019 Dunlowe House

General Summary

The session opened with a lighthearted monologue from Rosabelle as she fidgeted in the back of the crew’s armored ICT on the drive to Dunlow House. She mused aloud about her growing hunger and wondered about the strange items Phoebe keeps in the back of the vehicle, setting a playful, curious tone before their unsettling encounter.   As they arrived, the eerie sight of Dunlow House put everyone on edge. With its dark, decaying exterior and shadowed windows, the orphanage looked every bit the haunted mansion, prompting one of them to mutter, "Well, that's definitely haunted."   At the door, they were met by Miss Gretchen Lovelace, the unsettling matron of Dunlow House, surrounded by a silent group of children who watched them with blank expressions. Lovelace greeted them with syrupy politeness, keen to discuss Luis Estrada’s disappearance but oddly insistent that Rosabelle stay with the other children while Kei examined his room. Sensing something off, the group agreed to keep an eye on Rosabelle as they split up.   Inside, the crew uncovered several unsettling clues:   The children seemed entranced, behaving almost as if they were under a spell, with a distant look in their eyes and strange, lethargic movements. Luis had repeatedly argued with Miss Lovelace, insisting he wasn’t an orphan—a fact the matron seemed eager to ignore. In Luis’s room, they discovered that his bed was oddly neat, his belongings meticulously arranged in his wardrobe, including his stuffed dinosaur, suggesting he may have left under Lovelace’s control rather than by his own choice. The tension peaked when Miss Lovelace realized Kei wasn’t investigating for the police but for Luis’s father. Her expression grew cold, and she insisted they leave, hinting that she’d tolerate no further questioning. Before they could react, Detective Vega called Kei, requesting an immediate meeting.   At a nearby diner, Vega warned Kei to back off, citing pressures from high-profile figures who were monitoring the case due to its media exposure. His words hinted at more than just official caution, and his tone was strangely detached, making Kei suspicious of Vega’s motivations and increasingly certain of something sinister within Dunlow House.   In a subtle end-credits scene, Phoebe was seen disguised as a city worker, installing spectral cameras on telephone poles around the orphanage. Her preparations ensured the crew would have eyes on Dunlow House, even from a distance.