The Old Smoke Mining Company’s deal with Blue Ridge Rail, Ltd - a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Appalachian Rail Company - was a dream come true - from the lazy shores of North Carolina to the rising industry in Knoxville, the new rail line oepned travel, opportunities, and faster ways to move coal from the deep dark pits under old smokey out into the hungry maw of the open west.

This could be the chance for the people of the blue mountains to have more of a place in the rising of the American Experiment. But from the beginning, there were problems. Track failures, unseason-like storms, rock falls down from stable peaks. That all got solved the Appalachian way: with sweat and blood. But then things got strange. Cars went missing. Trains would show up at strange hours. Crews and passengers were left up in the peaks to make their way back by any means they could themselves due to “rail concerns”. And then the disappearances began.

At first it was a few new porters that worked for the rail line. Then a few young miners. Then some passaengers. Then…folks looking into the disappearances.

A group formed: careful, circumspect-like searching for the missing - each with their own unspoken shared reason. They communicated via telegrams that never had subjects, through coded messages in the Asheville paper, in note cards about “exciting jobs” in fields no one would ever want on the community board at the Greenville train station. One or two of you (there are 4? 5? 8?) could not hold out anymore… too much in need of some hard facts. They went to talk to officials, were stonewalled, went and filed complaints, went to look into things and … no one has heard from them since.

Since then, you’ve narrowed it down. Only certain runs are affected. There is a pattern in times, but you need more. You and the others who have lost people to the hungry iron mouth of this damn rail line need to find out who’s responsible for casually taking lights out of your lives. You need to get them to justice, or failing them, bring justice to them. You’re meeting on the 7am train departing Asheville. You’re as ready as you can be, but what does that mean in the face of something dark in the belly of the Appalachias? On the other hand, whatever it is, it isn’t expecting you and your fellow dogged fact-finders.

How will you find each other on the train? Will you do it before whoever is doing this finds you? And perhaps the most important question, are you up to the challenge? Can you stop whatever you find?

The Searchers

“Taft” — Finbar Taft, Detective

Charming Speaker Who Applies Himself

There’s a softness to his manner and a twinkle behind those glasses that makes folks mistake him for their confidante. A college man with a law degree and a talent for getting people talking, he’s come to clear the air of superstition with good old-fashioned investigating — and to find his missing mentor.

Daciana Ursu, Butcher

Big Butcher Who Protects

“Big Mama Daciana” to all of Asheville, swinging her cleaver behind the shop counter. A mountain woman out of Adder’s Hollow by way of Romania, she’s hunting for her son Ladislau, who boarded the coal train under Bright Peak and was never seen again. Heaven help whoever’s responsible.

Ida Jimenez, Librarian

Curious Sage Who Fears No Haint

The beautiful widow in the “haunted” house outside town, who loves her books like some folks love scripture — and sees more than she lets on. Her husband Charles rode the Old Smokey line to look into Bright Peak’s cheap coal and never came home. Her coded newspaper ads are what drew the group together.

Willem Devreaux, Telegrapher

Clever Explorer Who Hears the Wires Hum

A messenger and spy in the War of Brothers, then a Western Union man so good at morse code it’s like he hears voices on the line instead of clicks. Some of what he’s heard humming in the wires about this rail line, he hasn’t told a soul.

Holder Kane, Miner

Beholden Protector Who Cannot Escape the Mines

A freed man who dug Old Smoke Mining Co.’s deep dark until the mine took more than he could give, then turned his hands to carpentry — a man who does what’s needed without flapping his gums. His wife Elsbeth was supposed to be on that train from under Bright Peak. The big, smiling conductor swears she never boarded.

Old Gods of Appalachia is a Monte Cook Games rpg based on an amazing set of folk tales told via podcast.