William Bailey was a figure both idolised for his philanthropy yet infamous for his ruthlessness in business and the depths of the skulduggery involved in his running legal battles with the Learmonth family over control of the Mt Egerton Mine.
His 1883 mansion, which still stands on Drummond St in Ballarat, is often claimed to be one of Australia's most haunted buildings in local folklore. Legend has it that Bailey's ghost still patrols its halls on the look out for agents of the Learmonth family attempting to steal his fortune in gold.
This one-shot Call of Cthulhu adventure, set in historical 1890s Ballarat, explores some of the places, figures and legends in the story of William Bailey, and the machinations of a, today largely forgotten, cult which operated in western Victoria in the late 19th century; the New Lights or Stephenites, after their ruthless and charismatic leader Stephen. It is designed to be run as a single session between 2-3 hours.
