Episode Synopsis – Session 24 – Roots And Branches
[ Author’s Note: This is the episode synopsis for the 24th session of the Dark Waters Rising campaign. This is my take as to what happened during the session. Please let me know if there are any comments or corrections. ]
Stone Dreams
Alastair has another nightmare. In this dream he is teaching a class when three Men In Black enter his classroom. When he wakes up Stone calls Winston. The pair deduce that the dreams are related to the spell that Stone used to banish Lamashtu. They theorize that maybe the darkness somehow affected Stone to cause the nightmares.
This realization motivates the pair to search for a way to seal the breaches that had been formed by the various lightning strikes. They believe they can devise a spell that patch the weak spots but it will take some study. Stone comes upon the Voynich Manuscript that he feels could have the answer that they need to complete the spell but he will need to examine the copy that was actually written by John Dee. This original copy is in the possession of the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn.
Root And Branches
Hunter gets a frantic call from Michaela. Val has locked herself in the bathroom and is moaning. As Hunter drives up Michaela says it is getting cold then drops the phone. Hunter breaks into the apartment with an iron fireplace poker in hand. Inside Michaela is on the floor trying to draw a circle of salt on the floor. Hunter hands Michaela a box of salt then opens the bathroom door. Val is naked and curled up in a fetal position at the far end of the shower. Her arms are cut and the blood is leaking down the shower drain Hovering over her is the ghost of a woman covered in bandages with sharp claws who appears to be feeding off of her pain The ghost slashes Hunter in the thigh before he manages to dispatch her. After dispatching the ghost Hunter quickly grabs Val and Michaela then heads towards Stones house to get some healing.
Stone and Winston who are talking about the spell take a break to heal Val and Hunter’s wounds. Winston manages to capture some of the ghostly essence from the wounds on Val’s arms in a small vial. Using the vial Stone can use his spell to track down the body of the ghost from the bathroom. The body is in a cemetery in New Orleans.
At the cemetery the group finds and burns the body but to their surprise the corpse not seems to glow when burned. Anne decides to look for a lightning strike and finds that close by is a family tomb that has been struck. The tomb belongs to the Moth family. After doing some research they find that Thomas Moth owned an estate that was on the site of the current park.
This leads the group to Moth Park where they find the place, “dirty with ghosts.” All of the ghosts seems to around a tall sycamore tree in the center of the park. While investigating the park the hunters sees a strange ghost of a woman in a black rain slicker. When the cloud parts the moonlight hits the tree showing shadows of bodies hanging in the branches. After discussing the situation the team decides the best course of action is to perform an exorcism on the site of the tree. To complete the ritual the group needs something intimately associated to the tree They decide the best course of action is to find a relative of Moth Some quick research reveals that one Everett Moth still lives in New Orleans
Everett Moth is a crazy old man who is living in a shack under three large sycamore trees. His shack is full of religious symbols and there is even a line of salt leading into the room. Anne explains that they believe he is being haunted and that they are here to help. This seems to make the elder Moth very happy.
As the group goes to leave the ghost of the woman with the black rain slicker appears again. She appears in a cotton field near Everett Moth’s shack then sinks into the ground. Anne follows her to a well on the property. At the bottom of the well is a portrait of the Moth family. When the group cleans it up and looks at it the picture changes! The portrait reveals the true story of Thomas Moth. Thomas Moth killed his gardener who was sleeping with his wife. Then in a fit of rage he killed his wife and two children who he realizes are not his but those of his gardener.
At Moth Park around the sycamore tree the group conducts the exorcism. While Ron, MD, and Anne shoot down crows Winston and Stone fight to continue the ritual uninterrupted. When they finish the ghost of the gardener, Creed, emerges from the tree and walks over to Everett Moth. The ghost of Creed scowls at the feeble Everett Moth then disappears. Creed silently expires on the spot.
Later that night NOLA police officers find the body of an older woman with gray hair and a black rain slicker in the park.
Road Trip
The adventure closes with Stone having a phone call with Edwin Baxter, the Magus of the Hermetic Order Of The Golden Dawn. Edwin agrees to show Stone the Voynich Manuscript from John Dee if he will come to their house in London. Stone agrees.
