Kerberos 10/02/2011

I used the Dresden File's Case File Night Fears, with its haunted house with the three Cranston ghosts. The three Kerberans and their friend, Mr. Abraham Lincoln, were asked to investigate, and the three ghosts were laid to rest.

Baby Ghost was particularly scary. Abraham Lincoln was particularly fearless when even Sophronia was (mechanically) frighted.

Some amused, condescending person from the Kerberos Club, probably Milo Pepperto, although we didn't name him for a long time, let Victor know that if he wanted his friend Abraham Lincoln to be part of the club, Mr. Lincoln needed to be tested. Fortunately for Victor, Milo just happened to know of a haunted house in London...

I'd translated the Cranstons from Dresden Fate to Kerberos Fate, and I cut the bit about the mother being a potential wizard. That did make her less sympathetic, but I was fine with that.

The rumor was that Jerome Cranston had murdered his wife, Margaret, and their infant son, Tobius. All three of their ghosts haunted the house.

In the original scenario, the mother's magic is somewhat uncontrolled and leads to her killing her baby. But that element isn't needed. You only need the idea that the woman is depressed or feeling immense pressure, like, say, to survive in 1837 for a poor couple that now has a child.

So, Margaret, in a fit of despair, killed Tobius. When Jerome discovered that, he killed Margaret, in a rage, and then himself. The group first assumed that Jerome was the main villain. But, Margaret was the most hostile ghost, and Tobius was the scariest.

Eventually, folks pieced the truth together, with the help of Margaret's diary or sketchpad. I think Abraham helped rescue Victor when Margaret tried to pull him through a wall. Eventually, her ghost was forcibly laid to rest, and the group found the equivalent of a teddy bear for Tobius, who was confused and enraged and had the most powerful fear attack. It was too early for teddy bears, so we decided there was a baby lamb toy instead. Now comforted, the ghost of the baby was laid to rest.

Jerome nodded his thanks to the group, and Abraham nodded back, as, now that he understood the truth, he was not unsympathetic towards the father. And, given how stalwart he was in the face of fearful ghosts, Victor had a good case for granting him membership in the Kerberos Club.