302: The Huggening: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 20:13, 22 October 2026

Synopsis

The investigators drive into New Salem, a run-down town that feels like a body long since dead. They pass a small church and pull into the town square, which holds the town hall, Harvey's General Store and a small office marked Constable. Hoping to develop the film from the camera they found at the wrecked campsite in 301: No Rest for the Wicked, Major Bakersfield and Tallahassee Turner head into the general store. Two young men loiter on the porch: Ike Watson, a wiry blonde, and a dark-haired youth with a mullet whom Tallahassee mistakes for his old friend and ward Rondo, who helped him hunt the Shadow Rider. The young man insists he has never met Tallahassee, and Ike tells the "out of towners" to get back in their truck and keep moving.

When someone tells Ike to keep his shirt on, he takes it off. Tallahassee, convinced that this is Rondo, wraps the young man in a hug, and when he tries to shove Tallahassee off, the Keeper calls for a fighting maneuver. Tallahassee rolls an 86 and succeeds: the "fighting hug" holds, and as far as he is concerned, he finally gets to embrace his old friend again, however hard the young man struggles. The Major tries to grab Ike from behind and whisper a threat in his ear, but he rolls a 93 and Ike shoves him into the porch railing. Before Ike can swing, a well-dressed man in a light tan suit calls out from the street and sends the two youths away. He calls the young man Levi, not Rondo.

The man introduces himself as Jedediah Marsh, mayor of New Salem. He claims to have read Tallahassee's books and says he served in the war himself, though he is vague about his rank. When Tallahassee says he wants to interview Mordecai Shep for a new book, the Mayor warns that Shep's stories are mostly fiction and offers to help with a write-up of the town instead, calling New Salem "a slice of heaven" and "the next Kingsport." Simeon Kantstandyerbitz climbs out of the truck to read him and senses that he is hiding something. When Billy McConnell asks about the truck at the abandoned campsite, the Mayor says few locals own motor vehicles, but the Keeper notes that he does not seem entirely truthful. The Mayor sends the group to the Shofar newspaper office to develop the film and names its owner, Jacob Alister. He also points them to Denny's Tavern, tells them to watch out for Ike, and mentions that Constable Dawkins has the office next door. Driving after Tallahassee, the group spots Ike and Levi trailing him through the backyards, so they decide to stick together.

At the Shofar, the elderly newsman Jacob Alister admits he is the only person in town who can develop film. Tallahassee fast-talks a deal: he gets the darkroom in exchange for an exclusive interview and a photo of the famous author. Alister explains that New Salem used to be called New Jerusalem, which is why he named his paper after the Jewish horn. Asked about the town, he says it has an abnormal number of something he never quite names. He calls Mordecai Shep "an old stumble bum" who would do anything for a buck, a regular at the tavern who has not been seen for a few weeks. Tallahassee and Simeon stay behind. Simeon searches the archives for missing persons reports, and Tallahassee spends a lucky die bonus on his Photography roll, succeeds, and goes to work under the red light.

Billy and Dom Druncard drive on to Denny's Tavern, the best-kept building in town apart from the mayor's house. The owner, Ezra Denny, greets them warmly when Billy mentions Grant Jameson. He says Mordecai lives in a shack at the end of a winding road outside town and admits that he cannot remember when he last saw him. He calls New Salem "this forsaken town," full of people who are off, and says they still call him new after ten years. He tells them about the old graveyard and the burned-down Warthrop place, which is said to be haunted. He also says a lot of strangers have been coming through lately, including a weird young man seen poking around the Warthrop ruins. He knows nothing about the truck or strange animals. Billy books rooms, and Denny pours Dom something stronger, noting that treasury agents rarely make it out this way.

An old, gaunt drunk perks up at the mention of Warthrop. Denny introduces him as Robert Morgan, New Salem's constable from long ago. Plied with drinks by Dom, Morgan says Dr. Warthrop lived at 425 Harrington Lane, called himself a monstrumologist, had no friends except a boy named Will Henry who followed him around, and died when the house burned thirty or forty years ago. Will Henry left town and has not been seen since. Morgan warns them away from the ruins, says out-of-town kids of about twenty have been poking around there, and keeps calling Dom "baby boy." Asked whether he has ever seen creatures in the woods, he answers only "Not no more." Billy and Dom decide to collect the others before visiting Mordecai's shack. As Denny hands over the keys, he asks whether they are with the other new arrivals in town, and Billy says they are not. Denny then draws them away from the bar to tell them something privately, and the episode ends.

Funny Moments

Ike Watson responds to "keep your shirt on" by taking his shirt off: "I'm keeping this I take a shirt off. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. What do you think of that."
The Keeper calls for a "Roll for kiss." Tallahassee upgrades it to a "Fighting hug," rolls an 86, and the Keeper declares "Success hug." No matter how hard Levi struggles, "he can't escape your love and affection."
The Major's attempt to join in with a menacing hug from behind fails on a 93.
As the rest of the group climbs out to meet the Mayor, the players cast the group as Scooby-Doo and Shaggy climbing out of "the mystery machine."
A player suggests Mayor Goldie Wilson. The Mayor replies that Goldie Wilson sweeps floors at the diner, and two people deliver "Not as long as I'm living" at exactly the same time.
Mayor Marsh assures the group that New Salem has "99 problems here, but a witch ain't one."
Simeon keeps leaving the truck to psychoanalyze people, so the others suggest renaming him "can't stay in the car."
Tallahassee asks to get into the newspaper's "red room" before correcting himself to the darkroom.
Jacob Alister insists the tavern has "the best selection of non-alcoholic waters in the area," and rejects a bribe of two bits as "English money."
Dom asks Denny for "possessed waters," and Denny suggests that if he wants spirits he should try the haunted Warthrop place.
Robert Morgan decides that all monsters are buttholes, and he guesses that the Warthrop place burned down "probably because it caught on fire."
Morgan calls Dom a "baby boy" and "a twenty-year-old baby boy," and Dom protests that McConnell is the one who looks twelve.

Notable Quotes

"Success hug." —The Keeper
"Rondo don't you be like that. We go way back." —Tallahassee Turner
"I mean, sure, we got 99 problems here, but a witch ain't one." —Jedediah Marsh
"My psychologist senses are tingling." —Doctor Simeon Kantstandyerbitz
"They have the best selection of non-alcoholic waters in the area." —Jacob Alister
"I mean, in comparison to most of people in this forsaken town." —Ezra Denny
"I kind of like to think all monsters, buttholes." —Robert Morgan
"Not no more, baby boy." —Robert Morgan

@@ Line 9: / Line 9: @@
 At the Shofar, the elderly newsman Jacob Alister admits he is the only person in town who can develop film. Tallahassee fast-talks a deal: he gets the darkroom in exchange for an exclusive interview and a photo of the famous author. Alister explains that New Salem used to be called New Jerusalem, which is why he named his paper after the Jewish horn. Asked about the town, he says it has an abnormal number of something he never quite names. He calls Mordecai Shep "an old stumble bum" who would do anything for a buck, a regular at the tavern who has not been seen for a few weeks. Tallahassee and Simeon stay behind. Simeon searches the archives for missing persons reports, and Tallahassee spends a lucky die bonus on his Photography roll, succeeds, and goes to work under the red light.
-[[Billy McConnell|Billy]] and [[Dom Druncard]] drive on to Denny's Tavern, the best-kept building in town apart from the mayor's house. The owner, [[Ezra Denny]], greets them warmly when Billy mentions [[Grant Jameson|Brent Jameson]]. He says Mordecai lives in a shack at the end of a winding road outside town and admits that he cannot remember when he last saw him. He calls New Salem "this forsaken town," full of people who are off, and says they still call him new after ten years. He tells them about the old graveyard and the burned-down Warthrop place, which is said to be haunted. He also says a lot of strangers have been coming through lately, including a weird young man seen poking around the Warthrop ruins. He knows nothing about the truck or strange animals. Billy books rooms, and Denny pours Dom something stronger, noting that treasury agents rarely make it out this way.
+[[Billy McConnell|Billy]] and [[Dom Druncard]] drive on to Denny's Tavern, the best-kept building in town apart from the mayor's house. The owner, [[Ezra Denny]], greets them warmly when Billy mentions [[Grant Jameson]]. He says Mordecai lives in a shack at the end of a winding road outside town and admits that he cannot remember when he last saw him. He calls New Salem "this forsaken town," full of people who are off, and says they still call him new after ten years. He tells them about the old graveyard and the burned-down Warthrop place, which is said to be haunted. He also says a lot of strangers have been coming through lately, including a weird young man seen poking around the Warthrop ruins. He knows nothing about the truck or strange animals. Billy books rooms, and Denny pours Dom something stronger, noting that treasury agents rarely make it out this way.
 An old, gaunt drunk perks up at the mention of Warthrop. Denny introduces him as Robert Morgan, New Salem's constable from long ago. Plied with drinks by Dom, Morgan says Dr. Warthrop lived at 425 Harrington Lane, called himself a monstrumologist, had no friends except a boy named Will Henry who followed him around, and died when the house burned thirty or forty years ago. Will Henry left town and has not been seen since. Morgan warns them away from the ruins, says out-of-town kids of about twenty have been poking around there, and keeps calling Dom "baby boy." Asked whether he has ever seen creatures in the woods, he answers only "Not no more." Billy and Dom decide to collect the others before visiting Mordecai's shack. As Denny hands over the keys, he asks whether they are with the other new arrivals in town, and Billy says they are not. Denny then draws them away from the bar to tell them something privately, and the episode ends.