Gamer

Session name:The Darkest Night
Session type:Con one-off
Game system:Call of Cthulhu
Number of players: 5+GM
Play resumè:The backstory: Our heroes are actors in a TV show called The Darkest Night. The lead role is Roman Drazyc, a vampire now working in service of the cause of good. Along with four helpers he travels the world saving the day. The show is in its third season, and the producer has a great idea for the season finale. A childhood friend of his owns an island with a old castle that has recently been refurbished and restored to serve as a hotel.

At the hotel, the cast will perform a ritual to bring a close friend of Roman's back to life, after he was murdered in the second to last show of the season. The result of the ritual is slated to be the first episode of season four.

The protagonists arrive at the island after a two-hour boatride and are taken to the hotel which is at the top of a cliff. The producer introduces them to Steven McKinley, the manager and owner of the hotel. They have lunch, after which the producer says that he and the crew need to prepare for the ritual scene, and that they should all meet in the hall at five o'clock.

At five o'clock, they meet in the hall, from where they are taken down to the basement. They arrive in a room which is dimly lit, with a lot of candles and a few spotlights so that there is enough light for the cameras. On the floor a pentagram with a lot of occult symbols is painted in blood, and the actors are given knives and latex fingertips filled with blood to pierce at the appropriate time in the ritual.

They perform the ritual, and when they cut their fingers, the knives prove to be a lot sharper than anticipated, and the protagonists pierce their skin, drawing blood. When the drops of blood hit the floor, a gust of wind blows through the room, extinguishing the lights. The spotlights go out for a moment, and when they come back on, the producer, Harry, smiles happily.

He seems very happy with the performance, and says that he and his wife, Diana, look forward to seeing them all at dinner at seven. When they meet for dinner, Diana isn't there, and Harry says that she isn't feeling well. One of the cameraguys is unwell as well, but everyone else is there. Dinner is uneventful, other than the fact that the soundguy retires with a queasy stomach about halfway through.

During the course of the night, a storm starts blowing, and keeps blowing throughout the rest of the adventure.

The next morning, the only ones showing up for breakfast are Harry and four of the actors. The rest of the crew are ill. Harry laughs nervously, but assures them that everything is well. Due to the weather, they are unable to step outside the hotel, and retire to their rooms. When they meet for lunch, Harry is missing too, and no-one answers the door.

Robert, who plays Roman, decides to see if the hotel shop has anything useful. The door being locked, he decides to crash through it with his shoulder, with the result that he pinches a nerve, leaving his right arm useless for the remainder of the adventure.

Robert seeks out the rest of the party, and they decide to go to the manager's office. On the way, Luc, who plays the beefcake of the show, grabs a halberd, and tosses a sword to Robert. When they pass Harry and Diana's room, the door creak open, showing Diana gnawing on her husband's innards. She looks up at them, and attacks with impressive speed.

After a brief scuffle, the party overpowers Diana, and continues towards the manager's office. On the way, they encounter Megan, their colleague who didn't show up for breakfast. She attacks them, but and pushes them almost all the way back to Harry and Diana's room before they overpower her too.

In the manager's office, they find a book, telling the story of the island. It turns out that the last lord of the island was called Azaol. He lived in the 16th century, and had a reputation for having a hankering for the occult. Rumours had it that he made a deal with the devil to get more power. At any rate, he terrorised the village, and after a while, the villagers tire.

The villagers attack the castle, kill Azaol and bury him in the basement. Even so, their troubles continue, and after three failed harvests in a row, they abandon the island. In the back cover of the book, they find a hidden document, detailing how to stop Azaol.

On the manager's computer, they find a file called Azaol, which details the ritual, though with a different translation than the script they were given had.

They head to the basement, where they find the manager, who looks at them with empty eye sockets. He stands in the middle of the pentagram, which looks like it's shining. After attacking him a few times, they pour liqour on the floor, lighting it on fire. The fire blazes for a little while, and then a gust of wind pushes the flames out of the room, into the hallway where the protagonists are standing, dealing damage to all of them.

Robert freaks out and runs up the stairs, only to be met by one of the crew, who attacks him, killing him instantly. At this point, Luc sacrifices himself, to stop Azaol and save the others.

Luckily for the two remaining actors, Heather and George, he succeeds, and they survive without further incident.