DM Shade's The Misty Manor [Solo] (Inactive)

Game Master Arrius

Sorry about that. I hadn't realised it'd been a whole week. :S

I actually forgot that Arline said she had a hooded lantern! She is curiously exceptionally prepared in comparison to her twin brothers.
No light management problems here.

Well, I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later... :P

I actually forgot about TVTropes for a while. Thing eats up time like you eat popcorn.

Sure does. Sometimes, I like going through and making lists of any tropes pertaining to the characters I'm currently playing. It's kind of fascinating how deeply these narrative structures have become ingrained in our psyches, to the extent that you aren't really conscious about using them in your own creative endeavors.

I'm really digging the sets of pre-formulated paths, at least for this specific scenario. Works really well for a solo adventure. Kind of feels like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, with the added bonus of knowing that you can go off script if you think of something the writers did not. Also helps me from getting totally stumped on what to do. :P

They're a useful tool in adventure paths as well if you're careful. Over time and many sessions, players accumulate a lot of knowledge, ideas, and impressions, but usually cannot deploy them unless the GM helps frame them.
It's a little meta, but it helps roleplaying.

Yeah, people can be terrified of metagaming, but mature out-of-character contextualisation can really make everything run more smoothly. Like the GM being clear about the consequences of a failed roll, for example. The players are storytellers as well, and can't really contribute if they are stumbling around in the dark.

So far, the evidence supports several theories regarding the house and Shiraz. Evidence was stacking, and putting clues into cohesive blocks is an appropriate gesture (as this is a mystery/occult game), especially since the pace of posting was slow enough for some clues to be forgotten.
Pluses indicate clues for
Minuses indicate clues against

Vengeful Ghost Theory Shiraz is literally a ghost returned for vengeance.
+ She knows everything Shiraz should know
+ Heavy heretical presence in the house
- Shiraz and her minions leave no trail of Ectoplasm, or residual magical auras (powers are Su instead of SP or SLA)
- There is no explanation why she didn't act for nearly four decades after her friends abandoned her, and many years since Uncle Alistair died
- Tarkowski explicitly says there is nothing undead be afraid of in Ardis

Trick Theory This is all one big trick to embarrass or mock Thaddeus
+ Nobody was physically harmed (only scared)
- Does not explain Shiraz's powers or the memories, as well as supernatural elements such as the nightmares

Transcending Evil Theory Something happened a week or so ago since the beginning of the story (specifically the 'Kindler's night of horrors' that awakened this evil
+ The timeline and Tarkowski's speech line up with the theory
+ The theme of terror and Shiraz's use of it makes sense
- The theory doesn't explain anything about Shiraz's behavior--how she knows everything she should, and how she acts.

Latent Powers/Evil House Theory A tragedy occurred in the house of the Khadrevs generations ago. This tragedy suffused the house, and a presence or malicious intent of some sort animates a projection that looks like Shiraz
+ The projection of Shiraz knows everything Shiraz should know (as all encounters with Shiraz occurred in the house)
+ Heavy heretical presence in the house
+ Explains lack of ectoplasm, as the evil in the house is a projection (something of a supernatural illusion)
+ Explains the Khadrev's account of the 'demon-boy' in the pictures--it could be the projection that came before Shiraz died in the tragedy
- The theory alone doesn't explain why the events started happening recently
- If there was an evil force in the house that was animating a projection of Shiraz, there is no explanation why it didn't harm Thaddeus, Maddox, Agatha, Edric, and Arline as children and is harming them as adults

If you have any other theories, please add them. Let this be considered Thaddeus's 'two minds' in analyzing this supernatural case.

I don't think Thaddeus has any reason to think of this as a trick at this point, at the very least. Skepticism can only get you so far. OOC, my theory has been something of a mix of the other three, with the central question being the true nature of Shiraz. Is she the same girl the Duseks befriended as children? Was she ever a normal human being in the first place? With all the weird things happening in the house even before its decrepitude, it seemed to me like the Khadrevs were either inherently inhuman, or being affected by some external force, maybe the house itself or something altogether more inexplicable.

Also, assuming that Shiraz was still a living person when she first met the Duseks—which is far from certain—it is still unclear what exactly happened to her and her family in between then and the present. If all these events are predicated on some past tragedy infusing the house with malice, was it something that happened long before, or after the Duseks—or maybe both? Some sort of cyclical event, doomed to repeat itself for all eternity? I don't really have much to go on there, aside from the whole 'witch boy' thing. I certainly hadn't thought it might be another manifestation like Shiraz, but it goes well with the idea of a cycle.

Having read Stephen King's It, I can see some intertextual stuff happening with the whole repressed childhood memory setup. It seems that at least Thaddeus himself was unable to remember the Khadrev House incident until he was reminded of it, which seems to lead through Arline to Maddox's visit to Ailson Kindler's little storytelling party. Shiraz's return seems to be predicated on the cousins being cognisant of her existence. Kindler is somehow connected to the manor as well, and Tarkowski was also present at the party. I can't really say what happened there exactly (either from an IC or OOC perspective) but it must have some significance...

Maybe one of them acted as a trigger in some fashion, either by accident or on purpose, breaking whatever selective amnesia had overtaken Maddox? He, in turn, might have 'infected' the others with the memory. I'm somewhat hazy on the timeline in regards to whether or not Arline was aware of Maddox's exeprience, or if her sighting of Shiraz happened independently. If the latter is true, it might be that one person remembering in all it takes to bring Shiraz back. That, of course, brings up the question of why the Duseks forgot her in the first place, and if they might be able to do it again on purpose. That might get rid of her, at least temporarily.

Very good. I'll put that up here with my input.

Infection Memory Theory The memory of Shiraz awakened her to haunt Ardis again, causing her to appear once more and terrorize her childhood friends. It was Maddox who inadvertently awakened this memory in Alison Kindler's horror party
+ Event timeline lines up
+ The more Duseks were aware of/or feared Shiraz, the bolder (or stronger) she became, even visiting them in their houses
+ All Duseks have been told about Shiraz returning. Edric was told by his daughter Sarah, Thaddeus was told by Arline, and Agatha and Maddox were told by the others, which also lines up with the infection theory
- Unlike all the other Duseks, however, Arline was not told by someone else about Shiraz's appearance, and saw her by herself when she passed by her house.
- Arline was not told about Maddox's experience, leaving a gap.

Conclusion
A. Either someone not mentioned reminded Arline about Shiraz, or Arline is weighted with guilt over betraying Shiraz over something.
The question is raised, however. Why would Arline pass by Shiraz's house in the first place?
B. The event that caused the memory to be wiped might be the Arline's betrayal, or the oath made to Alistair. If such circumstances were repeated, it might work again.

Shiraz: Childhood Apparition Theory The adults of Ardis fear her, and children are likely to see her. Theory is that Shiraz was always present and never disappeared, but she was never seen again because the Duseks and Arline felt that they were somewhat jaded by their betrayal of Shiraz. Jaded enough to be counted as adults for the purposes of the curse.
+ The Duseks and Arline met her only when they were children
+ Sarah, Edric's daughter, noticed her and feared her
+ Lines up with the cyclical theory. If the Khadrevs were alive once, there was another childhood apparition (the 'witch boy' and dark house in the pictures)
- The theory alone does not explain why they can see and interact with her now

Sorry about the delay, but I've been swamped with essays and reports for the end of the study period. I'm also a bit stumped as to how I should proceed, both in and out of character. While interesting, I don't know if any of these theories really help me in making in-character decisions. What are my most immediate options here?

Same here. Midterms next week.

I'm also a bit stumped as to how I should proceed, both in and out of character. While interesting, I don't know if any of these theories really help me in making in-character decisions. What are my most immediate options here?

I believe the most immediate decision is how to keep Arline from fatally falling to her death (either by jumping to catch her from the second floor, making an alchemical 'pillow', or any other method you can think of softening her fall).

Okay, sorry again. These forum troubles really haven't helped my posting schedule. I somehow assumed I had missed my chance to influence the situation with Arline as I decided to do something else instead. I'll post something in gameplay ASAP.

Forum troubles indeed. I've noticed the 'Suggestions, Houserules, and Homebrew' board became the 'Homebrew' board instead.

@Situations: That's what Story Paths are there for--clearing confusions.

Sorry, but I'm still having a hard time coming up with posts, aside from describing Thaddeus walking from place to place without a clear idea of what he's doing. I know a certain level of helplessness is to be expected, given the genre, but I feel more than a bit lost as to how I could affect the narrative in any meaningful way. :S

Any ideas? It seems to me like we're nearing the end, but I feel like I'm increasingly suffering from writer's block.

You are already very close to cracking the case. You've found several inconsistencies and poked at holes, finding crucial pieces of evidence to reveal that not everything is as it seems.
I felt, however, that real life bogged you down enough to slow down your train of deductions--lost energies and things of that nature.

So it makes sense that Thaddeus would get a bolt of inspiration. I'll provide a conclusion derived from theories you decide hold weight.
Is that a good way to both help move the story along without spoiling the conclusion?

Yeah, some out-of-character exhaustion might have leaked into in-character decisions. I definitely have a lot ideas floating around in my head as to what might be going on, on but I'm not sure what to do with that information within the narrative. I was starting to angle towards some sort of heroic sacrifice, which is why I was focusing on getting everyone else out of the building. Clearly that isn't working.

So, go ahead. What should I be doing?

The most cohesive theories you've presented are the Infection Memory and Evil House theories. The house is actively resisting efforts at escaping (via spawning monsters and doors resisting opening (bulging out to absorb physical attempts to escape).

Yet, Thaddeus might have noticed something: there are a lot of illusions here (though not arcane or divine in nature). Even Shiraz's monster didn't physically push Arline off the balcony on the second floor.
Recalling how the house was sent into dormancy (so to speak) in the first place, it was by swearing oaths to never visit it. By renouncing the house, the young Duseks (and Arline) were freed.
It stands to good reason that disbelieving these illusions and attempting another oath to forget the house might work again. Thaddeus still has the Parables, after all.

Thaddeus?

Sorry, I'm still putting together a post. I've been having trouble coming up with stuff that doesn't feel contrived, like running straight back in there and waving the book around like a doofus. The thing with the oath and the parables was in my mind, originally, since it was mentioned earlier, but for some reason I assumed we needed to get out of the house before doing it. I just don't want Thaddeus to look like an idiot.

How would we 'disbelieve' the illusions, exactly? I mean, I know how it works in Pathfinder generally, but in this sort of an in-between narrative space it's hard to know how to trigger that mechanic.

I suggest holding hands and collectively chanting, 'Monsters don't exist.'

Jokes aside, if making an oath would work, it surely won't work so long as everyone sees terrible monsters gathering around them.
Something like 'this is an elaborate illusion--that is why nobody who is not a child saw this. Shiraz doesn't exist--empty your minds and remember your families'.

In that case, I suggest leading the party to a safe area and attempting the act there, or wherever Thaddeus feels has the most resonance (for lack of better word).

Here is a list of places in the house:

1. Study
2. Library
3. Music Room
4. Kitchen
5. Larder
6. Master bedroom
7. Shiraz's bedroom
8. Sewing Room
9. Maid's room
10. A bathroom
11. The attic
12. The dining room

There. Once again, I'm really sorry for taking so long. I think I have a pretty good idea about where I'm going now, so I should be able to keep up.

nowthatswhatimtalkingabout.gif

You go, Thaddy. Kick that writer's block over the curb!

Oh geez. I have no idea what happened to my last post. It seems to have got reduced to a string of trash code, or something... I suppose I'll have to try and remember what I wrote and repost.

Sorry about that. :(

I saw it, but thought you might have been hacked or if you posted in something not unicode. XD How the heck did that happen? Anyway, don't worry about it, no need to apologize.

So we finished the Misty Manor! It didn't end as how I expected. Thaddeus moved more organically, and so did the support cast. We managed to eliminate several red herrings, but Thaddeus had to act/think on his feet more than dissect the mystery. I attribute that to the posting rate.

Most ends were wrapped up quite well, starting from the core mystery (what is Shiraz and why does she do what she does), to side mysteries (was Konrad telling the truth when he said you need only to fear the living, to fear being somewhat infectious and awakening old horrors). It's as the saying goes--Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself.

There are a few unanswered questions, however.
1 If Shiraz is some psychic projection or manifestation of the House, we don't know the origin of the psychic charge. Knowing how the occult works, Thaddeus can reasonably posit that the house was built on the graves the mysterious Sarkorans, whose strange magics seem to linger on, though they don't. Alternatively, the house may have the lingering power of a psychic vampire, or have its foundations on a planar gap to the Realm of Dreams. Any explanation might suffice, but Shiraz will not return to haunt Ardis anymore.

2 Is Miss Juliana (the pigeon keeper) really a seer who has the ability of precognition, or did she tap into the same psychic 'wavelength'? She will not doubt be thrilled that her vision was true, but what does that say about her? The ambitious pigeon-keeper can possibly be over her head when it comes to dangerous things better left alone.

3 Did Konrad intentionally inspire Ailson Kindler to talk about fear to dig up old horrors like the House? He certainly has a dark outlook and a mysterious backstory, and he has more than one brush with beyond the grave, when he summoned up the spirits of his dead children.

4 Does this have any connection to the sudden losses of the Crusaders in the Worldwound?

5 What will the Sovia Arcana report once it hears about Dr. Occult being in Ardis, and once they begin to question the townsfolk?

But what is a horror story with all the answers?
I am overall satisfied with how it ended. How about you?

@Epilogue: Well-written! I love it. Very grounded, and shows character development.
The somber note where the story ends is a really great approach to resolving the storyline, which has a decidedly heavy tone. Despite the fact that the mystery has been resolved, it left deep scars.
I imagine Thaddeus easing into the social network Maddox introduces him to, and develops a good relationship with Kindler. Ailson Kindler, his once-hero is now equal in terms of exposure to the Beyond. The two must have a lot to talk about and share in misty nights.

This ride had its bumps, but it was a good experience.

Thanks! Also, my penultimate post seems to have been returned from the nether. Praise the Old Ones! I was kind of losing my mind after days of trying to force myself to rewrite all that from memory. I can barely remember what I had for supper yesterday, not to mention a whole paragraph of text I wrote a week ago.

But yeah, it's done. Whew. Here's some thoughts...

Overall, I had a lot of fun. This sort of collaboration was a long time coming. I really enjoy your writing, especially the more grandiose stylings you adopted for this campaign. Very much in the vein of Poe and Lovecraft's writings, both of which are very near and dear to my heart. The milieu was well chosen and depicted. When we decided to base our game in Golarion, I didn't think it would turn out so well. Unsurprisingly, Ustalav—and Ardis in particular—lend themselves very well to this type of story: ghosts of the past, forgotten history, and creeping urban decay. I think you employed the atmosphere masterfully.

All of the characters were enjoyable as well, and portrayed in a convincing way. The cousins especially: I really felt like everyone had a shared past, which was of course aided by all the flashbacks and such. They were believably flawed in their personalities, as well as their sometimes dysfunctional interactions—so you know, very much like a real family. My favourite parts of the story were definitely the ones that included interacting with them in their homes, before even venturing into the eponymous manor. Special props for tastefully including Thaddeus' crush towards Arline in the story, as well. Made for some good drama, I think.

Out of all the side characters, Konrad was definitely my favourite. His stories really gave me that sense of other things going on in the world unrelated to our story, as well as him working as good a foil for (early) Thaddeus—sort of an alterative version the doctor himself, as I think you pointed out earlier. Honestly, I was kind of hoping he would remain disconnected from the main plot entirely, but he is a fascinating character nonetheless. The pigeon-keeper was also very neat to interact with, giving some sense of the types of situations Thaddeus had to deal with as a sort-of-celebirty, along with some good foreshadowing.

Ailson Kindler's late cameo I might have left out entirely. That felt a bit forced, maybe? Having her be a part of the story was cool, but I might have left her in the background, or have some more substantial exchange with her earlier on. Not a big deal really—working in established canon characters can be tough. People tend to have all kinds of expectations.

We managed to eliminate several red herrings, but Thaddeus had to act/think on his feet more than dissect the mystery. I attribute that to the posting rate.

There was a slight misconnect there between how each of us was approaching the story. Especially towards the end I felt like I would have been amiss playing this like a mystery, when my extremely skeptical character was increasingly being subjected to things beyond their ability to understand—not to mention all the personal turmoil surrounding the his failing memory, and the fact that his loved ones were in danger. Nothing stops you from being rational quite like love. I think things worked out fine on that regard, since our original intent was to lean towards psychological horror. However, it did cause me some issues when I was having the worst of my writer's block.

Another thing that might have contributed to my fluctuating interest (aside from real life stress and other such unpleasantness): At times, I felt like I had very little control over where the story was going. Now, as I've said before, this lack of control is generally fine, considering both the format and the genre. I very much knew the type of story I was getting involved with, and agreed to go along with it. However, there were some moments (especially towards the end with Shiraz's illusions) where my impact on the story seemed merely cosmetic, and I couldn't help but to feel kind of frustrated. I suppose I was less engaged because I kind of felt more like I was another character in someone else's novel, rather than the main character...? Like, things are going to happen a certain way no matter what. This was exacerbated by the fact that I was having a hard time following the mystery.

This has certainly made me think a lot about how I might run a solo campaign myself, and I think that I would lean towards a more sandboxy direction, with less of a preconceived story ready in mind. I feel like a solo campaign should be more about the player's character and their goals, since they are quite explicitly the main character of the story, unlike in a normal roleplaying campaign where you have to share the spotlight with other players.

And don't get me wrong: I still enjoyed the story, and for most of the game, I was fine being "along for the ride," so to speak. There is certainly a need for some restricting factors from the GM, even in a solo campaign. Had you just put me into a sandbox with no direction, I don't think we would have gotten this far. Having those clear story paths toward the end did help a lot, giving the Khadrev House sort of a choose-your-own-adventure feel, while also reducing the "dungeon" (and I use that word only very loosely here) to a sort of verbal map. Honestly, using that method for larger-scale stuff might not be a bad idea, like the investigation before heading into the manor itself. I tend to do that myself, when I run games: give the players a few clear options, with the knowledge that they can still choose to do whatever they want if they can come up with something else. Gets them thinking.

Again, I apologise for slowing things down so much. Some of that was definitely just laziness on my part, and that's not really fair to you and all the work you put into the story. I will aim to do better in the future.

1 If Shiraz is some psychic projection or manifestation of the House, we don't know the origin of the psychic charge. Knowing how the occult works, Thaddeus can reasonably posit that the house was built on the graves the mysterious Sarkorans, whose strange magics seem to linger on, though they don't. Alternatively, the house may have the lingering power of a psychic vampire, or have its foundations on a planar gap to the Realm of Dreams. Any explanation might suffice, but Shiraz will not return to haunt Ardis anymore.

I really like the Sarkorian connection, especially in relation to the implied developments in the Worldwound. Or maybe having something to do with the Darklands? Who knows what was below the manor. My first guess early on was something to do with the derro. For some reason, my mind really fixated of the blue jelly, or whatever it was the children were offered when they visited Shiraz... :D

Ah! Your post did return!

It's a good thing Arline was more sleep-talking (or true self-talking) than awake. That would have been awkward. XD

I really loved how Thaddeus's character development path took him from wishing to tear down old myths, to making his peace with the mysteries of the beyond.
I especially like the contrast between change in attitude from silent mockery-tuned-respect (to the pigeon-keeper) to wide-eyed horror-with-tense-silence (once the house went up in flames).
If I had to choose iconic scenes, it would be the following that could be turned into paintings that show the most character:

When we decided to base our game in Golarion, I didn't think it would turn out so well. Unsurprisingly, Ustalav—and Ardis in particular—lend themselves very well to this type of story: ghosts of the past, forgotten history, and creeping urban decay.

I've come to realize that Golarion as a setting worked. Pathfinder as a system wasn't the best idea.

@Side characters:
One theme Konrad evokes (intentionally or unintentionally) is upheaval, chaos, and the revival of old horrors. He is an agent of change--without him provoking Maddox to tell the story of Shiraz and to dig up old memories, the mystery of the manor might have never been resolved.
It's just like after having a nightmare. You may laugh it off now, but once you're back in the dark and silence of the night, things that seem funny in daylight suddenly lose their humor.
Ailson as a character I liked. You were bound to meet her--she is Thaddeus's hero, and the most MVP in Ardis. :D
She might have not known it, but her actions helped awaken the old psychic presence that was the House. Her presence is also significant because this is a resolution for her as well. Ailson is another victim of the house, and I felt it was a good idea to show Thaddeus that he can relate to his hero in this as well. She, for one, would be very interested in reading Thaddeus's account of the Misty Manor.
Remember, she knew the real Shiraz before the accident--this story would have different weight with her. The woman also knows how to handle occult-related mental damage XD.

@The Story:
You make excellent points. I'll explain how I saw it, and why I am satisfied with this ending. Look at it though my eyes.

Thaddeus Dusek, a wandering doctor and mythbuster extraordinaire is used to tangling with the occult. He dissects mysteries, and reveals them as they are. If they are mundane, he says so. If they are occult, he classifies, identifies, and demystifies them, helping humanity walk forward with less fears.
However, when the mystery is too close to home (especially in a place Thaddeus left and never returned to), and when the emotional and psychological baggage begins to wear down on him, he is unable to stay detached. When we were kids, who said what? Who was Shiraz talking to? I don't remember.
When the uncertainty hits this close, he can't dissect things anymore. He can't solve the entire mystery. When darkness closes in, he hurriedly waves his torch to keep it at bay.
In a way, Thaddeus solved previous mysteries and built his image by tackling mysteries and uncovering them. Now, he trying to survive. When his childhood friends (and love) are threatened, and his mind begins to fail him, mistakes in calculation are bound to happen. Thaddeus choosing to leave the confrontation with Shiraz and return once he notices the demons' approach is a reaction that could only be explained by him desperately trying to make sense of things. He doesn't have the luxury to be detached and question everything, though. Not anymore, at least.
In the end, Thaddeus knew that only fire can heal (from exposure to Shiraz's illusions, past experiences, as well as the prophecy--if it was one), but he showed apprehension in the last hour, wishing to keep things as they are. In the end, he did accept, and chose to stay with Arline to watch over her. Perhaps subconsciously (and at this point, your guess is as good as mine--our characters do unexpected things sometimes), he was unsure whether he wanted Shiraz gone. After all, he was raised in Ardis--and it was not long before he left. Shiraz was, in a way, a glue to their team.

If I had a regret, it would be that the Misty Manor story is not a sequel. This would have been good contrast between a mystery Thaddeus ate up (zombie plague) and one he chose to leave be (as it were).

@Experience:
The experience was enlightening, really, in terms of railroading vs. free choice. Solo campaigns are much more freeform than others (if only for the fact that there is only one person, and it's easier to improvise for one dude). There was a degree of structure, but I endeavored to give Thaddeus as many meaningful choices as I could. There are some I didn't spell out, but were equally viable should Thaddeus have the toolset.
1. A psychic resolution could be done by a character with psychic/occult powers.
2. A diviner using his spells (Divination, namely) could tap further into the past, and revealed more (the demon boy, history of the house and possible atrocities committed within, etc.)
3. Seeking out those familiar with the occult in Ardis would have likely ended with an earlier encounter with Ailson, as well as her own memories regarding the house

It's unfortunate that you felt Thaddeus had little (or no) influence on the storyline. I assure you he did; his cousins respect him and took word as gospel when it came to the occult. It was him who suggested visiting the house, and it was him who decided when. When Arline suggested staying back because of her lingering guilt over how this ended, she was ashamed to admit it to Thaddeus most of all.

@On the ride:
You're right in a way when it came to feeling like Thaddeus was on for the ride, but I'll counter with this.
In truth, none of the team felt they knew anything, or were doing anything right. Maddox may have led, but he needed Thaddeus to point out where to go. Agatha might have thought up the idea of setting the house ablaze, but she didn't know if it would have resolved the issue. Edric would have continued playing the coward, but Thaddeus saw his cousin's reaction at the thought of his daughter suffering as he did.
There was no capital-H hero in this story--it was a family who thought primarily of their own survival and struggled against the unknown and memories best forgotten. When looking at it that way, Thaddeus's role was the largest. If you think of the other characters as PCs, the thing works out fine.

Overall, thanks for playing this campaign, man. It was fun, and I appreciate you sticking around though real-life stress. We've both suffered through too many PBP games that didn't end. Cheers!