It's A Mad, Mad World
Years ago my first campaign was running Monster of the Week for a group of 6 friends. Yes, you read that number correctly. Yes, that was a mistake.
Anyway, as part of that campaign I came up with a few mysteries of my own along with using ones from the Tome of Mysteries. You can find them below.
I created this after watching the Asylum from season 1 of Supernatural. Since this mystery is centered around PC’s fears it won't work for every table.
Content Warnings: lose of control, suicide, mental illness
"It's A Mad, Mad World"
Overview
The group investigates an abandoned asylum and discover that when the hospital was open. In the past the patients revolted against the cruel and unusual punishments inflicted by the head doctor. While the group searches the asylum they encounter two wicked spirits who force the groups to face their worst fears and feel rage like they have never felt before.
N.B. Before the session try to gather at least three fears each character has. During the game a custom move, a Touch of Fear will be used to act upon these fears.
Cold Open
A couple of teenagers are daring each other to spend the night in an abandoned asylum. As they travel throughout the museum they are confronted by a glowing ghost who places its hands on one of the teenager's head. Cut to hours later police are on the scene and the teenager, who was touched by the ghost is in handcuffs, is being placed into the back of a police car with their hands bloody, knuckles raw, and their face wet with tears. Nearby a body on a gurney is being placed into the back of an ambulance.
Hooks
- The hunters hear about a violent murder occurring at an abandoned asylum.
- One of the hunters is tipped off by one of the police about the strange ramblings of a teenager who claims to have seen a ghost before his world went red and he woke up in the jail cell after a night of violence.
- One of the hunters is called by someone close to them to investigate what is going on with their child.
Countdown
| Day | The police show up to the scene of a murder at the abandoned asylum. |
| Shadows | One of the cops investigating the murder committed suicide after seeing visions |
| Sunset | More teenagers sneak into the asylum and start acting out. |
| Dusk | Police receive numerous reports of assaults and attacks happening to people near the asylum |
| Nightfall | The neighborhood near the asylum has fallen into violent madness. Riots in the streets, people running and screaming, shouting about invisible foes stalking them |
| Midnight | The town has descended into chaos. In a few short hours everything and everyone will be battered and broken. |
Threats
Simon Crane
Ghost: Torturer (motivation: to hurt and terrify)
Simon was an inmate at the asylum. Simon delighted in discovering other people's fears and preying on them. A burlap scarecrow with the initials S.C. stitched in can be found in the asylum.
Powers:
- Touch of Fear: Instill a great fear within a hunter, forcing them to take an act under pressure to take action.
Attacks:
- Telekinesis: 0 to 3-harm ignore-armor magic. Simon can throw objects or push victims. The harm rating depends on the danger level.
- Knife: 0 to 2-harm ignore-armor close magic. Simon pummels those who get to close.
Armor: None
Harm Capacity: 8
Weakness:
Rock salt, big magic exorcism, burning of the scarecrow.
Rock salt will damage Simon Crane, or prevent him from crossing a line of it. However he will remanifest if the scarecrow still exists or an exorcism has not been performed.
Dr. S. Milgram
Ghost: Executioner (motivation: to punish the guilty)
Dr. Milgram was the head doctor at the asylum before it was shutdown. During his time at the asylum, Dr. Milgram conducted dangerous and highly-controversial experiments on his patients without their consent. The doctor came to believe anger was the key to overcoming insanity. Thus he strove to drive his patients angrier and angrier so they could overwhelm their psyche and achieve sanity.
Powers:
- Hand of Rage: Drive a character mad with anger, forcing them to pass a +COOL roll to regain their composure.
Attacks:
- Electric Shock: 0 to 3-harm electric close. Dr. Milgram can send bolts of electricity through characters close to him.
Armor: None
Harm Capacity: 8
Weakness: Rock salt, big magic exorcism. Rock salt will damage Simon Crane, or prevent him from crossing a line of it. However he will remanifest if not exorcised or his bones burned.
Someone failed a COOL roll!
Locations
NEED MORE LOCATIONS
Cedar Grove Sanitarium
Location: Lab (motivation: to create weirdness)
The sanitarium is rundown from decades of disuse and a damage from a patient riot. Hunters and bystanders should feel disoriented and off-balance while in the asylum.
Custom Moves
- Manifestation: Anytime a hunter fails a +COOL or +WEIRD roll, Dr. Milgram or Simon Crane manifests nearby respectively.
Bystanders
Max Burton
Bystander: Skeptic (motivation: to deny supernatural explanations)
Max is a brash teenager who does not believe any of the rumors about the dangers of the asylum. Max tries to show his bravery by convincing his girlfriend to spend the night in the asylum with him.
Fears: Being naked in front of everyone at school, being seen as weak
Vanessa Hart
Bystander: Innocent (motivation: to do the right thing)
Vanessa is high-strung do-gooder who is going along with Max despite her own trepidations.
Fears: claustrophobia, being all alone
Charles Young
Bystander: Gossip (to pass on rumors)
A sharp-tongued bully, Charles has dared Max to spend the night in the asylum to show he isn't scared.
Fears: clowns, being caught flat-footed.