View Full Version : Non Mafia Game The Mansion II [on hiatus]
Golden1Knight
01-12-2016, 19:31
I will stay at the barricade, maybe I should get the broom?
Montmorency
01-12-2016, 19:56
I'd said better to have a few sleepers that can stay guard for a massive sleep if we have to go down next turn.
Sleep may block all actions for a turn, but I don't suppose eating does. Zain Does water affect or factor into the Food value?
Kemmler, perhaps it would be better to join me in the library with a couple others. The closet doesn't need more than one explorer unless something is disovered.
My recommendation:
Sleep: Jarema, JHT
Treat and subdue Khaan: GH, Khaan
Closet: GH
Library team: Montmorency, Ironside, Kemmler, Choxorn
Gunner: Beskar
Barricade: Autolycus, Goldenknight, Winston
Secret bathroom team: Barto, Myrddraal, Greyblades
Sleep may block all actions for a turn, but I don't suppose eating does. Zain Does water affect or factor into the Food value?
Eating usually takes no longer than thirty minutes in real life, that leaves the vast majority of the turn to explore, fight, etc
Water is readily available via bathroom sinks and showers, though none has tried it yet so who's to say it's safe? ;)
That being said, water is not quantified in this game for simplicities sake.
Can I answer any other questions? Remember, this game acts in the boundaries of realism, if I believe something is realistic then there's a chance it will happen.
Also, I reward creativity and activity.
I don't mind being a gunner, but do we have any ammunition? Otherwise, we will be seeing my excellent rendition of John Wayne with pew pew noises.
Moderators, would it be alright if I started a Mansion 2 stats & story thread for the players and onlookers to refer to?
Montmorency
01-12-2016, 20:32
"Guys, look over here!" Corey said as he found a small tear in the carpet next to the bed. He folded it back as the others watched to reveal a small secret compartment. The wooden door opened to a small cache of .38 caliber ammunition and a small key.
What is our starting clothing, anyway?
Greyblades
01-12-2016, 20:37
We have no specific indication of zombies in or around the library.
Sorry got a bit confused, I meant the rooms beyond the library.
Treat and subdue Khaan: GH, Khaan I think we might want an extra hand for that, it would be a huge setback if our closest thing to a medic gets bitten if khaan turns.
What is our starting clothing, anyway?
Standard jeans, t-shirts. It's mild weather wear.
Montmorency
01-12-2016, 20:47
Sorry got a bit confused, I meant the rooms beyond the library.
I think we might want an extra hand for that, it would be a huge setback if our closest thing to a medic gets bitten if khaan turns.
They'll all be starting at the barricade. They'll tie up Khaan and GH will treat the wound. After that, GH goes off to explore the closet while the barricade group shores up the defenses and keeps an eye on Khaan.
What is our starting clothing, anyway?
Gah, I had a look and I only saw a post saying "We should look for bullets" and missed that cache...
Okay, seriously, we should try the small key on the hidden door in the bathroom I investigated.
Moderators, would it be alright if I started a Mansion 2 stats & story thread for the players and onlookers to refer to?
Feel free. It has been done before for other games. So I don't think GH will mind. (if he does, blame me.)
Montmorency
01-12-2016, 20:51
Okay, seriously, we should try the small key on the hidden door in the bathroom I investigated.
That's what Team Secret Bathroom is for.
[Yeah... this is the moment I give up for the evening and return back to this writing for Friday.]
GeneralHankerchief
01-12-2016, 20:53
Moderators, would it be alright if I started a Mansion 2 stats & story thread for the players and onlookers to refer to?
Speaking as a moderator, it would be alright.
Speaking as a player, oh please dear god yes.
Speaking as a moderator, it would be alright.
Speaking as a player, oh please dear god yes.
On its way, don't see how all the confusion came about. It's all in the write-ups. :kiss2:
Ironside
01-12-2016, 22:24
Yes you have matches, is the lighter fluid from the write up in the list?
You created the list... Are you telling us that you have no idea and didn't bother to look it up?? :stare:
Yes it's in the list. And since it was the short hand, people got confused.
Anyway, order time.
I'll take the point on team library and do my normal listening and trap checking before opening a door. I'll also get the mirror to look into the room with it first.
But first of all I'll do a quick check for some more bite proof clothes, possibly by using double layer if the sizes works and no durable clothes can be found.
Weirdly enough, this makes it possible that the girls are going to be heaviest "armored" against zombie bites.
If there's several doors in the next room, I'll be moving to the doors on the right, always on the right. I'll need one other doing the same and the other pair moving to the left in the same way. 1-3 zombies/bodies found and I'll call on our gunner (Beskar) to clear it. If he's busy elsewhere, I'll close the door and try to block it. This is a deep food dive, unless we find food, we'll be moving room to room quickly.
If we find food are we taking it easy and start to search rooms or are still pushing on? We can trigger zombies, but we got less of this floor left in that case and have set up some anti-zombie countermeasures this round anyway. I'll be saying pushing on right now in my pm, but I can change that in the morning. No changes after that.
If it's only one or two rooms that we can check quickly, I'll search the library, then moving into the new room behind the door. Some people might go and help the other teams instead.
Basically, if we can quickly explore the rooms this round, do a deep search in some of the rooms. We got the library, the rotunda and any new rooms relatively unsearched.
Edit: Hm, prioritize helping other groups if we can't find food and runs out of rooms on this end.
ALL PLAYERS refer to "Stats & Storyline (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?151297-The-Mansion-II-Stats-Storyline&p=2053679547#post2053679547)" thread just posted. It contains short summary of current situation, items list, player list, maps, Q:A, and write-ups.
PLEASE ASK me any questions you have, it's time to clarify any more confusion, it went from amusing to sad, it appears I went too vague on a few details, details in which you will need. However, you are all on the right track and I'm proud of your deduction powers up to this point. :yes:
Winston Hughes
01-12-2016, 22:47
I should be the one to investigate the closet, in case there's anything mechanical or technological going on there.
If I get that done with time to spare, I'll spend the rest of the turn checking out all of the electrical points on this floor, and any lights or appliances connected to them.
Given the lateness in the phase, however, I guess I should leave a standing order to stay at the barricade if no more than one other person remains there.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 00:59
I'm with you, Ironside.
We have a couple hours for orders, people. Guess the Bathroom team has fallen apart...
GeneralHankerchief
01-13-2016, 01:29
Sending in momentarily.
El Barto
01-13-2016, 02:29
Just gotten back home and read the thread, I'll just be sending in orders for taking that strange key to the door in the bathroom, which is what I'm apparently being asked to do…
Going to number crunch this now.
We should be at sleep 3 and food 2 atm. Next round is s2 f1. If we find food in that round, we have no real problem. If we need another turn, we have problem.
s0 or f0 equals need to recover that turn, or getting dangerous penalties.
f0 and s1 means two turns of recovery, even if I doubt eating takes 4 hours (=1 turn).
I'd said better to have a few sleepers that can stay guard for a massive sleep if we have to go down next turn. We do run a risk of too weak exploring teams, but I don't think finding any extra hidden rooms right now is of any value.
I'd say that the closet get two people, but that one is immediately running back to the barricade if the zombies are coming. Likewise with the gunner. It's possible that we have 1-2 zombies on this floor, but retreating and closing a door should be enough in that case, if we have a double attack, so the gunner is busy elsewhere.
Shame that we don't know if we got zombies or "zombies". The closet should be free from "zombies" since it's abandoned. An old zombie last longer unfortunately.
Getting durable clothes, like leather, should protect against bites.
If any team get spare time, explore the library and the rotary. The gunner should explore the library, since I expect the exploring (food) team(s) to make determinable noise if they encounter a hostile.
We have matches in the write up, but not in the list btw. That's part of the confusion. So we have fire!!!
Leeeeroooooy Jenkiiiiiiins!
El Barto
01-13-2016, 02:33
The stats & storyline thread's great, but the map's not there.
El Barto
01-13-2016, 02:41
btw, everyone else: I'm taking the broom with me. Not as good as a 10-foot laser pole, but it's something.
El Barto
01-13-2016, 05:41
Hey, is anyone still around? Anyone who comes along will be appreciated, otherwise I'm alone in this bathroom trying to open a door… please help me?
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 05:49
I'm pretty sure the round is over.
I will be doing the write-up in the morning, if you missed turning in your order PM please do so soon. Thank you everybody :bow:
AH CRAP FORGOT ABOUT THIS
I sent in a standing order to sleep, but I can change it if anyone thinks I'd be better needed elsewhere.
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 09:32
El Barto, I sent in a one-liner to go to explore the bathroom. I will add some detail to that order now, assuming it's not too late. I think probably the barricade team should get the broom? If we encounter any zombies, we just run. Chances are it's a box and not a passage anyway.
From Monty's post, these are the orders that should be submitted:
Sleep: Jarema, johnhughthom
Treat and subdue Khaan: GeneralHankerchief, seireikhaan
Closet: GeneralHankerchief (don't go wandering off on your own if a secret passage is revealed!)
Library team: Montmorency, Ironside, Raith Kemmler, Choxorn
Gunner: Beskar
Barricade: autolycus, Golden1Knight, Winston Hughes
Secret bathroom team: El Barto (confirmed in thread), Myrddraal (confirmed), Greyblades
Here are some copy paste snippets for the barricade team that you might want to include in orders:
Barricade
Broken Glass: Grab any old glass ornament (vases, picture frames etc), wrap in a sheet and smash it. If there is any opening to the spiral stairs, tip the broken glass onto the stairs (trying to get the glass down the stairs as far as possible). If anything tries to get up the stairs, this should make a nice loud crunching noise to alert us.
Bookcase: Move another bookcase from the study to the top of the stairs. If the zombies start to break through, we can topple a second bookcase on top of them. That has got to slow them down, at least.
Torches: Use sheets and furniture to put together some torches. Lay these out alongside matches and lighter fluid to light the torches (be sparing with the the lighter fluid). (Swinging a burning torch at a zombie has got to be more effective than prodding it with a broom handle)
Soaked cloths: Soak a couple of cloths (if available) in water from the bathroom. Have these at hand - if any fires get out of control, smother them by throwing a soaking cloth over them.
Leo: Always keep one eye on our friend Leo, who should be in the hallway (preferably in a corner at a safe distance
I have just submitted the following orders:
More detailed orders.
Before going to the bathroom, I will place some items of furniture near the bathroom door which could be used to barricade the door if we have to flee.
I will accompany El Barto, and hopefully Greyblades, to the secret bathroom to try the key.
If it is a secret passage, I will proceed carefully with the other two to explore, but fall back at the first sign of danger, and lock the door behind us.
If the key opens a cupboard or something of the like I will examine anything we find. If the key doesn't work, or we finish examining found items quickly, I will go back to the barricade team and do the following things, if they haven't already been done (these are the same as I posted in thread):
Broken Glass: Grab any old glass ornament (vases, picture frames etc), wrap in a sheet and smash it. If there is any opening to the spiral stairs, tip the broken glass onto the stairs (trying to get the glass down the stairs as far as possible). If anything tries to get up the stairs, this should make a nice loud crunching noise to alert us.
Bookcase: Move another bookcase from the study to the top of the stairs. If the zombies start to break through, we can topple a second bookcase on top of them. That has got to slow them down, at least.
Torches: Use sheets and furniture to put together some torches. Lay these out alongside matches and lighter fluid to light the torches (be sparing with the the lighter fluid). (Swinging a burning torch at a zombie has got to be more effective than prodding it with a broom handle)
Soaked cloths: Soak a couple of cloths (if available) in water from the bathroom. Have these at hand - if any fires get out of control, smother them by throwing a soaking cloth over them.
Leo: Always keep one eye on our friend Leo, who should be in the hallway (preferably in a corner at a safe distance)
In addition, if I have time and the zombies aren't swarming on us:
Order in the bookshelves: I will try to see if there is any order to the books on the bookshelves. I'm trying to identify topics which the owner was interested in. I'm also looking for any books that might give us a hint to the meaning of the symbols.
Ceilings: I will check ceilings for anything that looks like a hatch to an attic.
Greyblades
01-13-2016, 11:45
Oh i sent in orders yesterday thinking i was in the library team. Is it too late to switch?
Leo: Always keep one eye on our friend Leo, who should be in the hallway (preferably in a corner at a safe distance)
Leon, not Leo. Two different people.
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 12:54
Leon, not Leo. Two different people.
Crumbs. Orders amended.
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 13:02
Oh i sent in orders yesterday thinking i was in the library team. Is it too late to switch?
Not a big deal I guess.
Well done everybody, discussion was alive this phase.
Rule amendment, adding it to the Q:A section (go read that if you haven't already)
Q:What happens if I forget to send in my Order PM?
A:Default actions will be to follow along with the group, decision is made by GM. Note, I will mostly follow along with the given plan, if someone mentions that inactive player in their Order PM, I will most likely honor that request.
No PM from autolycus or johnhughthom, nevertheless this show must go on.
Phase 3
The eyes of Elizabeth Banks (johnhughthom) opened as the team brought in the writhing Leon Cartwright (seireikhaan). His bite on his leg was bleeding profusely.
She sat up, "What happened??"
Jake Kelly (Montmorency) answered, tending to a grasping hand from Leon, "He was bit, we didn't see what did it!"
The group stood back as Faith Faulkner (GeneralHankerchief), tended the wound, pouring some of the alcohol they had found in the master bathroom to clean the wound and bandages to stop the bleeding. The group began murmuring about the virus that was read about and the possibility of Leon now possibly being infected. "Tie him up!" Bradley Palmer (El Barto) said, "better be cautious, in case he does turn into a zombie or something." They looked over at Leon, who just looked like he was in pain, and did so. Tied up and treated, Leon in the chaos and pain, went to sleep.
Elizabeth once again asked the question, "What's going on?? I'm so sorry I passed out..."
Charlie Wallace (Golden1Knight) answered her, "We went downstairs to look for food, we saw bodies, the bulb went out, Leon got bit. Don't really know anything else."
"What do we do now??"
Jake stood up, "Let's barricade the stairs and hold a guard there, Leo (Beskar), you carry the gun. You seem capable, I trust you. We need to check out that secret door in the bathroom, probably with the key. Also let's check out the Sitting Room again and just do a general search of this second floor. There must be something we missed..."
Callum Simmons (Choxorn) spoke up too, "There was some strange wallpaper in the hall closet similar to that of the bathroom you all peeled back, maybe somebody should check it out."
"I'll go." Faith volunteered, "Me too." Corey Parsons (Raith Kemmler) added.
Lola Richards (Myrddraal) and Bradley volunteered to check out the secret bathroom, Bradley obtaining the small key they had found in the secret compartment in the master bedroom.
"Let's strengthen the barricade and hold guard, who's with me?" Charlie said. "I'm in!" Hollie Daniels (Winston Hughes) proclaimed. Hayden Hicks (autolycus) and Elizabeth also volunteered.
"Look, I know we're all getting tired so let's sleep in turns. I'll go first with whoever else." Jack Foster (Jarema) reasoned.
"We don't have time to sleep, we've been attacked!" Jake argued, but Jack did as he so desired.
"I'll sleep too." Callum said, seemingly uncaring of poor Leon's fate.
Kyle Bevan (Ironside) had remained silent up to this point, "Then we need a team to re-explore and hopefully find something else, who's in?" Kieran Hurst (Greyblades) and Jake filed in.
The group split off into their teams of two or three...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Barricade
Charlie led Hollie, Hayden, and Elizabeth out the door to the bookshelf covering the stairwell that Jack had set there. They cautiously listened, waiting to hear violence behind the wood. They heard nothing, not even a scrambling up the stairs.
"That's odd, you think whatever bit Leon is coming?" Asked Hollie.
Charlie answered, "Doesn't sound like it, either way, we're staying here in case it tries to. Let's break off some of the chair legs in the sitting room for clubs, there should be at least three chairs, so 12 clubs."
They did so, making extra for other members of the teams.
Leo, their gunner, came in behind them wielding the loaded .38 revolver, "You sure you know how to use that?" Elizabeth asked him.
"Used to go hunting with my dad. We used rifles with scopes, but a gun is a gun I suppose..." He answered her.
They waited...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Explore
Jake, Kyle, and Kieran made their way toward the Sitting Room where Team Barricade had worked to break down the chairs. The three grabbed their clubs, feeling better now to be armed. They also had armed themselves up with winter coats to thicken their outer layer, hoping if they ran into any other hostile foes, their teeth wouldn't be able to penetrate the material.
Looking like vikings from 1920's Chicago, clean cut aside from the 5 o'clock shadows they were growing, they began covering the remaining area. Sitting Room, Master Bedroom, Master Bathroom, Master Wardrobe, Library. It became apparent they had explore the entire top floor, aside from any secret doors or compartments.
They also found nothing of note, leaving the hall closet and secret bathroom to their respected teams.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Closet
Faith and Corey pressed on down the hall toward the closet, passing the four at the barricade, Hollie jumped in with them, "They don't need four, I want to see what's in the closet!" she said walking with them. Upon opening the door they saw what was there before, virtually nothing. But the strange wallpaper did confuse them, so they chose to investigate further. Feeling around the edges, they noticed it seemed... soft... as if ... Oh! Their hands broke through the paper, as if no wall was behind it. Tearing away the paper they discovered a makeshift covering of a second half of the closet with just a single board running down the middle of the wall to hold up the wallpaper, "This was done in a hurry, look how the nails aren't even in all the way, some are bent." Corey stated.
"Yeah, this is sure strange." Hollie answered.
They stepped in, the light from the hallway enough to see that it contained a dumbwaiter! "Wow! This must not be a closet at all but something for the maids to carry up food or other stuff!" Faith said now, clearly excited.
"We could use this to lower ourselves down!" Faith continued. "If the base of the stairs is too dangerous, maybe below this isn't!"
"Or maybe it is... but no doubt it leads to the kitchen and we need food." Corey responded, tone dropping in fear of what had bitten Leon.
"Let's tell the others!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Bathroom
Bradley and Lola entered the Secret Bathroom to investigate the secret door that Hollie and Leo had discovered, calling out for Leo who had the gun just in case something bad lay on the other side.
"Okay, here we go!" Bradley said eagerly as he slipped the small key into the sunken key hole. Lola brought over a chair and set it by the door, "In case we need a barricade." she said. "Good idea!" Bradley said. Leo stayed silent, pistol in hand.
He turned the key, "Yes!" and the door opened.
As the door cracked open, just the opposite of what they expected happened. Generally darkness lay behind closed doors, but behind this one a bright stream of light that grew with every inch the door opened. They all squinted, not used to bright light, and Leo kept his gun pointed into it blinded.
Once the door was opened, Leo stepped in with gun in hand, followed by Bradley, and Lola in the back. What they saw amazed them...
A sunroom! Daylight, well actually dusk but close enough, streamed through the wall-sized windows. Nothing lie in the room, it was completely empty, but the view was astounding.
Clearly obvious they were on the second floor now they peered over onto the yard, large and full of green grass and trees, they saw that they were on top of a small hill surrounded by other large homes. A neighborhood, clearly on the higher end as each home was large with yards. As they looked they saw somebody outside in the backyard. "Look!"
Still silent, remembering there were hostiles downstairs, they watched as the person in the backyard turned around mindlessly. They were pail, thin, and wearing rags. Short too, maybe five foot tall, with sharp features and black eyes. "He doesn't look right..." Bradley observed, with concern in his eyes. Lola then spoke some reason, "Think we can break this glass?"
Leo looked at it, "Looks bulletproof, must be four inches thick... Plus I don't want to shoot and bring whatever was downstairs up here. Let's just show the others and decide as a group what to do."
"It's beautiful, but cruel that we're stuck in here. Still, I'm so happy to see the sun." Lola said again, longingly.
The three filed back into the study, with some time left Lola looked into the topics of the books in the library. Mathematics... Sciences... Literature... History... Literally all modes in educations, this guy was a true intellectual. Though one theme stood out, books from and about Charles Darwin, "Survival of the fittest" type things.
"This concerns me," Lola said, explaining it to the guys, "He seems obsessed with natural selection. Almost to a point of sounding like Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin... Of course this library is dated, pre-War. So they're never mentioned... but still, whoever owned this collection was clearly planning something, which supports what we read in his notes."
"What about the note with the symbols, any idea on that?"
She just shook her head... Still puzzled.
Everybody filed back, Lola also chose to check the ceilings for an attic entrance, none exist.
Lastly Leon slept the entire four hours peacefully, against everyone's expectations.
Discussion Phase 4 has begun! And will end on Saturday, January 16th at 23:59GMT
Notes:
All players have these stats.
Sleep - 2
Food - 1
Except for Choxorn, Jarema, and seireikhaan, who have 5 Sleep now.
Clubs from chairs added, small key lost.
New updated and completed map for Floor 2 posted below, also Stats & Storyline thread updated.
The :daisy: will be hitting the fan next turn, I recommend you all do your best in working together. If no food is found next turn, you will all begin to undergo Starvation, and your character's abilities will suffer. Death proceeds 3 turns of Starvation (Food = -3).
Good luck! :bow:
Upon further analysis, it has been determined that the script note has been exhausted of all pertinent information, therefore no image will be generated.
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/Mansion%20Floor2_zpstwfktcva.jpg
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/symbol%20note_zpsneyluics.jpg
These images also uploaded to Stats & Storyline thread.
Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
GeneralHankerchief
01-13-2016, 17:09
Okay, looks like we have access to the kitchen. Since there's nothing pressing for me to treat this round, I think I should go to sleep - especially since it looks like I'm going to be needed in future turns. Obviously we need a decent group to go and get food as well, as well as another one to continue to man the barricades.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 17:23
<Mirror, magnifying glass, documents, sunroom>
1. autolycus
2. Beskar
3. Choxorn
4. El Barto
5. GeneralHankerchief
6. Golden1Knight
8. Ironside
9. Jarema
10. johnhughthom
11. Myrddraal
12. Montmorency
13. Raith Kemmler
14. seireikhaan
15. Winston Hughes
Team Sleep: Khaan, GH
Team Deep Operations: Mont, Iron, Golden, Beskar
Team Wild Weasel: Choxorn, Jarema
Team Support/Overwatch: Winston, Greyblades, Bart, Auto, JHT, Myrd, Kemmler
Pending...
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 17:32
Deep Operations means we go in with a couple of torches, the gun, clubs each, and a makeshift sack. We need to be lowered down the dumbwaiter one by one. Once established, we light our torches and begin exploring. Food and weapons are the priority.
Wild Weasel means we need a distraction for the recon team. Move aside the barricade and some people get to the bottom of the stairs to make a ruckus and draw attention to the main hall. Upon contact, they retreat, all the way back up if necessary.
Support means you make the torches and bindle, watch the sleepers, operate and maintain the dumbwaiter for the Deep Ops team, and man the barricade. If it gets to the point that there is some kind of full assault up from the first floor, then get fortified and prepare to hold back the hostiles. At the same time, someone needs to be operating the dumbwaiter at all times in case the Deep Ops team needs immediate evac.
I'll get into the details of how to construct the torches later. We need to put together a tactical deployment for the Deep Ops team. For example, anything they recover needs to come first up the dumbwaiter.
Might I lend a little advice?
Take at least one inactive player with you. As the gamemaster I personally would rather kill off an inactive player IF something were to go awry then one of you who are actually participating.
GeneralHankerchief
01-13-2016, 17:45
khaan got his sleep the previous round and has it fully replenished. Maybe include him in Team Deep Ops instead?
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 17:47
khaan got his sleep the previous round and has it fully replenished. Maybe include him in Team Deep Ops instead?
He's tied up and injured, possibly infected. Not a good choice for strenuous and highly-delicate snooping.
GeneralHankerchief
01-13-2016, 17:49
Yeah, but he's good bait. :juggle2:
Yeah, but he's good bait. :juggle2:
So it JHT or auto...
I despise inactivity, can you tell? haha :laugh4:
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 18:05
I'm not sure I like the idea of making a ruckus...
We have no idea how many of these zombie things are out there, we could really kick up a storm. If we're lucky, there are zombies around the house lying dormant, which allows us to wake them / deal with them in smaller groups. I'm not sure we want to agitate them all and bring them together.
Also, a ruckus in the hall is not guaranteed to provide a clear route into the kitchen.
It seems to me that we should try the quiet sneaky approach.
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 18:09
There is a conspicuous corner missing on the map. Do you think it's worth looking for more secret passages near there?
Zain did say that it was a complete map of the second floor though, so that might be an incorrect assumption.
There is a conspicuous corner missing on the map. Do you think it's worth looking for more secret passages near there?
Zain did say that it was a complete map of the second floor though, so that might be an incorrect assumption.
You are correct in assuming it is an incorrect assumption. That conspicuous corner is nothing. :bow:
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 18:15
We have no idea how many of these zombie things are out there, we could really kick up a storm. If we're lucky, there are zombies around the house lying dormant, which allows us to wake them / deal with them in smaller groups. I'm not sure we want to agitate them all and bring them together.
The stairwell is the best chokepoint we could hope for.
It seems to me that we should try the quiet sneaky approach.
We desperately need food, so note: once the team gets down the dumbwaiter, they will have no light, hence the need for torches. If they light torches, they will suddenly become very conspicuous to anything that might be nearby. I think it is more useful to have the 1st floor alerted around the stairs and main hall if it means a relatively-secure backdoor in the form of the dumbwaiter.
And of course, the food. Food is what we need right away.
But OK, in that case it makes sense to leave the second floor with the gun. If we're going to make noise, then we need to be prepared to back it up.
Winston Hughes
01-13-2016, 18:17
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/symbol%20note_zpsneyluics.jpg
Dear God, it's worse than we feared. The first of those is clearly the emblem for the London Underground... *shudder*
GeneralHankerchief
01-13-2016, 18:27
Dear God, it's worse than we feared. The first of those is clearly the emblem for the London Underground... *shudder*
If we find one further down the line that looks anything like this, then I'll truly be scared.
https://i.imgur.com/ekmBLqP.jpg
(Washington DC)
Aww, the write-up missed out my little exchange with Leon. :laugh4:
I think we should get one of the inactives to explore the garden from the new unlocked bathroom door.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 18:42
Aww, the write-up missed out my little exchange with Leon. :laugh4:
I think we should get one of the inactives to explore the garden from the new unlocked bathroom door.
The sunroom is walled in with reinforced glass. The room is completely empty. I don't think we'll get anything there, unless it's to observe (and possibly provoke) that anomalous creature we spotted through the glass.
Winston Hughes
01-13-2016, 18:50
I think we need to avoid exposing our most reliable organisers to unnecessary danger. Not to denigrate anyone else's contribution, but things would look rather less hopeful if we were to lose the likes of Monty, Myrddraal and Ironside.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 19:17
I think we need to avoid exposing our most reliable organisers to unnecessary danger. Not to denigrate anyone else's contribution, but things would look rather less hopeful if we were to lose the likes of Monty, Myrddraal and Ironside.
Don't worry, you can lower us down by order of expendability.
The sunroom is walled in with reinforced glass. The room is completely empty. I don't think we'll get anything there, unless it's to observe (and possibly provoke) that anomalous creature we spotted through the glass.
I was more meaning, the garden seen through there, but perhaps accessed by the back-door or so. Sort of blitzing through the house and drawing out any strange fellows from the shadows. Also, I just realised an alternative use for the bathroom area, we have a key afterall.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 20:28
Actually, I'd like to know if the key still 'exists' in the game. The writeup noted that we lost the key, perhaps analogous to videogames in which using a key corresponds to both permanent unlocking of the door/gate and the disappearance of the key from the game.
Either way, what do you have in mind? Working from a secure house, maintaining line of sight between exterior exploration and observers in the sunroom?
Actually, I'd like to know if the key still 'exists' in the game. The writeup noted that we lost the key, perhaps analogous to videogames in which using a key corresponds to both permanent unlocking of the door/gate and the disappearance of the key from the game.
Key is gone as stated in the write up short hand.
Myrddraal
01-13-2016, 20:45
I.e. we can't lock the door again?
So what... Something like it jammed in the lock which is now stuck unlocked?
I understand the point about the stairs being a good choke point, but what do actually gain by making big distraction? Unless we attract every single zombie on the ground floor, it won't make a difference for the kitchen team.
On the other hand, it could make things a lot worse! What if we are overwhelmed? What if it 'wakes' zombies in rooms near the kitchen that would otherwise be inactive? What if hoards of zombies, making there way to the disturbance, stumble through the kitchen?
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 21:22
I understand the point about the stairs being a good choke point, but what do actually gain by making big distraction? Unless we attract every single zombie on the ground floor, it won't make a difference for the kitchen team.
The idea is that if any hostiles are going to be activated, it's better for the recon team that the hostiles have something more salient to orient towards. For example, if the recon team finds that the dumbwaiter leads directly to a kitchen or pantry, and begin to gather items, then we would hope that light, noise, and other hostiles in the Great Room would stimulate them to the point that they ignore or fail to notice a lesser amount of light and noise coming from the recon team's location.
But how about this:
1. Pointman is lowered with the dumbwaiter.
2. Pointman lights a torch and does a quick check of the immediate surroundings.
3a. One pull on the cord from the pointman indicates that the rest of the team should be lowered. No scary stuff in sight.
4a. If the dumbwaiter leads to a room with food, then send the rest of the team down and have them collect stuff. No need for the Wild Weasel distraction. If it is not a food room, then quickly scan for weapons or tools before slowly moving along. Someone remains at the dumbwaiter to communicate with the upper floor and signal the return/emergency evac.
3b. Two pulls on the cord indicates that the dumbwaiter leads to a room with food, but there are signs of hostiles. In that case, the pointman covers the torch while the rest of the team comes down and stealthily forms a perimeter.
4b. Based on the situation on the ground, the team will signal up whether or not they need a distraction to proceed. In this case, it may prove necessary for the team to neutralize some hostiles before they can get to looting, in which case they need the distraction so any nearby hostiles will have something else to investigate.
3c. Three pulls indicates that there may be hostiles in the vicinity, and the dumbwaiter does not come out in a food room. In this situation, there's no point in continuing through the dumbwaiter as opposed to just coming down the stairs in force.
4c. The pointman puts out the fire or drops the torch somewhere it won't pose a serious fire hazard, and we pull him out of there. Then, the majority of the players come down the stairs, including the gunner, and we prepare to fight our way through to find food.
Winston Hughes
01-13-2016, 21:32
Just a thought, but it would be very unusual for a mansion to have a kitchen - or any kind of food store - on the first floor.
Montmorency
01-13-2016, 21:38
Well, all we know is that it is an early-1900s construction (no info on architectural style or region).
I don't know about more modern mansions, but basement food facilities seems more reminiscent of the old, aristocratic eras.
Ironside
01-13-2016, 21:44
But how about this:
Sounds reasonable. I take it that we'll have an less communicative player as the point man? Even if the game is heavily leaning towards that the room contains food, based on our play and the optimal reasonable play (we're 1 turn behind).
Bleh, I did see a mistake from my side last turn due to misreading and the delayed map. 2 doors to the library from the hall became an unexplored second door.
El Barto
01-14-2016, 03:08
I say some of us should continue exploring, let's see if we can climb onto the roof and use the windows as a point of observation, entry, or exit to other rooms and floors -and see what the hell else's happening.
Second, we should also try and kill that thing out on the garden as soon as possible.
Third, someone should start examining all these books in the sunroom. There is a clue there if the right person reads it.
Dear God, it's worse than we feared. The first of those is clearly the emblem for the London Underground... *shudder*
So you've read Pratchett's Thud as well, eh? Jolly good.
Just a thought, but it would be very unusual for a mansion to have a kitchen - or any kind of food store - on the first floor.
I must concur with my well-read friend.
Well, all we know is that it is an early-1900s construction (no info on architectural style or region).
I don't know about more modern mansions, but basement food facilities seems more reminiscent of the old, aristocratic eras.
Early-1900s seems exactly right.
Myrddraal
01-14-2016, 08:58
There are no books in the sunroom. The books I was checking were in the library, and that was only to get a general idea of what topics the owner was interested in... There are far too many books to read in the library I think, and given that we already found the three books with the blank pages, I doubt that there are any more key facts to be extracted from the books until we work out how to reveal the invisible ink.
A sunroom! Daylight, well actually dusk but close enough, streamed through the wall-sized windows. Nothing lie in the room, it was completely empty, but the view was astounding.
Also, I'm not sure we can get to the roof can we?
Golden1Knight
01-14-2016, 15:58
I volunteer to go down first. Since the gun will remain up here, we need someone who can defend himself if the first one to come down is attacked. In addition, after insisting on going down the stairs without considering the existence of another passage ( :P ), it became clear that I am not kind of good with plans and so I'm more expendable.
Still, I believe that our mission will be successful and absent of casualties. However, I still think we will have fewer chances to encounter problems if you guys distract the zombies. If one of us is bitten and start to scream in pain, all of us will die down there.
I agree for being part of team weasel. Sorry for low imput, but I am preparing big party IRL
Ironside
01-14-2016, 18:50
Zain, when mentioning that the floor is complete are you only referring to the number of rooms and hidden paths, or are you also referring to the rooms that had a thorough search? If not, which rooms on this floor haven't been thoroughly searched?
I was thinking that some of the support team could search a room in case we don't need the noisy distraction.
Zain, when mentioning that the floor is complete are you only referring to the number of rooms and hidden paths, or are you also referring to the rooms that had a thorough search? If not, which rooms on this floor haven't been thoroughly searched?
I was thinking that some of the support team could search a room in case we don't need the noisy distraction.
That means all rooms have been discovered and I don't have to alter it anymore.
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/symbol%20note_zpsneyluics.jpg
I think the first symbol represents 'under-ground' or 'earth', as I am familar with those signs during my days at St Andrews Oxford. As such, I believe the eagle and lighting represents the 'heavens' or the 'sky'.
Though I have no idea on the triangle with the corner missing. Perhaps it used to be a toblerone and someone got hungry? I jest, if it is in keeping with alchemical symbols, it should represent fire.
GeneralHankerchief
01-14-2016, 22:40
So we need water then?
So we need water then?
Using the analogies, the cure symbolism would probably be the "water". However, H2O may not be the cure.
Winston Hughes
01-14-2016, 23:13
As I said before: Holy Water Cannon.
Do keep up.
autolycus
01-15-2016, 02:48
Given my inactivity, I'm happy to be point man on team Wild Weasel1
El Barto
01-15-2016, 04:58
As I said before: Holy Water Cannon.
Do keep up.
Hasn't Antioch technologies been developing one of those?
Myrddraal
01-15-2016, 08:48
I'm still nervous about the ruckus idea, but happier if the ruckus is triggered by need rather than a default option.
Something to bear in mind - I presume the dumb waiter is not in use... If that is the case, the other stop(s) may be blocked in the same way as the upstairs one was. We may also fund that it has more than one stop, perhaps it goes all the way down to a basement? This could be the case if the house has or had a kitchen 'downstairs'.
If the exit(s) to the dumb waiter are superficially blocked, I would be tempted to make a small opening and try to look through before breaking it down completely.
Montmorency
01-15-2016, 09:07
We may also fund that it has more than one stop, perhaps it goes all the way down to a basement? This could be the case if the house has or had a kitchen 'downstairs'.
I'll try to factor the possibility into the team orders.
If the exit(s) to the dumb waiter are superficially blocked, I would be tempted to make a small opening and try to look through before breaking it down completely.
Remember that we have no light source to bring other than whatever torches we can improvise before going into action. I would suggest that taking a lit torch into a dumbwaiter would be a good way to get us all messed up, so we can only produce light once the pointman is out of the dumbwaiter and has space to start the fire. Of course, we could just light a match on its own, but that would be a waste of a match for a few seconds of light. Do we have anything with cutting edges, anything sharp? It's likely that we will need to tear down any obstacles blocking the stops; hopefully there will not be any obstacle like wallpaper or plaster that requires a lot of fuss to remove.
Either way, we need:
1. For the pointman in the dumbwaiter to be given 5 minutes for his eyesight to acclimate to the darkness.
2. An estimate for the distance between the floor of the second floor and the floor at the bottom of the stairs.
This way we have some precision in lowering the pointman, who will then be able to establish with touch and sight the point at which there is a discrepancy in the wall of the passage (e.g. wallpaper layering, furniture blocking the way).
Myrddraal
01-15-2016, 10:01
Good points.
Zain, is the dumb waiter enclosed? I.e. does the food shelf have a roof?
An ide (which depends a little bit on the configuration of the dumb waiter, and might be a bit far fetched):
If the dumb waiter is just a shelf, our point-man rides on the shelf, otherwise he/she rides on the roof instead of in the dumb waiter itself.
This way, we can keep an eye/ear out for him.
Also, it could allow us to use the mirror from the bathroom and the hand mirror to reflect light down the shaft, with our point-man equipped with the hand mirror to use as a kind of torch? (This is probably the far fetched but)
Good points.
Zain, is the dumb waiter enclosed? I.e. does the food shelf have a roof?
Dumbwaiter is enclosed, like a regular elevator (lift).
No visual is possible once people or items are lowered.
Sorry for the delay, glad i gave extra time for this Discussion Phase, Friday's are generally busy :yes:
Hope everyone is doing well, get ready because Orders will be due starting tomorrow night! ~24 hours
Montmorency
01-16-2016, 14:21
Team Sleep: Khaan, GH
Team Deep Operations: GoldenKnight, Beskar, Montmorency, Ironside (order first-to-last)
[gets bindle, two chair legs, and 2 torches; two matches per torchbearer; each team-member wears heavy clothes]
1. Pointman is lowered with the dumbwaiter X-5 feet, X being the number of feet between the top of the stairs and the floor of the Great Room. Given a few minutes for sight to adjust, the pointman assesses the wall of the passage to find the exit, blocked or not. If it is blocked by wallpaper, rip it down and move out. If it is blocked by furniture, try to push it away and move out. If none of this works, the pointman thumps on the ceiling of the dumbwaiter and the operator lowers him as far as he can to try the step again. If no result, extract pointman and prepare for Hail Mary.
2. Pointman lights a torch and does a quick check of the immediate surroundings. Entrances, obstacles, and (electric) light sources should be noted first.
[For insertion in the following scenarios: the second scout is lowered with the bindle, and the third is lowered with the second torch]
[For extraction without food in the following scenarios, whoever returns to the dumbwaiter first is extracted first; if under heavy assault, the rearguard may flee for themselves on foot]
3a. One pull on the cord from the pointman indicates that the rest of the team should be lowered. No scary stuff in sight.
4a. If the dumbwaiter leads to a room with food, then send the rest of the team down and have them collect stuff. No need for the Wild Weasel distraction. If it is not a food room, then quickly scan for weapons or tools before slowly moving along. Someone remains at the dumbwaiter to communicate with the upper floor and signal the Wild Weasel/extraction/emergency evac.
3b. Two pulls on the cord indicates that the dumbwaiter leads to a room with food, but there are signs of hostiles. In that case, the pointman covers the torch while the rest of the team comes down and stealthily forms a perimeter.
4b. Based on the situation on the ground, the team will signal up whether or not they need a distraction to proceed. In this case, it may prove necessary for the team to neutralize some hostiles before they can get to looting, meaning they need the distraction so any nearby hostiles will have something else to investigate.
3c. Three pulls indicates that there may be hostiles in the vicinity, and the dumbwaiter does not come out in a food room. In this situation, there's no point in continuing through the dumbwaiter as opposed to just coming down the stairs in force.
4c. The pointman puts out the fire or drops the torch somewhere it won't pose a serious fire hazard, and we pull him out of there. Then, the majority of the players come down the stairs, including the gunner, and we prepare to fight our way through to find food.
*If we get the best outcome and extract the team with a full load of food, try to repeat the trip given the time remaining (with torches refreshed for relighting, since they should be snuffed before re-entering the dumbwaiter)*
Team Wild Weasel: Choxorn, Jarema
[gets 2 chair legs]
If the signal is received for a distraction, then the bookshelf is removed from the stairs and they descend to the bottom with their chair legs, speaking loudly and banging around with the chair legs. In general, the idea is to draw hostiles to the top of the stairs (i.e. the rotunda), where they can either be knocked down to the floor below or dispatched by the gunner.
Team Support/Overwatch: Winston, Greyblades, Bart, Auto, JHT, Myrd, Kemmler
[gets gun and bullets, the broom, and the rest of the chair legs]
1. Form a makeshift bindle out of bedding.
2. Make two torches with chair legs and 1 pound of cloth (per torch). Soak the cloth before wrapping and tying it tightly around the end of the wood. Squeeze out extra water, then soak the clotbh head lightly with alcohol, then again with lighter fluid. Finally, get a smaller strip of cloth and saturate it with water, wrapping it just under the head of the torch to act as a buffer.
3. Bring in more bookshelves to act as barricade or deadfall material if needed.
4. Designated closetman operates and maintains the dumbwaiter for the Deep Ops team.
5. Prepare to defend the rotunda if Wild Weasel attracts attention.
Hail Mary: As mentioned, if the Deep Operations team needs to be extracted without food, or cannot even properly begin their mission, then the entire community (except sleepers) goes armed and bum-rushes the first floor in search of food.
Golden1Knight
01-16-2016, 15:29
I will write this in my orders. Everyone agrees, right?
Myrddraal
01-16-2016, 17:25
I think so.
Only thing to note: I suggest that we don't actually apply the alcohol / lighter fluid to the torches unless we think we are shortly going to be in action. We have a limited supply and it evaporates...
Zain, presumably the rotunda staircase is something like this (but smaller?)
https://s17.postimg.org/bkpwduz4f/Rotunda_Staircase.jpg
Zain, presumably the rotunda staircase is something like this (but smaller?)
https://s17.postimg.org/bkpwduz4f/Rotunda_Staircase.jpg
:yes: It is roughly 5 feet wide across each step.
Montmorency
01-16-2016, 21:37
Image
Gyiaghhhh!
I suggest that we don't actually apply the alcohol / lighter fluid to the torches unless we think we are shortly going to be in action. We have a limited supply and it evaporates
The alcohol just needs to be absorbed by the fabric, and in a small quantity, for just two torches. The alcohol is not the primary accelerant here: that's the lighter fluid. However - and I don't know enough practical or organic chemistry to speak confidently - the lighter fluid would make for a less-safe fire, so I hope using some alcohol in place of more lighter fluid would make the fire more suitable for our work.
Slight complication to torch construction:
Still using 1 lb of material and all the rest of the directions, but in three layers of cloth for the head. The first and thickest layer is the water-soaked; the second and thinnest layer is the alcohol-soaked; the final layer, of mid-thickness, is soaked in lighter fluid.
El Barto
01-16-2016, 21:52
OOC: Phases last four hours so we should have the time to do that.
IC: Why not just build a fire and use it to light things when needed? Maybe the heat and light keeps these things away.
Montmorency
01-17-2016, 01:15
Why not just build a fire and use it to light things when needed? Maybe the heat and light keeps these things away.
I don't see a fireplace. What do we contain the fire with? Wood?
Discussion Phase has ended, please send in your Order PMs!
You have 24 hours.
Myrddraal
01-17-2016, 11:36
There was a fireplace in the library iirc.
EDIT:
It was the sitting room:
Inside revealed a fairly decent sized room consisting of primarily similar padded leather chairs and small tables. At the end of the room, a small fireplace.
"A sitting room!" Faith said
Building a (small) fire, then keeping the embers warm by stacking ashes over them would give us a reusable source of fire and heat. We could easily use a few books to get the fire going, then add something more substantial (perhaps parts of the chairs we've removed the legs from) to get some embers.
We could try leaving one of the blank books near(ish!) to the fire as well, to see if the heat reveals the invisible ink?
Montmorency
01-17-2016, 17:42
Ok, add the job to the Support Team. However, my team still needs matches to light the torches from beyond Home Base.
Going to take gun with deep ops, because when we are surrounded, we will need to blast some freaks.
El Barto
01-17-2016, 20:41
No one's told me to do anything quite concrete so I'm going to build a fire in the sitting room unless anyone else comes up with something better for us to do.
Montmorency
01-17-2016, 20:43
No, don't!
If we take the gun, then we might as well be funneling everyone down the dumbwaiter (which would take too long, and carries the risk of collapsing the dumbwaiter with someone inside), because it defeats the purpose of having a support/distraction group.
The point of Deep Ops is that we're not an assault group. If we run into anything we can't handle with bits of wood and whatever we can find on the spot, then we need to fall back for evac.
Montmorency
01-17-2016, 20:44
Bart, you're part of the Support Team. Just put that into your orders.
All support tasks will be evenly divided, from making the equipment to setting a fire to fighting (if necessary).
If you want just one task, put yourself down as Support Team - Dumbwaiter Operator.
El Barto
01-17-2016, 21:00
Alright, Mr. Montmorency. I'll just get started on a fire and, if time allows, find more flammable materials.
El Barto
01-17-2016, 22:43
Also, I'm thinking that this house must have stores of real fuel (as opposed to lighter fuel and burnable books-draperies-furniture) somewhere in the basements. Coal, Gas canisters, kerosene, something that can allow us to make explosives or firebombs and drive away whatever hurt issaikhaan. Is anyone keeping tabs on him, btw?
Myrddraal
01-17-2016, 23:30
Good point, I'll add that to my orders, just in case!
El Barto
01-18-2016, 01:15
Yeah, guard him while I forage on this floor for fuel and build a fire, meanwhile, whoever goes below, try to find food, weapons, and more fuel.
(incidentally, the fire isn't just about burning the place down which is a last resort… it's for cooking food, sterilising needles/knives if we have any, cleaning wounds; also I have an idea about those glass windows in the sunroom)
24 hours later and shockingly we are still missing orders from 5 players! Luckily I am off to have dinner with the in-laws then will likely do the write-up in the morning. Therefore...
autolycus Greyblades johnhughthom Raith Kemmler seireikhaan
Orders please :yes: You have ~14 hours until I begin writing.
El Barto
01-18-2016, 01:29
Can we puppet them?
Can we puppet them?
Yes. Please include them in orders, preferably from a leader.
Puppets are more likely to die, naturally.
El Barto
01-18-2016, 01:33
OK, I'll push Greyblades in front of me like a human shield.
*muses* Maybe we can grab the inactives and use them as bait, or just make them sleep.
seireikhaan
01-18-2016, 03:08
Can we puppet them?
Not like that wasn't happening anyways.
El Barto
01-18-2016, 03:18
Not like that wasn't happening anyways.
Well, we're all puppets in the hand of our wicked, in-law-loving GM.
Myrddraal
01-18-2016, 08:46
I've added putting a couple of blank books near sources of heat to see if that reveals the text. One in the sun room and one near the fire (but not too close!).
I'm also checking khan's wounds & talking to him. See? You're still our friend (until you turn into a slathering zombie that is...)
I suggest you prod him with a stick from time to time and observe if he is not reacting too aggressivily
Not like that wasn't happening anyways.
Hopefully not a hand-puppet.
Greyblades
01-18-2016, 18:50
Feel free to puppet me this turn, things have come up that are distracting me in the short term.
Phase 4
"We need food, now." Jake Kelly (Montmorency) announced to the crowd. After determining that they were on the 2nd floor and no food was in sight, the team knew this was their last chance before real debilitating hunger set in.
"I'm in." Charlie Wallace (Golden1Knight) announced immediately, "I've got combat experience and I'm pretty strong, so I'll go into the dumbwaiter first."
"I'll come too." Leo Webb (Beskar) announced, holding onto his revolver. "If anybody is going to need this, it'll be us. I'll drop second."
Kyle Bevan (Ironside) spoke last, "I'll go too, and I think we should keep this team fairly small so we can be quiet."
Jake spoke up again, "We will go down, hope it leads to food. If it doesn't but it's not hostile, we'll search for food. If things get dire, or we need a distraction, Jack (Jarema) and Callum (Choxorn) will come downstairs to make some noise while the rest of you wait at the top of the stairs. Draw the hostile's attention away from us, and use the bottleneck to your advantage. Also let's let Faith (GeneralHankerchief) and Leon (seireikhaan) sleep. Faith needs to be rested in case there's an emergency and Leon needs to rest and heal."
The teams assembled, creating torches and a bindle for carrying food, and equipping themselves with chair legs as clubs.
Corey Parsons (Raith Kemmler) was designated dumbwaiter operator, while the remaining members started a fire in the Sitting Room and awaited at the top of the stairs in case Operation Hail Mary was necessary, in which everybody would rush downstairs to assist Team Deep Operations.
"Okay, remember, we're lowering you just a bit so you can see. Tap the roof of the dumbwaiter once you think it's safe to drop, and tug the chord once to signal the rest of the team to come down. If there's a problem, tug twice instead so we know there's hostiles, or tug three times for extraction." Jake told Charlie. He nodded, and with his unlit torch in hand, Corey lowered him down.
Charlie's eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness, watching for hostile figures or movement. The dumbwaiter was surprisingly quiet, and the smell of lighter fluid from the torch was strong. After a few moments, Charlie's eyes adjusted and saw nothing. He tapped the roof of the dumbwaiter and was lowered to the bottom. He crept out onto his feet, and stood there silently just a moment. Still no movement, all seemed well. He checked his surroundings, to his right an open door, to his left two closed doors. He viewed his surroundings, cabinets, utilities. He was in the kitchen! The open door to his right led to a large room so he closed it as silently as he could, minding the creek of the hinges. Lighting his torch he looked around more and determined that one of the doors to his left would be a pantry. He tugged on the chord once to signal the rest of the team to come down.
Leo came down next carrying the bindle for carrying the weight of the food. Charlie whispered, "Let's wait until the other two are down, then try the doors."
Next came Jake, then Kyle. The four were there, and Charlie led them to the first door. Leo held his gun, and Jake carried the other torch. Kyle pressed his ear to the door, heard nothing, and opened it. The light shined in to expose a series of boxes, primarily of kitchen equipment from first glance, but no food. Then they opened the second door using the same caution, and discovered it to be a pantry. Not hardly a quarter full, food was still present, and the team lit up. They started swiping food, leaving Kyle back by the dumbwaiter for signaling Corey.
They had just about filled their bindle when a crash was heard outside the door which was originally on the right. The one leading to what appeared to be a dining room. The team stopped, staring.
Another crash, then the door blew open. A rather large creature, appearing human-like, with clear skin and orange glowing veins roughly 7 feet tall rushed in.
"Dumbwaiter is too slow!" Jake yelled. The team of four attempting to hold onto their food, began their evasive maneuvers. Leo drew his revolver, and pulled the trigger aiming for the head. Nothing... He tried again. Nothing.
"Dead ammo?!" Jake tugged on the chord three times signalling the Hail Mary and they ran around the kitchen island, putting space between them and the hostile...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Support/Overwatch
Corey saw the chord tug three times, turned back at the rest of the team by the bookshelf barricade, he yelled, "Hail Mary!" The team drew back, armed up, and rushed down the stairs with the clubs and torches in hand. They rushed down, thinking about the way the house was organized, they turned right at the bottom of the stairs, and saw a hallway and no doors leading where they wanted to go. They ran down the hallway, torches on the front and backside.
Entering the hallway they saw the light coming through the open door of the kitchen through the dining room and rushed straight in. There they saw it, the giant hostile creature, crashing around the kitchen in pursuit of the Deep Ops team. They all seemed fine at first glance, and as a big team they began clubbing at hostile.
With a group so large, the giant was overwhelmed and brought to it's knees, where a powerful swing of Charlie's club finally ended it's frenzy.
They all stopped, breathing heavily, and posted a watch at the door. "Hey, where's Elizabeth (johnhughthom)?"
"She came with us, I saw her."
They quickly resolved that grabbing food and returning up the stairs to the Study was their best option, so everyone grabbed what they could and their quickly made it's way back to the hallway. They stopped, at the end of the hallway was another giant hostile, at it's feet, the dead body of Elizabeth Banks.
Leo attempted the revolver again, but nothing happened. Several of the men stepped forward and clubbed the hostile down similarly to the way the first had gone down, but this time it was Callum with the kill blow.
"They're not invincible, we just have to work together!" Jake said quickly as they moved through the hallway into the Great Room, keeping an eye behind them as well as to their sides.
The light from their torches revealed the dozen or so bodies in the floor they had seen when Leon was bit. "Corpses..."
They traversed the Great Room in a large group, when a large figure burst from a door to their right from the front of the room, screeching as it charged. They determined they had time and made their way up the stairs to barricade the hostile out and possibly batter it from above. They made their way up when Hayden Hicks (autolycus) tripped, the giant grabbed his ankle, and threw him across the room, killing him instantly. In the distraction, the rest of the group barricaded themselves in as the giant crashed up the stairs. Leo aimed once again, praying it would work, and the sound was deafening. The bullet discharged, and the giant dropped and fell back down the stairwell.
They quickly barricaded the top, listened a bit for more movement, heard faint roars from all over the mansion, and went into the Study to bar themselves in.
They panted heavily, catching their breath. Some wept for their fallen comrades, others inspected their haul.
Jake spoke up once again after they had calmed down, "We have some food now, it's going to be okay. Obviously Leo saved our lives with that gunshot but it's woken up the other hostiles. It's time we ended this, and got out of here."
Lola spoke up, "I saw the front door, it's right in front of the stairs across the Great Room. It didn't appear locked, but I didn't get a good look at it. We should try to leave."
They checked the blank book they had left in the sunroom hoping the heat would reveal with invisible ink, but it didn't work since the sun had already set.
"40 units of food, that's better than nothing." Callum said. The others nodded.
Graciously they ate, hearing the Mansion come to life beneath them...
---------------------------------------------
40 units of food added (You all must determine how it's divided)
johnhughthom & autolycus have been killed.
Map on it's way.
Discussion Phase 5 has begun! And will end on Wednesday, January 20th at 23:59GMT
Stats will be updated in Stats & Storyline thread.
The game has officially begun, the training wheels are off, and two of your members have perished. Who will be next?
Good luck everybody :bow:
Myrddraal
01-18-2016, 19:49
So... let's get this straight... the corpses in the hallway are just corpses? It does appear that way... They haven't moved since we last saw them, they didn't move whilst some of our team ran past them after coming down the stairs, and we retreated up the stairs without them hindering us.
It does make you wonder what bit khaan...
So... let's get this straight... the corpses in the hallway are just corpses? It does appear that way... They haven't moved since we last saw them, they didn't move whilst some of our team ran past them after coming down the stairs, and we retreated up the stairs without them hindering us.
It does make you wonder what bit khaan...
The bodies are in the Great Room. :yes:
Good questions...
Well, I think the gun is broke.
Well, I think the gun is broke.
Clarification, the gun did kill the last hostile.
That being said, it did fail previously...
:juggle:
seireikhaan
01-18-2016, 20:07
So... let's get this straight... the corpses in the hallway are just corpses? It does appear that way... They haven't moved since we last saw them, they didn't move whilst some of our team ran past them after coming down the stairs, and we retreated up the stairs without them hindering us.
It does make you wonder what bit khaan...
So can I do stuff yet or am I under lock and key for the rest of the game?
So can I do stuff yet or am I under lock and key for the rest of the game?
Up to you and your team, I've given all the information on your situation that is necessary at this point.
Myrddraal
01-18-2016, 20:20
Theory: we are in the same mansion as Mansion I and those corpses are the last 'contestants'...
Could it be?
Clarification, the gun did kill the last hostile.
That being said, it did fail previously...
:juggle:
I was thinking you was going to get Leo to kill it with a pistol whip, having given up on those bullets. :laugh4:
Golden1Knight
01-18-2016, 21:26
First blood!
What is our next move? Shall we check the front door? Perhaps establish a base/new barricade in the great hall, or perhaps in the dining room? Also, I like the idea of large groups. Beating creatures to death seems an effective way to clean the area, although there will always be casualties, it may be the only way to defeat them.
Montmorency
01-18-2016, 21:42
Any information on the fire in the fireplace, and the documents? What is Khaan's condition? The revolver and ammo need to be examined; what is our bullet count?
We know that it's nighttime right now. Most of us need sleep. We need to divide the rations. Here's what I figure:
The first floor will be crawling with monsters, but if we turn off the lights outside the study, and shut the door to the study, they might just mill around below us without going for the barricade.
It's not clear that all the food was cleaned out yet. Also, we didn't have opportunity to check out most of the 1st floor. There seems to be a basement of some sort, possibly with high-level goodies (but also high-level enemies).
It's not clear what to do outside. Are there other buildings on the premises? We had a pretty easy time taking out those hulks, actually; the only deaths were more like WOG. We might take this round to sleep and eat (with GH, Jarema, and Chox as lookouts). The round after that, we tentatively explore the first floor, this time taking the systematic approach of luring each monster to the top of the stairs, from where the group can knock it back it over the side for a damaging tumble. After that, it should be daytime again and we can consider searching the grounds. I suspect we will find more benefit in securing the entire first floor over time and then going down to the basement to uncover the truth of it all.
40 units of food, 13 of us- looks like we have enough to give 3 to everyone and have 1 left over.
Notes:
1. Ammo left, 49, but some of the shots are dead from the revolver chamber.
2. Khaan's condition is fine, no "turn" (yet... Muahaha :evil:)
3. You all fled in too much of a rush to stop and check the book by the fireplace.
4. The windows in the sunroom are bulletproof and do not/will not open.
5. You did not obtain all of the food from the pantry.
6. I like the way Myrddraal thinks, just saying :yes:
Ironside
01-18-2016, 22:50
Eating round and then a sleeping round to get out of 0.
Unless someone got a more natural skill for it, I'll investigate the gun and the rounds after eating. Our doctor should check up khaan, and look how the bite mark looks like. Size and appearance.
Are the monsters the same or very similar to the Mansion 1?
Myrddraal
01-18-2016, 23:05
The monsters are similar, yes.
GeneralHankerchief
01-18-2016, 23:47
Are khaan and I with the rest of the group or are we still separated considering the previous turn was a "sleep" turn for both of us?
Are khaan and I with the rest of the group or are we still separated considering the previous turn was a "sleep" turn for both of us?
You slept in the Study, default sleep quarters, which is where everybody else is. Yes.
GeneralHankerchief
01-19-2016, 02:52
Alright, that makes life a little easier. I'll check on khaan, but realistically that shouldn't take more than a minute or two seeing as how a) we're together and b) with everyone else. After that, barring complications (and after I eat) I can be a warm body somewhere else. Since it looks like this turn isn't going to be much more than a "refresh needs" turn then I guess that leaves lookout duty by default, though I'd be open to other options.
Now, as for food:
40 units
13 living players
equates to 3 food per person with one unit left over. Any volunteers to take the extra portion? Preferably it won't be someone who we plan on getting killed anytime soon so it doesn't go to waste.
Of course, this division will change if people go to sleep this turn, since that's a full-turn action. Maybe just leave the food in reserve for when they wake up and trust that none of us take second helpings?
El Barto
01-19-2016, 02:57
Wait, so everyone rushed down and didn't start a fire or creep out to spy, etc. etc.? I thought my orders wouldn't be overridden.
OK, I and a couple others should remain up manning the barricade and starting a fire (Mr. GM, do we suffer from cold?) while the others sleep.
El Barto
01-19-2016, 05:13
So can I do stuff yet or am I under lock and key for the rest of the game?
You can always be used as extra material for the barricade or impromptu projectile/battering ram.
OOC: has anyone played the first Mansion game?
Myrddraal
01-19-2016, 11:17
OOC post: I didn't play, but I read the entire thing. I can't remember all the details so I've been referring back to it, but a couple of key facts:
- The 'hostiles' were little grey men who transformed in to glowing orange giants when angry.
- IIRC, a lot of the people died in the lobby towards the end of the game (which is why I wondered if we might be in the same mansion)
- At the end of the game, the survivors met the madman who had coordinated the whole thing. He had created some kind of virus/disease that transformed people into these monstors. The survivors escaped out through the front door, only to discover that they had all been pre-infected with the virus by injection.
If we are in the same Mansion, then I expect the door would be open, but the outside world is not likely to be any friendlier than inside the mansion.
Also, we were clearly put here. Probably by the same person. Probably with a distinct purpose (the first round of contestants were, it appears, being put through a trial by fire so that the strongest could be selected to go and infect the world).
Greyblades
01-19-2016, 12:22
I'll take an eating phase and with my turn I'll search the library for a book on firearms, see if we can find something that can weed out the duds in our remaining bullets or find out what's wrong with the gun.
Myrddraal
01-19-2016, 13:56
Zain. Can we eat and sleep in one phase, or is sleeping strictly 100% of all activity for a sleeping phase?
It is a full 4 hours sleep, cannot do both.
El Barto
01-19-2016, 18:23
So, following on what Myrddraal said, we have actually seen a non-irritated little grey man. We should find out how/why they transform into the orange things.
Then… a distinct purpose or a different purpose? Our GM is, apparently, a bit of a sadist. we might get a ‘rocks fall, everyone dies’ out of him yet.
Myrddraal
01-19-2016, 19:18
OOC: From memory, it didn't really seem possible to stop them transforming. The slightest threat would cause a transformation.
IIRC, early in the first game I think the team did encounter 'hostiles' in their 'passive' form for very brief periods.
That all said, the (three?) orange giants we encountered downstairs were already in their aggressive form, and I'm guessing that after a gun-shot there won't be too many grey men left in the house.
El Barto
01-20-2016, 01:18
If they can transform into the orange monstrosities we should be able to transform them back. Where's our science guy?
18 hours until showtime, roughly 25 posts... discussion is lacking this turn but I suppose the need to eat and sleep have robbed us of true material this turn...
GeneralHankerchief
01-20-2016, 07:30
Speaking of which, any objections to my "three food per person, if you're sleeping it gets held over until awake" proposal? Keep the leftover unit in reserve for now.
Myrddraal
01-20-2016, 08:45
Seems fair enough. We all started with equal food and we're all equally hungry...
OOC I'm still not sure I fully understand the eating mechanics, do we explicitly need to chose when you eat, or do we automatically consume of unit of food per round.
I presume our rested friends will keep watch. Whilst the rest of us sleep.
I think the watchers should keep watch at the top of the rotunda. It is a naturally defendable position that we should try to keep hold of.
I'd like to try heat on the blank books again. If the sun rises leave one in the sun room. If not, put one near the embers of the fire in the sitting room.
I'm tr
OOC I'm still not sure I fully understand the eating mechanics, do we explicitly need to chose when you eat, or do we automatically consume of unit of food per round.
I see the confusion and will amend the Stats & Storyline Q&A.
The Food stat is a countdown to "starvation", in which obtaining food units delays that countdown or even adds to it.
Eating orders are not necessary, as that action of "depletion" per turn is automatic and acts as eating 1 unit per turn.
edit:
Q:A amended, apologies for that confusion. :bow:
Golden1Knight
01-20-2016, 14:58
To keep watch over the stairs sounds like a good idea, but how is the dumbwaiter? The creatures could use this route to catch us off guard?
Ironside
01-20-2016, 17:57
To keep watch over the stairs sounds like a good idea, but how is the dumbwaiter? The creatures could use this route to catch us off guard?
We could jam the lowering mechanism, like creating a loop on the lowering rope and get a chair leg into the loop.
What can we do this round? Preparation for sleeping seems safest as triggering something bad, while most need to sleep next round is a bad combo.
I'm going to check to be certain, but having this as a sleeping round would cause starvation, correct Zain? The auto-eating makes things a bit different.
I'll check the gun and cartridges, El Barto checks for books on the topic.
See if we can get the invisible ink visible.
Jam the dumbwaiter. I say in a non-permanent way for now.
Possibly reinforcing out barricade for the staircase.
Search non-fully searched rooms: The Library and the Sitting Room.
Our doctor checks up on 'khaan and determines in more detail what bit him. If there's nothing weird with 'khaan, I'll suggest that we release him.
Stair watch of course.
Anything else?
What can we do this round? Preparation for sleeping seems safest as triggering something bad, while most need to sleep next round is a bad combo.
I'm going to check to be certain, but having this as a sleeping round would cause starvation, correct Zain? The auto-eating makes things a bit different.
No you cannot starve if you have food.
Basically, eating would take, what, 5 minutes if you're in a hurry?
All non-automatic actions are disabled during sleep rounds, since eating is automatic, eating will commence briefly prior to sleep.
----
Man... I don't remember the previous game's players being so intelligent and asking detailed questions, they just seemed to go with the flow :juggle2:
Montmorency
01-20-2016, 18:12
I don't think the 7-foot beasts are getting into the dumbwaiter, let alone using it to surprise us. Just have the watchers raise it back to the second floor.
Jarema, Choxorn, and GH should be the watchers. Khaan can stay awake and talk to GH, as well as help watch the rotunda. GH, besides talking to Khaan, can keep the fire and continue searching the rotunda.
I don't recommend anyone else stay awake, as everyone besides the three named needs sleep.
Winston Hughes
01-20-2016, 18:46
All of us bar three (one who's been bitten) asleep at the same time? Forgive me a moment's paranoia, but isn't that asking for trouble?
GeneralHankerchief
01-20-2016, 19:16
Yeah, especially considering the only way we took down the hostiles last time was explicitly stated to be our strength in numbers.
Montmorency
01-20-2016, 19:19
Four, bar one who's bitten. As I pointed out earlier, mindless rage beasts probably aren't formulating an assault plan on us. Just keep the lights down in the hallway and don't make a lot of noise, and they should just stumble around downstairs. If we're wrong, then call for backup - but still keep in mind that (aside from the gun) we have bookshelves, a broom, and bits of wood with which to send brutes toppling over the banister for a damaging fall.
Myrddraal
01-20-2016, 20:10
The team keeping watch don't need to fight off any attack alone. If an attack happens, wake the others.
GeneralHankerchief
01-20-2016, 20:17
The team keeping watch don't need to fight off any attack alone. If an attack happens, wake the others.
Zain, is this an allowable action? i.e. we can interrupt other people's sleep to help out if needed?
Zain, is this an allowable action? i.e. we can interrupt other people's sleep to help out if needed?
If sleepers are woken up the benefits of their sleep will be severely diminished.
Greyblades
01-20-2016, 22:00
All of us bar three (one who's been bitten) asleep at the same time? Forgive me a moment's paranoia, but isn't that asking for trouble?
I volunteer to continue searching for useful items this turn, as i said earlier we should at least see if there are any useful books like medical texts or firearm maintenance in the library.
GeneralHankerchief
01-20-2016, 22:02
This might be getting ahead of ourselves a bit, but we're also going to need to replenish our food supply sooner rather than later.
Montmorency
01-21-2016, 00:15
Here's what I figure:
It's not clear that all the food was cleaned out yet. Also, we didn't have opportunity to check out most of the 1st floor. There seems to be a basement of some sort, possibly with high-level goodies (but also high-level enemies).
It's not clear what to do outside. Are there other buildings on the premises? We had a pretty easy time taking out those hulks, actually; the only deaths were more like WOG. We might take this round to sleep and eat (with GH, Jarema, and Chox as lookouts). The round after that, we tentatively explore the first floor, this time taking the systematic approach of luring each monster to the top of the stairs, from where the group can knock it back it over the side for a damaging tumble. After that, it should be daytime again and we can consider searching the grounds. I suspect we will find more benefit in securing the entire first floor over time and then going down to the basement to uncover the truth of it all.
Zain has also confirmed that we didn't deplete the food stores downstairs.
Discussion Phase 5 has ended!
Please send your Order PM's! You have 24 hours!
El Barto
01-21-2016, 03:44
We could jam the lowering mechanism, like creating a loop on the lowering rope and get a chair leg into the loop.
What can we do this round? Preparation for sleeping seems safest as triggering something bad, while most need to sleep next round is a bad combo.
I'm going to check to be certain, but having this as a sleeping round would cause starvation, correct Zain? The auto-eating makes things a bit different.
I'll check the gun and cartridges, El Barto checks for books on the topic.
See if we can get the invisible ink visible.
Jam the dumbwaiter. I say in a non-permanent way for now.
Possibly reinforcing out barricade for the staircase.
Search non-fully searched rooms: The Library and the Sitting Room.
Our doctor checks up on 'khaan and determines in more detail what bit him. If there's nothing weird with 'khaan, I'll suggest that we release him.
Stair watch of course.
Anything else?
Starting the bloody fire. I think we should divide into two groups, one sleeps and one does things. A bit like dog-watches on warships.
All of us bar three (one who's been bitten) asleep at the same time? Forgive me a moment's paranoia, but isn't that asking for trouble?
No, that's a recipe for trouble.
This might be getting ahead of ourselves a bit, but we're also going to need to replenish our food supply sooner rather than later.
We've gained three more phases.
I think everyone needs to sleep, except for those who have already slept who will keep watch and explore (if they dare).
Montmorency
01-21-2016, 17:06
I recommend
Sleep: Everyone except...
Overwatch, Fire, Explore Library, Raise Dumbwaiter, Examine Documents and Revolver, Check on Khaan: Khaan, GH, Choxorn, Jarema (who have 4 sleep beyond the rest of us)
Let's keep it simple this turn, guys.
Raith Kemmler
01-21-2016, 20:46
I'm back-ish.
I could sleep or act as a meat shield.
With my narrative absence, my plot armor's prolly kind of shoddy at this point.
Allowed for a bit of a buffer, been working late lately :2thumbsup:
But now it's morning, I have my coffee. Give me an hour or two, :yes:
Also default action will be my choosing this round, as there is obviously not a lot happening. I was really hoping you all would stagger your sleep schedules but food did not come soon enough I suppose.
edit:
"default action" as in for No PM orders.
I'm back-ish.
I could sleep or act as a meat shield.
With my narrative absence, my plot armor's prolly kind of shoddy at this point.
Glad to see you're back, your character survived your hiatus luckily :2thumbsup:
Phase 5
The surviving thirteen recollected their memories of their deceased,who's bodies had been strewn about before their very eyes. Taking their fill of their booty retrieved from the Pantry, bellies finally full, those who had not rested now for a total of sixteen hours chose to rest.
These eight sleepers were Hollie Daniels (Winston Hughes), Lola Richards (Myddraal), Charlie Wallace (Golden1Knight), Kyle Bevan (Ironside), Jake Kelly (Montmorency), Bradley Palmer (El Barto), Leo Webb (Beskar), and Corey Parsons (Raith Kemmler).
"Kieran, you need to rest." Jake told Kieran Hurst (Greyblades).
"No, I can't. There's not enough people on guard, I'll sleep after you all wake up." He answered, dark circles under his eyes. "And how could I sleep knowing there's monsters downstairs? We can even hear them."
No one questioned him, then the bound Leon Cartwright (seireikhaan) took the podium, "Listen y'all, I'm fine. Look at me, I'm fine. Don't even have a fever!"
Faith Faulkner (GeneralHankerchief) inspected his wound, "It still appears minor, and doesn't even look infected... I'm going to untie him."
"No! What if he hurts somebody?" Jake asked, rejecting her apathy for the man.
"If I was goin to hurt somebody, don't you think I would've already tried? Come on, I want to help!" Leon barked quickly, cutting off Faith.
Faith continued, "If things start to look bad, I'll wake you up. I promise." looking at Jake.
His response was quick as he laid down to sleep, "Fine."
Lola spoke up, "What does the bite look like? Does it look human in size?"
Faith inspected Leon's leg, inexperienced with trauma as an Occupational Therapist but her medical training did introduce her many things, "Well remember I'm not a medical doctor per se, but it does look like it's about human size. Leon, you said a hand grabbed your ankle and that's why you tripped?"
Leon shook his head, ashamed to be the one to get injured. Faith continued, "Then it must have been a human, perhaps an ape..." No one responded, they all simply hoped Leon would stay friendly.
Jack Foster (Jarema) and Callum Simmons (Choxorn) also remained awake having rested previously, "I'll guard the staircase." Jack said.
"I'll help." Leon said as Faith freed him. "Me too." She added.
"I want to go to the library and see if I can find any information on firearms, see if I can figure out a way to determine which ammunition rounds are bad. Also some medical information would be good too. I'll help guard after that." Kieran said, fighting through his exhaustion.
It was Callum's turn, "I'll check out the documents we've found, then help guard too."
The eight were closed into the Study as the remaining five slowly crept outside, lights off as to not anger the beasts below, and went on their ways.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Callum crept his way to the Sitting Room where a fire had been lit in the fireplace and one of the blank books rested near to heat up. "Never heard of invisible ink being revealed by heat, but really it's not something I study." He quietly told the guards as he passed them.
Entering the room he closed the door behind him and turned on the light. Approaching the fireplace he sat on the mantle and picked up the book. Something was different about the book... Not words necessarily, it just had a tint to it.
He looked closely, bringing the book up close to his eyes. He could very faintly make out scribbling, but it was yellow on the off-white pages. And the yellow was such a faint shade that it was impossible to make out what it said. "At least we know something now!" Callum thought to himself, stoking and feeding the fire, he left the room to inspect the other documents they had found.
He looked at the other blank books, the reverse script notes, the paper with the symbols, and spent him time doing so while watching over the sleepers.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kieran made his way into the Library, closing the door behind him quietly he turned on the light as Callum had done in the Sitting Room and began searching.
"Firearms... Firearms... where would that be?" He asked himself. His eyes crossed temporarily, exhaustion beginning to set in. "Guns!" he picked a book out of the third shelf and began sifting through it, "Proper ammunition storage!" He flipped to page 76, "Ammunition should be stored in cool, moisture-free location..." He thought back on the hidden door that Corey had found, "Seemed pretty moisture-free..."
"If ammunition appears corroded, dispose of immediately..."
Kieran smiled to himself, "We need to inspect the ammunition, pull out the corroded rounds." Feeling satisfied with himself, he continued searching. On the fourth shelf he found a Medical Encyclopedia from 1918. Being the only one he could find, he chose to take it with him as well. He chose to search the last section of the books, when he found a book that caught his eye. The title simply read "Symbols" and appeared very old.
He opened it and read the short introduction. "Symbols originated as the first form of writing, and can have many meanings. Enjoy the accumulation of centuries of knowledge compiled in this short journal."
He smiled once again, amazed at his luck, and brought back his haul to the Study. With the Medical Encyclopedia in hand he approached Faith.
"Here, it's very outdated, but something good to read." He handed it to Faith who sat with Jack and Leon.
She smiled, "Thanks, hardly cutting edge but the fundamentals are still the same." She looked at Leon, "I think you're fine, but I'm still checking up on you regularly."
He nodded, "Just happy I'm not a zombie."
Callum asked him what he had found, "Book on guns and another on symbols." He answered.
"Can I see the symbols book?" He asked him, and Kieran handed it over.
After sifting through for a couple of hours, Callum's excitement was apparent, "Look, it's Theta!"
The guards looked over his shoulder at the first symbol that they had found on the note. "A circle with a horizontal line though it, Theta! It also represented the sun in Ancient Chinese culture, water in Spanish origins, or salt in alchemy!"
They sat in silence for a moment, stumped. "So, theta, the sun, water, or salt..."
"Hey, at least we know something now!" Callum responded, and began looking through the book for the other two symbols.
After another couple of hours, his head began to spin, "I have to take a break, there's thousands of symbols in here and some have only the slightest variation."
The guard finished out their shift, listening to the moaning and shuffling of giants beneath them, and the snoring of the rest of their team, they miraculously made it without an incident.
---------------------------------------------
Items added:
1918 Medical Encylopedia
"Guns" book
"Symbols" book
Discussion Phase 6 has begun! And will end on Sunday, January 24th at 23:59GMT
Stats will be updated in Stats & Storyline thread.
Notes:
1. Consider all things when trying to solve a problem, items you have attained in particular.
2. This was a good turn for intellectual pursuit, this puzzle needs to be solved.
3. It is recommended that you as a group dive deeper into the Mansion at this point, possibly creating a new base of operations if possible.
4. Inactivity henceforth will result in death next write-up, no exceptions.
Therefore recommended course of action - Move downstairs in force, explore, think critically and creatively.
Good luck everybody :bow:
Q:A edited:
Q:Can I do anything else during a turn if I sleep?
A:No, and you will regain all units of Sleep.
Q:A added:
Q: What happens if my character is undergoing "exhaustion"?
A: Your character CAN faint randomly, whether in ideal or non-ideal settings.
Myrddraal
01-22-2016, 16:31
Good job! I honestly thought the books where exhausted. Someone less tired should give that book a thorough read.
Zain: does the look at khaan's wound give any indication of the size or shape of the jaw and teeth that bit him?
maybe we can found some informations about monstrosities in medical encyclopedia?
also, we should examine yellow marks on white pages carefuly
Good job! I honestly thought the books where exhausted. Someone less tired should give that book a thorough read.
Zain: does the look at khaan's wound give any indication of the size or shape of the jaw and teeth that bit him?
Allow me to add that detail to the write-up. One moment.
edit: Done. Please refer to the first section when Faith went to untie Leon.
edit edit: Fixed a typo :creep:
Myrddraal
01-22-2016, 16:44
On theta, quoting from the book of symbols (aka Wikipedia)
In classical Athens, it was used as an abbreviation for the Greek θάνατος (thanatos, “death”) and as it vaguely resembles a human skull, theta was used as a warning symbol of death, in the same way that skull and crossbones are used in modern times.
On theta, quoting from the book of symbols (aka Wikipedia)
Naughty. :laugh4:
Montmorency
01-22-2016, 18:58
Yes, the theta can be used to denote Death, or to record a specific death.
We still need to raise the dumbwaiter back up, if only because it's a more useful backup when it's being lowered than when it's being raised.
Faith can bone up on medicine while she and Khaan study the symbols. We could try the magnifying glass on the faint ink. Beskar can take a look at the gun book and the bullets.
We don't need to assault the first floor right now, but we should definitely begin systematically culling the monsters by goading them up the stairs and knocking them off for a fall. Minimal effort, minimal risk. Obviously the broom and bookshelves will come in handy here.
And Greyblades: Go sleep yourself.
Ironside
01-22-2016, 20:08
Long shot on the symbols. If they stand for alchemical compounds, the second one could be tin. Lightning+eagle = Zeus =Jupiter (planet) -> alchemical symbol for tin.
Delta, fire are triangles, but I haven't found one without the corner (yet?).
Greyblades
01-23-2016, 02:47
And Greyblades: Go sleep yourself.
Sleep you too, good buddy!
So is there a specific place to sleep? I'm thinking of holing myself up in one of the bathrooms, after last turn i think I've earned enough plot armour that a chair against the door should be enough to keep me alive through the phase.
Montmorency
01-23-2016, 02:57
Just sleep in the study while Khaan, GH, and Beskar are working. Nice and toasty by the fire.
El Barto
01-23-2016, 06:13
OK, I think that something's going to come in through the roof or through the sunroom windows. Let's say I have a bad feeling about this. So we'd better keep a few guards up here while everyone else sets things up… I for one would build a huge, huge fire with any furniture, books, etc. and leave it going, in case the bloody things are attracted to heat (it's serve as a decoy) or we have to retreat back upstairs (then we have a fire). Leave everything prepared for going down to another floor/room.
Have we found any other way down?
Has anyone tried the windows in the sunroom? We should keep the door to it closed for now, just in case something comes in or looks in and sees our lights.
Has anyone examined the walls yet?
On theta, quoting from the book of symbols (aka Wikipedia)
Yes, except that in Ancient Greece it was often a circle with two crossed bars.
Naughty. :laugh4:
Hmmm… kinky.
GeneralHankerchief
01-23-2016, 07:15
Sleep you too, good buddy!
So is there a specific place to sleep? I'm thinking of holing myself up in one of the bathrooms, after last turn i think I've earned enough plot armour that a chair against the door should be enough to keep me alive through the phase.
I think Zain said that the study was the default sleep area, even if you're currently located elsewhere (unless the path to the study is blocked by hostiles or something).
I was trying to decipher meaning of open triangle. Not much, but it is what I think about it:
OOC: thank you, google
triangle is common Mason symbol. Triangle pointing up may be symbol of spiritual advancement, and broken triangle - of failure at spiritual advancement.
Alternatively, triangle is also greek letter "delta", which stands for "change". Open triangle means that one is open to change - that is exact meaning some people ascribe to it.
Winston Hughes
01-23-2016, 16:30
We could try the magnifying glass on the faint ink.
We didn't get anything when we tried before, but I guess there's no harm in trying again now. Will a red tint help us see yellow on white?
Also, I'm wondering what - if anything - the silver items (hand mirror, hair brush) might be used for. Have we examined them at all? (If so, I didn't spot it in the write-ups.)
Greyblades
01-23-2016, 17:45
Hmm... according to wikipedia my job includes working with dyes and chemicals as well as careful scalpel work, i might know in character something that can help make the writing show up more clearly.
Winston Hughes
01-23-2016, 19:06
Beskar can take a look at the gun book and the bullets.
As an Equipment Technician, it would make more sense for me to do that.
Montmorency
01-23-2016, 22:05
Bart, the sunroom is all reinforced glass. It's the closest thing we have to a panic room. The dumbwaiter is the only way down from the second floor other than the stairs, which is why we should raise it back up.
Winston, approved.
Greyblades, don't talk in your sleep.
El Barto
01-23-2016, 22:32
OK, seems as if I'm on some exploration party… where and how are we proceeding?
Mister GM, do we have a plan/map of the other rooms?
People, has anyone tried to see what's up the fireplace?
Also, the GM's said we know our four hours because some people haev wristwatches. Think on that, please.
Montmorency
01-23-2016, 22:35
No, my recommendation was that rather than exploring we steadily lure the monsters up the stairs, one by one, before knocking them over. This way we whittle them down at the chokepoint before properly spreading out for a thorough search of the ground floor.
Also, the GM's said we know our four hours because some people haev wristwatches. Think on that, please.
It would be more helpful if we all had smart phones, if only for the flashlight functionality.
El Barto
01-23-2016, 22:53
Lure the monsters? How? With what? Dangle piece of issaikhaan tied to a torchand see if they bite then reel them in? We don't have that many of them and if there's some outside then we don't even know how many there are in all… what about the basement?
I was thinking that we could use the electronics in the wristwatches for something. Not sure what, as of yet.
Montmorency
01-23-2016, 23:42
The monsters are aggressive and simple-minded. Have one guy walk halfway down the stairs to yell at them, maybe throw a few small things at them, and they'll be riled enough to chase them right away. I mean, they're just stumbling around downstairs at the moment. Once we give them a concrete stimulus, they will respond.
Not sure what, as of yet.
Our crafting level is at "torches" ATM. I don't think we're going to be building anything mechanical or electronic here.
Greyblades
01-24-2016, 03:32
Are there any curtain rods? We could use some spear like weapons that can keep the beasties further away than our clubs.
Golden1Knight
01-24-2016, 04:18
I am in favor of the plan to lure them up here. When we raise the dumbwaiter, we must check carefully so that nothing nasty go up inside.
Are there any curtain rods? We could use some spear like weapons that can keep the beasties further away than our clubs.
What about brooms? Really, anything longer than a chair leg would be nice.
Was my plan to lock them in the balcony room before someone lost the key. :sad:
Winston Hughes
01-24-2016, 20:29
I'll be absent the next couple of RL days, so I'll be submitting orders soon.
My priority will be to get the revolver working reliably.
If there's time left over, I will spend it examining the silver items.
I'll also leave a standing order to assist at the barricade if things get too hot. Defenders can include a provision in your orders to the effect that, if it looks like we're in danger of being overwhelmed, you'll call me over by shouting 'Gun Here Now'.
If there's anything else I should include, tell me asap.
Ironside
01-24-2016, 22:56
The monsters are aggressive and simple-minded. Have one guy walk halfway down the stairs to yell at them, maybe throw a few small things at them, and they'll be riled enough to chase them right away. I mean, they're just stumbling around downstairs at the moment. Once we give them a concrete stimulus, they will respond.
Our crafting level is at "torches" ATM. I don't think we're going to be building anything mechanical or electronic here.
I'll say we move down a team as support in case there's no monsters in the hall. They're there to support our aggressor in case a monster show up in an unexpected direction (like from another room). If things go well, we'll try to get them to the rotunda choke point, but we need some system to deal with monsters outside the hall and not letting our aggressor die every time things aren't optimal.
Montmorency
01-25-2016, 02:49
Ironside, plot armor approved.
Let's see those Orders gentlemen, 24 hours :bow:
El Barto
01-25-2016, 07:29
Wait, Zain, do we get plot armour or not?
Wait, Zain, do we get plot armour or not?
You're going to have to define that for me... :no:
Ironside
01-25-2016, 18:11
Ironside, plot armor approved.
As the provoker or what?
Hm, some sort of noise distraction would be good.
Edit:
Wait, Zain, do we get plot armour or not?
Plot armour works as follows. Speaking a lot gives levels in "charming scoundrel", which gives the ability to throw IPC (inactive PC) in front of monsters, giving yourself enough time to escape.
Going solo on the other hand, rends you apart as the killing plot cannot be transferred to another player.
May I vote for the provokers to be two players?
So I'm a little unclear: What exactly are we all supposed to be doing?
Myrddraal
01-25-2016, 21:16
I'm sorry I've been inactive these last three days. I've had a lot on my plate. I will be picking up on this again from now.
Could someone let me know what they'd like me to do this round?
Raith Kemmler
01-25-2016, 22:39
So I'm a little unclear: What exactly are we all supposed to be doing?
I'd also like some insight. Skimmed thread. Trying to get back into things, a bit unclear about our strategy.
Ironside
01-25-2016, 22:44
This one will be messy order wise then. I'll need to get to sleep about now and won't wake up until the round is over. So no long plan.
First I'll be baiting the monsters in the great room below up the stairs and we'll beat them to death at our choke point.
Then we'll go down (not all of us) as a team that'll explore towards the food room.
Since we have no light on the big room yet (it's not turned on yet, the team will turn it on), I'll be throwing a torch on the floor if I can't see the room properly in the dim light, for light and to provoke the monsters. Unless there's some huge accelerators on the floor, that won't start a fire for a long while.
Wet some clothes to stop it from burning after we've secured that room.
Myrddraal
01-25-2016, 23:04
Since we have no light on the big room yet (it's not turned on yet, the team will turn it on)
IIRC, we turned on the light but the bulb blew immediately. Turning it on won't help much...
I will submit orders to join in fighting any monsters that you lure up the steps.
Montmorency
01-25-2016, 23:53
Here are the orders I will be sending in:
Oversee rotunda operations. Raise dumbwaiter.
Beskar, Winston, Jarema, Choxorn, Kemmler, Myrddraal, Ironside, Goldenknight, and Bart are with me on the rotunda, with two of us at a time (alternating) making sorties down the stairs to try to lure the monsters up with noise and light. Use brooms, bookshelves, chair legs, and gun (as backup) to destroy any monsters that are lured to the top of the stairs. If no monsters seem forthcoming after a time, then a group of three can go down the stairs to explore. Any further contact with monsters means falling back to the stairs and resuming the bait-and-fight at the rotunda.
Winston and Beskar will tend to remain on the rotunda when not aiding in the defense of the stairs, studying the gun book and appraising the condition of the gun and bullets.
I expect Greyblades to sleep, while GH and Khaan tend to the fire in the study, work on the secret documents, and read subject books in medicine and symbols to increase knowledge.
GeneralHankerchief
01-26-2016, 00:13
I expect Greyblades to sleep, while GH and Khaan tend to the fire in the study, work on the secret documents, and read subject books in medicine and symbols to increase knowledge.
Let's hope this game's experience/knowledge system is closer to what it is in RPGs than it is real life. :laugh4:
El Barto
01-26-2016, 02:18
You're going to have to define that for me... :no:
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PlotArmour
Plot armour works as follows. Speaking a lot gives levels in "charming scoundrel", which gives the ability to throw IPC (inactive PC) in front of monsters, giving yourself enough time to escape.
Going solo on the other hand, rends you apart as the killing plot cannot be transferred to another player.
That's why I took greyblades with me last turn. :clown:
Here are the orders I will be sending in:
Oversee rotunda operations. Raise dumbwaiter.
Beskar, Winston, Jarema, Choxorn, Kemmler, Myrddraal, Ironside, Goldenknight, and Bart are with me on the rotunda, with two of us at a time (alternating) making sorties down the stairs to try to lure the monsters up with noise and light. Use brooms, bookshelves, chair legs, and gun (as backup) to destroy any monsters that are lured to the top of the stairs. If no monsters seem forthcoming after a time, then a group of three can go down the stairs to explore. Any further contact with monsters means falling back to the stairs and resuming the bait-and-fight at the rotunda.
I propose that one person raise the dumbwaiter while a second one stands ready to push back down anything that might come up within it.
Another person, i.e. me, with an escort, will take a peek out the sunroom window again. Then these four will come to the assistance of those who man the stairs; it shouldn't take much time to do that and we can always rush back to the rotunda in support.
Montmorency
01-26-2016, 03:28
OK, I guess, put in your orders that you and I will deal with the dumbwaiter and the sunroom.
But it's not warranted IMO. It's nighttime, and no 7-foot rage beast is going to hunker down in a dumbwaiter to wait for someone to raise it (never mind that we would detect the difference in weight).
This isn't Resident Evil.
Thank you for your orders, writeup will come within 24 hours.
Beskar, Winston, Jarema, Choxorn, Kemmler, Myrddraal, Ironside, Goldenknight, and Bart are with me on the rotunda,
sorry, I am not. In fact, I am downstairs, exploring and luring monsters
Montmorency
01-26-2016, 13:39
We all basically are - that's why we're on the rotunda.
I hope you don't get killed because of this. :sweatdrop:
Phase 6
The group, high in spirits despite the loss of two of their comrades, felt positively after killing a few of the giant hostiles. Splitting up into two groups, one at the top of the stairs in hopes of eliminating their enemies, and another staying behind for inspection of the guns, ammunition, and other books and documents for intel, they went to work.
Jake (Montmorency) took the initiative and raised the dumbwaiter, both in fear of a hostile using it though they all doubted one could fit or had the intelligence to use it, and also in case it was needed.
The others assisting were Jack (Jarema), Bradley (El Barto), Charlie (Golden1Knight), Corey (Raith Kemmler), Lola (Myrddraal), Kieran (Greyblades), Callum (Choxorn), and Kyle (Ironside). Together they would go down in pairs and attempt to lure a hostile up the stairs, using the bottleneck to kill them as a team.
Lola spoke up, "Are there any curtains for curtain rails? We can use them as a spear."
"No, no curtains. Whoever lived here either took them down or never had them. All of the windows are bricked up." Jake answered her.
The other four, Leo (Beskar), Hollie (Winston Hughes), Faith (GeneralHankerchief), and Leon (seireikhaan) stayed in the Study to inspect their questionable materials.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Intel
Hollie and Leo inspected the revolver and the ammunition using the "Guns" book as a guide. Determining that a cover of corrosion on the cap could be from moisture and therefore render the gunpowder inside the shell inert, they began sifting through the ammunition to filter out the bad from the good. There being 49 rounds, this would take quite some time.
Hollie also took the time to inspect the silver hairbrush and hand mirror only to find nothing of note.
Faith read the century old Medical Encyclopedia, not expecting to learn anything she hadn't already learned during her 8 year studies in University, but still hoping something would spark some sort of reference to the disease that was obviously effecting the monsters. She also inspected the notes which glowed yellow in heat, but had no real detailed plan as to how to inspect it.
As she studied she also tended to Leon, who appeared upbeat and healthy. His wound was healing naturally, scabbed over and no infection, quite the miraculous recovery actually. His spirits seemed up too after being freed, and studied the symbols note and the book.
Leon stopped, "I found a section on triangles, but none of them have a corner missing..."
"Keep looking." Faith told him. As they studied, they awaited the inevitable ruckus they expected to hear outside the door...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rotunda
Jack stood at the barricade, "Let me out."
Jake and Charlie both argued against him, "No, we go together."
Jack stood his ground, "I'm going, one man can sneak around better than a group. You can either move the bookshelf and let me go or I'll move it myself."
The others couldn't argue with him, and let him go. Jack made his way down the stairs and into the darkness...
They waited to hear him or a hostile but heard nothing. He was gone, literally vanished. After a short time, expecting him to return, they chose to take action into their won hands. Bradley volunteered himself and Kieran to take a peek downstairs for the first lure, "Okay, remember. Go down with the torch, if you see something, try to get it's attention and bring it up here. Then together we'll kill it." Kyle instructed them.
Charlie and Kyle waited at the top of the stairs, the rest of the group waiting behind them, while the other two went down.
Kieran spoke up, "Are you sure about this?" he whispered as he held the torch.
Bradley carrying a leg of a chair, not feeling all too safe or secure, didn't answer him. They made it down far enough to where the light shined into the room. They stopped, looking for either a giant or Jack, and they saw nothing. The bodies still lay in the floor, still about a dozen or so. They snuck their way down further, torch in hand, shining more light into the room. It was huge, large chandelier hanging from the ceiling, power still out. Bodies on the floor, chairs and small tables lined all over the room. At the end opposite of them, a pair of large doors appearing to be the exit, but they feared to go too far in.
They reached the bottom, and peered around the corner in the direction of the pantry and kitchen which was to the right. A door across the hallway where the hostile had come from that had killed one of their own. They glanced to the left, a mirror image of what lie on the right. A spot of movement caught both of their attentions, one of the bodies on the floor began to stir. It's movement looked painful.
Fearing it was Jack, they waited and watched, afraid to enter the room. The moving figure, which faced away from them, attempted to get up but it was slow and failed to do so.
"It's weak." Bradley whispered.
It slowly turned toward them, small and frail, pail with sharp features and black eyes. No hair and rags for clothes, this was the same type of being they had spotted in the yard outside.
It hadn't attacked them like the others, but it did start to crawl toward them slowly, painfully. Bradley and Kieran stepped back, now on the first step of the rotunda. The light showed that the bodies in the floor were corpses, decomposing over time. The creature, which silently crawled toward them slowly, painfully, almost gave them feelings of pity.
Mesmerized by the sight, they slowly backed up the stairs, not allowing it to get too close. They saw blood in it's teeth and mouth, "Think that's what bit Leon?" Kieran asked still in a whisper.
Bradley didn't answer but did glance around quickly and saw that the rotunda circled back down to a basement below them. He also noticed something odd, he didn't hear any hostiles. "Listen." He commanded, and Kieran did so. "It's silent, maybe we killed all the giants."
Feeling the crawling creature truly was no threat, they left it alone and made their way up the stairs to deliver the news...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Jack snuck quickly, eyes adjusting to the darkness. He felt he was right, sneaking silently and alone was able to move quickly, but he fought fear.
"Fear is only consideration of what could happen." He thought to himself, keeping himself in the moment was the only way to beat this situation. He went from door to door, opening silently, listening and watching.
And it was here that Jack found the blueprints to the Mansion, a small role of paper specifically placed on an end table for him to find. "Who leaves a blueprint on an end table?" He thought. He grabbed it, and made his way back to the Rotunda.
Upon entering the Rotunda he saw was looked like an old man laying at the foot of the stairs, facedown, hand on the step. He snuck up to it, knowing it wasn't one of their own, he made a noise and watched it come to life. It's head turned revealing it's inhuman characteristics, and he knew this was a hostile.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Rotunda crew upstairs heard a thump, and all jumped into attack position. Shortly thereafter, Jack came up the stairs holding his blueprints in one hand and club (chair leg) in the other.
Silently he passed the barricade, handed the blueprints to Jack, and walked toward the Study.
"Where did you find this?" He asked him.
"In one of the bedrooms." Jack answered, but his look was odd.
"You okay?" Bradley asked him, "Did you see that thing downstairs?"
Jack didn't look at him but answered, "It's dead now."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
They argued about whether they should go back down, "Jack was gone for a couple hours, it's almost sun-up right now. Maybe we should reconvene and move downstairs, maybe set up a base of operations in the kitchen instead. Obviously this story is secure." Jake said.
"Or try to leave." Callum added.
Faith spoke up this time, "I think Leon is okay too." He nodded.
"Then we need to gather our stuff and move downstairs to the food, Jack did you see anything downstairs?" Jake added again.
Jack still seemed off, probably shaken from execution-style killing that hostile, "No. Nothing."
"Find the pantry again?" Lola asked him.
"Yes, but couldn't grab anything but what would fit in my pocket." He answered them. (2 food units)
"Then we leave, everybody gather your things." Jake ordered, feeling the tides turning.
Leon added, "I have a translation for the symbols." Everybody stopped, shocked.
"The circle at the beginning with the line is Theta, which typically indicates death or the afterlife. The eagle with the lightning bolt seems to mean strength or dominion, like a predatory, based on a few loose translations of other similar symbols."
"What about the triangle?" Lola asked him.
"Triangles are usually strength too but can mean change. I think the piece missing could mean imperfect or broken..."
"So... death, predator, and broken or imperfect strength or change. Sounds very bleak... Are you sure?" She asked him.
"Of course not, but it's a start."
---------------------------------------------
Items added:
Food units: 2
Mansion Blueprints (Photo will be uploaded within 24 hours, still have to finish it)
Items removed:
20 ammunition rounds (Removed due to possible corrosion/moisture)
Discussion Phase 7 has begun! And will end on Thursday, January 28th at 23:59GMT
Stats will be updated in Stats & Storyline thread.
GM Commentary:
I have obviously led you in a specific direction this write-up. Recommend you do as suggested via dialogue this phase. Do be careful though, the Mansion is still not entirely safe.
Furthermore, only a few phases are left, it will be more difficult to stay alive from this point on, though it is possible for you all to survive, it hangs on your abilities to solve a few problems and riddles.
Good luck everybody :bow:
It is recommended that you all start thinking about the big picture of what's going on here, theories, fears, things you have noticed. Start by answering these questions, then discuss them. If someone gets it right, it will be reflected in a write-up very soon and help you attain victory.
1. Who put you there and for what purpose?
2. What are the hostiles?
3. What does the symbols note mean?
4. How do you believe "victory" could be attained?
Best of luck, I'm here to help. Ask questions.
edit:
I am very excited for this part of this story, you all should be too. Should be very riveting. :yes: :bow: :2thumbsup:
Montmorency
01-26-2016, 20:21
Wow, so what happened to "the house came alive below them"? I don't like the feeling of this. Best I can figure, the monster transformation eventually reverts to the original state, but in weakened form (like what Jarema killed).
Symbols: 1. Immortality serum not working.
2. Mortals are weak, let's turn them into super-creatures.
3. :daisy: me, focus on the other encrypted documents.
:wacky:
Let's wait on the blueprint. Once we see what the rest of the building looks like, we can plan our next moves.
Misc: 1. We should keep a better eye on Khaan on from here on.
2. It's past sunrise, so a peek through the sunroom would give us some more intel on the exterior of the house.
3. I assume that there is not more than 75 units of food remaining for us to find, so let's say we have 2 full days left (having spent 1.5 days in-game) to solve the mystery.
4. Are there any photos, framed or not, around here?
El Barto
01-27-2016, 06:14
Meta: no gun because we'd overpower the remaining scum. This is a trick puzzle instead of a monster hunt. Everyone remember there's at least one changer outside in the grounds.
ok
how much we are sure that the creature I killed is the same you saw downstairs and feel pity for?
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/Mansion%20Floor1_zpsjfnzqcdm.jpg
https://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/w440/dustinderusha/Mansion%20Basement_zpsce6wqhs4.jpg
Added to Stats & Storyline thread.
NOTE:
The windows in the Sunroom are BULLETPROOF and WILL NOT open. If I see someone else mention monsters coming in or somebody going outside through them again, it won't be good. :no:
:laugh4:
GeneralHankerchief
01-27-2016, 15:42
ok
how much we are sure that the creature I killed is the same you saw downstairs and feel pity for?
If they're not part of our group, I don't think we should differentiate. Our top priority is getting our group out, period.
4. Are there any photos, framed or not, around here?
Yes but none of note, dotted throughout the Mansion.
El Barto
01-27-2016, 19:07
My PM from last night states that it was so dark outside that we couldn't have seen anything out in the garden. Seems as if the lights're not working out there.
ok
how much we are sure that the creature I killed is the same you saw downstairs and feel pity for?
Quite but not completely.
Myrddraal
01-27-2016, 20:32
Jarema, did you get any extra info about what happened downstairs? Anything not in the public write-up?
Myrddraal
01-27-2016, 20:39
Regarding theories on the reason we are here:
We were obviously put here by someone, and it does appear to be a test. The blueprints and the note that led to the discovery of the secret bathroom were clearly targetted at us (and not just random discoveries). They are evidence enough that our captor is giving us hints, but testing is nonetheless.
Perhaps we are immunised againt the virus? Guinea pigs in a test of the 'cure' alluded to in the business journal?
If we get a chance, I would like to carefully examine the corpses in the lobby. If they have needle marks on their backs, it would confirm that they were victims of Mansion I.
Myrddraal
01-27-2016, 20:54
As for 'winning', at a high level it seems there are only two options: to play our captor's game and hope he has a happy ending in mind for those who rise to the challenge, or play our captor, break the game and beat them.
Montmorency
01-27-2016, 21:24
Hey Winston, the billiard room has been discovered.
El Barto
01-27-2016, 21:27
Good! We can use it for strategy. We can lay out all the plans on the billiards table and study them at leisure.
Winston Hughes
01-27-2016, 21:58
Hey Winston, the billiard room has been discovered.
Excellent work, Sergeant-Major. Knew I could rely on you.
Now if you'd just send some chaps on a quick expedition to the wine cellar, we'll soon have this mess put right.
El Barto
01-27-2016, 22:26
I propose, Sir Winston, that you lead by example. I volunteer you to head the cues and balls department. I.e. find them wherever they are.
Ironside
01-27-2016, 22:28
As for 'winning', at a high level it seems there are only two options: to play our captor's game and hope he has a happy ending in mind for those who rise to the challenge, or play our captor, break the game and beat them.
I doubt his happy ending are the same as we would prefer. It does reek of us being test subjects mark 2. Through the food perhaps? And the monsters are mark 1. If this is the first mansion, the wounded one might have been a survivor among the bodies, that later mutated.
The conservatory seems to be the horror room, with good clues.
The mud room (never heard of that one before) is misplaced. A hint?
Jarema, did you get any extra info about what happened downstairs? Anything not in the public write-up?
not.
I still think it is important to determine if the creatures were the same. I get a feeling that maybe we should communicate in some way with this non-aggresive one
Ironside
01-28-2016, 21:01
It is recommended that you all start thinking about the big picture of what's going on here, theories, fears, things you have noticed. Start by answering these questions, then discuss them. If someone gets it right, it will be reflected in a write-up very soon and help you attain victory.
1. Who put you there and for what purpose?
2. What are the hostiles?
3. What does the symbols note mean?
4. How do you believe "victory" could be attained?
Best of luck, I'm here to help. Ask questions.
edit:
I am very excited for this part of this story, you all should be too. Should be very riveting. :yes: :bow: :2thumbsup:
1. We're tested. Second round apparently, considering the bodies.
2. An attempt on getting a perfect predator, "the next step in human evolution" -thing.
3. Not sure about the first one in this context, but the second one is the monsters. The imperfection might be the loss of mind. We're more dangerous than the predators since we still got our minds.
4. Finding out what the cure is and its purpose. It could save us, it could save the world from the pandemic or it could be a massive danger to the world. Social darwinists are big on killing off the weak, so a cure could "make people stronger" (by turning them into monsters).
Myrddraal
01-28-2016, 21:01
The write-up did seem to suggest they were the same. If we do encounter another hostile in 'grey man' form, we should see if we can do some tests.
What if the virus that transforms people into 'hostiles' eventually leaves them permanently in this reduced form? Is it possible to talk to them or provoke them into being large again?
So far, we haven't actually seen a transformation, all the creatures we've encountered have been weak or strong. If it was possible to provoke this weakened one, surely it would have happened already?
If this is the first mansion, the wounded one might have been a survivor among the bodies, that later mutated.
That does seem possible.
Maybe the immortality serum only affected a limited number? Perhaps we if conduct tests, we could improve our chances of survival and it might work, and hopefully escape this place in one-piece. Otherwise, we could be doomed to slumber around these rooms till kingdom come.
Ironside
01-28-2016, 22:24
Maybe the immortality serum only affected a limited number? Perhaps we if conduct tests, we could improve our chances of survival and it might work, and hopefully escape this place in one-piece. Otherwise, we could be doomed to slumber around these rooms till kingdom come.
We can't do many tests this far. Talk to the tiny one, provoke the tiny one to see the suspected transformation and how long it lasts. Lightly injure ourselves to see if we also got the implied rapid healing 'khaan got (its not yet certain). We need to find something more to go get somewhere on this.
Ironside
01-28-2016, 22:24
Maybe the immortality serum only affected a limited number? Perhaps we if conduct tests, we could improve our chances of survival and it might work, and hopefully escape this place in one-piece. Otherwise, we could be doomed to slumber around these rooms till kingdom come.
We can't do many tests this far. Talk to the tiny one, provoke the tiny one to see the suspected transformation and how long it lasts. Lightly injure ourselves to see if we also got the implied rapid healing 'khaan got (its not yet certain). We need to find something more to go get somewhere on this.
PMs please gentlemen, 24 hours.
So, what are the plans for this phase?
Montmorency
01-29-2016, 05:01
Alpha Team: Iron, Myrddraal, Choxorn, Khaan, Beskar (with gun), GH
Beta Team: Montmorency (with broom), Golden, Raith, Jarema, Winston, Bart
Alpha Team will explore the right side of Floor 1, i.e. the Mud Room down to the Conservatory. Focus on obtaining weapons, documents, and 'special' items.
Beta Team will explore the left side of Floor 1, i.e. the Kitchen/Pantry area down to the Billiard Room. Focus on obtaining weapons, documents, and 'special' items.
Aside from the priority pickups for our inventories and objective, both teams should search thoroughly and make note of furniture and other items. Towards the end, both teams convene at the Dining Room, explore it, and use the bindle to gather more food to take upstairs. We end the round in the study.
7. Greyblades - "Kieran Hurst" - Photographic Spotter - Sleep -1, Food 1 (exhausted)
:shame:
If you don't want to sleep alone, at least stay at the rotunda to act as liaison between teams if one runs into more trouble than it can handle on its own.
Montmorency
01-29-2016, 05:02
Another thought: monsters only transform during nighttime?
Myrddraal
01-29-2016, 17:06
Wasn't it night last phase though? And we didn't see any monsters.
This phase should be morning (based on the "it's almost sun-up right now" quote). Do you think it might be worth trying the front door? Just to see if it opens, not necessarily to go out?
GeneralHankerchief
01-29-2016, 17:26
Do you think it might be worth trying the front door? Just to see if it opens, not necessarily to go out?
God, wouldn't that be something.
Myrddraal
01-29-2016, 17:32
It's not a complete stab in the dark, I'm just echoing my character. A couple of phases ago, after the big rush downstairs:
Lola spoke up, "I saw the front door, it's right in front of the stairs across the Great Room. It didn't appear locked, but I didn't get a good look at it. We should try to leave."
Greyblades
01-29-2016, 19:23
:shame:
If you don't want to sleep alone, at least stay at the rotunda to act as liaison between teams if one runs into more trouble than it can handle on its own.
I forgot to send in a sleep order and apparantly I was roped into someone else's orders.
Winston Hughes
01-29-2016, 20:35
Orders sent. Sorry for the lack of activity. Work is crazy right now, and I'm struggling to find brainspace for anything else.
Montmorency
01-29-2016, 21:14
I'll take a look through the Sunroom near the end of the round, when it will be close to mid-morning.
Searching outdoors is on the table, but not yet. We need the first floor searched at least, if not also the basement. I don't think leaving the house permanently right now will accomplish much for a Good Ending.
Wasn't it night last phase though? And we didn't see any monsters.
Dawn phase. Khaan was bitten the phase before the Dusk phase, but then he was just bitten - not attacked by a hulk.
Then again, the thing that bit him may have been that weak thing Jarema killed at the stairs, so as good a guess might be that we're dealing both with perma-big (improved) monsters, and perma-small (failed) monsters.
At any rate, keep with the plan.
Winston Hughes
01-29-2016, 21:19
Speaking of the Sunroom, weren't we going to try sunlight on the invisible ink?
El Barto
01-29-2016, 23:32
Let's stay clear of that front door. What room(s) can we see the front door from, if any?
I forgot to send in a sleep order and apparantly I was roped into someone else's orders.
I think that was me… I asked Zain to send in as my companion/bodyguard anyone who hadn't sent orders so that they wouldn't be GM-killed.
Speaking of the Sunroom, weren't we going to try sunlight on the invisible ink?
Yes, we should. I'll do that and then nip downstairs to join the gang (should take 5 minutes in-game time, at the most).
The amount of discussion has been very poor lately... Is the game not engaging enough or is everyone generally very busy lately?
Golden1Knight
01-30-2016, 23:46
Kinda busy, but gradually returning to normal routine.
So guys, what's the plan?
El Barto
01-31-2016, 02:15
Shouldn't there have been an update… 12 hours ago?
Crud, I didn't see Zain's message asking for orders.
I have taken a short hiatus to gauge the genuine interest in this game and am slightly disappointed. The write-ups take quite some time and I want people to enjoy them but it is difficult when it seems myself and maybe only a couple other players are interested.
Still on hiatus, let me know if you all want to continue.
I want to continue, I'm certainly having fun with this, I'm just busy IRL and don't have much time to be super active in it.
I would like it to continue, I know I am not super-active here, but it is interesting.
I think that if there is too low level of activity you should just punish us. It would be funnier (for me at least) then putting game in hiatus. It is like reading half of the book...
Winston Hughes
01-31-2016, 10:05
I'm very much enjoying it, and I'm following everything that's said by host and players. It's just hard to work out something useful to say to help the team when RL is draining so much of your energy.
Ironside
01-31-2016, 10:50
Real life eats in sometimes and when the conversation has already covered the basic points, I don't have time to make a more through post.
I would prefer the game to continue. It is fun to try to beat a mystery.
Myrddraal
01-31-2016, 17:05
I'd echo what the others have said. It's interesting, but I've had a very busy few weeks.
I'd like the game to continue.
El Barto
01-31-2016, 17:35
If you don't continue then we'll hold that we've won because the spirit of the house fled and the house became non-evil again. :D
Perhaps we could have longer phases so that there's more time for puzzle-solving, now that there seems to be almost no enemies left to fight.
And by all means, have rocks fall and kill the inactives -or they drop into a comatose state from the stress induced by claustrophobia.
GeneralHankerchief
01-31-2016, 17:46
You've got a good game going on and I'd certainly like for it to continue, but one thing I've learned long ago is not to to anticipate or plan for a certain level of activity among the playerbase. In the span of a couple of months I've gone from hosting a super-active mafia game where the discussion was flying left and right to hosting another one that struggled to crack 350 posts, largely with the same group of players. Stuff fluctuates, it's better for your sanity if you just make the most out of your effort and the things that you can control and hope for the best with everything else.
:bow:
Alright, I will continue (enjoying every minute of it), and appreciate the advice and encouragement. :bow:
Working on the write-up. :2thumbsup:
Phase 7
The team agreed to split up into two groups that they cleverly named Alpha and Beta. They moved out of the Study and down the stairs, torches in hand, as silently as they could. Waiting at the base of the stairs, they waited for signs of hostile action.
Prior to heading downstairs behind the group, Kieran Hurst (Greyblades) who had no slept yet, crawled into the bed in the Master Bedroom to rest. Also, Bradley Palmer (El Barto) chose to set the books in the rising sunlight in the sunroom in hopes of revealing the invisible ink. Choosing to investigate what was out there, he realized it was still too dark to see anything so he would check later.
"We're clear, Team Alpha, head left. Beta, head right. Rendezvous in the dining room." Jake Kelly (Montmorency) commanded, establishing his dominance with the "Man with a plan" attitude.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Team Alpha
Team Alpha, consisting of Leo Webb (Beskar), Callum Simmons (Choxorn), Faith Faulkner (GeneralHankerchief), Kyle Bevan (Ironside), Lola Richards (Myrddraal) and Leon Cartwright (seireikhaan) headed up the first hallway to explore the right side of the Mansion, beginning from the top and working their way down.
The Eastern hall contained three doors other than the one entering from the Great Room. They passed the two on their right and entered the dining room, where they then turned right into the Mud Room. All they saw there was another door, one entering the backyard, and a place for shoes, coats, and hats. Since their plans were to explore the Mansion, they passed up going outside for now. Heading south they entered the sitting room where only chairs and tables sat, one of many conversation places. The sitting room contained 6 doors, one in which they had entered through from the mud room, two more on their right which they concluded entered the Eastern hall, one on the far end, and two on their left. Entering the first door on their left, constantly using caution, they entered a bedroom, which appeared to be a standard guest bedroom. They also inspected the closet, to no avail of any oddities.
They traversed the hall and checked the other bed room, closet, and bathroom with no real oddities. All seemed clear, no hostiles or anything of note.
They entered the conservatory on the Southeastern side of the Mansion ground floor, it was a large room filled with dead plants in a tiled floor. The glass windows surrounding them were all boarded up, no sunlight shined through.
Inside, in the back corner, lay what appeared to be a corpse. Small, pale, and ragged. The group stopped, stunned, when it's head turned toward them.
They stepped back slightly with fear, some holding clubs, others torches. The small man had black eyes, no hair, and sharp features. It slowly sat up and then stood, eyeing them. Callum stood at the front of the pack, "We either kill it, or it kills us." He took a step toward it with his club when the small man's brows wrinkled angrily. It opened it's mouth wide, a deep bellow roared loudly filling their ears. It was an inhuman sound, almost animalistic. It's fingers tightened, skin over it's knuckled tearing revealing a slight orange glow. Callum stepped back, the sound catching him off guard. Leon stood right behind him, backing him up. The others stepped back, Leo carrying the revolver, but he froze in fear.
The small man roared again, this time his skin appearing to melt clear revealing the orange glow pulsing through it's veins. It's size doubled to over 7 feet tall, and he took a swipe at Callum who quickly dodged it.
Callum looked back at the group, "Kill or be killed!" He yelled.
He and Leon turned on the monster with their clubs, but the monster got to them first, knocking them both hard against the wall. Callum came to nearly immediately, but Leon did not get up.
Callum stood up, swung his club and the rest gathered with him. They outnumbered and overpowered the giant hostile, taking it down and killing it.
Once the dust had settled, Callum grabbed his head, "You okay?" Faith asked him.
"Yeah, just dizzy. Hit my head pretty hard there." He answered her.
They gathered around Leon's corpse, Faith checked his pulse, "He's dead." she said. They all stood silently, and slowly began to file back outside to the Great Room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*
Team Beta
Meanwhile Team Beta, consisting of Bradley, Charlie Wallace (Golden1Knight), Jack Foster (Jarema), Corey Parsons (Raith Kemmler), Hollie Daniels (Winston Hughes), and finally Jake himself, traversed the Mansion in a similar fashion but starting on the Western side.
They swept through the kitchen first, then the pantry...
"Plenty of food here, we should be good for another week or so." Jake said.
They all agreed, high hopes in that regard. They checked the storage room, nothing but dining supplies and other kitchen necessities. After coming around they entered the sitting room, chairs and tables, lamps and books, "Original owner must've loved to entertain." Charlie said.
"Or read..." Corey answered him.
They entered the billiard room, complete with billiards table, cues, and balls. Some in the pockets, some strewn about the table. The cue ball lay on the floor next to the wall. Corey ran over to grab it when a small man crawled out from beneath the table. It had already begun it's transformation, a bellow from it's mouth keying it's transformation. Corey quickly grabbed a pool cue and smacked it hard in the head, but hardly any effect. He ran back to the group, and together they beat down the monster.
Without any warning signs, another monster, the final one on this floor, came from inside the final bathroom adjoining the billiard room and grabbed Corey by the head. Throwing him across the room, his neck was snapped before he hit the floor. This one was larger, possibly 8 feet tall, and the rest of them agreed that retreat was their best option.
They ran back into the Great Room, meeting up with the other team which had just witnessed a death of their own. The entire remaining group teamed up and outnumbered the final hostile.
Catching their breath, waiting a moment, they went back and Faith checked Corey's pulse. "He's dead too." she whispered, filled with sadness.
"We killed three, but it cost us two. We won't last much longer at this rate." Jake said.
They began to make their way to the dining room for the final search when Leo said, "I'm trying the front door. Maybe we can leave."
He walked up and turned the knob, it turned freely and the door opened to the blinding but soft morning light. He opened it slowly, allowing their eyes to adjust. Everyone watched over his shoulder.
The scene became clear, nearly a dozen other corpses lie at the foot of the door, and out down the pathway to line of Humvees.
Small pale men dotted their field of view, at least eight or so were within immediate sight, including one only a few yards from them.
Leo calmly closed the door again, and locked it from the inside, "We can't compete with THAT! Not yet..."
"Did you see those Humvees though? We can get out of here!" Lola said, excitedly.
"If we can get there..." Kyle responded.
Jake spoke up this time, "It appears that we can leave, but not yet. We need to find better weapons, or maybe some armor, so we can get back those things to the vehicles. Let's check out the dining room, get some food, then go back."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And so they made their way to the North end of the Mansion, gathered enough food to last them a week, 70 units of food, and made their way to the Study.
"Where's Kieran?" Hollie asked.
"Asleep in the bedroom." Bradley answered her.
"I'm gonna check on him."
"We'll all go. Being alone is a death sentence here." Jake answered.
They entered the Bedroom and saw Kieran there, still. Sheets wrapped around his throat and tied to the bedpost. Faith ran up again, the designated medical officer, "Suicide."
They slowly, solemnly left the room. And then there were 10...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bradley entered the sunroom, seeing that the pale yellow ink had revealed in the sunlight's heat, but he could not read it. "Heat reveals the ink, but I still can't read it..." He told the group. They realized this was their moment to look at their surroundings again.
What they hadn't noticed before shocked them, corpses dotted the ground outside just as it did outside the front door. Small pale men did as well, just standing there, appearing brain dead. Some houses in this well-to-do neighborhood appeared to have burnt to the ground, others had shattered windows as if they had been broken in to.
Smoke came from all around, miles away. "Guys, what's happened?" Lola asked.
"We need to get to the basement, there's nothing for us up here or on the first floor. Maybe there's a safe or gun closet down there, never know about these rich folks."
They divided up the food they had found evenly, 7 units each, and began planning their next move...
---------------------------------------------
Items added:
70 units of food
Players killed:
Greyblades
Raith Kemmler
seireikhaan
Players injured:
Choxorn
Discussion & Order Phase 8 has begun! Orders due on Saturday, February 6th at 3:00GMT
Stats will be updated in Stats & Storyline thread.
GM Commentary:
3 lost and confirmation that both the 1st and 2nd story are clear of hostiles. Outside looks scary, and a mysterious basement awaits. Down to 10 players, can any of you make it out alive?
Furthermore, Discussion and Order Phases are being merged, please discuss your plans and have your orders sent in to me prior to the deadline which from this point forward will be Saturday morning (or afternoon if you're in Europe).
Good luck everybody :bow:
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