Nasty Goings On in the New Forest

[Linden]

Somebody going around slashing free roaming sheep in Hampshire.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/1 ... ew-forest/

I don't buy the Satanic connection, it probably is just a bunch of nasty delinquents. Lot of inbreeding in that part of the world and not all the locals are quite the ticket.

[ReHerakhte]

I agree, I don't buy the Satanic connection. It seems too random and too public for a group who traditionally prefer to avoid too much attention.
It seems much more in line with a bunch of drunken, bored yobs or a bunch of delinquents trying to prove how 'hard' they are to each other.

In game terms, it could make for a prelude or even the opening act for a mission (for example, the act causes concern to the PCs patron/s who ask the PCs to investigate).

[Linden]

Could be one of your more hard of thinking minions - an Ogre perhaps?

[ReHerakhte]

Could be one of your more hard of thinking minions - an Ogre perhaps?

Good call! I can just imagine the Ogre being given specific instructions to cause a little fear among the locals, misunderstanding all of that and making a right mess of it all, all the while thinking what a clever chap he is!
"I'm not very bright but I can lift 'eavy fings"

[Linden]

"I'm not very bright but I can lift 'eavy fings"

[Linden]

They're still at it.

[ReHerakhte]

I think it's telling that the report quotes the local vicar as saying that "There's been witchcraft around here for hundreds of years..."
I think this is possibly part of the reason for the recent events, "everyone" knows the New Forest is a haven for witchcraft etc. etc. so if if I'm a bored teenager with a penchant for stupid ideas, what's the first thing I'm going to think of...
So yeah, I still subscribe to the view that anyone practising witchcraft would probably like to avoid this kind of publicity and those who are seeking publicity are most likely not real practitioners.
So I'm still inclined to believe the deeds are being done by local yobs.

[Linden]

Don't know a huge amount about it but I have read some pagans and Satanists abhor killing animals and are even vegetarian as a result. This is just mindless yobbery I think rather than a case for Guy N Smith's Sabat.

Still, would make a good hook for all sorts of games though. We've done DC but it would work for Cthulhu. There was a good scenario in The Black Seal I remember where some would be Satanist teenagers ended up attracting the attention of a Hound of Tindalos.

[ReHerakhte]

Now while I should treat someone attracting the attentions of Hounds of Tindalos with all due seriousness, I admit to laughing at the notion of would-be Satanists trying to contact the big old evil dude and instead attracting something far worse!

But on a serious note yes I agree, the happenings in the New Forest (is it "the" New Forest or just New Forest?) would be a suitable hook for any horror (and even perhaps crime?) game.