Willard Fremont was a washed up hack fantasy writer and collector of occult oddities until July 2022 when an anonymous fan gifted him something special. A tarnished bronze box covered in unknown symbols and locked up tight with no visible method of unlocking the lid. After a few too many drinks one night, Willard took a blowtorch to the object and was enslaved by what he found inside. The desiccated heart and circulatory system of an ancient sorcerer from before the destruction of Mu, preserved for eons and forced to remain aware of his confinement as punishment for an unspeakable transgression.
A mild effort of will on behalf of the box’s inhabitant had Willard carefully stalking various people around his hometown of Topeka, Kansas. He killed and butchered these people for their body parts, helping the sorcerer assemble them into the beginnings of a patchwork body for his own use. Willard’s master showed gratitude for his help by slaying him painlessly and using parts of his servant’s body to assemble a barebones human form and carry out the last of his work alone. He now wanders the city, using Willards notes on potential “donors” to finish creating a body that can handle the true extent of its hypergeometric mastery, and after 20000 years cease hiding his light beneath a bushel.
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The Handler picks up the Agents at MCI Airport in Kansas City, and briefs them during the drive to Topeka. Bravon Caldwell (African-American Male, 31) was found dead at his home in the Highland Crest neighborhood. He lived alone. There were no signs of a struggle present within the house, and none of his possessions appeared to have been stolen. Police reports state that Caldwell was found missing his Left Arm, and that his Liver, Small Intestine, Pancreas, and Right Lung had been extracted. Recovered at the scene were the Left Arm of a Caucasian male, and the same type of organs which had been extracted from Caldwell left strewn across the carpet. The remains were collected by the Topeka Police Department and can be found at the coroner’s office. Depending on whether the Outlaws or Program are running the show the remains may be being held for the players to examine, or they may need to go under the table to get their hands on them.
Exploring the Caldwell house reveals strange blood splatters to those with forensic skills. As far as they can tell, Caldwell simply laid down on the floor and allowed someone to extract his organs and saw his arm off (1/1d4 Violence). Looking through his house uncovers a few old books on parapsychology and ESP, but little else of interest.
The coroner’s office contains the remaining leads for the Agents. The body of Bravon Caldwell can provide some insights. The cuts on his body that his murderer used to extract his organs are ragged and clumsy. He died of exsanguination, and at no point resisted his attacker.
Depending on if the Outlaws or the Program are leading this investigation the identification of Willard Fremont’s body parts may have already happened. The Program should have the situation under control but Outlaw Agents should perform a Luck roll to see if A-Cell managed to keep the coroner from running prints on the severed arm. Running the prints will return Willard Fremont’s identity from an arrest involving a dropped assault charge from twenty years previous. His address has not changed since then. If the prints have already been run the players will need to deal with the fact that Willard Fremont’s home is now an active crime scene.
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Willard Fremont’s (Caucasian Male, 54) house is only a half mile from Caldwell’s, in the same neighborhood. The grass is nearly three feet high and mail has completely filled up the mailbox at the curb to the point the door is totally unable to close anymore. The neighborhood is run down enough the condition of the property is not unusual. Signs outside and stuck to the windows make it clear the house is protected by a burglar alarm, and breaking and entering may require some finesse. Upon entry the players find what’s left of Fremont. His body from the waist down has been discarded, along with his eyes, ears, nose, and tongue. Looking around they will discover the Bronze Box, and Fremont’s journal.
The Journal is messy and will take time to read in its entirety. It details Fremont stalking dozens of people throughout Topeka in an effort to find suitable donors to his master’s body. He nicknames his master “Gatsby”, a play on the idea of the self-made man as he assembles a body from assorted “donor” body parts. The journal should mention that Gatsby is terrified of the symbol found inside the Bronze Box. The journal can also be used to locate future victims. They are rated in order of desirability from top to bottom. Anyone reading the journal should roll SAN against Unnatural (1/1d4). It is up to the GM how many people are listed within and what their details are. Some may be minor sorcerers themselves if the GM wants to make things more interesting.
Aside from the Journal, the Agents will find the Bronze Box and more specifically the unique symbol engraved on the detached lid. Anyone brandishing that symbol in Gatsby’s direction and passing a POWx5 test will stun Gatsby for one round, two on a Critical success. The Symbol can be replicated on another medium with a successful Art, Occult, or Unnatural (+20) check.
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Details from here are largely up to the handler. Gatsby will pick off people in the order they are ranked in the journal as they are his best chance to rebuild himself as powerfully as possible. He will abandon Willard’s body parts in order to assimilate new ones more suitable to his ability to perform hypergeometric rituals. He is not stupid and possesses memories of his victims that provide him with limited knowledge of how modern technology works. He will extract body parts that complete everything below his head first, then prioritize finding a proper head and brain, followed by a tongue, ears, nose, and finally eyes. If the Agents expose themselves as a serious threat and fail to stop Gatsby, he may attempt to use mind control to form a goon squad to watch his back, or stalk and attack the Agents where they’re staying in the city. As he adds preferred body parts to his new body, he should unlock additional Rituals to use to foil the players. Should he actually finish his body it’s up to the Handler what occurs afterward.
Agents encountering Gatsby in public would see an odd looking man in jeans and a hoodie. He wears a surgical/COVID mask along with mirrored sunglasses to hide his lack of a Tongue, Nose, and Eyeballs, and keeps the sweatshirt’s hood up and pulled tight to cover up that he has no Ears. If observers are present Gatsby attempts to slip away using his formidable physical prowess but fights with everything at his disposal if cornered, including mind control rituals to convince bystanders that the Agents are entirely responsible for any and all violent actions that happen in public Despite his lack of sensory organs he is never hindered by their absence.
Destroying Gatsby cannot be done with fire. His body will burn up completely but the desiccated remains of his heart and circulatory system will remain dried and leathery. It will react with extreme violence to anyone who comes in direct contact with it (See: Sanguine Strangler). Players could seal it within another box that contains the symbol found within the Bronze Box, or melt it with a powerful acid. The latter will ensure the destruction of Gatsby’s remains for good.
"GATSBY"
Self made man
STR 25 DEX 15 CON 18 INT 18 POW 18 CHA 3
HP 21
WP 18 SAN LOSS 1/1d6 (Incomplete) 1d4/1d12 (complete sans facial features)
Attacks
Smash 50% (+10% for each murder the players fail to stop) damage 1d8+3.
Sanguine Strangler 50% (+10% for each murder the players fail to stop): Gatsby can grapple someone by allowing his thorny circulatory system to burst out of his new body, dealing 1d4+2 damage each turn he is restraining a character with this ability. He must be in melee to perform this attack but the blood vessels can extend up to 10 meters (30ft) in length. He is unable to flee the scene while making use of this ability, though it does not hinder his ability to operate rituals. Severing the vessels can be done via a successful melee attack with a bladed weapon, and escaping them requires a successful opposed Strength check.
Skills
Ancient Knowledge 70%, Athletics 80%, Firearms 30%, Drive 30%, Military Science (Land) 40%, Alertness 80%, Dodge 60%, Occult 99%, Unnatural 60%
Rituals
Any the handler wishes. Gatsby should gain access to far more dangerous rituals if the Agents fail to stop him more than twice, as he begins attaching facial features to his new body.
Special
Unnatural Strength: When rolling a Strength test Gatsby automatically succeeds on any result other than 99 or 100, and Critically Succeeds on any result of 25 or lower.
Ancient Knowledge: If Gatsby rolls a skill not specifically listed above he tests against a 70%, unless the field of knowledge is particularly modern. In such a case he tests against 10%.
Credits
Operation FUNERAL JAZZ was written by Starasp for the 2022 Shotgun Scenario contest. Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jvianQszkf077WUS7Bz9CRoP6n6-n20sEjwFHZIHX9o/edit.