Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

[dmjalund]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Well: In the most innaccessible part of the island is a well, older than any known colony, but not matching any native architecture. The rumour is that if you sacrifice someones lifeblood down the well, you can receive immortality. Also, anyone who stays overnight in the area around the well, disappears without a trace.

[Sidetrack]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Similar to The Pirate...

 

The Lycanthrope

 

Lofi is a very clean cut presentable islander, at least on Sundays. Throughout the course of the week though he gets more and more feral, by Saturday he is barely recognizable; his nails are long, yellowed and hardened, he is hirsute well beyond six days of growth, communicates with growls and grunts and has a disturbingly wild look in his eyes. Yet on Sunday morning he can be seen cleancut and freshly shaved delivering a well received sermon at a local church.

 

No one else seems to connect the preacher with the wild man on the streets.

[tkdguy]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Unseen Avenger

 

The island has its share of crime. Most of the cases are handled by the police. But sometimes there is a crime so terrible that someone or something punishes the offenders. All such transgressors are found dead, with proof of their guilt on display for all to see. The police and several private investigators have repeatedly tried to find out who this unknown avenger is, but all their attempts have failed. The natives scoff at their attempts; they believe their gods or ancestral spirits are behind all this.

[薔薇語]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Unseen Avenger

 

The island has its share of crime. Most of the cases are handled by the police. But sometimes there is a crime so terrible that someone or something punishes the offenders. All such transgressors are found dead, with proof of their guilt on display for all to see. The police and several private investigators have repeatedly tried to find out who this unknown avenger is, but all their attempts have failed. The natives scoff at their attempts; they believe their gods or ancestral spirits are behind all this.

 

 

Did Batman snap and move to this Island? : ).

 

La Rose.

[tkdguy]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Did Batman snap and move to this Island? : ).

 

La Rose.

 

Possibly, although I was thinking more along the lines of The Phantom, since I'm watching it on Syfy.

[薔薇語]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Curbside Vendor:

 

In an island populated by the odd, unusual, and the darn-out-right-strange, the Curbside Vendor is a welcomed change. "Johny's da name and cookin's da game" is his welcoming quote to all those willing to try some street side Asian cuisine. Johny is a determined individual with a very cheery disposition. He drives up his mobile kitchen to the same block every day, rain or shine. Its can seat 3 people at barstools that pull out and with the help of a portable fridge in his truck, he manages to somehow keep enough food on hand to last the day. Ask him to make something, and he can almost guarantee that he can do it in 5 minutes or less!

 

To any passer-by, it is pretty clear that Johny is just about as plain as they get for this town. The only odd thing, though, is that no one seems to know where he lives and he always just says "over yonder." The running commentary from some of the villagers is that he sleeps in his truck and over yonder is just wherever he can park for the night.

 

The one great thing about Johny, though, is that everyone goes to eat at his shop. Everyone seems to feel at ease around Johny, even PCs who have never met him. He's like your favorite bar-keep; you know, the one you always feel like opening up to after a few drinks. It is almost as if his personality is infectious in that no one can seem to resist talking with him about anything and everything.

[quozaxx]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Nurse:

 

Eventually you are going to need medical care on the island.

 

Nurse Gloria Ratchett. She is often mistaken for a man, complete with day old stubble, broad shoulders, and a deep voice. But heaven help you if you ever question her gender. She's built like a linebacker. Her attitude is always gruff and stern. She will often place patients physically on the bed and strap them in - whether they need it or not.

 

Dr. Phillip Monroe: "Are you in pain? Good. Pain heals." This is his line to every new patient. He is often seen going into a patient's room alone, closing the door, and screams heard ringing from the room. The patients do get better, amazingly. But are often found shaking at the mere mention of the Dr's name.

 

Dr. Nick Claus. This jolly old man, has a white beard, rosy red cheeks, large belly, and a twinkle in his eye. He works well with kids, but not adults. But from November until January no one can ever find him, and no one seems to know where he goes.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Retired Adventurer

 

Frequently found hanging out in one of the local bars. He seems to know a great deal about the PCs, but second hand. (If pressed on it, he claims to be friends with the PC's mentor.) He loves telling stories about his past adventures. If the PCs pay close attention, they will realize he is giving them clues about their current adversaries.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Retired Adventurer

 

Frequently found hanging out in one of the local bars. He seems to know a great deal about the PCs, but second hand. (If pressed on it, he claims to be friends with the PC's mentor.) He loves telling stories about his past adventures. If the PCs pay close attention, they will realize he is giving them clues about their current adversaries.

He could also be a friend or relative of Todd Baker (see post #15).

[Sidetrack]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The ghost crabs

 

There is a great little beach on the North shore, it's secluded and takes a bit of a hike to get down to it. As with most of the beaches when you approach you catch movement out of the corner of your eye as the ghost crabs dart for their holes. Oddly though, some of them seemed to linger a bit longer, skittering back and forth before disappearing. Underlying the tracks from said skittering there are other tracks that seem a bit too organized, reminiscent perhaps of complicated calculations. In another area where movement was sighted are some washed up pages of text, most of it cyrillic, but it looks like it may be scientific in nature. While on the beach you'll get a distinct feeling of being watched.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Near the easternmost reach of the largest island there's a nice motel, managed by a very nice young man who lives with his mother in the nearby house that has served as their ancestral home for generations.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]36296[/ATTACH]

[Susano]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

On calm, clear nights, on one end of the island, people say a full-rigged clipper ship can be seen passing by. A clipper that is known to have gone down in a storm 100 years ago.

[IndianaJoe3]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

He could also be a friend or relative of Todd Baker (see post #15).

 

He could be, but I was thinking ore along the lines that he's very genre-savvy, he really does know the PC's mentor (if only by reputation), and that the adventuring world is somewhat smaller than one might think.

[quozaxx]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Dentist and his assistant:

 

Dr. Melvin Grand is one of the best dentist ever! He's great with patients, does wonderful work, and seems to calm the most feared patient. Unfortunately, he's quiet expensive. But don't let that get you down. You see, you can bargain your payment down with teeth. Yes, teeth. Dr. Grand collects them. They don't have to be your teeth, in fact, they don't have to be human teeth. But they do have to be unbroken, whole teeth.... One more thing, Dr. Grand has an unusual smile - it changes every day - literally.

 

Sandra Mixer. She is Dr. Grand's assistant / secretary / helper. She is often found unconscious next to the "laughing gas" machine. That thing has to be refilled almost daily. Sandra is always smiling or laughing; and she often slurs her words. But has never touched a drop of alcohol in her life.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Sam and Sandy Pryor

 

Sam and Sandy are twins, always seen together, always dressing alike, nearly as inseparable as if they were conjoined. They share the same not-quite-expressionless face, and often speak in unison, especially when answering questions. The funny thing is, Sam is a man, and Sandy is a woman... or maybe it's the other way around. (They're in their mid-20s.)

 

They don't work; they inherited a large fortune when their parents were killed in a freak auto accident. Another freak auto accident happened to one of the state troopers investigating the crash, and still another happened to one of the troopers investigating that one. The funny thing is, each of those investigators had just established that the twins had alibis preventing them from having caused the one before.

[tkdguy]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Fisherman

 

He lives away from the rest of the town, coming in only to sell his catch. He seems nice enough, but he's quite reclusive. He's been fishing for so long he even smells like a fish. And what's wrong with his eyes? They don't seem quite right; he always seems to stare blankly at someone or something.

 

Edit: He originally planned to name his boat Dragon, but a typo resulted in his ship having another name (the r was dropped). He decided to keep the name. He thinks it sounds distinctive.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Retired German

 

He's a very, very old man, known to most people as Johann Schmidt, relegated to a wheelchair, with a statuesque blonde of a nurse caring for him at all times. He doesn't speak English; his nurse translates for him, though even her English is thickly accented. He also doesn't seem to like anyone; though his body is weak, his spirit is full of fire.

 

And that face... there's something hauntingly familiar. Maybe if he had a toothbrush mustache? Nah.

[Susano]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Retired German

 

He's a very, very old man, known to most people as Johann Schmidt, relegated to a wheelchair, with a statuesque blonde of a nurse caring for him at all times. He doesn't speak English; his nurse translates for him, though even her English is thickly accented. He also doesn't seem to like anyone; though his body is weak, his spirit is full of fire.

 

And that face... there's something hauntingly familiar. Maybe if he had a toothbrush mustache? Nah.

 

And sometimes his sons from Brazil visit.

[dmjalund]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

And sometimes his sons from Brazil visit.

and they all look surprisingly similar

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

And sometimes his sons from Brazil visit.

Not quite -- Argentina.

[Susano]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Not quite -- Argentina.

 

Uhm... Bob... The Boys From Brazil?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Uhm... Bob... The Boys From Brazil?

Ah, OK. I'm not actually familiar with that film; I was going with the old "You-know-who is alive and well and living in you-know-where" line that was going around at about the same time.

[Sidetrack]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

Thanks everyone for the creativity, I'm well on the way to a well populated island, there's a few niches I've yet to fill though. Here's a little madlib to start things off, for those who want to play. Feel free to warp and expand it to fit your needs.

 

There are plenty of hostel type accommodations for students, volunteers, backpackers and other low budget travelers of assorted nationalities. A backpackers hostel downtown, a dorm in one of the larger hotels, a camping resort on one of the islands, and numerous smaller operations. The producer of the local 'Pirate' label ethanol/rum is even building a few rooms out behind his home distillery.

 

During high season there is a constant exchange of people and a fair number in the off-season as well. So it's not surprising that there are a few odd characters coming through those places, especially...

 

The [noun]

 

he's a [noun] , [adjective] and [adjective] , [adverb] there [verb] ing at [place] . So it's odd that (s)he is so [adjective] . he'll [adverb] be seen [verb] ing near [noun] ...

[薔薇語]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Gift Shop Man:

 

Andrew Goldmeier may call it a gift shop but that doesn't really sum up what it is. Mr. Goldmeier is the owner of a unique little shop that sells a lot of novelty items to tourists but what really holds Andrew's attention is his collections of masks. Lot of them are personally made replicas of original island ceremonial masks that he puts up for sale to any who want. But the one thing the locals will warn you about, though, is to not ask him about the mask's history because you will never hear the end of it. Mr. Goldmeier knows his island history like few others and a simple question can turn into a a day long dissertation on 15th century tribal ceremonial feasting traditions.

 

But what is really important about Mr. Goldmeier's shop isn't what he has up for sale, but rather what he doesn't. In the back office, he keeps his private collection of tribal masks. The replicas he has up front are almost identical to the real things he has in the back. But there is one set of masks, though, that are never copied. Never talked about. And almost never seen. Goldmeier always throws the biggest solstice parties; and since they are masquerade parties, he sets up his shop into an almost Halloween costume shop. And if you join his beech party on those nights, you too may be one of the (un)fortunate few to have seen and maybe even wear his private collection.

 

La Rose.

[tkdguy]

Re: Help Me Populate A Creepy Island

 

The Savant from the Creepy Hotel thread can be used here as a beach comber who mysteriously appears to any lone PCs strolling on the beach at night, talks a little while, and disappears.