Walkman

Summary

The Walkman is a portable music player carried and operated by Sucks throughout the campaign. In Session 4, the device becomes a critical tool for non-violent communication when Sucks uses it to play Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush for The Frozen Blob. Rather than using the headphones conventionally, Sucks wears them around his neck, allowing the music to be heard by everyone present, including the creature. The Walkman's volume controls enable Sucks to experiment with different sound levels, testing the blob's response to varying intensities of music.

Properties

The Walkman functions as a standard portable cassette player with headphones and manual volume control. Sucks can adjust the volume in increments, experimenting with settings from 100% down to 75% and 50% during his interaction with The Frozen Blob. The device allows music to be played through its headphones, which can be positioned around the neck to broadcast sound to nearby listeners rather than being worn over the ears. This configuration proves essential for the device's use as a communication tool rather than simply personal entertainment equipment.

History

Session 4

In Session 4, Sucks deploys the Walkman when the party encounters The Frozen Blob in the market. Sucks decides to [play Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush loud through the headphones](timestamp://86cd404c-d3fc-4850-9eff-ab865b388df9/44:15), positioning them around his neck so that everyone, including the blob, can hear the music. As The Frozen Blob begins to respond to the song, Sucks uses the Walkman's volume controls to test whether the creature's behavior correlates with sound intensity. He reduces the volume from 100% to 75%, then down to 50%, observing the blob's distance-to-volume relationship. This systematic experimentation with the device's controls demonstrates its value as more than entertainment equipment—it becomes a means of establishing communication with an unusual and potentially dangerous creature.