Nosy Neighbour

Nosy Neighbor
You live in Providence, Rhode Island, in Ma Shanks’ Boarding House. You know everyone in the house (see notes below) and make it your business to also know their business. A house is a community, so it’s important to know everyone well. Your family is all grown up and moved away; your spouse died in the influenza epidemic twelve years ago. Of course, some call you a nosy gossip but you don’t see it that way.
But James Gardiner, who lives on the third floor, is a mystery to you. Who is this man who thinks he can hide from you? Why is he so suspicious? Does he engage in illegal dealings? Is he up to no good in that room of his?
He’s lived here for nearly two years but never once has he said more than a passing hello to you. What you do know about Gardiner is that he hides in his room all of the time. Late at night, you have heard him reciting some odd-sounding poetry before going to bed.
The poetry isn’t in English and has had you wondering about what he’s been doing in there.
But, today, everyone seems to be talking about him. Apparently, no one has seen him for a few days and some are getting worried. Well, this sounds right up your street—time to put your detective hat on. The landlady is going to unlock his room to check on him; perhaps you can follow in and get a good look to see just what Gardiner has been up to.

Roleplaying hooks:
• Find out what Gardiner has been up to in his
room.
• See what gossip you can pick up on the other
tenants.
Other tenants in the boarding house:
• The Landlady (player character) and their 11-yearold son, Tommy.
• Bookseller (player character); owns a local bookstore of weird and old books.
• Business Associate (player character); seems a
shady one and never discusses exactly what line
of work he/she is in.
• The Tough Guy/Dame (player character), one of
the Skirgaila family.
• Ma Shanks, the frail and elderly building owner.
• Mrs. Madeira, who lives across the hall from
James Gardiner. Her husband died in an accident
last March. She doesn’t seem to like you.
• The rest of the Skirgaila family, Lithuanian
brothers and sisters who are hard workers, with
jobs in the city.

Setup your character sheet and apply it to the game, then edit the details with the numbers from this.