A Shadow in the Clinic AAR
Last weekend we were holding FKR Con over at the FKR Collective. I decided to run a one shot in a setting I call FULL CARBON JACKET. It’s inspired by a lot of things, but the most important inspiration is the TV show Ultraviolet. The show was released in 1998 and had a grounded approach that blended detective work, forensics and SWAT style action with the techno-futurist optimism of the 1990s.
The premise is that the players are working for the Harker institute, following leads on potential “Code Five” activity. Once the target is identified, they plan to trap the vampire through several means. Salt, ultraviolet lights, carbon jacketed bullets, stakes, silver-fragment grenades, you name it, they got it.
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The Scenario
The scenario I ran was called “A Shadow in the Clinic” and basically featured a rural clinic. This clinic had been infiltrated some time ago by Walter Pitman. In his former life, he was a local farmer and a familiar face in the community. Known for his excellent poultry and contributions in the community, no one could have predicted the drastic turn his life was about to take.
One evening, Walter found an injured stranger on his property. Walter tried to render aid, but before he could call for an ambulance, the stranger attacked him. The stranger was of course a vampire, which left Walter for dead on the farm.
However, Walter didn't die. He turned, the vampiric curse taking root. Struggling with his new condition, he sought refuge in the one place he thought could provide help – the local clinic. His symptoms were unusual, and Dr. Harris, intrigued and perplexed, agreed to admit him for a more extended stay.
Being a vampire, Walter managed to charm the staff and patients, who simply assumed he was a long-term patient with a mysterious illness. Over time, he has grown comfortable in his new home, feeding subtly and infrequently to maintain his disguise, avoiding religious symbols, and using his horrific gaze sparingly.
In this way, Walter Pitman, the amiable farmer, became Walter Pitman, the vampire hidden in plain sight.
The Cast
While I didn’t get to play out all of these, I had them on standby. Some patients were improvised on the spot as well.
Walter Pitman: Now vampire posing as a cancer patient with light sensitivity. He can use a special “gaze attack” which causes fear. He is also averse to religious symbols. Pitman does not act much with a “mask on”, preferring to lie dormant during daytime. When active, he uses his charm abilities to manipulate the staff, having them serve his needs without them realizing it.
Dr. Marion Harris: The head physician of the clinic. She is very dedicated to her work and protective of her patients. She tends to be very busy and is often seen rushing from one room to another.
Nurse Samuel "Sam" Bailey: A friendly and affable nurse who knows all the patients and is well-liked by everyone. He always has a smile on his face and a kind word to share.
Pharmacist Lila Sutton: A quiet, meticulous woman who manages the clinic's pharmacy. She keeps to herself but is very knowledgeable about medicines.
Maintenance Head Karl Hodges: The man responsible for the clinic's maintenance. He knows the building like the back of his hand, including the sublevels.
Receptionist Daphne Price: The first face patients see when they come to the clinic. She is efficient and helpful, but can be a bit stern with those who don't follow clinic procedures.
Counselor Vera Monroe: A thoughtful, empathetic woman who offers counseling services to patients and their families. She often stays late and is known to go above and beyond for her clients.
Janitor Royce Coleman: A quiet older man who keeps the clinic clean. He's often seen around the clinic at odd hours, cleaning up after everyone else.
Intern Emma Rutherford: An enthusiastic young woman who is doing her internship at the clinic. She is still learning the ropes and is often shadowing Dr. Harris or Nurse Bailey.
I also improvised some patients, such as Marie Tanner, who had witnessed a “shadow with terrible eyes” feeding on another patient.
The Session
I had two players joining me for most of the session, who made the following characters:
Argenta Bakeman: A Harker Institute Operative with a background as a scout. Bakeman would provide with security and fire support.
Severin Timmreck: A sanctioned vampire-human hybrid working for the Harker Institute. Severin was infected long ago and had adjusted poorly to the march of history. Severin has a unique ability to see and speak to ghosts.
Their initial lead was that a blood sample sent from Green Meadow Community Clinic had apparently exploded in a lab where it had been exposed to sunlight. This tipped off the Harker Institute, and a small detail was sent to investigate.
To begin with, Bakeman performed a nighttime reconnaissance of the clinic, identifying potential points of entry and egress. She noticed there were McClane vents as well as a garage entrance on the north side. During the day, Bakeman and Severin, posed as a technician and counselor, respectively, utilizing their Institute-provided cover identities.
Severin found holy symbols in the south ward, arranged by the elderly patients to protect against “the devil”. He also heard troubling references to premature patient deaths. Meanwhile, Bakeman was given a guided tour by the janitor, Roye Coleman, uncovering the existence of subterranean cells. Apparently some sort of old psych ward.
Severin encountered a disoriented spirit, evidently a victim of a vampire, but its psyche was irretrievably broken. Bakeman had an unsettling encounter with Emma the intern, who appeared temporarily transfixed before quickly recovering and hurriedly excusing herself.
They discovered a ward devoted to cancer patients, kept dim due to their light sensitivity. They also learnt of a long-term patient named Pitman, raising their suspicions.
That night, they observed Emma moving an elderly patient to the cancer ward. Interrupting her, they discovered Pitman in the act of drinking from the patient's wrist.
A heated exchange of gunfire ensued, with Bakeman and Severin ultimately annihilating the vampire through relentless gunfire. And so the session concluded.
After action thoughts
What seemed to work really well was basically switching the spotlight back and forth between the two characters. They took on different roles, scoping various parts of the clinic using their covers effectively. Severin posed as a councilor, which enabled him to talk with some of the patients without raising suspicion. As a technician, Bakeman was able to cover ground in the clinic by pretending to be either lost or being en route to fix some equipment.
Another point I want to develop for the game is more vampire-hunting oriented gear and maybe a sensible system of requisitioning it. Neat ways to set up ultraviolet lights, maybe some flares, silver/garlic smoke grenades, holy bullets, etc.
Another point I felt worked well is having a cast of NPCs that the vampires exploit. I want to look into making a simple procedure that lets me set up a cast quickly and have some inter-character relations going on.
Resources
FULL CARBON JACKET Character CreationIMDB Page for Ultraviolet
The FKR Collective Discord
Also, feel free to join my community discord.
