Emily Johnsen
It’s strange… The Petersons always seemed like a nice family, even if their house was so old and rickety. But they’ve started to keep to themselves lately, and now their neighbors are complaining of strange visitors late at night, foul odors, and lights in the windows at odd hours.
Has the family gone eccentric all of a sudden, or is something more sinister involved?
1 Having been originally built by members of a local ghoul cult, the Petersons’ house is conveniently located with respect to a network of tunnels beneath the nearby cemetery. The cult was eradicated several decades ago, but the ghouls are still alive and well, and several of their number have killed the Petersons and replaced them using a Consume Likeness spell. They are now using the house as a base to infiltrate human society, and trying to reestablish their cult.
If the investigators explore the house, they will find an entrance in the cellar leading to a maze of dank tunnels, culminating in the ghoul warren. There are quite a lot of ghouls there, so let’s hope the investigators brought a shotgun.
2 While cleaning the attic about a year ago, Mr. Peterson discovered an old journal behind a loose board in the wall. This book contained the notes of a previous owner of the house, who also happened to be a powerful sorcerer. Mr. Peterson was intrigued by the descriptions of arcane rituals, but when he tried one out himself he unwittingly opened a passageway for the dead sorcerer to possess his body.
The sorcerer has since killed off the other members of Peterson’s family, which is why they haven’t been seen lately, and is continuing his occult research while trying to keep a low profile. He is also reestablishing connections with other wizards and cultists, some of whom he knew in his previous life. A sinister plan may be afoot…
3 The Petersons’ house is haunted by an entity which gradually drains life force from the house’s inhabitants. It has been causing the strange effects, and the odd people who have been showing up in the neighborhood are psychic sensitives attracted to its presence, or perhaps exorcists hired by the family.
Over time the Petersons will become more and more withdrawn, and as their will is sapped they will be unable to leave the house even if they can realize what is happening. If this continues for much longer, the Petersons will die and the entity will become strong enough to move to other, surrounding houses.
Copyright (c) 2008 Emily Johnsen
Emily is a Mythos affecionado in central California. She wrote these stories about 4 years ago on first discovering Tales of Terror, and only just now got around to submitting them.
Click here to see Emily's other Tales of Terror.