Creepy Horror RPG Story: Secrets Of The Skeleton Town

This story is from a Call Of Cthulhu game I played. The players are hired out to track down a missing person. The trail leads them to a town out in Alaska and are shocked when they discover that most of the homes are filled with skeletons.
Credits:
Adan- Art / birdcyclops
Pau- Art / suzukipcart
Dartsy- Art / dartsy_art
Puffin- Art, Story, Voice
Music and Sound Credits from KZbin Audio Library:
"Thunderclap"
"Lurking Shadows" by Myuu
"Cicada Killer" by Coyote Hearing
"The End" by Quincas Moreira
Lasting Hope by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Alien Sunset by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: audionautix.com/

[@SergioLeRoux]

The real horror was the friends we made along the way.

[@TheGuardDuck]

Umm... In this case, that's kinda true?

[@skyblade7438]

Did you come from Terrible Writing Advice?

[@SergioLeRoux]

@@skyblade7438 who me? No, but it rings a bell.

[@kevinsullivan3448]

This I can attest to, having played and run games in 3 countries, 7 states, and for 30+ years. I even ran a game in Basic Training where we used pieces of paper with number on them drawn from a hat instead of dice.

[@gargoyles9999]

Sergio Le Roux *Introvert Intensifies*

[@msun6526]

You hear a voice in the distance: _I warned you........_

[@waitthisisntfortnite]

Ah yes, the defective sword of warning

[@justanotheridiot8906]

@@waitthisisntfortnite just not completely defective

[@amirmohammadganji485]

😂😂

[@sploderguy3539]

BAHHAHAHAA

[@abysmalace1399]

Ahh god damnit!

[@claudiuspulcher2440]

"We have to get to the bottom of this!" "Do we, though?" I'm with the second guy.

[@bubbasbigblast8563]

The sled dogs were gone, so it was "solve the problem" or "die horribly."

[@darkwolf6879]

Hecking same tho!

[@tyrant-den884]

either you get to the bottom of it, *or IT gets to the bottom of you*.

[@guiltygearalonecompl]

I am ALWAYS that guy in the party

[@johnnysizemore5797]

After the dogs were killed, they were stuck in a "Bootlegger's Choice": get caught with the cargo at the roadblock or ditch it and get The Mob mad at you....

[@KisukeOboro]

"He cautiously lifts the latch, unlocking the door as..." *New trailer for the Cats movie ad plays* NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

[@Attaxalotl]

NOT CAAAATS!

[@akl2k7]

That's almost scarier than the actual story

[@arandomzoomer4837]

I mean no one wants to see a dead dog.

[@arthurblackfire5247]

The true Lovecraftian horror

[@skyblade7438]

Lovecraft did have a thing for cats.

[@Formoka]

Is it just me or did Ben’s narration get a little spookier than usual?

[@bezretmet]

it's so COPPA doesn't get him xD

[@Selnathorn]

Of course it is spookier. Fits right into the call of cthulhu theme

[@tristankendrick2582]

Pretty safe to say that was intentional

[@napoleoncomplex2712]

These things are subtle you know. :p

[@LasVegar]

Where's absurd

[@williamblack4369]

"They come...they come at night...the noises they make...I...I...I waaarned you!"

[@threwthelookingglass7194]

William Black perfect time .. while scrolling

[@threwthelookingglass7194]

William Black 🤜🤛

[@rippeddisaronno]

lol love it

[@chomp_5412]

What is this referencing?

[@threwthelookingglass7194]

William Black ... luv that sword

[@tyrus4249]

That was one of the best narrated stories you have ever done the horror the suspense the unknowing. It can give most people the chills, I hope to see more like this in the future. Please

[@davehudlow_x3441]

I agree

[@JabAtLife]

This was a great episode, makes me want to play a CoC game to check out the world.

[@steveokuno6158]

Ditto too, more CoC please

[@joshelliott1826]

"GET THE FRICK BACK INSIDE" had me dying

[@dallasgladden6733]

2:26 "They find a man rocking back and forth, covered tightly in a blanket, looking up at the ceiling." Me: "Ah, this would be the college student!"

[@Attaxalotl]

well, yes, but actually no

[@yamatotarantino4960]

Well yes but actually yes

[@EvilPaladin11]

Good guess, but actually no!

[@theoriginalstarwalker5700]

He was actually muttering “college dept is gonna kill me I’m gonna die from the dept”

[@Lord_Seraph]

Well yes but actually yes but actually no.

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

So. Lesson learned: if you see something alien and buried, bury it again. And deeper.

[@kingcole5977]

Someone should've told the dwarves of Moria that.

[@matejbosela9093]

@@kingcole5977 nay, let them just Diggy Hole 😂

[@justsomejerseydevilwithint4606]

@@kingcole5977 indeed.

[@shadowforge]

With fire....lots of fire.......

[@Vooman]

Thankfully, a new solution has been invented since 1923; nuke it!

[@r3negadex]

Wow, Ben can really weave together a creepy narrative when he wants to. He's done it before with some other videos, like the Abolith, but this is the longest he's kept it up for. Nice work, buddy!

[@blackhawk15897]

Let's see here: Didn't immediately leave to get help when they found the first skeletons. Didn't check the ceiling even though it was pointed out several times that the crazed survivor did nothing but stare at it. didn't bring the dogs inside with them, leaving them separated from their only transport. SPLIT THE F***ING PARTY!!! Good Lord, it's a wonder that the session didn't end up with a TPK.

[@lolloblue9646]

They caught what is usually called "horror protag idiocy". Horror protags are too dumb to live, they're cursed to be.

[@vsgfilmgroup]

I think most reasonable DMs would look at you like you're some kind of moron and say "You want to put TWO DOG SLED TEAMS in a house with you, Walter and some random loon. Okay, but you suffer movement penalties because you TRIP ON A DOG EVERY THREE STEPS."

[@itshunni8346]

@@vsgfilmgroup not to mention splitting the party is pretty common in call of cthulu.

[@khalidgagnon8753]

Hahahahahahahaha

[@Lost-Lilim]

A TPK is almost expected in a Call of Cthulhu game.

[@MoonPatch]

Ever since Puffin's characters got their noses I have lost all hope, for no matter how I try I could never produce such flawless art.

[@MoonPatch]

@@grillo_419 MY GOD YOU'RE RIGHT! How could I have been so blind?!

[@MrNigglsworth]

Oh! You could add more eyes! Can never have too many eyes!

[@huey_xan6107]

Remember when he used to use the oval shape for the body and sticks for limbs

[@zachrich7359]

I.... just now noticed that...

[@DiamondAppendixVODs]

They didn't have noses before? I kinda didn't notice

[@AnchorJG]

"Dick Tracy," huh? Well at least that player is consistent. I feel like we're beginning to recognize your players.

[@joeb8935]

John Genoni you mean good old mobile suit gundam wing solid snake gunblade shredder?

[@cooltrainervaultboy-39]

Wait, is this the same duo that got advantages to their rolls for eating apple pie?

[@Agemtepig8]

@@cooltrainervaultboy-39 Tracy probably is the same, but the other guy was named justin in the pie story So i guess Walter died

[@Birthday888]

@@Agemtepig8 Definitely. Did you hear the pun Walter made? Definitely Justin Time's player.

[@Ajc-ni3xn]

Wasn’t the Monk that buried the soul rending blade also Ben’s brother?

[@arandomzoomer4837]

That is really incredible. The game wasn’t derailed or anything, it just all made a twisted kind of sense. And that is a really unique setup.

[@Carewolf]

Somebody actually followed the story of the module without being too clever or too stupid?? Must be fake.

[@mr.cup6yearsago211]

I actually find that my CoC games get derailed a lot less often than my D&D games. I’m not quite sure why.

[@alicepbg2042]

@@Carewolf what module?

[@Carewolf]

@@alicepbg2042 A module is what we call a roleplaying story-line/scenario.

[@alicepbg2042]

@@Carewolf I know what a module is. Your comment just gave the impression you knew which module this video is based on (if any at all)

[@No-qh3hf]

I feel like this was Ben’s way to make sure COPPA didn’t burn his channel

[@Ozarka0]

what was coppa about again?

[@williamcapps3680]

Dude, this was creepy as hell. I loved it.

[@tjhunter9787]

Anyone else misread the title "RPG horror story?" Thinking it would be a bad session Ben had?

[@Amikas117]

I've been on that subreddit long enough to have thought that too. I'm happily surprised that it's just good ol' Call of Cthulhu.

[@bthsr7113]

EEYUP!

[@sourwitch2340]

but.. but.. that would have just been any Puffin video ever. Unlike this 😳

[@TheGuardDuck]

Misread nothing. That's literally what it said. However, this time it was a REAL horror story.

[@krystalfan]

you meen every one he DMed?

[@EmperorFawful]

As someone, who had dm'ed Call of Cthulhu, I really appreciate the depth of this story, as it pretty much was told in a smooth atmospheric way, while staying true to the setting. I don't want to imagine how it must have felt for the players to endure this night + all the previous encounters at the village. Sanitywise and lifewise this already sounds like a nightmare most players wouldn't survive. Therefore quite a cool mystery plot - I know that there are mostly D&D sessions on the channel, which is why I watched most of the videos so far, but I wouldn't mind more stories like this one in a similiar style. I love how you kept it to the KZbin audience as thrilling as it probably was during the session itself.

[@mikesands4681]

Was it a homebrew scenario?

[@returnofthechickentendies2844]

"You stay here, I'm going out" For fuck's sake, this isn't scooby doo

[@deanholderde5959]

Danger death land.

[@Tb0n33999]

What a lovely town! "GET OUT" Too bad we cant stay!

[@dqflynn]

"I understood that reference"

[@kungfuskull]

That rings such a bell... but not quite enough to jog memory... 🤔 source?

[@Tb0n33999]

@@kungfuskull Eddie Murphy

[@curleyqreviews9793]

Here I was prepared for a hilarious adventure and Ben gives me a scary story

[@The13thclam]

For a CoC game this is down right side splitting. The PCs maintained some form of sanity, didn't horribly mutate, didn't get eaten by something from between dimensions, and didn't accidentally bring about the end of the world.

[@justinbuergi9867]

Same. Sat back to relax and enjoy but now I’m not sleeping tonight

[@XimCines]

He is good not only at humor but un horror. Only god would know what would he do with FIASCO.

[@Perid0tStar]

Lol right? I was expecting all the skeletons in the town to get up and start doing ordinary townspeople stuff x)

[@blarg2429]

@@Perid0tStar Same. That and "and then a skeleton popped out" are where my mind went.

[@GaiaDblade]

I can just imagine Walter's descendants/relatives finding the book after he passes away, starting a whole new campaign.

[@justmutantjed]

This was straight-up terrifying, dude. It's a refreshing departure from your usual humour. Maybe it's just because I was born and raised in Alaska that this really resonated for me.

[@forresthenry9535]

Same here!

[@ifcoltransg2]

'He didn't acknowledge the group, just softly sang to himself: "They come! They take and they take and they take, and we keep living anyway! We rise and we fall and we break and we make our mistakes..."'

[@pelyphin0]

That character reminded me a little of Gardner's speech from "The Colour Out of Space." More hopeful than any of that, but the cadence was right.

[@planetdestroyer1111]

Sounds like Hamilton

[@emmabean5150]

And if there's a reason why I'm still alive when everyone who loved me has died, I'm willing to wait for it, (wait for it, wait for it) I'm willing to-

[@cryo7847]

**wait for it**

[@dogocatostudios8719]

@@cryo7847 WAIT FOR IT!

[@Tacticslion]

"This is a horror campaign!" > Makes Dick Tracy, names him Dick Tracey Oh, Players, you're always totally getting into the theme of the game. Yep. Definitely and clearly on the same page.

[@VicEntity]

Considering the criminals Dick Tracy faces off against, yeah it seens about right.

[@whade62000]

I like it about Ben's games that you don't have to be pretentious about this sort of stuff, jokes and meta laziness are fine. Note how the town is called Coppertown too because why bother with a name for a generic mining town, you know the players will pick one that's easier to remember anyway

[@nobody73642]

That narrative of the monster walking into the night sky always gives me chills

[@capesarecool2275]

3:45 Defective sword of warning: I WARNED YOU!

[@MoonPatch]

"A soft clap of thunder echoes across the sky" *SKY EXPLODES*

[@silmeerman9471]

A soft clap of insect butt cheeks echoes across the sky

[@sirmount2636]

Sil Meerman Beat me to it.

[@nero5971]

Fluffy Fluff nice profile pic

[@MoonPatch]

@@nero5971 Thanks!

[@sheppycider123]

Hnnng Nature I’m trying to sneak up on this town but my clouds are dummy thicc and the clap of my cheeks is alerting everyone

[@thomasrea8648]

I like that this episode was a lot darker than ordinary

[@ianmythos4923]

“It’s afraid of the light!” Some serious XFiles themes here 😂

[@neosgundam2584]

this was amazing the whole bug thing was just like the X-files episode darkness descends in which a group of loggers accidental unleashed a swarm of ancient bugs which glow and only come out at night and suck the fluids from peoples bodies and cocoon them Please Puffin do more of these horror related ones absolute amazing

[@danielhanson2417]

I’m surprised no one went down the “KILL IT KILL IT WITH FIRE” route

[@flamingrubys11]

Me too im almost certain my char wouldve lit a torch and said "BY FIRE BE FUCKING PURGED"

[@LordNumbnutsthe1st]

Well, they kinda did by blowing up the mine. Kinda hard to purge something by fire if you're out of the fire. Or the fireworks.

[@shadowpeople2645]

in coc you cant really kill much things if you are fighting alot then more or less your fucked already

[@silvertheelf]

That would probably have worked.

[@1217BC]

That is usually where I end up in a Cthulhu game. Every time I start a new one I tell myself "This time will be different" and I'm always wrong.

[@meris8486]

7:16 I was expecting Abserd to emerge from the forest

[@nathanjora7627]

Meris A GM should have some pity on their players. I mean, they could’ve of heart arrest has he done that, it’s dangerous dude.

[@HunhowsShadowStalker]

"Ah yes, hello! It is me! I got totally lost on this adventure! But now you are here, and you can enjoy the amazing company of Abserd!"

[@LakeVermilionDreams]

Two days across the featureless landscape Shows map full of features

[@LakeVermilionDreams]

Alaska full of snow? Then it's winter. There is no night, or rather, it's all night. Man, this GM needs to take a vacation! Seriously, go to Alaska. It's a beautiful state. Everyone should go to Alaska.

[@tach5884]

@@LakeVermilionDreams "Everyone should go to Alaska." The president muttered angrily as he tapped the codes into the nuclear football.

[@WTHIWUA]

Is this published storyline or a homemade one? If it's homemade, is there any chance of it being released for public use?

[@ad480p]

If you want to run the events in this video i think the animation and story gives you enough of an idea to create the general area and homebrew the story a bit to fill in some parts

[@Milkaholic76]

It's from call of cthluhu, you should probably check around for any similar sounding modules from COC

[@coryjarrett2952]

I can't find it if some one found it please comment

[@TheCart54321]

Rule #1 of being a DM Steal everything

[@mikesands4681]

Ive looked for it and don't see it unless published in a non digitalized magazine. Probably enough skeleton to rebuild the story

[@BennysGamingAttic]

2:40 this is what happens when Abserd talks to you in your mind

[@OttoGraff-fu8pj]

Ben From Gulf City haha

[@skibur848]

Yes👹👹

[@TheGuardDuck]

Nice!

[@kevint1929]

"Yeeees, I can talks into your miiiiiiind darling!" *"The voices the voices why won't they stop they keep tal-l-l-l-lkin~~~*" "Oh my, are you saaaad? Tell Abserd your troubles, I vill cure you!"

[@Kevin-us4gj]

"Just like paper, your characters shrivel up and die"

[@ollikoskinen1]

Unless it is Old Man Henderson, the living legend.

[@willshields4480]

@@ollikoskinen1 well, he did die, but he came back eventually

[@CantusTropus]

This is a bit of a misconception about Call of Cthulhu. Yes, it's a good deal more lethal than DnD, but you shouldn't have characters dying like flies unless the pcs screw the pooch or you have a killer DM.

[@nrais76]

@@CantusTropus advice from the fifth edition, if I recall, is that in most adventures, most investigators will die. Now they don't have to, and if they are clever, they won't necessarily, it's certainly not a requirement, and if you actually don't want them all dead or permanently insane there are ways of making that happen. Then again, not everything in an ongoing campaign is going to involve directly interacting with the Mythos. My players go in expecting to die or be driven permanently insane, and actually tend to be disappointed if they're not. Makes it hard to plan for some of the larger arcs like Masks of Nyarlathotep or Beyond the Mountains of Madness. I might try Achtung Cthulhu some time.

[@thatjeff7550]

@@nrais76 I had one photojournalist live through I think nine adventures. I had managed to see a bunch of scary crap but due to my high sanity, willpower, and just plain crazy lucky rolls, I had at that point a sanity of 90+. Unfortunately, my character took that as a "I've seem crap no one should see and remain unscathed; I'M INVINCIBLE!!" and in the next adventure, died like a typical character because I got stupid. Hoisted on my own petard, as folks would say.

[@Mango_mahogany]

Puffins party: get into a scary spoopy demon town and hide My fucking party : IN THE EXACT SAME SITUATION THEY GO OUTSIDE ALL 4 OF THEM WHILE SINGING SEA SHANTIES MY FUCKING PARTY IS INSANE

[@d.unterreiner161]

I ran this yesterday except as a Modern Call of Cthulhu Adventure set in Eastern Kentucky. My group has yet to encounter the bugs and one of them has died and another two should have but I bent the rules a little because I only had one spare character sheet left. This is all because of a series of bad pushed rolls.

[@nataliaflintlock3840]

Ben, I adore the videos you do that aren't just D&D or generic fantasy. It's so neat to hear you get into all the games you play, but there's something special about narrations like Deadlands or Call of Cthulhu that just really impress me. Keep up the good work, and I'd love to hear a follow up to this story in the future!

[@paperbullet1945]

"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." -HP Lovecraft

[@DerGametastischeDude]

That's a very worn out quote

[@jesseroach7978]

@@DerGametastischeDude But it never ceases to be true

[@doesntmatter2467]

Unfortunately Lovecraft didn't know Jack about anything outside of his tiny white town, making it just about the only thing that he wasn't terrified of.

[@FreeOfFantasy]

@@doesntmatter2467 He was afraid of things he didn't know. That was nearly everything. You should watch overly sarcastic's video about him.

[@sirmount2636]

Evan Ha! Very true!

[@SiminaDar]

"We have to get to the bottom of this!" -skeptical Thor face- Do we, though?

[@bordwithasword]

The background “music” just adds so much to the insanity and creepy factor of this. Do more

[@silentsoldier3172]

Glad to see your horror narration so unparalleled. Here's hoping this is the first of many!

[@Guydude777]

I've always been interested in Call of Cthulhu. It seems like such a fun setting to mess around in.

[@lardlord1239]

ThatGuy777 a setting is different than an rpg system, most rpgs have multiple pre made settings

[@briandaaranda9735]

It's really fun but don't get too attached to your characters, haha.

[@dragonmaster613]

Be prepared to play multiple PCs per session/campaign. Sanity is a bitch!

[@darksteelhero1]

@@dragonmaster613 Unless you get god Tier sanity rolls like myself. I played a character for 6 sessions who throughout our entire campaign, and only lost 25/65 sanity. And 20 of that was in the last session. This man would take 1d20 sanity damage about every session and every freaking time the GM rolled a 1 for me. Edit: accidentally posted before I was finished.

[@AreEia]

@@darksteelhero1 Lol, picturing some iron will'ed dude, just putting his finger in his ears, closing his eyes and going: "Nope, nope, nooope" trough most of the scenarios :p

[@thatrandomswedishperson]

Me, home alone at midnight and scared of everything: oooooooooooo a video with the word horror in the title, *i dont see what could go wrong*

[@Perid0tStar]

(magic sword shouting in the distance:) "I waaaaaaaaaarned you!'

[@WildBluntHickok]

At least once you finish the video you have plenty of silly puffin forest videos you can watch/rewatch to un-spook yourself.

[@shizuma2007]

"They mostly come at night, mostly" ~psycho girl from aliens

[@WildBluntHickok]

Her name is Newt. She became the new lead character in the early comics, but the movie franchise killed her off in hypersleep. She never woke up from the ending of the 2nd movie :(

[@jeffbrownstain]

This is 100% the best content you’ve ever made. I’m trying to use this as background entertainment and it’s drawing me in

[@arthaiser]

the two investigators live? and they almost completed their mission? you were clearly too soft on them.

[@richardwarnercool1]

Disagree. Call of Cthulhu is much more enjoyable when you drive the characters insane over a longer period of time... don't go straight for the kill when you can go for the pain and terror...

[@DiamondAppendixVODs]

@@richardwarnercool1 that sounds fun

[@narwaler2898]

Diamond Appendix sounds like family game night

[@kevinsullivan3448]

When I played Masks of Nyarlathotep my character was the only one who died because I was the only player willing to sacrifice my character to stop the bad guys. The other characters (and their players) were all whiny pussies who couldn't do a man's job and save the world. It was the two-fisted pulp hero that got the job done!

[@AxDhan]

@@narwaler2898 sounds just like my family

[@johndel6171]

I like most of Ben's stories but this one was extra dope

[@kevenmcgibbon6675]

Sounds like the die were not in anyone's favor that night, really good backstory, I'd love to hear another one like this

[@olstar18]

I think we need more tales of Abserd's Absurd Adventures in Absardom.

[@darkwolf6879]

God damn it. Ya got his voice stuck in my head... But I agree

[@1papaya2papaya]

Copper-tin: a mining town

[@Vooman]

or a bronze foundry town, pick your favorite

[@thumperpaul155]

I was confused how a mining town could only be reached by dog sled. What did they do with the ore they mined?

[@strider04]

@@thumperpaul155 it appears that they don't ship the ore during the winter as it does seem to be currently

[@akshooter271]

@@Vooman that's a very Alaska type name lol. Like there is a town in Alaska named Chicken because nobody knew how to spell Ptarmigan

[@akatoshslayer7599]

​@@strider04 Suppose we use real world representation of a fictional town. Alaskan gold rush happens and prospect mines pop up everywhere. Miners find copper instead of gold and small mining operations start. WW1 comes around doubling prices of copper. Mining boom occurs in copper rich areas as it is profitable now to export from wilderness. Town expands and plans for rail system. Copper prices tanked after WW1 so it would have made the town a lot less valuable economically. Figures without a railroad there is no Copperton as it stands. New exploratory mining occurs looking for the gold that originally drew in the first miners. They find something else instead.

[@renimusmaximus]

"The two players suit up with their harnesses and helmets" 6:33 Yeah, their sanity must make them be tripping balls, I see no such precautions.

[@kaikai9533]

I can't get into the creepy mood because I keep expecting ben with derp eyes to show up and the whole atmosphere takes a 180-degree turn.

[@Confucios1118]

I hope Ben makes more videos like this. This was both cool, and legitimately scary to think about.

[@patrickmcgann2673]

I can't remember exactly how this next scene went down. I know that I was halfway between talking to him when he interrupted me. I told him: Ben: Outside the storm is picking up, but it sounds kind of funny. It doesn't sound like a normal storm. It sounds like...buzzing. Loud buzzing, like a swarm. Now, somewhere in that monologue, Tracy's player starts shouting at me: Tracy: I friggin run. I friggin run. I run back to the house. I get back to the house! At the time, Nicholas was on the porch saying, Nicholas: Hey, Tracy, what'd you find-? Tracy: Get back in the house! Get back in the house! Tracy shouts to Nicholas. Tracy: It's flesh-eating locusts!

[@flamingrubys11]

Do you have a char sheet for proof?

[@somethingotherthanmyrealname]

flamingrubys11 He’s quoting the original telling of the story.

[@trod146]

Why do people do this annoying crap... I don't want to read shit that I'm listening to.. I don't need subtitles for a KZbin video. This shit is so obnoxious and all just so you kids can try to get attention for literally nothing but transcribing... if you want likes, develop a sense of humor or come up with something clever and original. Memes and copy paste and quoting parts of videos is lame and never funny or worth the time wasted reading it.

[@alexr0x681]

@@trod146 Bruh...he's trying to quote the actual session, are you really so pissed that you have to call someone you don't know an attention-seeker and annoying? smh. Edit: Also, aren't ALL youtube comments posted to get attention? to be read?

[@arandomzoomer4837]

Timothy Trex3 I love how you completely forgot about those “who’s watching in 20XX!?” comments. Those are the absolute worst. Like we get it, we should shower you with praise for watching a video more than two years old.

[@TheComradeGamers626]

You definitely gotta do more of these horror type stories. I'm liking it.

[@GuardianStriker]

This is both making me cry in emotion and shiver in fear. I'm hoping you'll continue with another session, because I want to see their story to the end.

[@steelytemplar]

Ben: "...Alaska..." Me, After Playing A Lot of Elder Sign: "Oh hell! Not Ithaqua!"

[@batangbatugan]

At first I thought this was gonna be one of those "bad D&D" moments but Ben, that was a genuinely damn scary story. We have also played one session of Call of Cthulhu and we can't wait to have another session! =)

[@carlpalacios]

Puffin; If you ever get to star in an audio book of HP Lovecraft let us know. This stuff is gold!!!

[@jasperzanovich2504]

Non to disesteem puffin but there are already Lovecraft audiobooks read by Wayne June.

[@carlpalacios]

@@jasperzanovich2504 Too bad I can only hear him say : "Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer" XD

[@Aiodeus]

You should keep making Cthulhu stories! Instant fan!

[@levimorne]

I wish you would bring out more of these Puffin. This stuff is crazy good!

[@ZacHalls]

Ditto, I really like the CoC animated videos too. They're a lot of fun to listen to.

[@davidmacko983]

This is why I always carry a flame thrower in horror RPGs

[@emberfist8347]

and why you never split the party. That is one rule of surviving horror films Randy from Scream didn't list and that is what killed him in the second film.

[@111cvb111]

The real trick is to carry a bunch of alcohol that you can keep drinking and use as fire based ammunition with a handy lighter.

[@ENCHANTMEN_]

...and then you encounter fire demons...

[@kungfuskull]

If The Thing and The Emperor both taught us anything: Purge it with Fire.

[@TheMaleRei]

@@kungfuskull Brother. Get the flamer. The *heavy* flamer.

[@frankandstuff]

The story reminds me of an episode of X-Files. The one with the insects in the woods that attack at night.

[@TheDarkOne629]

I'm surprised that a quick search could only find a few comments like this in the comment section of the last few hours.

[@ianmythos4923]

“It’s afraid of the light!” 😂

[@AlanGChenery]

The bugs first appeared in the book "The Insects From Shaggai" published in 1964. Perhaps you just found out that the Xfiles writers like the lovecraft mythos. :p

[@theguy3851]

This story actually managed to spook me. Haunting atmosphere, unknown terror(s), EXCELLENT narration, well done, Ben.

[@malcolmrichmond6974]

Oh my lord, I wish I had the transcription for this. I want to use this so badly for a narrator audition. Spectacular scene-setting, amazing description, and a horrific premise executed fantastically. Ben is a master storyteller.

[@mainmanstan7405]

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS ONE! YOUR NARRATION IS AWESOME!

[@Remoniq]

That got thtat good Lovecraftian feeling to it. I loved this story.

[@barbatosmcmurderton4209]

And with less than a quarter of the racism too!

[@Zilentification]

@@barbatosmcmurderton4209 I don't know, they find another alien race, then immediately seek to kill/entomb them without any attempt to understand or communicate their peaceful intentions. For all we know the Aliens were just confused, scared, and lashing out. Seems pretty racist to me.

[@CL30]

Your narration is incredible when you're setting the town scene. Love it!

[@pjmeis5226]

I know this isn’t relevant, but like...how could this be a mining town without any direct roads to it...? Like...that’s not how mining towns work

[@mercerholt8299]

I think it was more research camp turned mining town with plans for a railroad in the works. Plus Alaska at this time wasn't exactly easy to build in.

[@ImpudentInfidel]

Alaska had a couple of gold rushes in the early 20th century. And very few roads.

[@natalyasparrow6748]

Fun fact: certain parts of Alaska have no paved roads despite there being a town because any attempt to establish a permanent road would be futile. Barrow is a good example.

[@DutchBlackMantha]

Look up Uranium City, Canada. Not only no direct roads, but no permanent roads leading to it at all. And about as well populated as the town in this video.

[@quinton1630]

No, it’s a MINING town. Like, that’s all they do, they mine. That’s it. No transport, only mine!

[@thehomie6059]

damn this was super eerie, got that Halloween spooks.

[@shan4697]

Seem like you had skele - ton of fun with this campaign

[@blarg2429]

@@reverie5760 That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons even death may die.

[@Cheshiremd]

Here is a door, i will hold it for you on your way out.

[@shan4697]

@Cheshire but sir! What will I do ever do out there with no money or food I’m particularly boned!!!! and if that’s not enough those monsters who out there will eat me and strips me to the bone!!!

[@Cheshiremd]

@@shan4697, should have thought about it before! Now shoo.

[@shan4697]

@Cheshire this is unacceptable!!! You don’t have the funny bone to even understand the depth and thought of each joke well sir!!! I got a bone to pick with you maybe then you understand

[@freakdemon5993]

Dear Puffin, may we get a sequel to the story? I'd love to hear the hear the aftermath of a, too curious expedition team.

[@smokedragon6]

puff, my dude your videos are usually so chill I play them to relax and sleep. You can't give me that and then come at me with this never sleep again stuff

[@323starlight]

Great story, very chilling. Makes me wanna give Call of Cthulhu a try.

[@tanith117]

If you do, don't get too attached to any character.

[@andersschmich8600]

You should, it's a great game.

[@youcantbeatk7006]

"There's something in the mist!"

[@javierpatag3609]

Ben, sorry for being late to the party and watching this only now, but I gotta say... HOLY COW. Your funny D&D/RPG stories are awesome and entertaining enough, but you're incredible doing a horror story. The writing is top notch, your narration is excellent and carries over the fear and starkness of the tale. This is just amazing work!

[@jacobperez7329]

"There is a danger in secrets, both in seeking and in knowing. Some things are meant to be hidden from view. Some mysteries defy understanding, and sometimes even the things we think we know are untrue. Some secrets should remain untouched." - Cortana Halo Legends

[@roboraygun]

6:06 Lol every high INT character who knows they have to take the Plot Hook or else the game will go stagnant. Also, we finally get an explanation of how Puffin ended up at that campsite at the end of all his videos?! He poked out some peoples eyes and took over the camp (you can even see him roasting them over the fire in the new end screen!) Love this one! Verrrrryy creepy!

[@TheGrumpyMinstrel]

Thanks for this Ben, this gave me an amazing plot hook to drop in my next session. I've been trying to figure out a couple different plot hooks I could set up to let my group decide what they wanted to do, and this is definitely going in there now.

[@TheGrumpyMinstrel]

As an update, I've used this with DnD instead of CoC. And after putting it in with the different side quests I had developed my players have decided to visit the mining town of Copperton in search of a noble lord's mage who went there on a research trip. Little do they know, the miners of the town accidentally uncovered a place deep beneath the world where the Shadowfell bleeds into the material plane and all sorts of planar abominations have slipped through. For any DMs interested I'm using this as an opportunity to use some of the sorrowsworn from MToF, a Nothic, a Balhannoth (for extra mind fuckery) and an Obilex (A miner who was transformed by the energies but still believes he's human).

[@myrrhfortheroad]

That’s so cool! Thanks for the update!

[@MaGg0t93]

Puffin, mind sharing the entire story and details on enemies? I'd love to play this one with friends

[@SalemsRising]

I couldn't take my eyes away, you really drew me into the story. You should totally do more stories like this if you have any, Ben, this was great.

[@bloodred255]

native American history sounds like one of those majors that didn't exist in 1923

[@pretzelbomb6105]

Well, maybe if all the people studying it would stop getting locked in mines and stabbed through the eyes it would be more popular.

[@bubbasbigblast8563]

Religious Anthropology very much did exist back then, and there was actually something of a rush to record as much information about indigenous religion as possible before the old traditions died completely, like in How Natives Think.

[@akatoshslayer7599]

Anthropology as a science exists in part due to the desire to study Native American culture while the people who still remember it were alive.

[@nomisunrider6472]

Oh, it existed, it was just horribly racist. Like most things in 1923.

[@darthegdod]

Nice change of pace. Its good to hear about a genuine horror RPG session rather than something starting out serious, then going totally silly.

[@asgerkrogh5671]

The correct answer to "We have to get to the bottom of this" when playing call of cthulhu is: "No!.. No we don't" :p

[@RandomMajin]

Loved it! The story was awesome and actually creepy while keeping some of your wittiness in it. A+.

[@nikitanugent7165]

It's like the X-Files episode "Darkness Falls," but with a mine instead of a logging camp. Neat.

[@fujoshiinpink8097]

I was honestly just waiting for a wendigo to pop out in the stoty

[@ChronoMoth]

same its snowy, cold, native american area you would think the cannibalistic wendigo would come out of nowhere

[@ionlymadethistoleavecoment1723]

Reminds me of scary game squad

[@sebastianpinoalipaz5935]

Yeah when he mentioned alaska, snow and skeletons all over the place I could only think "a wendigo came and ate everyone"

[@robertbogan225]

But they found skeletons in barricaded buildings. Meaning nothing big could have broken in.

[@bluehero-96]

Could you imagine a wendigo or bigfoot coming in to save the day?

[@gordface1]

omg, the production value was so awesome in this one. very friggin good

[@jasonvernish7366]

I relly want to hear more call of cuthulo storys they are so intriguing to listen to

[@seangeer8196]

do more call of cuthulu stories, this was very well done.

[@YaniMayuo]

This is soothing to listen to. I love spooky RPG's and this one is one of my favorites

[@androsh9039]

I didn't know you could pull off a good Lovecraftian game. Well done!

[@RockyOwl]

JFC Ben! THAT WAS AWESOME!

[@francomaemori7123]

Shit sounded bloody ominous. It gave me serious goosebumps

[@arrestedeffort]

That one was truly horrifying. Fantastic work, as usual.

[@booboo4211]

Seen a few of your vids here and there...THIS one made me a fan. Good stuff. I was just listening to it on a drive and was hooked by the story and your narration and the sound effects and everything. Best vid of yours I've clicked on so far

[@jaydebradley4505]

Ok, I have proper chills. Damn Ben, came here for a laugh but got a proper little horror story. Not complaining, but dang! Me got goosebumps right now.