Recently, I ran another Twitter poll and asked followers to vote on the theme of the next Mysterious Monday article. Of the choices presented, winter-themed story seeds received the most votes. Therefore, I give to you, five new plot hooks that are inspired by the winter season. If you’d like to get involved in these polls, please follow me on Twitter.

 [Any time period] Recently, at the Smith Museum of Antiquities, there was a very discrete break-in or at least the authorities think it was a break-in. Footprints in the snow led to a first-floor side window, yet there were no signs of entry into the building. A rather obscure item was seemingly removed from the museum’s Middle Eastern display on the second floor. Things to consider – Who or what entered the building and how? What was taken and for what greater purpose?

 [Any time period] The snow is falling heavily in the area and quickly accumulating, making traveling increasingly dangerous. With a growing blanket of snow, the vibrant up and coming downtown district is growing more picturesque by the hour. As both the foot and auto traffic dwindles, the shops close up for the evening. Two employees of Smith and Sons, a clothing boutique, pass by the statue of Claud Evernham, the town founder, and get the fright of their lives. The statue of Mr. Evernham animated and stepped off the pedestal on which it had stood for more six decades. The statue, clearly oblivious to the shopkeepers, walked into a nearby alley. When cautiously followed by the Smith and Sons employees, the statue of Claud Evernham was nowhere to be seen. Things to consider – What force animated the statue? Where did it go and for what purpose?

 [Any time period] Freshly falling snow is beautiful, the way it glistens and shines in the moonlight. The snow and all its beauty are in stark contrast to the horrors that await just under its surface. Every year people go missing during large snow events. If you do your homework, you’d find that these events are global in scale and have been happening for centuries. Storms roll in and those foolish enough to brave the elements go missing. Some are found days, weeks, or even months later and then again, some are never found. Those that are found are horribly disfigured; some have missing limbs while others are missing the internal organs. A rare few are only identifiable from a scrap of clothing or an identification card. The two things all of the missing have in common is the bodies (of those found) are marked with circular bite marks and they are between the ages of 20 and 40. Things to consider – What horrific sequence of events do the missing people experience? What causes the circular bite marks? Can it be found and stopped?

 [Any time in the 20th century] A small village nestled into a high mountain peak is a picture perfect location but there is a dark side to this village. For more than two hundred years the Elder Council has been keeping up their end of a nightmarish bargain to the thing that inhabits the mountain pass. Two centuries ago, after decades of peace and tranquility, the village was plagued by numerous disappearances of both residents and travelers. The only evidence locals had to go on were weird footprints that accompanied drag marks and blood spots. Being superstitious and too scared to track the beast themselves, the Council elected to semi-annually pay a tribute to the beast in the form of sacrifices. These offerings have allowed the village to remain trouble free and even to prosper since the bargain was struck. The investigators have arrived in the village for a long weekend of skiing and it’s that time of year again for a sacrifice to be made. Will one of the investigators be targeted as a potential sacrifice? Will they somehow become witness to the kidnapping of a sacrificial traveler there on holiday?

 [Any time in the 20th century] Christmas markets and winter carnivals are all the rage lately. For all of their beauty and happiness, there is a dark undercurrent that yearns to break through and extinguish the joy of so many. The true numbers are unknown but some theorize that for every one-thousand happy and joyous people during the holidays there is at least one that emanates a dark and foreboding vibe all around them. Queue the investigators. France, 2005, any picturesque city or town, the investigators are visiting just before the holidays as a team building vacation. On their second evening, they drop into a winter carnival after a few drinks. One will challenge the rest to walk through the fun house; to which they all agree. The line for this particular attraction is non-existent and they quickly wind their way through the entryway. In there “buzzed” state they fail to notice the dark vibe of the place. As they enter the funhouse, the carney stares at them as she takes their tickets. The stare is cold and cuts very deep. The funhouse has been designed so that when a visitor looks into the wacky mirrors, it elicits deep, dark, and often repressed memories. What happens to the investigators? What lurks around the next corner inside the funhouse? Does a vision foreshadow a future event that could be horrific in nature? If so, how does it manifest?

Have you looked through our curated collection of Investigator Images: A Curated List of Yearbooks For Call of Cthulhu

~ Modoc

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