Kinsley's Valley Incident Report

Adventure Date:
Written By: Agent Hattie Lawton
Marshal: Ezri Steel

'[This document is an internal abridged, lower security clearance copy of Badge 976’s full report. It is unencrypted and is not to leave Agency property under penalty of termination.]'

The child once again put out a notice for help, this time for the retrieval of the documents filed under Q from the and then the destruction of, the abandoned courthouse in Kinsley’s Valley for the payment of $49. Said poster also noted “TEXANS NEED NOT APPLY.”

Given my previous negative interaction with Snicket and the oddity of my cover identity performing this particular job, it was deemed pragmatic to instead apply under the guise of a wandering gun for hire. Identity of possible use in the future.

The additional contractors were as follows.

Martin Robinson: Class 1B [Practitioner]: “Blessed” and local church helper. See Rapid Creek Incident Report. Simeon Mays: Class 1A [Mundane]: Orphan child of ill fortune. See Rapid Creek Incident Report. [Once again, the Agent remains unaware of Simeon’s actual nature as a Huckster prodigy] Ulysses Sack: Class 1B [Practitioner]: New scientist and known believer in the paranatural. See Rapid Creek Incident Report. Surprisingly compliant and cooperative. Mao Sun Lao-ming aka “Solomon Mao”: Class 1A [Mundane]: Martial artist and local handyman. See Lovelock Incident Report

A short ride to Kinsley’s Valley revealed not just a town destroyed by landslide but also under the effects of Event [The Reckoning] phenomena. Numerous corpses were strung up on poles, offenses written in blood, while fire still burned despite years having passed. Sack’s ambient energy detector showed positive results, the notifications increasing rapidly the closer it was to the courthouse.

Surveying the ruins of the town revealed the bodies of Max Lyn and Max Johnson, both lawmen with no apparent sign of death. Bodies contained letters dating to the current year requesting a legal consultation in Kinsley’s Valley.

The interior of the courtroom revealed both a jury and audience occupied by Class 3A [Noncorporeal Repeaters] manifestations, the dead Lyn and Johnson as semi-solid prosecution and defense Class 3B [Noncorporeal Apparitions], the missing Agent Harris at the defendant’s stand, a rope tied around his neck, and presiding over the “trial” what the Class 3C [Noncorporeal Transitional] colloquially referred to as a Hangin’ Judge. The room with the court records was near said judge’s seat.

Though almost all unnerved by the entity’s presence, Sack fled in the face of the creature, a reaction that would later prove to inadvertently be a boon.

Unwilling to let Agent Harris perish and knowing that the entity was beyond the combat abilities of the group and essentially guarding the records, opted to shout “Objection” and demanded to be the defense’s co council, invoking U.S law in Harris’ trial for the “crime” of being Texan.

The distraction worked and while buying time Mao and Sack opted to reach the records room by circumnavigating the building and climbing half collapsed walls while Mays and Robinson remained in the courtroom as audience members.

Attempts to appeal to the Judge’s spurious logic were initially successful, but upon being unable to refute an argument of the prosecution the rope on Agent Harris’ neck tightened and rose slightly. Unwilling to let another human being be lynched in front of him, Robinson attempted to cut the accused down, only to be mercilessly shot and left in a near death state by the Judge without any apparent effort. Thankfully, he did not instantly die or bleed out.

Debate continued, with force of will and deliberately overly complex arguments appearing to be the most effective tactics to combat the creatures twisted thought process, actually gaining ground against the prosecution. As that was going on, Sack and Mao succeeded in entering the records office and absconding with the Q file,the judge unaware of their efforts.

After a furiously heated debate between the defense and prosecution as Agent Harris going free actually seemed within reach, the Judge writhing in confusion and agony, it was a sudden, unexpected shout of “He’s not from Texas!” from Mays that pushed the creature over the line and resulted in a “Not Guilty” verdict.

The entity momentarily incapacited, Harris freed, and the files obtained, all parties left the courthouse, managing to retrieve and wake Robins from unconsciousness while doing so, followed by setting it ablaze as per orders and promptly fled from Kinsley’s Valley and the fire to escape the apparently unharmed spectre.

The files concerned an individual named Quincy, no other name given, written by an anonymous author, and detailed how said individual was likely the one who set off the ghost rock mine explosion that destroyed Kinsley’s Valley. Extensive notes were taken, but the file size prevented complete copying before the package had to be delivered to Snicket.

The full notes have been included as a separate document sent in its own piece of post.

Attached below is the profile on the Hangin’ Judge which as of now likely remains in the ruins of Kinsley’s Valley. This formally concludes the report on the “ Kinsley’s Valley Incident.”

Badge 976

Name: Hangin’ Judge Confirmed Class 3C [Noncorporeal Transitional] Threat Level: Orange. Undeniably an extreme threat to human life, but appears to be confined to the area around Kinsley’s Valley. If changed immediate escalation to Red and recommend Twilight Protocol-based joint response. Physical Appearance: A human-sized spectral figure clad in robes, chains and spikes wrapped around its body, its face unnaturally obscured by a shadowy hood that completely hides any features, possessing two revolvers that end in razor sharp scythes. Abilities: Superhuman marksmanship, reflexes, and speed, apparent invulnerability to fire and explosions, ability to conjure nooses, apparent ability to summon a “jury of the damned” consisting of Class 3A [Noncorporeal Repeaters] manifestations armed with firearms (though little actual ability with them), and Class 3B [Noncorporeal Apparitions] entities to serve as “prosecution and defense,” using the corpses of officers of the law. Confirmed Weaknesses: Apparently mentally vulnerable to impassioned, persistent legal arguments in the event a “trial” has been set up by it. While fast paced continuous logic plays a role, sheer force of personality and conviction seem to be the key to temporarily cowing it.