No? Did Mr Cartoon Man do it?
Brian takes note of which channel it’s on then switches it to another channel, with hopefully more entertaining shows for the kids.
He then sets up the video camera focussed on the TV and activates his PKE Meter.
He asks Gerasld, who also apparently fell asleep, to turn out the lights and use his visor (If he has one)
I’ll have to roll later, once I get home
Kris rejoins the rest in the third floor apartment, being very careful not to interrupt. He informs the others that the next floor is inaccessible for now, but that there is a combination lock that we may need to crack later(hopefully, we can find a locksmith who can crack it).
Kris also turns on his PKE Meter and if Gerald is sound asleep, he will borrow the Ectovisor and use it as well(assume he briefly puts things down so as not to be encumbered).
Kris rolls a 10 for equipment expert(no ghost).
“Oh, and guys, we have about an hour before ‘showtime’, so to speak. Should we split up on different floors at 8:00?”
Answering Kris, Brian says “You guys go study that old TV either in the basement or Don’s flat. Make sure the lights are out and do scanning, see if you can catch sight of the ghost. maybe get clues as to what it wants. I’ll stay here with the kids until the mother gets home, afterwards I’ll join you.”
“The ghost seems friendly enough, for now. Maybe we can help Casper move on, if we find what it wants. Something to do with the TV. I’ll see if it’s trying to watch a specific channel.”
Liz notices that her PKE meter has shut off. She tries to turn it back on, but it seems like the battery has gone low.
“Odd…” she wonders out loud, “It was fully charged when I got here. Lou,” she turns to her new teammate, “is your equipment acting up? My meter is on the fritz.”
She decides to turn off the lights and sweep the apartment with her Ecto-Viser. “Hope you don’t mind Don, I think something’s up.”
Used 2 brownie points, rolled 6. Rolled 7 for brains, no ghost. 13 total.
The children claim that, yes, it was probably Mr. Cartoon Man who changed the television; however, they also claim that they didn’t see him do it, they just saw the channel change, and that’s how he does it sometimes. He doesn’t always appear. “He’s probably afraid of grown-ups,” they speculate.
Brian makes sure his videocamera is working, and changes the channel from CBS to NBC, more or less at random. There is no immediate response to this. His PKE meter shows higher readings than before, indicating that the ghost was here fairly recently, but it doesn’t seem to be present at this particular moment.
Kristopher’s PKE readings confirm what Brian had said; the ghost has recently been active in the region of the kids’ television set. Nothing is visible through his Ecto-Visor, and the children are *very *reluctant to let three strange men turn off the lights in their bedroom, especially with one of them passed out in a corner and a video camera running! (wouldn’t you be!)
Don has no objection to turning out the lights, especially with a reasonably attractive young female in his apartment! He just wishes Louis would find somewhere else to be…
Elizabeth sweeps the apartment through her Ecto-Visor, looking for any signs of anything unusual… and finds something!
Glancing into Don’s electronics ‘workshop’, she notices a faint blue glow coming from the still-partially-disassembled television brought down from Ms. LaCoque’s apartment. "Odd, " she muses to herself. “I’m pretty sure we didn’t plug that in…” She moves closer to examine the situation:
From within the picture tube of the non-working television set, the distinctive blue glow of a television program emanates. Slowly and cautiously, a hazy, almost pixellated image appears in brilliant three-dimensional form… a human face, thin and pale, wearing eyeglasses, emerges from the picture tube. It looks around for a moment… then it notices Liz looking at it. A panicked expression forms on its face as their eyes meet, then it suddenly retreats into the television set. A moment later, the glow has faded to invisibility, and the ghost is gone.
Oh my, was that really first contact?! Gosh, I hope things don’t get DANGEROUS any time soon! :::cackle:::
Brian looks at his watch and wonders when Mrs Pogoni is getting back.
He keeps watching the TV, waiting for it to change channels, or something else to happen.
Rolled Brains, 17, no ghost, for use in observing if necessary.
“Gambling man, professor? I’ll bet you $5 the ghost does change the TV channel in the next 30 minutes. You on?” Kris says once the channel gets flipped.
Kris keeps his PKE meter running and is paying attention to anything in that might happen.
And if no one stops him, he’s going to turn the lights off in this room without asking and look through the Ectovisor as well. 
Kris rolls a 4 for brains, no ghost. That’s for general oberservation. However, he rolls a 20 for the PKE meter or Ectovisor usage.
Brian says to the kids “Hey! Who wants soe dessert! Come on into the kitchen, kids!”
Giving Kris a chance to scan in the dark.
“Wait, wait! Come back!” she pleads with the tv. The expression the ghost gave her bothers her. It was almost as if it was just as surprised to she her as she was to see it.
Liz backs out of the workshop, quickly discards her dead PKE meter and grabs Lou’s walkie-talkie, “Hey boys, it’s show time!”
She quickly describes the face that she saw pop out of LaCoque’s tv and the alarmed look it gave her.
“It looks like the activity here subsided. I’m going to see if LaCoque has ever seen someone fitting the ghost’s description,” she tells her new team mates.
She sprints upstairs, leaving Don and Lou in the lower apartment, and hurriedly knocks on LaCoque’s door.
Gerald goes downstairs and takes a taxi home; apparently the stress got to be too much for him. JT reminds him that his job is still open, whenever he feels like coming back.
(We’re gonna miss you here, Johnny Bravo.)
Kristopher turns out the lights, activates his Ecto-Visor, and powers up his PKE meter. Nothing happens immediately, but a careful monitoring of the PKE meter shows energy levels in the vicinity of the television are slowly but steadily rising.
Brian shoo-es the children out into the kitchen, and feeds them cookies he found in the top shelf of the pantry. They are happily munching around the kitchen table, talking silly talk and having a good time, when Mrs. Pogoni return, laden with shopping bags from her trip out of the house and smiling from ear to ear.
Elizabeth runs upstairs and pounds on Ms. LaCoque’s door urgently. After a moment, Ms. LaCoque opens the door a crack and peeks around it to see what Elizabeth wants. In the background a faint rumbling noise can be heard; Ms. LaCoque seems reluctant to let Elizabeth even look inside.
“A skinny man with glasses?” she answers in response to Liz’s questioning. “Yeah. That describes that guy upstairs to a “T”! It’s starting to get dark out soon… maybe you’ll be able to meet him tonight? Now if you’ll excuse me…” She moves to shut the door.
The time is now 7:55 pm, Monday, June 23, 1986.
Sorry to see you go, Johnny!
Brian greets Mrs Pogoni and tells her that Kris is just finishing up checking the kids room.
Once he’s done Brian suggests they go meet the others in Don’s apartment.
Kris heads to Don’s apartment to watch the television at 8 PM. First, he unplugs the TV and makes sure there is a cushion blocking the outlet, just for fun. Then, he settles in and aims his PKE meter at the TV, staring at the TV and hoping something neat happens.
Lou is contemplating what the freak happened with his zipper while patiently waiting for 8:00.
Liz makes her way back down to Don’s to tell Lou and hopefully the others about the ghost matching the description of the upstairs tenant.
Brian rushes downstairs to arrive before 8:00
When he hears Liz’s description, he notes it also matches the ghostss picture in the kids drawings.
“Lets not jump to any conclusions though. Ghosts don’t barricade themselves into an apartment like that.”
Ooops… posted too soon!
Chapter 3: First Contact
8:00 pm
Brian, Kristopher, Louis, and Elizabeth re-convene in Don’s apartment, as the fateful hour ticks into being. The lights are out; those with Ecto-Visors
Gear Layout:
Brian: PKE Meter, Proton Pack, Ecto-Visor (Videocamera is in the children’s room, running.)
Kris: PKE Meter, Proton Pack, Ecto-Visor
Louis: Ghost Trap, Proton Pack, Ecto-Visor
Elizabeth: Ghost Trap, Proton Pack, Ecto-Visor
Liz, I gave you a Ghost Trap instead of the walkie-talkies because nobody else was using the walkie-talkies. Everybody has Ecto-Visors because it’s freakin’ dark in here.
A faint glow begins to rise from the center of the living room floor; in your Ecto-Visor, it manifests itself clearly: A thin male figure, wearing glasses, leans back in a protoplasmic recliner. One hand holds a bottle, and in the figure’s lap is a phantasmic bowl of potato chips. The ghost’s right hand holds a large old-fashioned remote-control device; if you’re old enough, you may remember the kind that makes a loud ‘click’ sound and only has two buttons. Kids, ask your grandparents about these!
The spirit either is unaware of your presence, or ignores it, at least for the moment… there are more pressing matters to attend to, first!
As you watch, the figure raises the ghostly apparition of a remote control, and points it at Don’s television. As it does so, a glowing vapor spills forth, forming a spectral arm and hand, which stretches out across the room towards the set. It quickly knocks the seat cushion out of the way, and rips loose the remaining duct tape over the socket. It reaches out and picks up the set’s electrical cord, and plugs it into the wall. Then it reaches into the television set itself, and with a click and a hum the small black-and-white device activates and begins to glow brightly. The CBS logo appears, and the opening credits of “Scarecrow and Mrs. King” (starring Kate Jackson and Bruce Boxleitner) start to play.
The spirit watches for just a moment, then rises up through the ceiling and is gone before anyone can react.
Kristopher’s RAPID AIMING skill will, if he desires, allow him to try to make one shot before the ghost is gone. Alternately, it may be better to allow it to travel unmolested, for now. It’s up to you, Mahaloth!
“I’d prefer to see what it’s up to and what it wants. It appears to be a few decades old judging from the technology.”
Brian slaps his forhead. “The camera is still running upstairs! Maybe it will record the ghost visiting the kids. Ibetter go get it before its too late in the evening though.”
While tempting, Kris would rather see what is up instead of simply blasting away. He does not take out his blaster.
Kris heads upstairs instead, attempting to quickly and quietly follow the ghost to the third floor(Pogoni), skipping Lecoque’s fllor entirely.
Get this. Kris rolled a 30(no ghost) for sneaking. With such a role, I think he should be able to quickly and quietly ascend and should have a good chance to see the ghost if it is present anywhere accessible.
Lou to Brian: “Ah dunno. Mah sis still has one o’ dem remo’s.”
One of my sisters did have a remote like that at the time. Still does, AFAIK.