I’d like to do some crowdsourcing for the miscellany in Codex – Crystal. The miscellany is called “Three dozen rumors about Crystal Lake.” Crystal Lake is a fictional, semi-rural town with a dark history and plenty of weird residents. Think: Twin Peaks, a slightly dialed-down Nightvale, or Derry from the Stephen King novel It.
What have you heard about Crystal Lake?
Submissions need to be a single sentence or 2-3 short sentences. By submitting here, you’re agreeing to let us use it (you’ll get a credit on the issue). Importantly, we’re looking for rumors that are weird, scary, and/or tell us about the town’s seedy past.
Here are some examples:
“A murder occurs at the old post office every thirty four years, give or take.”
“Once per day, Ernestine Jenkins makes the long trek from her house on Rutherford Street to the downtown pharmacy, where she purchases a Cherry Coke. She does not speak a word during her walk, but if you stop her, she will whisper something to you about the town’s ancient past.”
“In 1954, the popular Heartland Bandstand TV show filmed an episode in the Crystal Lake High School gymnasium. The episode never aired because the gym caught fire, killing almost everyone inside, including host Chet Fontaine. They say a single reel of film survived the fire and is passed around among collectors of macabre memorabilia.”
Isn’t crystal lake where Jason Voorhees kills campers?
When the moon is full, you can hear the voices of Troop 57 singing campfire songs. Following those voices brings you the center of the lake, where the moonlight almost looks like a roaring bonfire on the waves
Daniel Fowlerxyz Yes. I might change it to Crystal Falls in the actual issue, just to avoid confusion.
There is a place in the woods about a mile off of Williams Road where high school kids sometimes go to yell and scream and make a ruckus. However, every sound you make in that spot gets swallowed up — it is always absolutely silent. Kids sometimes say they hear the sounds they made in random places around town a few days later.
New graves sometimes appear at Cathedral Cemetary, despite the fact that the Cathedral has been derelict since The Scandal caused Father Brown to be defrocked.
Though the lake is shrouded by fog, brave adventurers can tempt fate, and row towards the center. Legend says that laying upon a small shrine, the daring can find the means to subvert their destiny.
Old man McShane has rebuilt his house four times. He won’t listen to any talk about sinkholes and he won’t abandon his kin, each of which have been found missing after a collapse.
“After a particularly violent windstorm, a fallen tree’s pitched root plate revealed a buried concrete vault with a U.S. Department of War’s emblem stenciled on its hermetic, steel door. The door had been welded shut. The State Environmental Protection Division sent an agent out to investigate. A Department of Energy contractor appeared a week later to fill the vault with concrete. Nobody could say why.”
There is a second, older, sewer system built under the city and draining far out in the woods. Most of its inlets have been blocked off by new construction. There are no maps of it in city hall and it is clear that great pains were taken when building the new system to avoid any connection.
Ash blows around the old caliche pit. Kids tell each other stories about the witches that were burned there. This town is old, but the ash is surely just from campfires.
“The old Simmons place on the north side of the lake is all boarded up now, but I heard that it used to be where bootleggers and mobsters would come down from the city and lay low until the heat was off. Say, I bet there might still be some cash hidden away inside.”
Folks don’t build basements in Crystal Lake/Falls. If you ask them, they’d likely say its because of the ground water. The nervous look they’d give you also would tell you they’d likely be lying.
Many children around town seem to have adopted an imaginary friend called Miss Shiny who they blame for various pranks and acts of vandalism. It is suspected by the librarian that they are just mimicking a similar event recorded in the old town news papers twenty years ago.
Don’t look too close at the photos on the wall at Whittaker’s Dinner. You might notice a strange one of figures in robes, and Whittaker takes note of anyone who actually looks at that that photo.
No cats, allowed to roam freely, remain in Crystal falls for more then a few days.
Go about 5 miles north, down the old logging trail, and you’ll come across an strip-mall. Folks say it was abandoned when the factories closed down, but every storefront seems ready to open for business, and the grand opening is 3 days away.
It was discovered by a genealogy enthusiast that all the drowning victims in the last 100 years have been in some way related. Most of them were not aware of family connections to the area and were only there for a short stay. It’s as if the lake is calling and killing off the entire bloodline.
Bethany Havershank’s wild berry pies have won every contest she chooses to enter. She won’t give up her berry source and her competitors never find anything like it themselves. It is widely suspected that there is some other secret ingredient.
Every December 17th, the thermometer records the temperature as 87*F. When asked, residents shrug and mutter something about “Global Warming” or “El Nino”, as they step around the unmelting snow.
Some say the town used to be where the lake is, and that if you swim deep enough you will find the original town.
At the ranger station, there is a stack of cards with the title “Hunting Permit”. All it asks is for you to fill in your name, how long you wish to hunt, and the name of your prey, and pay the $25 processing fee. Ranger Miles just smiles wide when asked questions.
Old McGregor loiters near the small craft rental shack. He claims theres something big living in the lake. He saw it with his own eyes. Hes also blind….
Crystal Lake doesn’t appear on any maps or atlases. Satellite imagery of the are shows the lake and surrounding woods in its natural, undeveloped state. Be prepared to ask for directions.
The Crystal County Quilting Bee produces an astonishing number of elaborate and intricate quilts for the number of participants. Two other oddities: it is organized by the lunar calendar, and many of the patterns are similar to designs found in occult symbolism.
Quentin Hall, owner of the local haunted house attraction, has experienced several failed assassination attempts. No one has determined who wants him dead, or why.
Customers of the Horseshoe Inn & Suites wake up in local two-story homes furnished with family portraits of themselves and joyful strangers. Also, free in-room HBO!
The Crystal Lake Travel Bureau exclusively offers submarine tours of the lake. In fact, the travel agents don’t seem to understand what you mean by “other places,” like “Europe” or “Indiana.”
The only “gas station” in town is a single pump, attended 24/7 by either Cleetus Copper or his twin brother, Curtis. The service is free of charge, and is not accompanied by any convenience store. The Copper brothers usually have some cigarettes on them, at least. All the mufflers in town cough out a greenish smoke.
You can still find posters proclaiming Crystal Falls own Mark Mathews, then a senator, running for the office of President. No one knows why he suddenly dropped out or why most outsiders are unaware of his campaign.
In the 80s, Will Harton embezzled nearly a hundred thousand dollars from the North Ridge development project. A cop pulled him over on road 21, but he fled into the bush with nothing but a briefcase full of cash. He was never seen again, but the story is that every now and again, kids find money in the creek and try to buy candy with a wet $100.
Every day at 2PM, Mark Sinclair comes into Doe’s Diner for a slice of her homemade pie and two cups of coffee. Doe’s closed down years ago, but if you happen to drive past the old building, you might catch a glimpse of him, fork in hand.
Maps and directions to the abandoned sawmill are inconsistent, at best. Many claim to have encountered it while out in the woods, but always after they’ve become lost. These same people all have the words “Knot me” scratched and scarred into their skin, but can’t remember how it got there, or how they got back, come to think of it.
It is not stated on their terms of service but Meetup.com no longer supports communities in the Crystal Falls area.
There’s always hitchhikers on Route 57, always people trying to get home, offering whatever they have to just get a lift. Folks in town call it “The Long Road Home” as a joke, but no one ever asks, “where are they coming from?”
The Poplar Street Hound
Some say, out in the shelter belt, the Poplar Street dog still roams. Protecting the very spot where its owner, Robin, was attacked by a wolf, the hound stands sentry covered in blood. Oddly, the wolf was never found.
There is a line that circles the town and lake but is only really visible in the woods. no trees grow over this narrow path and animal trails bend to avoid it.
Crystal Falls Autos has the best deals on used cars in the county! Every one guaranteed in running condition and hygienically cleaned! All bullets holes patched, all persistent stains scrubbed out of the upholstery!
Don’t listen to the wind blowing through the power lines at night; every year, the power company needs to hire a new linesman to work the Crystal Falls line, because the first time after they work a night there, they quit, or commit murder or are just never seen again…
Mrs. Goodchild, the Principal of Crystal Falls Junior School, is a good woman who keeps the pupils in check and never fails a state inspector’s visit. So was her mother, the Principal before her, and her grandmother, the Principal before that… come to think of it, there’s been a Mrs. Goodchild as Principal of the school ever since the school opened….
Crystal Lake was not named for the clearness of it’s waters, but for the odd pebbles found along it’s banks. On particular nights they are said to glow with an internal light and strange, atonal music seems to float across the glass smooth surface of the lake.
No matter what you buy in the hardware store, you’ll get a two dollar bill, three dimes and some advice.
“Don’t go guessing any names out here!”
They say this part of the land was all underwater long before man appeared. Forgotten beasts swam in it’s depths, and if you look closely into the waters around the falls, you may see what locals have come to call the “Falls Phantom”.
Everyone knows that if you bring a bit of money to Mary O’Shaughnessy, in her mobile home at the edge of town, she’ll show you a good time. Few know that if you bring her blood or names or souls, she’ll show you something else.
Ronnie says the eyes of that automated Sashquatch outside Lee’s Sporting Goods follows him.
What a nincompoop, right?
I once gazed into crystal lake and it gazed back. We smiled at each other and as I learned the infinite details of its spirit, it too learned mine. I am no longer certain where it begins and I end or vice versa, or whether there is a me anymore or just Crystal Lake.
Damn Kate Bullock, that is awesome!!
Heading off hwy 2, there is still a banner for the ’82 Lilac Parade.
Everyone pretends not to remember.
On Leap day, there’s a man who comes to town. As far as anyone can remember, he’s always looked the same—maybe in his mid 40s. As he passes you, he’ll often whisper the secrets your loved ones have kept from you. This has never been good.
Crystal Lake’s Hedge Maze can apparently be solved if you go through the Zodiac gates in order. Kimmy Dockins figured it out and when she walked through the final gate, she left the world.
The church basement used to be a distillery during prohibition. It sometimes smells heavily of moonshine to this day, especially when the blood moon is out.
At the last second of the New Year, if you walk down the middle of the street on your way out of town, past Groverner’s Pub, and open your arms wide to the world, you’ll feel someone hug you. Hug them back and a woman will appear who knows your future. No one knows what it costs you.
Don’t look at the Google Street View image of 1427 Poplar Lane. Just… don’t.
The lake was supposedly formed by treasure hunters who dug down and hit a spring. If the stories of a treasure are real, it’s still down there, and so are the treasure hunters.
It seems like folks are always moving in to or out of Crystal Lake, but no one has ever met anyone outside of Crystal Lake who claims to have ever lived there.
The original Crystal Lake Town Charter is on display in a museum. It’s the only known town to have written it in blood (optional: on pages of human skin).
laws and punishments concerning witchcraft still take up the first four pages of the towns official laws. Judge Packerson refuses to even entertain the idea of getting rid of them.
Crystal Lake is known for two things: numerous UFO sightings and the longevity of its residents. Well, three things if you count the fact the lake was was formed by a meteorite impact.
Sightings of the Crystal Lake Monster occur every 133 years. Some folks say it’s just a silly old legend, yet this being 133rd year, others are reserving their judgement.
Every famous US serial killer in the past 60 years has visited the town during its Winter Solstice festival the year before their disappearance, capture or death. And those are just the ones that made the news.
There are several variations of legends linking Crystal Lake to time travel. It’s mostly been dismissed as nonsense until two university paleontologists claimed to have proof. They were both killed in separate home accidents the night before their press conference, the same night their notes and research was destroyed in a fire at the university.
It’s said that if you stare into your own reflection in the still water of Crystal Lake long enough, you will see your soul.
By ordnance, Crystal Lake is closed to swimming for 3 days following the summer solstice. No one knows why, but it was mandated by the town’s founders.
After the end of the season the crystal falls school mascot costume is set alight on a pyer in the town square. No one remembers when or why the tradition began but there certainly isn’t anything sinister about it.
Small towns are all about community, and treating each other like family. You can see it on their faces as you walk the streets, everyone greeting and smiling at each other. Everyone in this town is part of one big happy family. And soon you will be too.
Everyone stands up with Mrs. Malone walks in, and she always has a table to herself, even if the place is full. Everyone smiles and agrees with what Mrs. Malone says. No one asks where Mr. Malone is today.
The Ramirez triplets, Jenny, Johnny, and Jimmy, spend their days playing in the woods, running wild in the forest. Their parents never try and discipline them. Not since they started coming home with different eyes.
Chuck, the owner of the local pizza palace, boarded up the tunnels under the stage years ago. He said it was for insurance reasons, but everyone still remembers when one child didn’t come home from Vivaan’s 7th birthday party.
Every migratory animal avoids Crystal Falls. Here you will never see a flock of geese or a swarm of monarch butterflies, even though it lies directly in their migration path. At least that’s how it’s been since ’31
I see what you did there, Ferrell Riley, and I love it!
The Burton and Whitlock families have been feuding as long and anyone can remember. When the smallest of disputes between any two people in Crystal Lake occur, you best be prepared to choose a side, even if you’re just passing through.
The summer camps at Crystal Falls strictly forbid stuffed animals and dolls. They claim it’s to cut down on allergies, but the locals clam up when you ask about it.
Crystal Lake changed its name to Crystal Falls following a flurry of gruesome murders that were linked to the town’s original name. The killer or killers were never caught, but a petition to change the name back is gaining traction.
From the picture on the label, everyone expects the Crystal Falls Bottled Water factory to be on the lake side or connected to a stream. The actual address is a square mile of chain link fence in the woods guarded by officers of the US Air-force.
There’s a derelict 1980s cellular tower near the falls. Locals say that tourists get lost on the trails because devices won’t work inside the tower’s range. Surely that doesn’t apply to maps and compasses, right?
I’m closing this thread. Thanks everyone!
Thread necromancy! I wanted to let everyone know we are currently raising money on KS to print a big, beautiful hardcover book collecting the first 13 issues of Codex. We’re doing a single print run of this book, and when those are all gone, that’s it! Many of you in this thread have miscellany submissions that made it into one of those early issues, and so you might be interested in getting a copy of the book for yourself. Of particular note is a discounted $35 pledge tier, which is perfect if you don’t care about getting the PDFs.
Even if you’re not interested in getting a copy of the book for yourself, it would be super lovely (and helpful!) if you would share the campaign in your circles.
As it turns out, I can’t actually share a link to the project in this comment because G+ flags such KS links as spam, but if you just go to Kickstarter and search “Codex” it pops right up, or search “Codex RPG” in Google.
Thanks!