Post by Morrigan on Nov 25, 2003 15:10:05 GMT -5
Harvey, James Neal. "The Headsman" (Jove Books, New York: 1991) ISBN 0-515-11209-7.
The Headsman doesn't set out to anything other than tell a fine spooky story, which it does. The plot is basically the "small town with a scret" storyline, and owes a certain amount of inspiration to Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
Small town Braddock, in upstate New York, has a local legend, of the public executioner who beheaded criminals and the morally fallen with a gigantic axe. The legend goes on to purport that the Headsman returns from beyond the grave periodically, to punish criminals and slay the morally degenerate in the town, and, in this aspect, serves as a bogey man for parents to use to frighten their children into proper behavior.
When high school students really do start dying, in 1991, things get scary. The investigation carried out by Braddock's newly-minted sherif, Jud McElroy, is chapter-and-verse Delta Green stuff, as McElroy has to give credence to the supernatural in order to explain the murders, and understand the capabilities of the Headsman when the two finally do meet in single combat.
Delta Green players can make use of the characters from "The Headsman" to dramatic effect - I have posted CoC/ DG stats for the Headsman himself on the official Delta Green site. The town of Braddock is an excellent setting for adventures, since it has the strengths of a small town as an adventure setting, but is close enough to major centers like NYC for convenience. The way in which the investigation into the Headsman's crimes is handled is also how investigation into a crime involving the Mythos would be handled. Finally, Jud McElroy would make an excellent NPC or pre-generated PC for a CoC/ DG campaign.
The Headsman doesn't set out to anything other than tell a fine spooky story, which it does. The plot is basically the "small town with a scret" storyline, and owes a certain amount of inspiration to Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".
Small town Braddock, in upstate New York, has a local legend, of the public executioner who beheaded criminals and the morally fallen with a gigantic axe. The legend goes on to purport that the Headsman returns from beyond the grave periodically, to punish criminals and slay the morally degenerate in the town, and, in this aspect, serves as a bogey man for parents to use to frighten their children into proper behavior.
When high school students really do start dying, in 1991, things get scary. The investigation carried out by Braddock's newly-minted sherif, Jud McElroy, is chapter-and-verse Delta Green stuff, as McElroy has to give credence to the supernatural in order to explain the murders, and understand the capabilities of the Headsman when the two finally do meet in single combat.
Delta Green players can make use of the characters from "The Headsman" to dramatic effect - I have posted CoC/ DG stats for the Headsman himself on the official Delta Green site. The town of Braddock is an excellent setting for adventures, since it has the strengths of a small town as an adventure setting, but is close enough to major centers like NYC for convenience. The way in which the investigation into the Headsman's crimes is handled is also how investigation into a crime involving the Mythos would be handled. Finally, Jud McElroy would make an excellent NPC or pre-generated PC for a CoC/ DG campaign.