Dreaming Man Case File
Date: September 5, 2501
Case #: D25017953278
Case Name: SANDMAN
Case Status: Open
Summary:
Toxicology reports from recent arrests and deaths in the Orchish Ghetto neighborhood of Kansas City, indicate rapidly
increasing usage of a previously unknown narcotic drug. Contacts in the area report that the drug is mainly being
used by younger members of the sizable Orchish community. They call the drug "Dreaming Man". It is known
to be distributed by a local gang or "posse", known as "The Zombie Posse". Due to the insular
nature of the gang and the community, however, attempts to determine the source of the drug have been unsuccessful.
The appearance of the Dreaming Man drug coincides with recent allegations of ROP federal agents' participation
in narcotics trafficking in the OG neighborhood. The Reverend Thompson Ezekiel of the Southside OME (Orchish Methodist
Episcopal) Church (22nd and Harfleur) has on several occasions in the past two months made reference to having
been informed of such participation. Note, however, that preliminary investigation of these allegations uncovered
no corroborating evidence.
Attached is a summary report of CBI (Contra Band Interdiction) Department analysis of "Dreaming Man".
A recent victim of the drug, Anton Royce, remains under observation in the psychiatric ward of Faith Hospital in
the OG neighborhood. The unusual nature of the properties of the compound and the coincidence of allegations of
official involvement in its distribution warrant careful investigation.
The KBI liaison for this investigation is Agent Osborne and Senior Agent Andre Jones, CBI Department, Orchish Ghetto
field office.
Notes on the Orchish Ghetto:
The Orchish Ghetto has evolved into a trendy arts community, but still holds some pockets of lower socioeconomic
status. Several ethnic groups inhabit the neighborhood, Orcs of course, Catholic and Haitian immigrants.
Major known criminal elements include a Haitian gang known as the Zombie Posse, and an Orchish gang called the
Soldiers of Iuz, reputedly affiliated with the Italian Mafia. Conflict between these criminal elements is rare,
although both are primarily in the business of drug distribution.
Officer Leroy Lemonde of the Metro P.D. is the community-policing liaison for the OG neighborhood.
Analysis of the Drug:
Chemical analysis of the "Dreaming Man" drug has been conducted by CBI chemists in the past three months.
They concluded that the drug is synthetic, combining laboratory mixed stimulants with an unknown organic compound,
which could not be positively identified as either animal or vegetable in nature. Speculation by these chemists
is that the unknown ingredient may be a new substance native to Terra-Sol but unknown to Old Earth chemistry.
The effect of ingestion is most acute when the bluish-black flakes are burned and the fumes inhaled, but longer-lasting
effects can be achieved with oral and especially with intravenous ingestion, typically by mixing the flakes with
water for an appropriate medium. Users under the influence of the drug report a sense of dissociation from reality,
vertigo, ennui, hunger, and unnatural perceptions of distance and time. More unusual, however, is the fact these
effects are sometimes experienced by individuals near a user who have not taken the drug themselves. Such transference
of effect has been observed after presence for five minutes at a proximity of about six feet. The cause of this
effect is unknown.
The drug is physically addictive. The addictive component seems to be the unknown organic element, since the stimulants
used are not known to produce such severe dependency. Withdrawal usually occurs after six or seven ingestion's
of the drug over a period of ten or twenty days. Withdrawal is more pronounced for heavier users. It typically
sets in after twenty-four hours, and is marked by muscle cramps and spasms, cyanosis, nausea, vertigo, fever, and
violent but vague hallucinations.
Background Investigation: Thompson Ezekiel
Thompson Ezekiel was born in 2464 in Charleston, South Carolina of non-mutant parents. He was raised by his single
mother in Charleston and then in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an only child. The onset of his mutation (Orc)
occurred when he was approximately twelve years old. This did not prevent him from receiving a Bachelor of Arts
in History from New York University in 2487, and a Master of Divinity from Baker University in 2490. He has worked
as Minister of Southside OME Church in the Orchish Ghetto neighborhood since 2492. He has no criminal record, and
became an ROP citizen in 2494.
Ezekiel has written several articles for prominent Orchish magazines, criticizing the mainstream ROP society and
government for their failures in alleviating poverty and crime in minority communities and criticizing the military
and law enforcement establishments for what he calls "ingrained racist brutality". He has addressed the
same themes as a keynote speaker, and in appearances on local media.
Ezekiel's Speech:
The footage is 3D, high resolution but with the shakiness of a portable and probably concealable unit. The scene
is apparently a church sermon. The view is often obstructed by the nodding heads of congregates. At the pulpit
is a tall, clean-shaven Orchish man, wearing an expensive business suit. He punctuates his speech with angry gesticulation.
"With our own eyes we have seen them, the human devils of the CIA" (Central Intelligence Agency, the
ROP's intelligence gathering agency) he cries, and the crowd groans angrily, "and the CBI", the crowd
groans again, "and the KBI", there are still louder groans and shouts of indignation, "bringing
the plague of drugs to our streets, to our front door and our school-yards! With our own eyes we have seen them,
speaking one to another in the shadows of night, trading promises and purses of silver. We have seen them, my brothers
and sisters, and the time has come for the world to know. We are on to you!"
GM: Michael Cross (e-mail)