen to me yapping? Time to turn in. When would you like your breakfast?”

You recall that Silas mentioned you would be out of here at eight, so it should be a pretty simple calculus to determine when to wake up.

[UselessBlob]

"I shall arise at seven, ma'am. Is breakfast included in the room price or separate?"

[zingbobco000]

May ***** her head, as her curls fall to the side. "Why, of course it's included, dearie. Imagine charging each separately! I am sure that people would begin to become irritated, and I wouldn't be a good hostess if I was irritating my guests, now would I..." She soon begins to gather the dirty remains of your hearty meal. "Anyway, I'll just be washing these." She makes an almost shooing gesture towards your room. However, as May stands, you hear a clunk behind you. You look over your shoulder, but all you can see is a wooden door, securely closed.
May tuts. “The young lady of the house. She’ll have been listening to us. Ruth! Come and greet our guest.”
There is a short pause, then the door creaks open. Two wide eyes peer at you from the gap, between tousled hair and a rough nightgown.
“What do you say?”
The eyes blink. “Pleased to meet you.”
“Now get back to bed.”
The door closes again.
“My daughter Ruth. Ten years this summer. She’s a delight and a torment all in one. Don’t worry, she sleeps in with me. She’ll not disturb you. Good night now.”
You retire to your room. It is a little chilly, but you are too tired to worry about lighting the fire. The sheets are clean and the bed soon warms up. The silence outside is strange after living in a town for so long, but you soon drop off.

You dream of fire in the grate; coruscating colors shimmering through the dancing tongues of flame. At first they are tiny, almost microscopic, but they grow, and grow, until a kaleidoscopic inferno spills from the fireplace, spreading across the floor, up the sheets…
You wake with a start. Daylight glints through the curtains. You get up and examine the grate, blinking the sleep from your eyes. It is quite cold. If you have taken any damage, you may heal 1 hit point back for your night’s sleep.
----

Yes, that's right, Long Rests heal 1 hit point. Let's just say that taking damage is of much more consequence in this game than most.
----

May seems to have no running water, but has supplied some in a ceramic jug. You freshen up at the washstand and go in. She cooks a hearty breakfast and leaves you in peace to eat. At about seven-thirty, you are paid up, packed, and ready to go. You bid May goodbye and she wishes you the best for your new career in Arkham.

You are already tired of your heavy bags. Hopefully, Silas has repaired the motor coach and you can resume your long journey. A sourpuss he might be, but the old driver seemed to understand his vehicle well enough. You pause to check your watch—still twenty minutes early—and round the final corner.
The motor coach is gone.
You put your bags down and search the area, trekking up and down slopes and around corners. At the edge of the village, you trace the long road back as it winds across the hills. Eight o’clock comes and goes. There is no coach to be seen.
A passing villager notices your bags.
“Looking for the bus? I heard him take off at first light. He’s due back in three or four days. If you need a place to stay, May Ledbetter rents a room.” The man raises his hat to you and strolls on into the village.
You curse Silas under your breath. Perhaps he went for parts. But you wonder if the old goat has stranded you here on purpose.

May is doing laundry, and looks surprised to see you again. “Forgot something?” When you explain the situation, she offers to store your bags while you try to arrange alternative transport. You are grateful to relinquish the load.
“Nobody here has anything like a car.” She strokes her chin and narrows her eyes. “Maybe you could find somebody with a horse and a cart for your bags. I could ask around later. Try Mr. Winters at the village hall, he’ll know if anyone will. Or ask among the artisans. Their workshops are first left on Silbury Street.” She reaches over and squeezes your wrist. “Don’t worry, I won’t see you sleeping in the street, money or no money.”
You thank May, and turn to face the village.

You wander the streets of Emberhead without any particular destination in mind. The village is built on a relatively flat upland with splendid views. To the north, the hazy tips of the White Mountains reach for the heavens; to the south, the sparkling waters of Lake Winnipesaukee touch the horizon.
The village itself takes less than five minutes to cross from edge to edge. However, it is literally edge to edge, as with the exception of the two roads out of town, all that's there is a massive drop-off. You arrived on the winding road to the west. The only other road leaves to the south, following a lower ridge of land as it turns east. In the northernmost part of town, you see the courtyard mentioned by May home to several artisans. Next to that is the town's largest building (which isn't saying too much) - presumably the village hall. Meanwhile, in the southwest of the village, an open grassy space borders a ruined church, its graveyard cresting the cliffs. To the northeast, the three main thoroughfares, with a general store being one of the only real businesses open, meet at a raised black metal structure. It looms, stark against the blue sky.


----

Oh boy, that was long, I hope you got all of that, but basically... where do you want to head now to find transport out of here? Some places of interest that I listed were: The lower ridge of land that heads eastward, the artisan's courtyard, the village hall, the church, the general store, or the raised black metal structure?

[UselessBlob]

I'll try the general store first.