'Transmission from Aberdeen - Plainwood (Sinister Recluse)'

Hello…

Or as we say in Plainwood, “hey hey.” Here where I live, the word “hello” is as antiquated as saying “salutations,” which is weird considering how many other antiquated things this town actually does. Imagine a town so superstitious, so secluded from the outside world, that medical centers are viewed as suspicious, where gloves and scarves are mandated at all times, and where a single mistake you didn’t even think twice about could be misinterpreted as a sign of demonic possession. Well, that is, unfortunately, where I live.

My name is Nat Aberdeen, but that’s all you need to know about me. I choose to keep a low profile, not just for my own safety, but for everyone else’s. That’s why I use a pseudonym as my persona. Let’s keep it that way. Any more information I give about me, and the Sinister Recluse will find me. The Sinister Recluse always finds everyone given enough time.

I… well, I hesitate to give any more description about this so-called Sinister Recluse, or else, again, they’ll find me, and I’ll have no choice but to cease and desist these interdimensional broadcasts that Dexter and Cameron have graciously set up for me. All you need to know about this Sinister Recluse is that they are real, they are back, and they are a dangerous threat. If you don’t want to run into them yourself, heed my words and trust no one else but Nat Aberdeen themself.

What I can disclose is the whereabouts and culture of Plainwood, my hometown. Plainwood is an unrecognized and sovereign city-state in the Monnelleyan Mountains, named after Heather Monnelley, the founder of the city-state. We have grown up—for reasons we can’t remember anymore—on a stark aversion to spirits, demons, and what we call Sinisters. Each of them have their own demonic powers that could possess any innocent victim in the blink of an instant. There is no way to tell whether a person is a Sinister, besides the notable starburst-shaped scar engraved in the palm of their left hand. Legends say that’s the source of their powers.

And for some reason, Plainwood is practically the beacon for these Sinisters. Almost every anniversary of our founding, August 13th, a new Sinister comes and drops a demonic reign of evil possession all over our fair city-state. The worst of which was the Marion Marley incident, where… where… ha, could you believe it—I can’t even remember any of the details! Some say Marley possessed the whole village. Some say it was only a select few. Some say Marley was human-shaped, others that he was just a collection of hands. It’s hard to know for sure.

But no matter the reason and no matter the Sinister, they always happen to be attracted to the same thing: a rickety old house on Riverside Road with a hideous statue of a left hand on the roof. I’ve attached a picture of said statue to this transmission. Be careful not to look at it too long. There’s no telling what could happen.

Again, I like to keep a low profile, so don’t expect transmissions every day. But, should anything newsworthy brew up, I will be here to report it (we do have a radio news show, but I don’t trust that announcer. They seem unreliable at best).

Until then, this has been Nat Aberdeen, your friendly neighborhood knowledge philanthropist. The world is big, but keep your mind bigger. Stay aware, my curious warriors.