Brian relays all of the information he got from Amelia.
"I guess Ms. Delfino's house is our next stop." He looks around at the group to make sure he has consensus.
Brian relays all of the information he got from Amelia.
"I guess Ms. Delfino's house is our next stop." He looks around at the group to make sure he has consensus.
"I'll call an Uber," Charlie says, tapping at his phone. "Our driver's name is Ryan and he's seven minutes away."
A moment later: Do you want to go out again? On a date, I mean. I forgot to ask you at the end of the last one, but my mind was pinballing around and I couldn't quite think straight.
The Uber arrives; it's an SUV big enough for everyone to get a comfortable seat to themselves without having to cram three people tightly together in a back seat of a smaller car. Gwen Delfino's house is about fifteen minutes away, located in the Greenlake district.
As Ryan drives you north, you see the cityscape melt away in favor of beautiful old houses, and beautiful new houses. The Greenlake district isn't the most expensive neighborhood in Seattle, but it's certainly not the most affordable. Homes all look unique here, built close together, and the Delfino residence specifically was built on a hill, and is well maintained.
Or, it was well maintained until recently. The grass on their lawn looks maybe one mow behind the neighbors. Several pieces of mail are sticking out of the slot at the bottom of the front door.
With a few tries, you find the flagstone with the key underneath it.
I see! Well I can't say I'm sad to hear that you've gone all in on working for the Estate. It means I'll probably get to see more of you around the place.
I'd love to go on another date with you! Did you have a place in mind, or do you want to surprise me with the idea when you get back?
"Nice digs," Terry says.
He knocks on the door before trying the key. "Anyone home?" he calls.
Assuming no response, Terry uses the key and walks in.
When Terry pushes the front door open, it shuffles aside a pile of mail sitting on the rug in front of it. It looks like the kind of buildup you'd expect if someone hadn't picked up the mail in a few days.
The first couple of rooms you can see without delving too deeply into the house bear all the hallmarks of having been abandoned without purpose or plan. Several pairs of shoes are clustered around the coat rack in the entry hall. The sitting room at the front of the house has a couple of coats draped over the couch. Something about the silence in the house gives you goosebumps.
At the edge of your hearing, for just a few moments, you think you hear a melancholy piano riff.
A quick sweep of the downstairs yields nothing except more confirmation that the house was emptied unexpectedly - there are glasses half filled, or less, with drinks in the kitchen, and a bowl of chips with a fly crawling on the top layer of what's left. A sudden BEEP BEEP BEEP goes off, made louder by the absolute silence in the house; it's the timer on the microwave, counting 0:00. Inside the microwave, a container filled with coagulated cheese dip that's already started to mold on the edges.
Terry pulls out his phone and fiddles with something. He puts it back in his pocket.
"Creepy, but better than a pentagram of blood," Terry says, mostly to fill the silence.
He turns his head sharply. "...did anyone else hear a piano?"
He turns his head sharply. "...did anyone else hear a piano?"
"...yeah," Charlie says, hand straying to the whip at his belt.
I have an idea. Are you deathly afraid of sharks?
"..No, I didn't," says Brian. But given how he's pulling out his collapsable staff, he obviously trusts Terry's and Charlie's senses.
When you make your way upstairs, you're presented with an interesting layout - one guest bathroom in the hall, a closed door that leads to a master room, and at the other end of the house, a door that opens into an expansive space that's clearly been used, and often, as a hub of entertainment. A large and expensive looking TV dominates the far wall, with a long, sectional couch and several beanbags in a horseshoe shape around it.
The couch and chairs have been pulled back from the TV. A coffee table that's been moved away from in front of the couch is lined with half eaten snacks, a bong, and several party cups filled with liquid that's attracted several flies to the abandoned party.
Candles are scattered around the room, and you can immediately see it was a miracle the house didn't burn down in anyone's absence - all the candles have melted down to the bases of their wicks, leaving little puddles of wax behind in various holders.
And there, between the couch and the TV, is a board game. There are no pieces on the board, but it's unfolded, box top flipped over and containing stacks of cards and little figurines. On the side of the box, if you tilt your head, you see 'Game of Screams' written in dripping red, overly dramatic horror font.
Another piano riff. Distinctly eerie and sounds... familiarly horrific.
Of course I want to listen! If you ever see me in Ardeyn… you'll know I'm all ears
….. I don't think I'm afraid of sharks, but I can't say I've met any. Will I need to bring any chum with me?
Terry pokes around the room, but doesn't touch anything. He does wave at the flies.
He tips his head over to read the text on the box. "Hmm," he says. "Charlie, is this your territory?"
Brian also pokes around the room, not touching anything.
"Sounds wholesome," he intones dryly as he reads the title of the board game.
Charlie shudders at something he heard.
He tips his head over to read the text on the box. "Hmm," he says. "Charlie, is this your territory?"
"I investigated fraud. Started out primarily automotive. You know, fake repair claims, fake thefts, that kind of thing. Never investigated a board game before... copyright claims, that's a whole other thing." Charlie pulls a small flashlight from his pack and shines it around the darker corners of the room.
"Terry, was it louder this time?"
Kari doesn't touch, but she crouches down by the box, seeing if the instructions have also been put away all neat like the figures.
"Totally feels like trap."
"Terry, was it louder this time?"
"I didn't hear anything this time."
...and then, to Charlie:
"Ah no, I meant because it looks magic Strange, and you were doing that kind of thing in Ardeyn. I was hoping there was an easier answer than try to follow the kids."
"Terry, was it louder this time?""I didn't hear anything this time."
"Charlie, I think you're the only one hearing it consistently, what do you think?"
"Charlie, I think you're the only one hearing it consistently, what do you think?"
"I can't tell...don't like the sound of it, though."
"Ah no, I meant because it looks magic Strange, and you were doing that kind of thing in Ardeyn. I was hoping there was an easier answer than try to follow the kids."
"Oh! Charlie comes over and has a look.
When Kari crouches down to investigate the box further, what stands out to her is that there are four figures in the box, and yet… the box reads "4-8 players". The other four figures seem to be the only things missing from the box.
There are instructions; they have the look of being hand written on a piece of parchment sitting to the side of the box. Without deeper analysis, it's hard to tell whether or not it's actually hand written, or just printed in handwriting-type font.
The instructions are as follows:
"Roll the dice to move your token. The first one to reach the end with a Trick and a Treat wins. But beware, do not start unless you intend to finish. Finishing is the safest way to release those who become trapped."
And that's it.
When Charlie looks at it, initially, it looks just like any ole' board game that was manufactured in the 80s or 90s. But there's something else shimmering under the surface.
This is absolutely an Artifact from the Strange. You can't be sure exactly what might happen if you start rolling dice, but you're fairly confident that either the world will change around you, or you will appear inside the game, much like a Jumanji situation.
You also see that the figurines still in the box are a pretty decent representation of you, Terry, Brian, and Kari. All four figures appear to be wearing clothes that wouldn't have looked out of place on the set of Stranger Things. On the board, with a more careful eye, you see various places where a once 3D figurine has become 2D, printed on the board like it had been there from the start.
But there are four of these figures printed on the game board, and all four have looks of terror on their faces.
EXCELLENT. Are we going to an actual theater? Can I have one of those too-big boxes of chocolates? Can you just skip your mission and come back here early?
Of course you can't, I'm kidding. Being a hero takes precedence to a date.
Can I get popcorn too?
Kari sighes, "We didn't ask Amelia if the reason she knew her friends were taken by the game was because she played. We should call."
"If she's a player.... she's a player still. Like Jumanji."
Brian looks at Kari thoughtfully. "That's a good point."
He pulls out his smartphone and dials Amelia's number.
While it rings he comments, "I remember that movie. Robin Williams was really fun in that one."
"A little more targeted than Jumanji, I'm afraid. Look closely at the figures and you'll see they look like us. Or, like us in the early '80s. Additionally, these," Charlie points to places where it looks like a formerly 3D figure has become a 2D part of the board, "look to be the remnants of the last group."
He does a quick search for Amelia on his smartphone.
Amelia answers almost immediately this time - clearly she saved Brian's number in her phone.
"Hi, do you know where my friends went yet?" A pause, then "sorry, I'm just really worried about them. And their parents are freaking out. Except Gwen's parents, who knows where they are. The Bahamas or something." She says all this before Brian can even squeeze in a "Hello".
Amelia belongs to an age group that is much more familiar with needing to keep things private on the internet. However, with a cursory search, Charlie finds her Facebook profile. It's private, but there is a picture on the profile and she's at least got her location public (Seattle, confirming this is probably the right gal).
If Amelia's picture is recent, she's got short, purple hair, and an unfortunate amount of acne scarring an otherwise pretty face. She's a little on the heavier side. All of this is to say… you don't see a likeness of her on the 2D images on the board.
On the board, you see two guys and two girls. Both of the guys are black and look like athletes, one of the girls is Hispanic, with long, black hair, while the other girl is blonde, tall, thin as a reed.
I'm so excited
And, well… we can argue semantics on our next date. After you tell me about how heroic you all were in doing… whatever you're doing.
Actually, I don't think you told me anything other than that you were going to Seattle - what mission did you end up taking?
Charlie compares what's on his phone to the pieces. "There's no piece here that's Ameila, at least based on her Facebook picture." He sits down by the game and waits for the others.
Kari just sits down where she is, looking at the pieces carefully. She'll roll the dice when everyone is ready.
Edit for a not great start.
"Hi, do you know where my friends went yet?" A pause, then "sorry, I'm just really worried about them. And their parents are freaking out. Except Gwen's parents, who knows where they are. The Bahamas or something." She says all this before Brian can even squeeze in a "Hello".
"Hi Amelia. No, we don't know where they went yet, but we do have some solid leads."
"But I have a question or two for you. You said that they disappeared after playing some game they found in a thrift shop? What makes you think the game is involved? Did you play this game too?"
"Look closely at the figures and you'll see they look like us. Or, like us in the early '80s."
Terry pulls out his phone and taps on it. "Forty," he says to the phone.
He looks at the group, and asks, "Were any of the rest of you alive in the early '80s? Just curious."
He takes a spot near the table. "I don't think I saw this movie."
"But I have a question or two for you. You said that they disappeared after playing some game they found in a thrift shop? What makes you think the game is involved? Did you play this game too?"
"Me? Hell no. Uh, sorry, I mean… definitely no, I didn't play it." There's a long pause. "I didn't tell anyone because they'd think I was crazy. I mean, I went to the party, they tried getting me to play but the game gave me a weird vibe. Like you know if people at a party break out a ouija board? It was like that. So Gwen, she rolled her dice, and then she disappeared. Everyone freaked out, but they weren't like… as worried as they should have been. They thought they found some magic toy from the thrift store."
From what you can all hear in her tone coming from Brian's phone, she sounds like she's vocally rolling her eyes.
"They kept rolling dice trying to figure out how to bring Gwen back. They all disappeared, I tried telling them to quit playing, but they wouldn't, and now they're gone."
You can't trick me, Charlie, that sounds like something that falls under the purview of 'hero' to me ;)
But I'll reserve final judgment on the subject for when you get back and tell me everything that happened
"Thank you, Amelia," says Brian. "That's good information for us to have. That will help us track down your friends and bring them back."
After he hangs up the phone, Brian relays Amelia's account of how her friends disappeared as they rolled the dice.
Brian takes a good look at the box the game came in, and the game itself, to get a feel of the genre he's about to get sucked into.
He looks at the group, and asks, "Were any of the rest of you alive in the early '80s? Just curious."
He takes a spot near the table. "I don't think I saw this movie."
"Not even close." Kari says. "I liked the remake a lot. Both of them used humor to cover just how horrific the idea was with the original players disappearing from the world for decades."
"Brain, can you ask her.. nevermind." Kari shrugs, "We'll find out soon enough."
He looks at the group, and asks, "Were any of the rest of you alive in the early '80s? Just curious."
"My brother and sister were," Charlie says. "Got some of that stuff by osmosis."
He gestures to the game. "I don't think there is a single movie... more like a whole feel. All right. Let's do this."
Charlie rolls the dice.
Once you are all ready to go, you are able to pick a character type from the remaining character cards in the box; four of them seem to be missing entirely, appropriate considering what you know of the four teens who disappeared when they played the game.
They are as follows:
The Defender: You carry a flashlight, and may use it to stun a monster on your turn for one round to roll the dice for a chance to escape.
The Mystic: You carry a pack of tarot cards, and may use them on your turn to summon a random one time use item that will be useful to you in the Game of Screams.
The Savant: When making a roll, you will get a flash of insight on what to expect from the next space you move your player piece to.
The Obsession: Your character will be the initial target for monsters that may appear on the board, but also receives a +1 to all defense actions taken against monsters.
The board looks a little like Candyland in its complexity - a path of squares twists and winds its way around the board, and the artwork is very Halloween themed, if a little cheesy. Aside from the looks of horror on the four trapped teens' faces; that looks to be the scariest thing you see here.
After you've chosen cards, set your character on the "Start" square, and looked to one another to confirm that everyone is ready… Kari makes her roll of the large and thematic d20 that came with the game.
And she disappears from the room.
And right after Kari, Charlie rolls a 6 and likewise, disappears from the room.
As soon as your roll lands, you find yourself falling towards a mammoth city lit by leering pumpkins staring from windows and atop walls. If you have enough time to look around before landing, you see bonfires on surrounding hilltops, and firefly gleams from trick-or-treater candles that dot narrow streets. Just moments before you're about to splatter on the cobblestone streets of the town, you feel like you're being sucked backwards, appearing on your feet in a room.
Three walls of this 15-foot square chamber contain shelves jammed with varicolored potions. Roots in disquieting shapes hang from the ceiling, and something green bubbles in a central cauldron. A note on the cauldron reads "Drink Me". A single door, which is closed, leads out of the room on the one empty wall. It smells strongly of earth in the room, with an underlying rotten-foliage smell.
You look down at yourself and see that you're wearing clothing that would be appropriate in the 80s.
Valen nods in response to Kari asking about whether or not it was Sarah who went missing.
"Both Sarah and Riku are missing. I can only hope they return, or are found, in one piece." Valen doesn't bother hiding their concern under false bravado. "If things keep going like this, we'll be losing more Agents than signing on new ones."
Charlie's hand hovers over the Mystic card, but in a flash of insight, takes the Savant.
Brian takes the Mystic card.
Brian takes in the ambiance of the starting room. "As cheesy as advertised," he says in his best Yakko Warner imitation.
Kari nods at Terry. When his hand goes to Obsession, she takes the Defender card.
A note on the cauldron reads "Drink Me".
Kari looks for the "Eat Me" cookies.
Question - the book Kari is carrying was published in 1984. She will be checking on it in game, is it there, has it changed? (If you aren't familiar with it is book 2 in a series
Terry rolls some dice
Terry is more gangly than scrawny, but his black Slayer T-shirt fits tightly.
"Just checking something," he says. And then, "thank goodness, my voice has already changed."
Terry goes over to the cauldron and sniffs it.
Alas, this room contains no cookies. And to Terry, the cauldron smells like what he imagines "slime, snails, and puppy dog tails" might smell like if left too long in a cauldron over a hot fire. Oddly enough, he also smells pumpkin soup, and at least that part of the smell is pleasant.
But as you take a few moments to get your bearings, you find that things differ only slightly from your gear and accessories on Earth. You all find your player cards in a pocket or a bag, and the card now has your Halloween-recursion face on the front, above the description of the character you've chosen to embody.
Additionally, your cell phones and tablets have become the large and brick-like style of the earliest versions of cell phones.
For a moment, all of you see the numbers you rolled on the dice floating above your head, before they disappear in a puff of green smoke. As green as the liquid in the cauldron.
A few days have passed on the Estate since the visit to Ardeyn, and during one of the 'day' cycles, Kari receives a message on her tablet from Aleph.
Hey, two questions. Or maybe one question.
Actually no, just
You'd think with all of the options we have at the Estate, we'd have the option to unsend messages that we send before we meant to
Anyway, are you free? Zaika is making me take some extra time off from infirmary shifts, and I was hoping to get to know you a little better
Kari moves with a colt clumsiness of someone who just got tall and hasn't figured out how their new body works. Old worn clothes - red sleeves blouse mostly covered by loose olive overalls, auburn hair with bangs and a messy loose ponytail. She checks her pockets but finds only the flashlight pictured on her card. She checks her bag and pulls out a book that, in this instance, has a blank cover.
Points to the cauldron, "All kinds of bad and no." She moves to the door and listens, "So at least one of us needs a Trick-or-Treat and to the end of the game to free the kids. If anyone notices clues towards those, please please mention them."
She opens the door.
After Kari mentions she's taking her first official turn, you all hear what sounds like an upstairs neighbor rolling bowling balls on hardwood floor. The room shakes slightly, then the noise ceases, and a '12' floats above Kari's head and disappears in another puff of smoke.
When she opens the door, the sound effect is loud, creaking, and overly dramatic. In the distance, you hear the short, shrill sound of a young woman screaming. It's impossible to tell whether or not it's just the recursion's ambiance... or one of the teens you're there to save.
The door opens up into a very gloomy and poorly lit hallway. Several other doors are visible, and the end of this hallway looks like it might terminate in a set of stairs leading downwards.
"Do we need to find the kids? Or just one of us gets to the end? Trapped forever is bad, but it's not dead."
Terry isn't asking anyone in particular. His earbuds are headphones, and his phone is a Sony Walkman.
Absent any sort of game plan, Terry moves toward where he heard the screams.
"Do we need to find the kids? Or just one of us gets to the end? Trapped forever is bad, but it's not dead."
Terry isn't asking anyone in particular. His earbuds are headphones, and his phone is a Sony Walkman.
Absent any sort of game plan, Terry moves toward where he heard the screams.
Kari moves out with Terry, "To get them freed from the game, the rules just said to the end with a Trick-or-Treat." She worries at her bottom lip, "So technically no, but this is a horror realm, I'd hate to think about their mental state if they got into something... well... horror-y." She glances around, with a shudder, "No random red balloons, please."
She looks annoyed at herself, "Straight answer. I'd like to look for the kids."
"Some forevers are better than others," Terry agrees with Kari.
Brian nods. "Freeing the kids should absolutely be our first priority."
Once Terry rolls his dice, he hears that same bowling-ball sound from somewhere above.
The long, metallic sound of someone sliding a blade over stone rings out from a room nearby.
It really is. I'm hoping someone comes up with some sort of time travel cypher I can slap on the tablet to redo messages
Well, if you're not uncomfortable with the idea of having fractal patterns in the sky overhead, there's a little terrace café in the restaurant building, up on the top floor. It's a great place for sitting with a good book. Interested?
Charlie appears utterly enchanted by his surroundings.
Charlie makes his roll, the number appears above his head, and and is free to leave the room.
Before you leave the room, you get a sense that there are horrors behind each of the closed doors in the hallway you see outside of the room. With one foot step outside of the room, you also get a snapshot image of a large man standing on the lower level, guarding the door out of the house. His shape is... unnervingly familiar to you. And that piano riff you heard makes a lot more sense.
"I never was a fan of horror," mutters Brian.
When Brian hears the bowling ball of his roll in the above him, everyone in the room also hears the sound a slot machine might make if someone wins a jackpot.
A larger than life carnival barker's voice comes from everywhere and nowhere.
The room expands to accommodate a ghoulish carousel rising out of the floor. No one who is standing in the hallway is impacted by the room's movement, but anyone still inside the room finds their inner ear confused by the movement in the room that isn't registering in their feet.
All of the animals on the carousel are, as expected, gruesome zombie or undead versions of Earth animals - skeletal horses, a green-skinned dolphin missing most of the flesh on its tail, a large rat with glowing red eyes and its rib cage exposed. All lacquered, all crafted in loving, gory detail.
Brian goggles wide-eyed at the scary-go-round. He shakes his head and silently mouths "nope."
He clears his throat. "No, thank you. I'll take the seven squares."