MASTICATE Final Report - Tue, Aug 30, 2016

The session begins with the players experiencing technical difficulties, troubleshooting audio issues, and ensuring clear communication for the session. They discuss the use of backup audio channels, specifically mentioning “Giark” and “Craig” as recording options.

Chris is advised by Mark that he might be using his laptop microphone and checks his setup. After adjusting, the audio quality improves, and the group expresses satisfaction with the setup.

The group humorously discusses an alternate universe recording where teenage murderers are captured and brought to justice within 30 minutes. They joke about the “good stuff” channel and the peculiarities of their recording setup.

The conversation shifts to the characters’ in-game activities, with Luke (the Handler) summarizing the previous session’s key events. The agents had dealt with the murder of Kerry Houghton and their past involvement with Cornucopia House, focusing on obtaining custodial records to determine the fate of rescued children.

The agents, led by David Cortez, had previously forged an electronic warrant and fake identities to access state archives and retrieve records of children from Cornucopia House. They discovered that many children were lost in the system when transferred to out-of-state facilities due to Maryland’s inability to handle their trauma and developmental issues.

Luke reminds the players that Assistant U.S. Attorney Pitzerelli has contacted them to conclude their investigation and cover-up activities. They are advised to ensure all evidence is either covered up or destroyed before a presentation to other representatives.

The players discuss various plot points, including the identities of three perpetrators involved in the crime: Ellie, Samuel Ball, and Thomas Perez Cunningham. They also revisit details about Kerry Houghton’s mental state and speculate about her being manipulated by supernatural forces.

They recall an incident involving Kerry Houghton’s cat, Madam Blob, which had died under mysterious circumstances and was suspected of closing a door during Houghton’s abduction.

The players express concern about unaccounted children from Cornucopia House, speculating that they might be involved in the current situation, as their real names were linked to a murder.

They review the involvement of Franklin Price, a caseworker at Cornucopia House before Houghton, and discuss using FBI asset Butler to gain information about a related kidnapping case from the 1990s.

Robert seeks clarification on Butler’s identity and is reminded that Butler is an FBI asset of Drummond’s, distinct from other NPCs encountered in the campaign.

The players joke about the image of Butler as a “Reno 911-looking guy” and rehash previous encounters with him and other characters.

They mention a video recording and the presence of ominous black goop, recalling past interactions and their decision to dispose of the goop, ultimately turning it over to the Delta Green program for destruction.

Luke reminds the players of the Maryland State Police’s original investigation file into Cornucopia House, which was shared with them as a gesture of transparency.

As they prepare to finalize their cover-up, Luke invites the players to pursue any leads or address unresolved questions, emphasizing the importance of their upcoming presentation.

The players express interest in the kidnapping case, and Chris (as Drummond) decides to call Butler early in the morning to discuss the case.

Chris role-plays the call to Butler, ensuring the use of an appropriate phone for contacting his asset. They discuss the logistics of the call and the information Drummond seeks.

Butler, played by Luke, answers the call, and Drummond inquires about a kidnapping case from the mid-90s, providing a case number and suggesting its potential connection to a previous investigation into a pedophile ring.

Butler acknowledges the possibility of accessing the case, contingent on justifying a need to know, and indicates willingness to assist if the case is indeed linked to past investigations.

Chris initiates a call: Chris, playing Graham Miles Drummond, makes a call to an asset, discussing the potential to access a classified file. The exchange emphasizes the importance of maintaining connections for information gathering.

Luke’s responses: As the Handler, Luke provides responses indicating the challenges in accessing sensitive information, such as needing director-level clearance and the potential consequences of further inquiries.

Chris’s strategic communication: Chris emphasizes his understanding of the situation and suggests alternative approaches, such as leveraging other contacts to gain access to the file, showcasing the complexity and bureaucracy involved in their investigation.

Text exchange with Assistant U.S. Attorney Pizzarelli: Chris sends a cryptic text to Pizzarelli, seeking assistance in accessing the classified file. They discuss the risks and strategic decisions regarding pursuing this line of inquiry.

Decision making: The group deliberates on whether to prioritize this investigation thread. Brian, playing David Cortez, expresses a desire to resolve outstanding issues but also recognizes the need to focus on immediate priorities.

Monroe’s reminder: Mark, playing Steel Monroe, reminds the team of the unresolved case of missing children, underscoring the ongoing moral and ethical dilemmas faced by the agents.

Presentation preparation: The group prepares for a presentation to law enforcement officials, with Luke detailing the logistics, including the need to gather and secure all relevant materials.

Meeting setup: The session transitions to setting up a meeting at the G.H. Fallon Federal Building with Assistant U.S. Attorney Pizzarelli and representatives from local and state law enforcement to present their findings.

Scene description: Luke describes the setting, a basic conference room in a government building, highlighting the bureaucratic atmosphere and the importance of professionalism in their presentation.

Presentation strategy: The agents discuss how to structure their presentation, with a focus on the findings from their investigation, including the excavation site and the murder of Kerry Houghton, while maintaining discretion about their own involvement.

Technical challenges: Technical issues are briefly mentioned, such as outdated equipment in the conference room, which serves to heighten the tension of ensuring the presentation goes smoothly.

Role assignment: The group considers who will lead different parts of the presentation, with a focus on ensuring they present a coherent and convincing narrative to the officials present.

Interruption and humor: The session includes light-hearted moments, such as Chris sharing an anecdote about intimidating a child on a plane, providing brief comic relief amid the intense preparation.

Law enforcement attendance: Costa and Velasquez, representatives from the sheriff and Maryland State Police, arrive on time, setting the stage for the agents to present their findings and navigate potential scrutiny.

Themes of alien and supernatural: As the agents prepare to present, the recurring theme of alien influences and supernatural elements is humorously acknowledged by the group, reflecting their ongoing struggles with the unknown.

Technical Issues: The session begins with players experiencing audio and video issues, specifically noting that Brian’s video feed is pixelated, leading to a humorous exchange about who might be the “Eldritch Horror.”

Discussion of Major Conclusions:

• Chris, playing Graham Miles Drummond, outlines the major conclusions for the group’s presentation. He emphasizes that Cornucopia House was a front for a pedophile ring involved in sex trafficking and murder.
• The group discusses that the murder of Kerry Houghton was likely an act of revenge for her failure to stop the activities at Cornucopia House.

Strategy and Presentation Planning:

• Luke, the Handler, prompts the group to develop their story, and Chris suggests stating their conclusions up front before backing them up with evidence as the session progresses.
• The group prepares for a presentation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Pitzerelli, who nods along as they outline their conclusions.

Evidence Manipulation:

• The agents discuss planting fake evidence to support their narrative, including possibly using Houghton’s computer to fabricate incriminating emails.
• They contemplate implicating Houghton as part of the conspiracy to deflect responsibility from Child Protective Services.

Flashback Setup:

• The group imagines a flashback scene where they set up their work session in a hotel room filled with takeout food and drinks, creating an atmosphere of teamwork and tension.

Discussion of Evidence:

• They discuss leveraging Houghton’s emails and diaries to create a narrative that she was complicit in the activities at Cornucopia House.
• Chris mentions the idea of fabricating a confession, with Luke suggesting a die roll to determine the success of such a forgery.

Technical Skills and Forgery:

• The possibility of using computer science skills to plant digital evidence is discussed, with Brian noting his character’s proficiency in computer science.
• The group considers creating an email confession rather than a handwritten one to avoid the challenges of forgery.

Game Mechanics and Roles:

• Luke offers a plus 20 bonus on a computer science roll due to the old and insecure nature of Houghton’s computer.
• Despite previous failures, Brian successfully makes the computer science roll after the bonus, allowing the group to plant the fabricated evidence.

Questioning by Costa:

• Costa, presumably another official or investigator, questions the agents about the origins of the three attackers, suggesting they were part of the group of children at Cornucopia House in 2001.
• The agents express frustration at Costa’s late involvement in the investigation, with Steel Monroe making a snide remark about his presence.

Brian initiates the discussion by confirming the presence of specific individuals at a certain location, suggesting an assurance of their involvement.

Luke as the Handler, acknowledges the background information provided about these individuals and queries about the actual records linking them to Cornucopia House, which were appropriated from the Maryland State Archives.

Chris humorously asks if the inquiry is directed at the team, suggesting that the questioning should already have answers known by the inquirer.

Luke clarifies that the records exist and are in possession of the agents, though sharing them could be risky. He mentions “Elle Gable” in connection with “King Torino,” prompting a strategic suggestion from Chris about planting information on Houghton’s computer.

Brian experiences technical issues, and the group attempts to troubleshoot connectivity and video freezing problems.

Luke advises on potential strategies to avoid disclosing sensitive evidence, mentioning a suggestion from Pizzerelli about the risks if the thread is pulled too hard, yet highlights the safety if no one follows up.

Chris proposes planting children’s names on Houghton’s computer to fabricate evidence, considering it plausible that Houghton could have such a list, despite it being against protocol.

Luke agrees with the idea, suggesting that planting multiple pieces of evidence is possible, without requiring additional rolls for success, reflecting on the absurdity of the situation.

Brian and Chris discuss the ramifications of their actions, considering the broader implications and the need for secrecy around the children’s records, and propose claiming national security confidentiality to avoid disclosing record contents.

Brian suggests that claiming the evidence is tied up in national security could be an option, though Pizzerelli warns that such a statement might be problematic if scrutinized.

Chris and Brian deliberate on altering Houghton’s computer records to reflect incriminating data, supporting their fabricated narrative against her actions.

Luke describes a human interaction check opportunity as the agents observe others in the room reacting to their statements.

Steel Monroe succeeds in the check, noting doubt on Velazquez’s face, indicating her awareness of inconsistencies due to her involvement in processing the scene at the time.

Chris and Brian clarify their strategy, emphasizing that the information was discovered after the initial investigation, aligning with their narrative of further review.

Luke reminds the group of their initial agreement with Velazquez to treat her fairly and keep her involved, noting the need for caution in their deceptive actions.

Costa questions the agents about the children from Cornucopia House and whether more could come forward, leading the agents to assert that only three children are currently unaccounted for.

The agents propose that the responsibility for tracking the unaccounted children should lie with the Maryland State Police or possibly the DOJ, to avoid them being actively sought, suggesting a bureaucratic solution to bury the investigation.

Luke narrates the shifting conversation towards the forensic findings at the excavation site, with the agents preparing to present their explanations.

Chris provides an explanation of the mummification process, attributing it to natural conditions like linen acting as a wick and sandy burial grounds, drawing parallels with Peruvian mummies.

Luke introduces an archaeology check by Professor Grace, attempting to align the physical evidence with the agents’ narrative, though the roll is unsuccessful.

The agents fail subsequent human checks, leading to a humorous acknowledgment of the implausibility of their story.

Chris suggests that the remains should be cremated to prevent further investigation, framing it as a potential governmental error to be exploited.

Luke acknowledges that the state policy typically involves cremation of remains, aligning with the agents’ proposed course of action to expedite this process.

The discussion opens with Luke and Chris contemplating what to do about the mummified remains. Chris suggests they could “get lost,” implying a cover-up or disappearance, with Luke agreeing and suggesting a paperwork mistake could support this.

Brian, playing David Cortez, expresses distrust in the current program, fearing the remains might be used for nefarious purposes if they aren’t personally destroyed.

Chris humorously suggests burning down Harvard to prevent potential misuse of the remains, which Mark finds amusing.

Luke mentions the Cunningham murders, with Velasquez prepared to speak on the investigation details.

Luke summarizes the evidence against Thomas Cunningham, Kerry Houghton’s attacker, including fingerprints on the murder weapon found on the property.

The knife used in the murders was new, with a price tag from Walmart, suggesting it was recently purchased.

Cunningham reportedly killed his family in their sleep, but a motive is unclear despite Velasquez’s investigation into his background.

The meeting shifts to discussing the official narrative for the investigation, including who will be held accountable for past oversights.

Chris suggests the lack of detection by the Department of Human Services was due to involvement from Price and Houghton.

Velasquez acknowledges the need to create a plausible story that connects child trafficking and pedophilia to the Cornucopia House without leaving many open questions.

A persuade check is required to determine how well this fabricated story will be received, with Chris achieving a critical success.

Velasquez is relieved and satisfied with the story, avoiding blowback on those present and potentially causing a state investigation.

Mark observes Costa trying to find flaws in the story, but he eventually accepts it as it aligns with his goals.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Pizzarelli provides DOJ guidelines and expresses satisfaction with the investigation’s direction, signaling no further meetings unless significant changes occur.

Post-meeting, Pizzarelli relaxes, relieved the presentation went well and grateful for the provided narrative.

McCarter, played by Robert, has a moment of realization about the potential consequences for the detectives had they not accepted the narrative.

The group reflects on the moral implications of their actions, with Robert’s character grappling with the idea of taking out those in their way.

A sand check is required for those not adapted to helplessness, with Chris’s character failing critically, highlighting the psychological toll of the situation.

Sanity Loss and Helplessness: Graham Miles Drummond loses one sanity point due to helplessness, reaching a breaking point. He considers projecting onto a bond with his brother to mitigate this loss, reducing his brotherly bond to three.

Brian’s In-Character Action: Brian, playing David Cortez, expresses a desire to write a commendation letter for Costa to the sheriff, using his persuade skill.

Chris’s Sanity and Breaking Point: Chris, playing Graham Drummond, reaches his breaking point after losing sanity. He discusses the implications of breaking points and temporary insanity with Luke, the Handler, and decides to project his stress onto a bond with his brother.

Character Setup and Plans: Chris mentions a narrative setup where if Graham Drummond dies or goes insane, his brother will take over to uncover the truth about Graham’s fate.

Return to the Office: Assistant U.S. Attorney Pitzerelli gathers the agents and escorts them back to the office. She retrieves materials, including SD cards with photographs from their investigation, and asks the agents to turn over all investigation-related items, including badges, keys, and untraceable sidearms.

Digitizing Evidence: The group spends time digitizing physical materials using a large archival scanner. Pitzerelli removes the memory from the scanner to secure the data, highlighting the importance of confidentiality.

Destruction of Physical Evidence: The agents are instructed to destroy all physical evidence in a sub-basement shredder. They transport all sensitive materials to the shredder for destruction.

Sub-Basement Shredder Incident: The agents use a large industrial shredder to destroy documents. The atmosphere is tense, marked by poor lighting and the presence of a dump truck with its driver seemingly distracted.

Alertness Checks: Chris expresses unease about the poorly lit environment and makes an unsuccessful alertness check with a result of 98. Other players also roll for alertness.

Dump Truck Mishap: The dump truck driver backs up to unload, accidentally hitting a sign that breaks chains and causes a sign to swing into a pipe, spraying water. The driver overcorrects, nearly hitting the shredder.

Shredder Accident: The swinging sign causes the shredder to tip over the edge of the loading dock, spilling shredded paper and water. The scene becomes chaotic with agents scattering for cover.

Final Scene and Environment: The shredder, now out of power, spins down as the agents find themselves amidst falling paper and rain from the broken sprinkler system. The area is described as a concrete underbelly of the building, poorly lit, with the sound of traffic echoing from above.

McCarter’s Revelation: McCarter feels an itch on his forehead, which leads him to scratch and discover rusty, reddish water running down his face, reminiscent of a previous injury from a crow. Stuck to his fingers are three small shreds of paper, each marked with blood-red water highlighting the phrases: “Defendants ask that the state acknowledge,” “Authorities wish to know the provider,” and “Become the point of control for Ask. Know. Become.”

Reaction and Secrecy: McCarter, trying to keep this discovery hidden from the others, brushes the shreds off his hands. Luke asks him to make a sanity check due to the unnatural nature of the incident. McCarter fails the check, losing one point of sanity and feeling an intrusive thought press upon him.

Supernatural Communication: As McCarter contemplates the strange event, more paper falls around him, each piece marked with cryptic phrases such as “We trust in God” and responses to questions like “Where are the children?” with answers like “Near. Far. Coming.”

Team’s Distraction: While McCarter deals with the eerie paper messages, the rest of the team is distracted by a dump truck incident. A driver, named Derek from Cat’s Paws Shredding Services, causes chaos by damaging a loading dock sign, leading to a shredder mishap. This distraction keeps the other agents from noticing McCarter’s strange situation.

Continued Unnatural Messages: McCarter continues to receive messages from the falling paper, with ominous commands like “Kill” and “Feed.” The team does not notice the full extent of McCarter’s experience as they deal with the aftermath of the truck incident.

Collective Realization: As the other agents begin to notice McCarter’s odd behavior, they express concern. McCarter, seemingly speaking to an unseen entity, asks, “What do you want us to do?” and receives the chilling response, “Teeth.”

Session Conclusion: The session concludes with McCarter’s haunting interaction, leaving the team with a sense of unease. The GM, Luke, ends the session, noting it as a significant moment for the narrative.

Sanity Checks and Skill Improvements: Characters, including David Cortez, are required to make sanity checks due to the unnatural events, with some failing and losing additional sanity points. The session wraps up with players making skill improvements, rolling for potential increases in their abilities.

Player Reflections: The players reflect on the session and the campaign, expressing intrigue and enjoyment of the mystery and tension. They discuss the alignment of circumstances that seem to have aided them so far, acknowledging the potential for future challenges.