Betrayal Session 13

[idolpro]

Who: You lot
When: To be inserted into the timeline after completion
What: Betrayal at the House on the Game Tower

[ The game starts with you in elevators, the doors jammed shut. You can keep an eye on the city further and further below you, but there's no introduction to today's game.

It's just as well. Those of you who recognize it need no introduction to it. Those of you who don't couldn't be prepared by any host's opening spiel, anyway.

The elevator stops atop the central tower of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building and then lurches unpleasantly, wrenching itself out of where elevators ought to go. The sudden movement jolts you, and when the doors open you spill out into a room.

Hopefully, with not too much time missing. ]

Comments

RULES

[idolpro]

IC INSTRUCTIONS:

[ Still have your minds? Try to hold onto those, as long as you can! As long as you're safe and sane, the goal is to explore as many rooms of the house as you can-- first come, first serve! Only the first person to explore a room gets the points for it.

If you lose your mind, you'll turn traitor to those around you, and you won't be able to help but try to do what the house wants you to do. With the house pushing upon you, both physical and mental distress are a danger to your sanity. Take care.

And take heart, too, even if you do turn traitor! It's another goal, and if you're doing badly at the other, this is a way to win! You haven't lost it all yet! Especially since the traitor goals are worth more points with the audience. ]

OOC Instructions:

Each team will have their traitor goal provided in a locked post of their starting room. Do not share your goal OOC, though do pay attention to other players' Do Not Wants when violence does occur.

Each room will be described with one paragraph of flavor text, which you can use to interact with each other but does not mechanically do anything or have dice rolls. Following the flavor text, the exits/entrances to the room will be listed, with one additional paragraph listing any other effects the room may have attached. Interacting with specific aspects listed after the entrances may give you stat bonuses, or stat detriments. Be aware of that! Flavor text from the first paragraph has no stat stuff attached.

Ping the runner the first time you enter a room, so we can get the description up for you.

The first time a room is entered, the first post will be descriptive. The second comment beneath that will be an event/item, unless the room does not have one attached, which would be noted in the first comment. Please wait for the second comment before responding to top-levels if you are the first person in a room.

If you are not the first person to go through a room, you can just comment beneath the top-level, there will not be another event/item for it.

Make rolls in the Discord roll channel as necessary. Rolls are made with 3 sided dice, minus the number of dice you're rolling, so zero is possible. Use the command .roll Xd3-X in the #dicebot channel on Discord, with X being the number of dice you're rolling.

If your character loses all of one stat, they lose the battle of the wills to the House. All their personal morals and concerns are overridden. If it helps, think of it as being possessed by a vengeful spirit. Those who have turned traitor do not get points for exploring rooms. The possessed do not need to reveal their status OOC to other players, as many Traitor goals need to be performed in certain areas-- it is up to player preference if you are going to overpower another PC and drag them there, or trick them to going somewhere with you. All traitor characters know the whole map. The insanity effect is temporary, and lasts only as long as the game does. Characters turn traitor on an individual basis; if a character hits a sanity break, it will not also impact their unitmates.

Stat sheet changes and traitor status both carry over into a new session. If your character ended a session with +2 might and -1 speed from their starting positions, they will start their next session with +2 might and -1 speed from their starting positions. If they turn traitor, they will remain a traitor until endgame.

Any team that completes a traitor goal is automatically a winner. If less than half the units complete their traitor goals, then the remaining winning units will be those who explored the most rooms.

Session 13 Links

[idolpro]

How to play: Betrayal at the House on the Game Tower
Stat cards reference sheet
This session's stat card page - PLEASE DO THIS FIRST BEFORE YOU START PLAYING.
This session's map - to be updated as rooms are unlocked.

Rooms

[idolpro]

LiliS
sensitIV
pep!pep!
Taisho Roman Revolution
BAD END=DEAD END
future is now
WILD CITY
☆ZRAEL
Heart Soldier Senshi
AlcheME!
avante en garde
BARiTONES

Creaky Hallway

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Creaky Hallway. The door behind you squeaks so loud when you close it, and the floorboards protest beneath your weight. You would surely hear if someone were to approach you here.

The room is a cross-shaped intersection, doors in each of the cardinal directions.

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages. ]

Re: Creaky Hallway

[stakesthesame]

[ going west ]

Foyer

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Foyer. An extension of the entrance hall, the center of the hall is taken up by a fountain, water slopping over the sides through a grate in the floor as in waves as if displaced by some tumultuous battle. The statues in the fountain are engaged in a still-frame war, gladiatorial armies holding spears aloft with wounds that leak water to the fountain below. Watching over all this is a prominently placed painting of man. Beneath it is a plaque, no name or artist but instead are the words, "Do Unto Others."

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages.

There are exits in all four cardinal directions. ]

Re: Foyer

[stakesthesame]

[ NORTH ]

Grand Staircase

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Grand Staircase. An opulent staircase, it curves an elegant line to the upper landing, out of sight above. The dark mahogany of the flooring almost hides the rust blotches and trail, where it looks like something bloody was dragged unwilling up them, leaving desperate scratches in the wood. The landing below has a dark splotch where the blood starts at the bottom, where an altercation must have started in full-view of the front hall.

There is one entrance to the south, and one that leads to the second floor landing above.

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages. ]

Re: Grand Staircase

[stakesthesame]

[ UPSTAIRS!!!! ]

Upper Landing

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Upper Landing. An opulent staircase from the lower level curves an elegant line to the landing, to down below. The dark mahogany of the flooring almost hides the rust blotches and trail, where it looks like something bloody was dragged unwilling up them, leaving desperate scratches in the wood.

There is an entrance in all four cardinal directions: the north, east, south, and west, as well as the option to take the stairs down a floor or up a floor.

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages. ]

Re: Upper Landing

[stakesthesame]

[ south, babeyyyy ]

Junk Room

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Junk Room. It's difficult to wedge the door open to enter, so much are the multitudes of junk that have been heaped here. Among other things, suits ruined with cigarette burns, books with red wine staining and fusing the pages, half a motorcycle, and a pawn shop's worth of wrist-watches all in need of repair litter the floor. There's a stack of mirrors against the wall, so you can see how ridiculous you look as you pick your way through the mess, too. It's a trial and a half to wade through this room, and opening any of the doors promises to be equally arduous.

There are four entrances, one in each cardinal direction: to the north, east, south, and west.

To pull open a door you'll need to make a Might roll of 3+. If you fail, you'll lose one speed from tripping and hurting your ankle while yanking it open, but you'll still get out. ]

Event: Possession

[idolpro]

A shadow separates from the wall. As you stand in shock, the shadow surrounds you and chills you to the core.

You must choose any one trait and attempt a roll for that trait:
4+: You resist the shadow's corruption. Gain 1 in a trait of your choice.
0-3: The shadow drains your energy. The chosen trait drops to its lowest value above the skull. If that trait is already at its lowest value, lower a different trait to its lowest value.

Arsenal

[idolpro]

[ You enter the arsenal. Display cases full of hunting rifles, likely too old to be meant for use are on some walls, but others display weapons exotic and unusual, likely never used for anything but ceremony. Anything you could hope to find to do damage to a human body from centuries past lies entombed in this room, but the question is if they lie in a condition still usable. You're just as likely to dig up something rusty and dull as something still meant for the field.

There is an exit to the north.

When entering this room for the first time, you get two items-- choose one to keep. Discard the other as useless. There is also a dumbwaiter in this room. ]

FOR NEMESIS

[idolpro]

Conservatory

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Conservatory. It's been designed like a birdcage with art nouveau bars sleek and too thin to pass through even if you were to break the glass. The plants here are gorgeous, boughs of potted trees and vines weighted down fruit-- recognizable pomegranates, others more strange and unfamiliar. The flowers are all in full bloom despite the dead of night, perfuming the air thickly.

There are exits to the north, west, and to the east. ]

Event: Locked Safe

[idolpro]

Behind a portrait is a wall safe. It is locked, of course.

The safe is now established to be in this room.
Once during a character's turn, that character can attempt a Knowledge roll to open the Safe:
5+: Draw 2 items and remove the Safe token.
2-4: Take 1 die of physical damage. The Safe won't open.
0-1: Take 2 dice of physical damage. The Safe won't open.

Storeroom

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Storeroom - although for a storeroom, it's surprisingly barren. Inside are three tall metal shelves in a row, some rolled-up rugs shoved up against one wall, an extra champagne cube with one ottoman missing, and really not much else. It might have been emptied out for the latest party, or else maybe the people in this house just left all their shit strewn around whatever room it happened to end up in and barely used this place because of it.

There are exits to the north and south. ]

Re: Storeroom

[puzzlekeeper]

[ ZOOMS SOUTH AGAIN ]

Bathroom

[idolpro]

[ You enter the bathroom. All the mirrors and windows are fogged up, a bath full of warm water and bubbles already drawn. The room smells heady, like warm wine that's been spiced— and, if the bubbles clear, it seems that… might be what's in the tub. It's dark red, sloshing lightly like something's moving beneath the surface, before more foam wells up to cover what's been cleared away.

There are exits to the north, west, and to the east. ]

event: Jonah's Turn

[idolpro]

Two boys are playing with a wooden top. "Would you like a turn, Jonah?" one asks.
"No," says Jonah, "I want all the turns." Jonah takes the top and hits the other boy in the face. The boy falls. Jonah keeps hitting him as they fade from view.

If a character has the Puzzle Box, that character discards that item and draws a replacement item for it. If this happens, you gain 1 sanity; otherwise you take 1 die of mental damage.

Gallery

[idolpro]

[ You enter the gallery. A wide brassy-railed mezzanine, it encircles the ballroom below like the spectator seats of some grand coliseum. Statues engaged in obscene and immoral acts are ensconced in recessed archways behind pulled back sequin curtains, all of them seeming like they could be party-goers caught at their absolute worst, and petrified— literally— by discovery.

There is an entrance to the north, east, and the south.

You may also choose to jump to the ballroom below . . . It'll hurt if you do. Take 1 die of physical damage if you choose to do this.

Event: Funeral

[idolpro]

You see an open coffin. You're inside it.

You must attempt a Sanity roll:
4+: You blink, and it's gone. Gain 1 Sanity.
2-3: The vision disturbs you. Lose 1 Sanity.
0-1: You're really in that coffin. Lose 1 Sanity and 1 Might as you dig yourself out. If the Graveyard or the Crypt has been found, the character is moved to one (player choice).

Servant's Quarters

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Servant's Quarters. Beds are crammed in close together, stacked in two-tall bunks set into cabinets-- capsule hotel-like. The spaces between rows are narrow and hard to navigate, labyrinthine with corners that are designed so you can't see who's coming around the next hall. It affords privacy, at those cost of peace of mind-- you can hear footsteps but now know how close they are, you know surely there must be an exit close but be unable to find it easily through the maze.

You may go North, East, South, or West. ]

Re: Servant's Quarters

[puzzlekeeper]

[ west!!! ]

Larder

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Larder. A great plume of white bursts into your face as you open the door-- a sack of flour lands with a heavy thud. It's only that. It's landed heavy by the door, surrounded by many more sacks of flour, sugar. Crates of dried goods line shelves, alongside tins and spices. Something moves in the sack.

You may go West or East.

The tins don't look tampered with. You could risk eating something here to keep your strength up, you're probably not going to find much better in this mansion. (Oncer per round, if you eat the rations, gain 1 might.) ]

Re: Larder

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He's going for the rations without hesitation this time around. +1 might. ]

Stairs from Basement

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Stairs from the Basement. They are, fortunately, neither narrow or steep. They wind a spiral deeper into the earth— you know yourself to the be at the top of the game tower, but it's hard to keep that in mind, so oppressive is the air down here.

You can exit to the east on the ground floor, or continue down to the room directly below.

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages. ]

Re: Stairs from Basement

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ hiryuu and levi pass thru here ]

Foyer

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Foyer. An extension of the entrance hall, the center of the hall is taken up by a fountain, water slopping over the sides through a grate in the floor as in waves as if displaced by some tumultuous battle. The statues in the fountain are engaged in a still-frame war, gladiatorial armies holding spears aloft with wounds that leak water to the fountain below. Watching over all this is a prominently placed painting of man. Beneath it is a plaque, no name or artist but instead are the words, "Do Unto Others."

The room itself offers no particular dangers or advantages.

There are exits in all four cardinal directions. ]

Laundry

[idolpro]

[ You enter the laundry room. The slightly warm, fresh smell of clean laundry covers an undertone of mildew from somewhere. Though it's clean, the lighting is low, and flickers from time to time overhead, abruptly throwing the room into darkness for moments at a time.

A corner of the room has been used for storage—cardboard boxes full of out-of-season decorations, knick-knacks, costumes gone out of fashion and all manner of disused theater props.

There is an exit to the north, and to the west.

If you end your turn here, you may discard your item to draw an item from the discard pile. There is a dumbwaiter here. ]

Item: Healing Salve

[idolpro]

A sticky paste in a shallow bowl.

You can apply the Healing Salve to yourself or to another living character in the same room. If that character's Might or Speed is below its starting value, raise one or both traits to the starting value. Discard this item after using it.

Drawing Room

[idolpro]

[ You enter the drawing room. Withdrawn far into the house, it doesn't seem like many guests could have ever been entertained here. Nonetheless, it's ready for the occasion. Most any occasion, actually. A large dining table, with a black mirrored surface stands at the center of the room, surrounded by tufted couches in black fabric with an oil-slick sheen. A roll-top desk stands by a bookshelf stands by a display case stands by an easel stands by a coat-rack. But that said, the room is occupied by strange silhouettes-- not the shadows of the damned, animate and three-dimensional. These have been painted onto various pieces of furniture, people that aren't reclining atop couches, sitting for their supper, as if to keep company someone locked away deprived of it.

There is an exit to the north, and to the east.

There is also, upon searching, a dumb-waiter in this room. ]

Rotten

[idolpro]

The smell in this room, it's horrible. Smells like death, like blood. A slaughterhouse smell.

You must attempt a Sanity roll:
5+: Troubling odors, nothing more. Gain 1 Sanity.
2-4: Lose 1 might.
1: Lose 1 Might and 1 Speed.
0: You double over with nausea. Lose 1 Might, 1 Speed, 1 Knowledge, and 1 Sanity.

Theater

[idolpro]

[ You enter the theater. From the back of the home theater is a projector, designed for old film reels. A reel winds through it, black and white footage projected onto a blank expanse of wall at the front of the room, red velvet curtains drawn to either side. Arm chairs are available, for guests of the house that would wish to watch. The film's footage is of an old-fashioned magician. He and his assistant do tricks, of no great interest to any modern audience-- a rabbit from a hat, the woman sawed in half. But if people stay in the room to watch long enough, mid-way through the final trick, when the man has entered the vanishing cabinet, and appears in the other, a man from the audience leaps up and guns the magician down. There's the loud fire of a gunshot coming close— too close, as the projector sparks and the film pops, the sound that rings out a twin to the gunfire. But if you exit the room, and re-enter, you'll find it fine, and it will begin to play again…

There is an exit to the west, and to the south. ]

Operating Lab

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Operating Laboratory. An operating room table reclines in the middle of it, the outline of a body visible underneath the sheet. An array of satellite lights spotlight the chair like a stage, and monitors all around it are ceaselessly reporting no activity. And on the walls— photographs. Of an arm, a pair of pretty eyes in someone's face, a slim pair of legs, dexterous pianist fingers, and more parts upon parts upon parts. Three guesses where they went, and the first two don't count.

There is an entrance to the North, East, and to the South. ]

Event: Secret Passage

[idolpro]

A section of the wall slides away. Behind it a mouldering tunnel awaits.

There is a secret passage in this room. Roll 3 dice to find where it ends:
6: Any discovered room.
4-5: Any discovered upper floor rooms
2-3: Any existing ground floor room.
0-1: Any existing basement room.
You can then use the secret passage at any time, from either end.

Master Bedroom

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Master Bedroom. It's an exercise in decadence more than it is a room— the bed not immediately obvious for the clothes piled over it. Expensive clothes spill over the edge of it, drape off the back of every chair, drape over the couch, hang from the chandelier— dresses bedecked in jewels enough to weigh down a body like an anchor, black silk suit jackets, Italian and bespoke. Nothing in here could have been worn more than once, all of them torn in very exacting ways, the buttons all sliced from this shirt, the back of this dress split twain, seams splitting down to the waist. The wardrobe is empty save shoes, and the bedside chest of drawers has only knives and seam-rippers.

There are exits to the north, west and to the south.]

Event: The Walls Have Eyes

[idolpro]

A series of faded portraits hang on the wall. Their eyes seem to follow you. Is it just a painter's trick. No, the silent, dead faces are trying to tell you something.

You must attempt a sanity roll:
0-2: lose one sanity
3: gain one Knowledge
4+: Gain an item. If the Arsenal has been discovered, you are immediately moved to the Arsenal. If the Arsenal has not yet been found, ping a runner to be moved there and have it added to the map.

Roof Landing

[idolpro]

[ You arrive on the top floor landing. There are exits to the north, west, and south.

Some of the wallpaper on the wall to the east looks slightly loose, indicating a door hidden behind it. ]

Re: Roof Landing

[antidoting]

[ BURSTING ONTO THE ROOF LANDING AND TAKING DEEP BREATHS ]

Basement Landing

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Basement Landing. Aside from piles and piles of coal here in this room, there's not really much else . . . It's really just coal, soot and dust coating everything. Your footprints leave dark tracks as you walk through it, on ground in ashes. What on earth are they burning down here, to need this much coal? How large must the furnace be?

You may go North, East, South, or West. ]

Re: Basement Landing

[backstory]

There's nothing in here. The dust irritates my lungs, too. Let's continue to move--

Gardens

[idolpro]

[ You enter the Gardens. Wrought-iron gates divide it from the edge of the skyscraper, imposing points silhouetted against the dark sky, lit from beneath by motion activated lights in the soil that glow as you walk past them— announcing your presence to everyone out here. An apple tree dominates the center of the garden, roots buckling the paths and littering its fruit— all perfect, unblemished where it has fallen, all throughout the garden. Small sprouts spike from the ground, pale and strangled imitations of the central tree, none of them thriving.

There are three entrances: one to the north, one to the east and one to the west. ]

Event: Smoke

[idolpro]

Smoke billows around you. You cough, wiping away tears.

The Smoke in this room blocks line of sight from adjacent rooms. A character rolls 2 fewer dice (minimum 1 die) on all trait rolls in this room.