Fairyland Play Report Session #1
The first part of Fairyland by Scott Dorward. A Cthulhu Dark rpg, a rules-light, intense, purist experience by Graham Walmsley.
Sebastian Balfour, his wife Agnes and their 8-year-old daughter Christobelle are arriving in Cullingstone, north of the English Border, about to start a new life, he as a nature photographer and Agnes as a local school teacher. Accompanying them is their new nanny Cynthia Blackfield. They have set-up residence at The Rambles an old country house on the outskirts of the village of Cullingstone and within stepping distance of an ancient wood of Scottish Pine, Hobs Wood. Completing the household will be Ross Menzies, a recently hired gamekeeper, and groundsman.
Sebastian is clutching in his arms various photographic items, as he wonders at the scenery around him. Agnes tuts as she hurries and directs the workman from room to room as they offload various items from the removal. Christobelle runs through the new house, exclaiming at each new discovery, her nanny Cynthia tries to calm her, whilst also helping out Agnes in making sure each package is delivered carefully and correctly to the right room. Outside in the grounds, Ross wipes the sweat from his brow, it is autumn but the sun is rising and beating down, he's been at the house a few days, fixing the fence posts, mowing the lawns and generally trying to bring back into some sense of ordered the long empty house.
Agnes snaps at Sebastian, "Can't you help, you should be organising this!?". He sighs, brought momentarily back to reality, he trudges inside.
Meanwhile further down the road, Doctor Daniel Brodie, sits at his desk, staring at an empty waiting room, he's recently arrived, taking over from the now-retired Doctor Boswell. It has been a slow and frustrating week, as much as he's organised and reorganised his supplies, medical bag and even the plants and painting in his small surgery, not so much as a single person has visited. He's somewhat annoyed at Doctor Boswell, who upon handing him the keys, promptly shut himself up at home and has provided no handover or support. His lofty dreams of bringing the latest in medical knowledge to the sticks have hit a hard wall of reality. After repacking his bag for the umpteenth time, he sighs, looks at his watch and decides to head down the road to see if the newly arrived Balfour's have taken up residence at The Rambles, perhaps someone new like him, will be more welcoming.
The Doctor strides up the path to The Rambles, waving to the couple at the doorway. He greets them warmly and offers his services if ever they should need anything, they chat amiably. Cynthia arrives with Christobelle, hair wild, hands covered in mud and grass stains on her dress, "I'll get her cleaned up ma'am", says Cynthia. Agnes suggests to Daniel that they go inside so she can properly introduce him to Christobelle, a lovely child but somewhat high spirited and full of wanderlust, maybe he could give them some advice on how to curb this.
As they step into the hallway, an almightly crash is heard from above, Sebastian, Agnes, Daniel rush upstairs, closely followed by Cynthia. On the floor in one of the bedrooms is a removal man, he's clutching his ankle and a box of fine bone china lays scattered across the floor, his workmate is observing the scene, stroking his chin, but starts as the three enter the room, he points silently at his mate, giving an apologetic smile.
The doctor leaps into action, checking out the fellow, applying ointment and bandages to cut hands and inspecting a somewhat swollen ankle, "No fear, he'll survive, looks to be an inversion sprain of the posterior talofibular ligament!! But I insist you visit me regularly at the surgery for check-ups. Yes?" The prone man, shrugs and looks both worried and reluctant. Agnes with hand to mouth, leaps into action, "Cynthia, get the broom.", she busies herself cleaning up, Cynthia is soon back up and between them, they start to make sense of the chaos. The injured fellow is helped downstairs by his workmate and the Doctor and Sebastian, smile and nod, looking important but somewhat useless as they stand and observe.
As normality returns, the four look around, "Where is Christobelle?" says Agnes, Cynthia dips her head and puts a hand to her brow, she trots down the stairs quickly followed by Agnes. Cynthia heads to the kitchen, where she left Christobelle, washing herself. There is no sign of her, just an open door into the back garden. Agnes, looks out, Ross is the only person to be seen. "Mr. Menzies, have you seen our daughter?" Ross points to the woods, a path leads from the house to the woods, and at the end of the path, a gate hangs open, the woods are beyond.
Agnes runs breathlessly to the gate, calling Christobelle's name, she is followed by Cynthia, but Agnes ask Cynthia to go and get Sebastian, as she turns, she sees the Doctor arriving, but rushes on past him. Agnes asks the doctor, "Please, I need to find my daughter, will you accompany me?", "Of course, lead on" he replies.
The woods are dark, branches are heavy with leaves and only slants of sunlight pierce the canopy, the floor is soft and spongy with dead pine needles. No sound or sight of birds or animals is sensed. They head deeper into the woods, time seems to stand still, a pathway is hard to discern, they spot a series of strange bobbing lights in the distance, that gradually fade away. Agnes cries out for Christabelle, desperation in her voice. They hear the sound of a girl, giggling, it doesn't sound like Christobelle, it comes from the left but as they turn to investigate it is heard again, far to the right.
They start to increase their pace, heading further into the odd woodland. Calling for the daughter, their nerves somewhat shredded by this strange, unnatural place, as time passes they realise they are in danger of becoming lost when... out from behind a tree steps Christabelle, she is pale and sweating and promptly collapses in a heap... unconscious.
Agnes picks up the child and runs full pelt to where she thinks The Rambles to be, the doctor hurries after her, looking anxiously behind and around for a clue as to the right direction. By luck more than judgement the trees part and the spot the path to the gate, they rush on to the house, the sun looks to be setting and a worried Ross calls to them as they rush past them, "Where ya been, tis near nightfall!"
Previous to this, Sebastian and Cynthia had been standing at the gate calling for Christobelle and Agnes. They head in after them but also find their path difficult to retrace and their senses and nerves become heightened inside the wood. After a while, Sebastian sends Cynthia back with instructions to head to the police station for help. He carries on until he encounters a shack - oddly set and seemingly on the verge of disintegration, he hears someone inside, but on entering, is met with a pointed shotgun and the ramblings of a mad man, he manages to ascertain this is Ian Wain, but little else of sense, he decides to back out of the situation, determining the right direction, a few natural hints such as Moss growing on the north side of the tree, points him towards the gate and The Rambles.
Back at The Rambles the doctor examines Christobelle, she has a dodecagon shaped series of deep but small pinpricks in her abdomen, but aside from this superficial wound she is in good spirits and will not stop blathering about Fairies, fairy lights and her friend Maeve. Ross has been dispatched to find the Police Constable and returns with Constable Thorburn shortly. As they outline the story, Sebastian appears at the gate, closely followed by Cynthia, it is now midday, the day after Christobelle entered the wood. Almost 24 hours, but in all their minds they have been gone just a few hours. Whilst disturbing and disorientating to them all, Constable Thorburn sees this as a nice closure of a frantic few hours and bids them farewell.
As the constable leaves, Sebastian grabs his arm and takes him to one side, he mentions the strange fellow Ian Wain and his daughter's friend Maeve, perhaps they should investigate? The constable pats his arm and asks him to come round the next day and he will see what he can do to help.
The next day both Agnes and Christobelle are keen to make a good impression and is they both have no ill effects from their adventures, they awake early and head over to the school. The school is well-appointed, serving around a dozen children, one child, Lizzie Erskine sticks out from the others, maybe it's the way she sits apart from the other children, coldly observing them or the way the other child avoid her as they play, occasionally sparing a quick glance in her direction to see if she still looks on.
After getting Christobelle settled Agnes meets with Mrs Alexander, she seems skittish and Agnes is sure she has been drinking or is even drunk. Mrs Alexander passes on much of her responsibility for teaching to Agnes and retires to her office, the school day begins...
...Here Be Spoilers...
Scotland, The Borders, 1897
 |
| Hobs Wood, Cullingstone |
The Rambles
Sebastian Balfour, his wife Agnes and their 8-year-old daughter Christobelle are arriving in Cullingstone, north of the English Border, about to start a new life, he as a nature photographer and Agnes as a local school teacher. Accompanying them is their new nanny Cynthia Blackfield. They have set-up residence at The Rambles an old country house on the outskirts of the village of Cullingstone and within stepping distance of an ancient wood of Scottish Pine, Hobs Wood. Completing the household will be Ross Menzies, a recently hired gamekeeper, and groundsman.
 |
| Sebastian Balfour |
 |
| Agnes Balfour |
 |
| Christobelle Balfour |
Sebastian is clutching in his arms various photographic items, as he wonders at the scenery around him. Agnes tuts as she hurries and directs the workman from room to room as they offload various items from the removal. Christobelle runs through the new house, exclaiming at each new discovery, her nanny Cynthia tries to calm her, whilst also helping out Agnes in making sure each package is delivered carefully and correctly to the right room. Outside in the grounds, Ross wipes the sweat from his brow, it is autumn but the sun is rising and beating down, he's been at the house a few days, fixing the fence posts, mowing the lawns and generally trying to bring back into some sense of ordered the long empty house.
Agnes snaps at Sebastian, "Can't you help, you should be organising this!?". He sighs, brought momentarily back to reality, he trudges inside.
The Doctor's Surgery
Meanwhile further down the road, Doctor Daniel Brodie, sits at his desk, staring at an empty waiting room, he's recently arrived, taking over from the now-retired Doctor Boswell. It has been a slow and frustrating week, as much as he's organised and reorganised his supplies, medical bag and even the plants and painting in his small surgery, not so much as a single person has visited. He's somewhat annoyed at Doctor Boswell, who upon handing him the keys, promptly shut himself up at home and has provided no handover or support. His lofty dreams of bringing the latest in medical knowledge to the sticks have hit a hard wall of reality. After repacking his bag for the umpteenth time, he sighs, looks at his watch and decides to head down the road to see if the newly arrived Balfour's have taken up residence at The Rambles, perhaps someone new like him, will be more welcoming.
 |
| Doctor Daniel Brodie |
The Doctor strides up the path to The Rambles, waving to the couple at the doorway. He greets them warmly and offers his services if ever they should need anything, they chat amiably. Cynthia arrives with Christobelle, hair wild, hands covered in mud and grass stains on her dress, "I'll get her cleaned up ma'am", says Cynthia. Agnes suggests to Daniel that they go inside so she can properly introduce him to Christobelle, a lovely child but somewhat high spirited and full of wanderlust, maybe he could give them some advice on how to curb this.
As they step into the hallway, an almightly crash is heard from above, Sebastian, Agnes, Daniel rush upstairs, closely followed by Cynthia. On the floor in one of the bedrooms is a removal man, he's clutching his ankle and a box of fine bone china lays scattered across the floor, his workmate is observing the scene, stroking his chin, but starts as the three enter the room, he points silently at his mate, giving an apologetic smile.
The doctor leaps into action, checking out the fellow, applying ointment and bandages to cut hands and inspecting a somewhat swollen ankle, "No fear, he'll survive, looks to be an inversion sprain of the posterior talofibular ligament!! But I insist you visit me regularly at the surgery for check-ups. Yes?" The prone man, shrugs and looks both worried and reluctant. Agnes with hand to mouth, leaps into action, "Cynthia, get the broom.", she busies herself cleaning up, Cynthia is soon back up and between them, they start to make sense of the chaos. The injured fellow is helped downstairs by his workmate and the Doctor and Sebastian, smile and nod, looking important but somewhat useless as they stand and observe.
As normality returns, the four look around, "Where is Christobelle?" says Agnes, Cynthia dips her head and puts a hand to her brow, she trots down the stairs quickly followed by Agnes. Cynthia heads to the kitchen, where she left Christobelle, washing herself. There is no sign of her, just an open door into the back garden. Agnes, looks out, Ross is the only person to be seen. "Mr. Menzies, have you seen our daughter?" Ross points to the woods, a path leads from the house to the woods, and at the end of the path, a gate hangs open, the woods are beyond.
Hobs Wood
Agnes runs breathlessly to the gate, calling Christobelle's name, she is followed by Cynthia, but Agnes ask Cynthia to go and get Sebastian, as she turns, she sees the Doctor arriving, but rushes on past him. Agnes asks the doctor, "Please, I need to find my daughter, will you accompany me?", "Of course, lead on" he replies.
The woods are dark, branches are heavy with leaves and only slants of sunlight pierce the canopy, the floor is soft and spongy with dead pine needles. No sound or sight of birds or animals is sensed. They head deeper into the woods, time seems to stand still, a pathway is hard to discern, they spot a series of strange bobbing lights in the distance, that gradually fade away. Agnes cries out for Christabelle, desperation in her voice. They hear the sound of a girl, giggling, it doesn't sound like Christobelle, it comes from the left but as they turn to investigate it is heard again, far to the right.
 |
| Small balls of white light can often be seen... |
They start to increase their pace, heading further into the odd woodland. Calling for the daughter, their nerves somewhat shredded by this strange, unnatural place, as time passes they realise they are in danger of becoming lost when... out from behind a tree steps Christabelle, she is pale and sweating and promptly collapses in a heap... unconscious.
Agnes picks up the child and runs full pelt to where she thinks The Rambles to be, the doctor hurries after her, looking anxiously behind and around for a clue as to the right direction. By luck more than judgement the trees part and the spot the path to the gate, they rush on to the house, the sun looks to be setting and a worried Ross calls to them as they rush past them, "Where ya been, tis near nightfall!"
Previous to this, Sebastian and Cynthia had been standing at the gate calling for Christobelle and Agnes. They head in after them but also find their path difficult to retrace and their senses and nerves become heightened inside the wood. After a while, Sebastian sends Cynthia back with instructions to head to the police station for help. He carries on until he encounters a shack - oddly set and seemingly on the verge of disintegration, he hears someone inside, but on entering, is met with a pointed shotgun and the ramblings of a mad man, he manages to ascertain this is Ian Wain, but little else of sense, he decides to back out of the situation, determining the right direction, a few natural hints such as Moss growing on the north side of the tree, points him towards the gate and The Rambles.
Back at The Rambles the doctor examines Christobelle, she has a dodecagon shaped series of deep but small pinpricks in her abdomen, but aside from this superficial wound she is in good spirits and will not stop blathering about Fairies, fairy lights and her friend Maeve. Ross has been dispatched to find the Police Constable and returns with Constable Thorburn shortly. As they outline the story, Sebastian appears at the gate, closely followed by Cynthia, it is now midday, the day after Christobelle entered the wood. Almost 24 hours, but in all their minds they have been gone just a few hours. Whilst disturbing and disorientating to them all, Constable Thorburn sees this as a nice closure of a frantic few hours and bids them farewell.
As the constable leaves, Sebastian grabs his arm and takes him to one side, he mentions the strange fellow Ian Wain and his daughter's friend Maeve, perhaps they should investigate? The constable pats his arm and asks him to come round the next day and he will see what he can do to help.
Cullingstone School
The next day both Agnes and Christobelle are keen to make a good impression and is they both have no ill effects from their adventures, they awake early and head over to the school. The school is well-appointed, serving around a dozen children, one child, Lizzie Erskine sticks out from the others, maybe it's the way she sits apart from the other children, coldly observing them or the way the other child avoid her as they play, occasionally sparing a quick glance in her direction to see if she still looks on.
After getting Christobelle settled Agnes meets with Mrs Alexander, she seems skittish and Agnes is sure she has been drinking or is even drunk. Mrs Alexander passes on much of her responsibility for teaching to Agnes and retires to her office, the school day begins...
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