Jethro and Pasquallium thoughts?

[Cyenobite]

On page 5, we learn that Daphne got a lot of her information from a local named "Jethro Cratchett" - and yet, he's never mentioned again or listed as an NPC. 
I'm torn about if I should mention this part to my players, because I think they'll want to talk with him directly. 
Although, I could also say that he too has gone missing - which would help add to the mystery.
I wonder too, if maybe instead of Jethro, I could change the name to Jimmy Maclearan...

I'm curious what others are thinking too in regards to how much about the Pasquallium should be revealed to the investigators during this first episode. 
Does this seem like just a straight forward piece of information that should not really be worried about, or dose this provide a more strange or nefarious motive for the FOC involvement?

[morganhua]

I was wondering about Jethro Cratchett.  Maybe in Episode 2, when the players return they would find the research Daphne Devine got and find out about Jethro Cratchett? Since we don't know what's in the other 5 episodes I didn't want the PCs to find him during their Folklore expeditions.

Pasquallium didn't seem to come into my game at all (I finished running it). They mainly found Indian arrow heads and the Indian burial mound.  No PCs were part of FOC.

There was already so much stuff going on, they never figured out the Mi-Go; They only got suspicious of Robert Blaine and at one point a player had him at gun point.  They were looking for Evil Trees, Undead, and Children of the Corn.  They never even looked for the missing girl or John Jeffery even though they got all three of the dreams.  They just thought the dreams were an oddity.  They shot a Zoog near the Outhouse and put it into a specimen jar, but never went into the Sugar Maple Forest.

So, I think adding the Pasquallium is way too much info and it probably comes in when FOC appears in the later episodes.

[Cyenobite]

Thanks @morganhua I didn't think ahead that Jethro might make another appearance in a future episode. Best not I involve him then (or kill him off) in this first episode. 
Thanks for the tip on the Pasquallium as well. I agree, there is a LOT going on (in a good way).
 

[sverbridge]

At one point in the adventure it states that Blaine has purposefully chosen the spot as it is far away from the “real” action as possible.  So, I really don't think the geology students ever really find Pasquallium in episode 1.  Even when they move to the burial mound, I really don't think they would find the mineral there.  ( Blaine is just afraid that someone may wander off and find the entrance to the Mi-Go mine.) If one of my players plays a rep from FOC, I will let them know what the company is looking for, mineral wise, otherwise I don't really plan on introducing this element yet.  I thought I read somewhere the the M.U. geology department had a sample of this, but I could be wrong.

I am just assuming that Cratchett comes into play later since the PCs have no access to Devine's notes for the first episode and wouldn't know to look for him.  I am kind of thinking that he is some lone person living up in them thar hills and has seen too much and it is only a matter of time before the Mi-Go come and take him away.

[Mike M]

Yes, that's right - old Jethro doesn't really enter until Episode 3.

The campaign is designed so that each episode is more or less self-contained. You might see references to people and things in the campaign background that aren't mentioned in Episode 1  - they will come up - just later on in other Episodes. Don't feel like you have to shoehorn all these into the first Episode - they are intentionally spaced out. All will be revealed as you progress through the campaign.

This is the one time, as a Keeper, that you get to be a bit of 'player' too - learning the secrets as they unfold, rather than all upfront ; )

[Cyenobite]

I was thinking I might let one of the geologists find a piece of the Pasquallium, but that they can't identify it. It will be a good reason for them to want to go back to the University.