Introduction

[grimgrinningghosts]

[You wake up in a bed.

A rather comfy bed, but as you open your eyes, you realize that this room is not one you’ve ever been in before. And even the most villainous of you should notice that something is immediately very off by how morbid your room looks. While generally clean, it looked dark and like it was a part of a very old house.

And that “Rest in Peace” throw pillow really isn’t doing the room any favors.

Meanwhile, on the dresser on top of your new notebook, there is also a message:]

When the clock strikes 13 o’clock. You must all meet in the stretching room for a special announcement.

[Well, it would be rude to refuse an invitation, right?

As soon as you leave your room, you notice a stark difference between the bedroom and the rest of the building. It looked like it hadn’t been kept up in ages, and it shows with how everything is caked in dust or covered in cobwebs. But judging by the other bedroom doors, possibly with other people peering out at the same time you, at least you’re not alone in this strange situation.

As you explore the rest of the first floor of the mansion, you’ll come to realize that, besides the bedrooms, the whole place is rather decrepit and dimly lit. While all rooms may provide a great interest in you, the the bios of all your foolish mortals might be useful to you, especially if you enjoy finding out how much your new captor has learned about you.]

Comments

[amadeusrockette]

Halloween? [Julia tilts her head toward this old man other person in the hallway. What the fuck is he going on about.] What's so "Halloween" about it?

[sixfingeredstan]

[Look, it's okay. He's an old man. You can say it.

Ford turns impatiently to the girl who's clearly questioning his powers of observation, and lifts a six-fingered hand to the ceiling in demonstration.]

Oh, come on. Fake cobwebs? Plastic candelabrum? I'm sure there are some very convincing plastic spiders hanging every few feet, too. This whole place reeks of a cheesy funhouse. Like I said, tasteless. [He sniffs. Clearly his sensibilities have been offended.]

[amadeusrockette]

It's an old Gothic manor, sir. [There's a hint of "are you ok" in Julia's voice. She's kind of concerned about this old man. Is he ok?] They're usually better kept than this, but I don't see what makes it so unbelievable.

[Because that's totally what "Halloween" means, right?]

[sixfingeredstan]

Hmm. Architecture was never my forte. I always tended toward more intellectual pursuits. [He sniffs. Architecture majors were always assholes.] It isn't that I don't believe it, young lady. It's that I don't buy for a moment that any of this is legitimate. It's clearly a front for some criminal organization, Scooby-Doo style.

[amadeusrockette]

If it's a front for criminal activity, then why are we here? [. . .] Are you a criminal?

[That's the only reasonable conclusion here. If he's so knowledgeable about criminal activity, the old man must be a criminal.]

[sixfingeredstan]

Your guess is as good as mine. [He glances down at her like she's just said that pigs could fly or the moon was made of cheese. Theories that Ford Pines has disproven multiple times.]

Don't be ridiculous. I'm a scientist. I've been dragged into this nonsense the same as you have.

[amadeusrockette]

[That's not reassuring. He could be a scientist criminal.]

But what would anyone want with a scientist and a pianist?

[sixfingeredstan]

[To that, Ford can only shrug.] Again, I have no idea. I can only make an educated guess and say that perhaps someone wants us for our talents.

[Why they would need a pianist is beyond his comprehension, but...]

[amadeusrockette]

I'm from St Tönis, not Hameln. [Also she doesn't play winds, but.] I don't think I'd be very useful in crime. I can't even lie to Mrs. Bock about being out past curfew.

[sixfingeredstan]

[Ford squints, but the significance of this factoid escapes him.] What does your hometown have to do with anything? And anyway, I'm sure a criminal organization would have different ideas. Not...that I'm convinced that's what all of this is. It seems too devoid of guns and handcuffs.

[amadeusrockette]

Well, nothing maybe but the Pied Piper is from Hameln. [It hasn't quite occurred to her that Ford is maybe not German.] It does seem strange that someone might kidnap us and not . . . restrain us in some way, though.

[sixfingeredstan]

Having never been to Germany, I'm going to assume that that's a very exciting claim to fame. [Ford gestures around them.] So far I've yet to see an exit to the outside, so I'm guessing that's all the restraint they need.

[amadeusrockette]

How did we get here if there's no exit? [The mansion can't possibly have been built around them.] Surely there has to be some way out.

[sixfingeredstan]

I would assume some sort of magic or teleportation technology.

[Either seems feasible, if you ask him.]

I invite you to find one, if there is.

[amadeusrockette]

Teleportation. [She is 600% more willing to believe "magic" over "sci-fi mumbo-jumbo" and her voice shows it.] So criminals somehow transported us to a mansion that's Halloween because of unknown reasons and are keeping us here, also for unknown reasons.

[sixfingeredstan]

Yes, yes, exactly. What about that is so difficult to comprehend?

[amadeusrockette]

Teleportation isn't real.

[Magic is real and it can be used to transport people, but not really . . . like this. You gotta do a whole song and dance number (literally) to teleport anyone anywhere.]

[sixfingeredstan]

Don't be ridiculous. Of course it is. I've done it.

[amadeusrockette]

I would remember a number about this. [What a nonsensical sentence to most people.] You can't just go places without being concious.

[sixfingeredstan]

A—number? What are you on about?