Tagged pbta

The Scottish Play

Here is another of the mysteries I made for Monster of the Week.

Yes, I know Crit Show has a Macbeth based mystery, but I honestly hadn't listened to that episode yet when I ran this. I enjoyed watching my players perform little rituals to null the curse. Though you might want to change the name of one of the NPCs or you'll beset by cries of Stella throughout the session. You've been warned!

Content Warnings: witchcraft

"The Scottish Play"

Overview

A local theater is putting on Macbeth, but the production seems cursed. Unexplained accidents, strange occurrences, and even a death have befouled the local repertoire theater at the behest of a local coven of witches. The hunters must break the curse or the theater is sure to close.

Cold Open

Hooks

Countdown
Day
Shadows
Sunset
Dusk
Nightfall
Midnight

Threats

Monster

Type: 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:

Attacks:

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:

Attacks:

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.

img 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

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.

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

  1. The hunters hear about a violent murder occurring at an abandoned asylum.
  2. 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.
  3. 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:

Attacks:

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:

Attacks:

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.

a ghost grabbing Sam Winchester's head 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

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.

Turkey Day Troubles

Turkey Day Troubles is a one shot scenario for Masks: A New Generation themed for American Thanksgiving. The scenario consists of a few beats for narrative play and two villains to face.

Opening Montage

After character creation ask each player to describe what their character is doing on patrol, and why are they out patrolling the night before Thanksgiving.

Next Scene

After each player has described what they are doing on patrol a loud explosion erupts through the air coming from the nearby grocery store. Upon investigation the PCs will see a massive hole in the side of the grocery store as Turkeybot 3000 rushes through hauling a long chain in its beak that is hooked around a pair of open top freezers full of frozen turkeys. An important NPC such as a PC's family member, friend, or crush is also at outside the grocery store at this time.

Name: Turkeybot 3000
Generation: Modern
Look: 8 ft tall robotic turkey with red eyes
Drive: To claim vengeance against humanity for the annualized turkey genocide
Abilities: Razor sharp talons; beak; Super strength;
Conditions: Angry, Insecure
Moves: Gobble up something important to a foe; Squawk about the superiority of avians to mammals; Unleash a feather barrage against a foe

Next Scene

After the villain escapes/is defeated an adult hero or an AEGIS agent connected to one of the PCs arrives on scene. The adult proceeds to chastise one PC, and praise another for their actions in the fight (shifting their labels). Allow some time for the PCs to talk and investigate.

Then the adult reveals two other stores were hit by other low level supervillains: Wishbone and The Carver. Reveal that the adult believes these incidents are connected and all three villains are likely working for the same boss. Allow the PCs time to talk and decide to investigate the mysterious boss. Have the adult help the PCs conclude everything leads to a warehouse owned by Plymouth Rock Incorporated. Strongly suggest that the PCs should head to the warehouse as other agents are busy or out of town for Thanksgiving.

Next Scene

After the PCs determine to head to the warehouse, push for a scene/conversation discussing how they are going to handle the next fight. At the warehouse it is revealed that inside is a replica of the Mayflower with balloons to lift it into the air. Father Pilgrim is on the Mayflower's deck with some minions rushing about making the final preparations before liftoff.

Name: Father Pilgrim
Real Name: Robert Bradford
Generation: Silver
Look: Late 50s, broad-brimmed brown hat, blue doublet, gray breeches, light blue stockings, and brown latchet shoes
Drive: To punish the wicked
Abilities: Musket; a squad of lightly armed Pilgrims
Conditions: Afraid, Angry, Guilty
Moves: Launch the Mayflower into the sky; Pronounce the doom of a wicked one; Release the fleet of turkey drones

Final Scene

After the fight the PCs end up back at the adult hero/agent's HQ for an exquisite Thanksgiving feast. Ask each PC what is the first thing they want to eat. Finally ask the PC what they are grateful for today.