Prof Diggleby’s Request

Prof Diggleby’s Request

“There’s a Monster at the End of this Scenario”, By Nathan Decker

@@ when rolling D6s, you usually only need one 6 to represent success. Extra 6s can be used to aid others who failed the attempt, gain extra information, or be saved for a one-time extra die for the same skill check.@ 

Saturday, Jan 11th, 1986: School is back in session despite the snow and cold. Back to the grind; indoor sports, that and ice-skating. Or today, Eric’s lacrosse practice, thus, he was late to join the others in the group hangout at Pierson’s Salvage, using parts from the salvage yard to make a space-heater. The sign above their club shed read:

“SNOOPS: Society iNvestigating Occult & Odd Paranormal Situations.”

Ace (Whitney): Ace spends the time listening to music on his Walkman (forward, rewind) trying to compose the notes to better his guitar playing. [Comprehend + Iconic: 1 success, not enough]

Evan (Jordan): Evan brought Graves along so he could continue his training. [Lead: 0] The cold too much for his pet raven who preferred the warmth of the hangout.

Josh (mom): [Tinker: 0] Josh searched the junkyard for a horn to attach to his moped but came up empty.

Ein (Joey): Ein brought his laptop along with the idea of building a remote-controlled toy car. [Tinker + Program + Iconic Item: 2] He had to settle for an electric self-propelled lawn mower chassis that had a poor turning radius.

Eric (Mike): Eric was late to the party and thus in a rush to transform his tape-player into a miniaturized version which had a microphone to hear but not play. [Tinker: 0] The idea to craft a spy device was only a paper-draft so far.

Lukas (Aaron): Lukas had the idea of adding a motor to his skateboard. [Tinker: 1] He had to settle for the lawn-mower wheels to transform his board into off-road capability.

The Letter: Maybe it was the smell from the space-heater that caused the headaches that slowly creeped into their brains that hindered their individual projects. They huddled inside their hangout drinking hot chocolate when Graves hopped onto Evan’s shoulder and dropped a folded piece of paper in his lap. Evan unfolded the letter and read…

[Contact-2] Ace was the first to ponder, “None of our teachers are professors. Maybe he’s a visiting college professor come to interview me for my straight-A record and thus offer me a scholarship.” [Comprehend-2] Lukas fixated on the professor’s signature, “Esquire. Isn’t that an attorney? Ace, aren’t your parents’ lawyers? Maybe we’re being called to give witness to last year’s dinosaur case.” [Investigate-1] Evan was more concerned about the location, “This Diggleby implies he has an office at our school next to the choir. Sounds like an adventure, let’s go.”

Mitchell Elementary School Music Hall: Lukas rode his skateboard while Josh drove his moped as the others rode their bikes. None questioned the building unlocked as they entered to find the choir room and then the closet and narrow door beside it, labeled “Prof Diggleby, Esq.” Ace pounded on the door and was greeted by a chorus of shuffled papers and coughs before an elderly voiced replied, “Whose knocking at my door? Come in.” 

The interior was out of sorts: a desk (if there was one under all that pile of papers) with a dimly lit lamp to its side filled the room that appeared bigger than the tall-narrow door implied. As if it overlapped the closet door beside the professor’s door. Evan stepped out to confirm the closet real then stepped back inside to pace the length of the room.

Behind the desk, they could barely see the chest of a man leaned back in his chair as if sleeping. And that’s when the professor appeared, first his head rising above the papers, “You’ll have to excuse Ezekiel, it’s been a stressful morning.” 

The kids just stared at the puppet that finally stood atop the desk. Disbelief there was no hand up its back nor strings controlling it. Prof Diggleby ignored their silence as he got down to business, “Glad you could come. I told Ezekiel about your investigative skills and thought you could help solve the mystery of the missing book. I’m just the family lawyer. Anyway, Ezekiel has to read a certain passage from a certain book, every decade, at prescribed day, before the stroke of midnight. And tonight, is the prescribed night.” Donald leaned in closer to make a point, “And the book…missing!”

Most of the kids just stood stunned by the absurdity of the scene… a walking, talking puppet! Evan walked behind the desk to visually and physically check no hand up the professor’s butt. Which drew the refrain, “That’s sexual harassment lad. Quit sniffing around my rear.” Finally, Lukas asked, “What’s so important about this reading? What’s the title of the book?” Donald roused the lump of a man behind the desk who rose and conversed in a chorus of coughs and wheezes that Donald translated, “There is a certain passage from the book, the Recital of Discrete Alignment, Ezekiel must read aloud. Quite important. You know, The Ligonberry family has carried out this ritual every ten years for centuries; since the middle ages. It must be someone from the Lingonberry lineage to recite the book. Tonight MUST be another chapter in that lineage to keep the dreaming and real world apart. The fate of… the… WOORRRLLDD, the solar system, the universe may be at risk. Come, come, we must not tarry, I’ll drive. You can ride with Ezekiel.”

Ace tried to use the professor’s phone to call his parents but only heard static on the line. He reluctantly slid into the back seat of Ezekiel’s car. Evan tried to climb into Donald’s small car, “Preposterous young man. You can’t fit in my car. And get your foot out of my crotch.” Evan finally climbed in beside Ace while Eric stood outside, “How are you not freaked out about this?! What about stranger-danger?!” Evan just smiled, “You were OK with portals and dinosaurs. Come on, It’ll be fun.” Lukas (on his skateboard) held onto Josh’s moped as they puttered behind the cars. Eric and Ein reluctantly followed on their bikes. Ein laughed so hard; his foot slipped off the pedal. “A hand up his butt. Snort, snicker.”

Ezekiel’s House: The 30 minute ride felt like only 10 as they finally arrived at the Ligonberry estate where Donald parked his car inside the miniature garage inside the human-size garage. Evan was already following Donald and Ezekiel up the steps while the others held back. Josh tagged along with them, anxious to investigate. Eric stayed near his bike and repeated, “How are you not freaked out?!” Ace broke the impasse, “We’re SNOOPS. Let’s go.” And that’s when the open window on the side of the house caught their eyes; only about 6 inches open. “Who’d leave a window open during winter? A smoker?” Lukas tried to open it wider, but it was stuck. Ein stood on his tippy-toes to look and noticed the library inside. Ace puzzled about the tuff of purple (not hair; string or yard?) caught in the window sill. Which caused others to notice the claw marks below the window as if a cat or something climbed up and inside. Meanwhile, Eric opened the curbside mailbox to find it labeled ‘Lingonberry’ and the mail inside addressed to Ezekiel and others. Prof Diggleby called out, “How nice of you boy. Yes, bring the mail inside.”

They found the family gathered in the Livingroom, a combination of humans and more puppets… short people:

·         Prof Donald D (for Danger) Diggleby, Esquire (puppet)

·         Ezekiel Lingonberry (human client)- speaks in a chorus of coughs, wheezes, and sneezes.

·         Malloy Lingonberry (deceased puppet wife in the picture).

·         Dwayne Lingonberry (younger nerdy looking puppet son; slightly taller, currently lifting weights).

·         Cecilia Lingonberry (older puppet daughter; the more intelligent and dressed in fancy cloths).

·         Harold Goner (human spitting image of Vinnie Vincent (KISS), at the table eating cookies).

·         Bianca Wyrmwood (human, by the book, ritual leader and supervisor).

Introductions: The professor presented the kids, “These are the SNOOPs I told you about. They will help get to the bottom of this disappearance.” But Ace wasn’t listening to the names introduced but rather was checking each persons’ hair color. He even ran his hands thru Cecilia’s hair just to confirm its texture (possibly looking closer at the hair roots?). Cecilia protested, “How dare you. I just had my hair styled this morning at the saloon.” Josh was still trying to wrap his head around it, “Maybe the house is haunted and ghosts took the book.” Ace did a double take looking at Harold, “Aren’t you…Vinnie from the band KISS?! When did you grow a mustache?” Harold acted flattered but tried to play it down, “I’m just a stunt-double. Want a cookie?”

Finally, Ein gathered his composure and asked, “Where was the book before it went missing?” Ein and Josh followed Donald to the library while Lukas decided to explore the house. Soon Evan also climbed the stairs, leaving Eric alone in the Livingroom with the family and guests as Ace chatted with Harold.

[At this point, grammie (aka Josh) went off on a tangent: “As Josh crosses the library threshhold, he stumbles and breaks his leg." What? Why? "Stay with me... there's a reason. After breaking his leg, Josh reaches for the crutches." What crutches? Where did crutches come from? "What, there aren't crutches?" I have no idea what I said that sounded like crutches, but she was on a mission that had all of us laughing. We had to reset and start the scene over.]

Three walls of the library were filled floor-to-ceiling with bookcases, completely filled (1,111 books if they counted). Ein was drawn to the lone gap in one string of books. He studied the book spines to realize every book in the collection about berry picking and berry preservation. Books on all topics of fruits and berries and their horticultural care. 

Meanwhile, Josh took interest in the pedestal display case in the center of the room. “Broken glass, this must be where the ritual book was stolen.” Eric and Ace overheard their discovery and came to assist in the investigation.

Upstairs Bedrooms: Meanwhile, upstairs, Lukas turned right towards the tower and stepped into the room to the right of the tower base. He had to stoop to enter the obvious puppet-sized room that smelled like a gym. A pile of sweaty clothing the source. A set of weights (minus the 1lb and 5lb weights) to also imply this was Dwayne’s room. [Investigate] He began with the dresser that had an empty baseball glove atop it. A bat leaned against the dresser. Nothing in the draws, he opened the nightstand where he found a book titled Reading for Dummies. And in a duffle-bag in the closet, he found a framed picture of Dwayne and Bianca at the county fair.

Evan was at the far end of the hall that proved to be Ezekiel’s human-size bedroom, complete with a canopy bed. The strong smell of jam wafted from the open jar on the nightstand (midnight snack) where Evan also found a picture of human Ezekiel and his puppet wife Mallory (deceased). Evan spent a lot of time searching the room (possibly assuming this the last place anyone would search and thus best place for the thief to hit said book). When he finally gave up, he decided to climb the tower.

Library: Back at the library, [Comprehend: Eric 4, Josh 1, Ace 1, Ein 0] Ein was fixated on the row-after-row of books on the shelves. Ace happened to find a book (in the trash can) covered in slobber with some of its pages half-torn out, “Ein, here’s the book that was missing from the bookcase you mentioned. Looks like someone was trying to eat the pictures of berries.” Meanwhile, Eric got involved trying to analyze how the case broken: glass shards inside the case from the right-side while glass lay on the floor to the left. Everything lined up with the partially open window. “Looks like whoever entered from the window, threw something to smash the case.” 

Josh stood opposite the empty book pedestal and bent down to pick up a baseball that had small shards of glass embedded in the red threads and the penned named ‘Dwan’. Eric noticed, “Funny how the table lamp happened to be bent to shine on the ball. As if someone was trying to frame Dwayne. Let’s go grill the suspects in the other room.”

Ein approached Dwayne to offer him back his baseball, “Were you careless throwing this around?” Dwayne had no idea what Ein was talking about. Ezekiel interrupted (as translated by Diggleby), “Dwayne’s not allowed in the library. He tries to eat the books.” Meanwhile, Josh tried to talk to Cecilia (who stepped into the kitchen) but settled for Bianca, “Why would someone want to steal the book in the first place?” No theories were offered. Ace returned to Harold, “Where were you and the others when the book went missing?” By this time, Eric was still certain they’d entered the multi-verse, and the warped tower they’d seen from outside the house seemed the perfect place to investigate. He began to climb the stairs.

And that’s when the lights went out. And Ace felt something brush his leg then begin to climb his leg and then jump from his waist to Harold’s throat! Enough light from the windows to see a purplish puppet monster rip out Harold’s vocal cord, spewing blood onto Ace! [Empathy to not be totally frightened: all 3 succeeded] 

As Harold slumped dead to the floor, the Violet Beast dashed across the room, paused at the stairs to then stuff a book into its mouth, to then dash up the stairs. It was already out of sight when someone composed themself enough to shout, “After it. It has the book!”

Eric tried to throw his coat at the passing purple creature but missed; it too fast. Very Fast!! Lukas heard commotion from downstairs as he just entered the other puppet-size room (Cecilia’s) at the base of the tower. He looked up in time to see a purple blur rush past. Evan couldn’t hear as he climbed (on all four) the ever-shrinking tower. The blur zipped past as it headed for the tower attic.

CLIMAX

@@2 successes needed for Investigate or Force/Attack. 3 needed to Move/Capture the beast@@

The Tower Attic: Evan heard Ace’s screams to know the Violet Beast ate the book. He rushed up the stairs and entered the attic. Unlike the ever-shrinking tower, the attic was normal size and cluttered with trunks and boxes and old furniture in storage. 

But across the room, casually sitting in a rocking chair, was the Violet Beast now wearing a fake mustache and acting as if he was completely innocent. [Charm: 1 plus 1 from his Pride (I know things about everyone)] Evan took the bait as he cast his own hook, “Excuse me, sir. Did you happen to see a purple puppet run past? I was talking with the Lingonberries downstairs and they told me what a fantastic creature the puppet is.” The Violet Beast rocked back and forth as he shrugged his shoulders to saw he hadn’t seen anyone. [Sneak 1] Lukas tried to use Evan’s distraction to sneak forward but couldn’t get around the clutter of trunks and boxers.

Like an accordion collapsing, the other kids finally arrived at the door to the attic. Ace tried and failed to charm the beast as he took Ace’s lead, “The Ligonberries have a purple birthday cake downstairs. You could come along to sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Dwayne.” Josh saw that the others weren’t getting anywhere and therefore rushed forward with his leather coat (Iconic item) to trap the beast. [Move 2 but needed 3] The beast climbed out of the sleeve and jumped atop a nearby dresser. Ein was caught dumbfounded, with no idea what to do. Eric (seeing the fake mustache looking the same as that on Harold) surmised the beast was Harold in the other multi-verse, “Harold, stop what you are doing! Give us the book.”

And that’s when the circular attic window sprang inward as another 5 Violet Beasts (VB) came forth! And the original VB ripped off his mustache and joined in the chaotic scamper. It was “Whack-A-Mole” time as the kids tried to pick out the correct target. Evan swiped at one with his raptor claw but missed. Lukas tried to kick one to death but only succeeded in stubbing his toe on a trunk. Ace tried to catch one with his bare hands [Move 0, Luck reroll 2 needing 3] but he was not fast enough. [Force 2] Josh balled up his fist and connected with a beast (#2). Purple stuffing flew out of its chest as ‘Xs’ appeared on its eyes (dead). But there was no book inside its chest.

Ein broke off a chair leg to use as a club as he swung at another. Although he missed, he thought of the mustache, “Look for the one with missing fuzz under its nose.” Eric swung his lacrosse stick at another. [Force 1 plus Luck reroll 1] The head separated from another (#5) but still no book. Evan remembered Ein’s words and tried to study each VB’s lips. [Investigate 1 plus Luck reroll 1] He didn’t see missing fuzz but instead saw residual glue from the fake mustache on #4. He slashed with his raptor claw [Force 0 plus Luck reroll 2] The claw scrapped across the book cover inside the beast that collapsed dead. ‘Xs’ on its eyes. They realized they only had minutes till midnight!

The RECITAL

They rushed down the stairs that seemed to expand to normal size as they descended. When they reached the Livingroom, they found the family and Bianca huddled around a body on the floor. Prof Diggleby explained, “Cecilia collapsed dead. She had gone to her room as you rushed up the stairs but came with a smile on her face. Happy and chatty with all that commotions you kids made upstairs. Then she suddenly collapsed dead!” The kids had no clue what happened but showed the book, “We found it! Quick, before the stroke of midnight!”

They gathered in the library with Bianca leading the ceremony. She opened her own book and prepared the room, “Candles in each corner. Ezekiel, you stand over there. Everyone hold hands. By the powers vested in me, I declare this ritual commence. Go ahead Ezekiel.” Ezekiel cleared his throat and took a deep breathe to ready for the all-important recital….after coughs and wheezes, be spoke clearly…

“You gotta keep 'em separated”.

The kids looked at each other in utter disbelief, “That’s it?! You couldn’t remember those simple words?!”

And once again the house lights flickered…

The kids found themselves back in their hangout shed where Graves hopped about on the empty table. They each shook their heads, “It was all a dream! Eric, where did you get the idea of a multi-verse?” Eric puzzled, “Wait, if it was all a dream, then how do you know what I was thinking? We’d each have separate dreams!” And that’s when Ace reached into his pocket and displayed a tuff of purple fuzz.

BEHIND THE SCREEN/WHAT YOU MISSED

The part used for the Hideout heater was from a failed/discarded Loop project associated with dreaming. Its operation triggered your entry into the dream world. Prof Diggleby sensed your arrival and sent the recital request. The recital must be read at midnight every decade by a member of the Lingonberry line in order to keep the dreaming world and real world from colliding. Alas, Cecilia grew bored of the jam lifestyle, and thus desired for the two worlds to join in hopes of adding a little “spice” to her world. She summoned the Violet Beast to open the window, throw the ball to break the case, then steal the recital book. When the family came to investigate, Cecilia angled the lamp on DWAN’s baseball to point the blame to him. Then there was the purple cookbook she offered to Dwayne to make him look guilty.

No one took time to interrogate the family members to learn when the book was stolen or where everyone was at the time. It seemed to take forever for anyone to finally begin searching the library.

• The picture of Dwayne and Bianca was being kept secret as Dwayne didn’t think his father Ezekiel would approve another marriage between puppet and human in the household. When the book was stolen, they actually were strolling together thru the floor beds outside: Dwayne eating the flower pedals. Bianca had gifted Dwayne the book Reading for Dummies while Dwayne gifted her a book Weightlifting for Smarties along with his 1lb weights missing from his room. The point being: Dwayne could have been suspected as wanting a life with Bianca his father would oppose (at least Dwayne thought).
• Cecilia was always dressed in fancy clothing. Had you researched, you would have learned she took many expensive trips, for which her father was going to cut her allowance as she too carefree in her spendings. Alas, Cecilia grew bored of the jam lifestyle, and thus desired for the two worlds to join in hopes of adding a little “spice” to her world. She summoned the Violet Beast to open the window, throw the ball to break the case, then steal the recital book. When the family came to investigate, Cecilia angled the lamp on DWAN’s baseball to point the blame to him. Then there was the purple cookbook she offered to Dwayne to make him look guilty.

Had anyone attempted to eat food from the dining table, you would have found real and plastic/fake food (that was animated). The potato would have claimed to have seen “with its eyes” something purple dashing thru the library. The corn would claim it heard “with its ears” the glass breaking and heard the patter of tinny feet coming from the library.

If you searched for weapons to use, you needed a 6 on the die roll to find a real weapon versus plastic.

The picture of Dwayne and Bianca was being kept secret as Dwayne didn’t think his father Ezekiel would approve another marriage between puppet and human in the household. When the book was stolen, they actually were strolling together thru the floor beds outside. Dwayne eating the flower pedals. Bianca had gifted Dwayne the book Reading for Dummies while Dwayne gifted her a book Weightlifting for Smarties along with his 1lb weights missing from his room.

Had you searched Cecilia’s room [Investigate 2], you would have found a note she hadn’t planted yet, “I stole it, Dwayne.” The giveaway being, she spelled his name correctly while Dwayne spelled his name on his baseball as “Dwan”. You would have also found her book “The Violet Beast and You! Achieving Your Desires Through Ritual Summoning Made Easy!” Inside, picture graphs described how to deal with the monster: a series of pictures showing knights clubbing it, then thumbs up over its body. Other knights clubbing the wizard who called for the monster to begin with. Killing either one, killed the other. Thus, why Cecilia collapsed dead.

When you returned to the Livingroom to interrogate the people, Cecila stepped into the kitchen. It was she who came back to turn the lights off, to aid the monster. When all of you climbed the stairs in pursuit of the VB, she followed to stop in her room to summon more. Thus, the additional 5 that showed up.

NEXT STORY: https://tftljoey.blogspot.com/2023/04/movie-mayhemp1.html