Well howdy, folks. It’s Tuesday, January 20, 2026. I’d like to say it’s been a festive start to the year, but the truth is, me and Uncle Bill have been flat on our backs. We’ve been hit with the real-deal influenza—not a sniffle, but the kind of bone-deep ache that makes you feel like you’re made of wet lead.
We’ve been tucked into our beds with a sickly green haze hanging in the air of the Shreveport cabin. It’s just us—no Aunt Peggy Sue to mind the stove, and that "Hedge Wizard" persona has vanished into the fever dreams. It’s just two old men, a pile of used tissues, and a temperature that won't break.
Uncle Bill: (From the other bed, sounding like a rusty gate) "Earl... the shadows are too loud. Tell 'em to pipe down."
Bayou Earl: "That’s just the fever, Bill. Just keep breathing."
The House Call from the Mist
Just when the room was starting to spin too fast to catch, I heard it—the slow, rhythmic thump-slosh of a pole hitting the water. Doctor John drifted out of the grey soup in that old wooden skiff. He didn't knock; he just stepped inside, his eyes taking in the green haze. He reached into his coat and pulled out a jar of dark, vibrating liquid: The Silver-Scale Purge.
Doctor John: (Voice like dry leaves on a tombstone) "The mites are burrowing deep to hide from the cold, Earl. You won't break this fever with store-bought pills. You need to shake them loose."
He brewed up the Blood-Vine and D-Mannose Root right on our stove. He stood there and watched us both until we drained every last drop.
Uncle Bill: (Wincing) "Gah... Earl, I think I can feel my fingernails vibrating."
Bayou Earl: "He says the 'Flush' has to happen before the sun comes up."
The 3 AM Briefing & A Surprising Visitor
It is now 3:57 AM, and the world outside is pitch black. Uncle Bill is finally out of bed, huddled in his chair with a blanket, eyes glued to the Channel 3 Early News.
Uncle Bill: (Pointing at the screen) "Earl, look at the scroll. It’s 33°F out there right now. A bone-chiller. They’re already talking about 'unpredictable currents' in Twelve Mile Bayou. I reckon the river’s reclaiming more than they bargained for."
Just as we were finding our legs, we heard heavy boots on the porch. We thought the Rangers were back for another inspection—they've been breathing down our necks enough lately—but when the door opened, we both froze.
Standing there in a sharp, crisp suit was our old friend Deputy Jones. We had no idea he had even changed jobs. The last time we saw him, he was the one helping us through that long, dark ordeal with Uncle Jerry, helping us get him out of jail. Seeing him standing there at 3 in the morning in a suit instead of his deputy tan was a shock to the system.
Bayou Earl: "Jones? I barely recognized you in that get-up. We had no idea you’d moved on from the station."
Detective Jones: "It’s been a fast transition, Earl. I’m a Detective now, working with the Bureau of Investigation. I'm sorry to bust in on you at this hour, but things have taken a turn."
Bayou Earl: "Well, don't just stand there shivering. Jones, come on inside and have a cup of coffee because it's cold out there. It’s a bitter one today, and I reckon you’ve got a long story to tell about those river banks."
Detective Jones: (Stepping in and taking the mug with a nod) "Thanks, Earl. It’s appreciated. I wouldn't be here if it weren't serious. Several bodies have turned up along the banks of the Red River. The city boys can't read the silt and the brush like you two can. I need trackers. I need scouts who know every inch of this mud."
Uncle Bill: (Already pouring a third mug, watching the news ticker) "Move fast, Detective. The coffee’s hot, but the news about these bodies sounds cold as ice. Sit down and tell us what the Bureau has found that’s got 'em so stumped."
Detective Jones: "I needed to get to you two before the morning rush. Once the sun comes up at 07:15 AM and the traffic starts hitting the bridges, those banks are going to be a circus. We need to find where these things are coming from while the frost is still on the ground and before the arena fills up."
Bayou Earl: "I saw the look in his eyes. He wasn't just worried about the morning work rush—which is gonna be a mess on its own—he was worried about the sunset. Once the sun goes down at 05:36 PM and the crowds start pouring over those bridges, we lose the advantage."
Detective Jones: "It’s not just about the bodies on the bank, Earl. The Harlem Globetrotters are at the Brookshire Grocery Arena tonight at 7:00 PM. Thousands of people, families with kids, all crossing those bridges over the Red River. The Bureau is concerned that whatever is causing these deaths might be aiming for a bigger stage. If something happens at that game tonight, it’ll be a disaster."
Uncle Bill: (Grinning for the first time in weeks) "Bodies and a ticking clock? Well, Earl, I reckon that beats staring at the four walls of this cabin. If we're gonna beat that Globetrotter traffic and save those folks, we better get the gear."
Session Log: The Twelve Mile Terror
GM (Gemini): The clock in the cabin hits 04:15 AM. The high-gravity chicory coffee is the only thing keeping the fog from settling in your brain. Detective Jones leans over your kitchen table, spreading out a grainy police fax of the fourth victim.
Detective Jones: "Look at the ribcage, Earl. It isn't crushed. It’s... expanded. Like something grew inside him and pushed its way out."
Captain Hedges: "I’m leaning in, adjusting my spectacles. I want to use my Knowledge (Forensics/Medicine) to see if I recognize that bioluminescent glow coming from the chest cavity."
GM: Roll it. Difficulty is 15.
Captain Hedges: (Rolls D6s) I got a 19.
GM: You realize with a chill that those aren't just guts. The internal organs have been methodically harvested and replaced with a pulsing, glowing swamp algae. It’s a bio-circuitry coolant. This wasn't a gator; this was a surgical strike.
Uncle Bill: "I ain't lookin' at that mess. I’m checking my 12-gauge and looking at the Channel 3 ticker. If we're gonna be trackers, we need to be at the Twelve Mile bank before the sun ruins the frost. Jones, you sure your Bureau boys won't shoot us on sight for trespassing?"
Detective Jones: "They’re too busy worrying about the Globetrotters game tonight at the Brookshire Grocery Arena. They think the threat is in the city. They don't realize the 'unpredictable currents' the news is talking about are actually coming for the city."
Captain Hedges: "We grab our gear. I'm taking the Parchment of Echoes just in case this thing leaves a psychic footprint. We head out into the 33°F darkness. As we hit the bank, I want to use Perception (Investigation) to find where the tracks lead into the brush."
GM: The fog is thick, making the Difficulty a 20.
Captain Hedges: I’m pushing the roll. 22!
GM: You find them. Large, heavy prints—a sickening hybrid of reptilian claws and human fingers—leading directly toward the Red River National Wildlife Refuge.
Uncle Bill: "That’s where the Ozark Society is meeting at 6:30 PM. A room full of 'soft targets' for a Star-Spawn. Earl, get the Noise Maker Bolts ready. We’re gonna have to lure this thing out of the crowd and into the deep mud before the massacre starts."
GM ADVENTURE MODULE: THE TWELVE MILE TERROR
Setting: Twelve Mile Bayou, Shreveport, LA (Jan 20, 2026) Theme: Cosmic Horror / Investigative Mystery
I. THE HOOK (The Discovery)
While the crew is laying low in Shreveport, the Mercenary or the Ranger (using their Search skill) hears rumors at a dockside bar. Local authorities just pulled another body from Twelve Mile Bayou—the fourth this month. The victim isn't just drowned; they are "hollowed out."
THE LEADER THE CAPTAIN ARMY RANGER RECOMNEDED THIS OPTION IS FOR THE GM TO RUN AS THE MISSION LEADER SO HE CAN DROP HINTS TO THE GROUP AS NEEDED.
THE ARMY RANGER SGT (THE TANK)
THE MERCENRY
THE INVESTIGATOR
THE SCIENTIST (CRYTOZOLOYGIST)
THE DOCTOR ARMY RANGER CORMAN
THE CHAPLIN ARMY RANGER PRIEST
II. THE INVESTIGATION (D6 Lovecraftian Rules)
Knowledge (Forensics/Medicine): Difficulty 15. Success reveals internal organs replaced with bioluminescent swamp algae.
Perception (Investigation): Difficulty 20. Finds tracks that look like a mix of an alligator and a human hand.
Sanity (SNT) Check: Seeing the "hollowed" body requires a 3D SNT Check. Failure results in 1D6 Sanity loss and a "Shaken" condition (-1D to all rolls for 1 hour).
III. THE THREE SUSPECTS (The Twist)
The Twelve Mile Terror: Random Encounter Table (Roll 1D6)
1. The Mad Man: Dr. Aris Thorne (The Bayou Butcher) A disgraced biologist obsessed with "The Great Green Lung" of the Bayou.
DEX 3D: Blaster 4D, Melee Combat (Scalpel) 5D, Throwing 4D
KNO 4D: Biology: Mutagenics 7D, Medicine 6D, Wilderness Lore: Bayou 5D
MEC 2D
PER 3D: Hide 5D, Sneak 6D
STR 3D: Stamina 5D
TEC 3D: First Aid 5D
SANITY (SNT): 0 (Completely succumbed to the mythos)
Equipment: Modified Tranquilizer Rifle (4D Stun), Algae-Grafting Kit.
Note: He uses "Dez Nuts" style traps to lure victims into his "operating theater" under the bridge.
2. The Cryptid: The Hive-Lizard (Rougarou Variant) A reptilian horror that shares a hive-mind with the swamp algae.
DEX 4D: Brawling 6D, Stealth: Bayou 7D
KNO 1D
MEC 1D
PER 3D: Search 5D, Tracking 6D
STR 6D: Lifting 8D, Claws (Str +1D)
TEC 1D
Special: Regeneration. Recovers 1D Hull/Strength per round if submerged in Bayou water.
Horror Factor: 5D SNT Check to witness.
3. The Evil Alien: Mi-Go Star-Spawn A fungal, winged horror from Yuggoth extracting brains for transit.
DEX 3D: Lightning Gun 5D
KNO 5D: Biochemistry 8D, Interstellar Physics 7D
MEC 5D: Starship Piloting 6D, Sensors 7D
PER 3D: Investigation 6D
STR 2D
TEC 7D: Computer Programming 9D, Cybernetics 10D
Weapon: Lightning Gun. 6D Damage (Ignores Character-scale armor).
Horror Factor: Realizing it's not "local" causes 2D10 SNT Loss.
4. The Goatman of Caddo A satyr-like abomination with matted fur and a rusted cleaver.
DEX 3D: Cleaver 5D (Str +2D), Leap 5D
KNO 1D
MEC 1D
PER 4D: Hide 6D, Intimidation 7D
STR 5D: Stamina 7D
TEC 1D
Special: Terrifying Bleat. Any character within 20 meters must make a Difficulty 15 Willpower check or be Frozen with fear for 1 round.
Horror Factor: 4D SNT Check.
5. The Hog Man (The Bossier Beast) A massive, 400lb bipedal hog-human hybrid with tusks like scimitars.
DEX 2D: Brawling 4D
KNO 1D
MEC 1D
PER 2D: Search: Scent 6D
STR 7D: Lifting 9D, Gore (Str +2D)
TEC 1D
Special: Thick Hide. +2D against physical damage (Blades/Bullets). Vulnerable to Fire.
Horror Factor: 3D SNT Check.
6. The Rougarou (The Louisiana Werewolf) A curse-born predator that stalks the Ozark Society meetings.
DEX 5D: Brawling 7D, Dodge 6D, Stealth 8D
KNOWLEDGE 2D: Survival: Bayou 6D
MECHANICAL 1D
PERCEPTION 4D: Tracking (Scent) 8D, Search 6D
STRENGTH 5D+2: Jumping 8D
TECHNICAL 1D
Special: Invulnerability. Only silver-plated weapons or Head Stone's Laser Bolts do full damage. All other damage is halved.
Horror Factor: Seeing a friend transform requires a 6D SNT Check.
The Twelve Mile Terror: Random Weather Table (Roll 3D6)
To set the atmospheric tone, the Game Master rolls 3D6 at the start of each session or in-game day. These conditions are based on the actual January 2026 climate trends for the Shreveport region, amplified by eldritch interference.
| 3D6 Roll | Weather Condition | Temperature Range | Description & GM Effect |
| 3 | Cosmic Chill & Snow | 20s°F / -5°C | A rare, unnatural blizzard. Visibility is cut to 10ft. All Perception and Piloting checks are +2 Difficulty. Snow is rare in Louisiana, making this an ominous omen. |
| 4–5 | Heavy Rains & Thunder | 40s°F / ~5°C | The Bayou floods. Travel by foot is impossible; boats only. Noise is masked by intense storms. Stealth rolls receive a +1D bonus. |
| 6–8 | Misty Mysterious Fog | 30s–40s°F / ~2°C | Dense, pulsing fog. Search rolls are +5 Difficulty. Perfect ambiance for jump scares and Sanity (SNT) checks. |
| 9–12 | Overcast & Drizzly | 40s–50s°F / ~8°C | Typical January gloom. Dampness makes fires difficult to start. +1 Difficulty to all Repair checks. Rain chances persist at 75%. |
| 13–15 | Partly Cloudy / Mild | 50s°F / ~13°C | A brief break in the weather. Traffic and travel are normal. Standard rules apply, though rain remains possible overnight. |
| 16–17 | Clear Night / Cold Snap | 20s–30s°F / ~0°C | A sharp Arctic front moves in. Exposed pipes may freeze. Stamina checks are required for characters without winter gear. |
| 18 | Aurora Borealis / Mythos Event | Varies | The skies twist with unnatural, oily colors. A 4D SNT Check is required. The active entity (Hog Man, Alien, etc.) is at Full Power. |
Game Master Weather Notes
January Realism: While the average high is 57°F, an Arctic air mass is predicted to surge through Shreveport around Jan 23–25, 2026. If the players are in the field during this window, the "Cold Snap" is a guaranteed event.
The Rarity of Snow: Measurable snow in Shreveport only occurs once every two years on average. A roll of "3" should be treated as a major, unnerving event that signals the barrier between worlds is thinning.
Mardi Gras Complications: If the weather holds clear on Saturday, Feb 7th (Krewe of Centaur parade day), the streets of Shreveport will be gridlocked. This complicates any rapid response the FBI Task Force attempts to make toward the Red River.
Game Master’s Note for the Jan 20, 2026 Session: If the crew is at the Cypress Shadow B&B when the moon sets at 7:36 PM, the "Hollowed" bodies in the sunroom will begin to twitch. This is the signal that the chosen monster (1-6) has entered the property. Captain Hedges can use his Forensics success to identify which monster it is before it strikes.
IV. THE CLIMAX: THE BAYOU TUESDAY MASSACRE
The entity strikes the Ozark Society Meeting (6:30 PM). Players must use Head Stone’s Noise Maker Bolts to lure it away. Success grants "Safe Harbor" and +1D to ship Sensors via salvaged "algae-tech."
| Roll | The Rumor (D6) |
| 1 | "Old Man Miller says he saw a 'falling star' splash into Caddo Lake last week, but the water didn't splash—it hissed." |
| 2 | "The fish in Twelve Mile Bayou have gone blind. Their eyes are replaced with green, glowing moss." |
| 3 | "The Bureau of Investigation isn't just looking for bodies; they're looking for 'missing equipment' from a downed government transport." |
| 4 | "The Rougarou has moved north. My cousin saw tracks near the Red River Wildlife Refuge that looked half-human, half-beast." |
| 5 | "Don't drink the tap water near the riverbanks. It tastes like copper and makes you hear high-pitched whistling in your sleep." |
| 6 | "The Ozark Society meeting tonight isn't just about conservation—someone is planning to 'expose' the truth about the hollowing deaths." |
No comments:
Post a Comment