Please link it if you've already done it, but I'd love to see your interpretation of a 'House of Leaves' or similar liminal space into a mystery. Specifically, the idea of a mundane space that goes on forever or infinitely repeats.
It's a lengthy book if you haven't already read it, but I'm sure there are plenty of youtube videos dissecting it. 'The Backrooms' is a diluted meme version of it, if you've heard of that.
You rule, and thank you for the years of great ideas and resources!
So i had not read House of Leaves, but it is on my bucketlist of "to-read" books when i have time. I'll try my best to make a spooky, liminal space phenomenon
Phenomenon: 495 North Boulevard
Type: Bubble (motive: to keep those that enter from leaving)
The strange one-story house seems to sit comfortably in this boulevard. No one remembers when it appeared, as all who lived there seemingly believe it's been there ever since they've moved in. Those that move into the home mysteriously vanish, and those that knew them forget they even existed- even their own parents and family members. Stranger still, no one knows who is even selling it, as those that gain possession of it do so by next to kin.
This quaint house starts normal at first, but after a week it will open up more of itself, opening up a doorway leading to a strange hallway.
The deeper the hunters go, the bleaker and darker the hallway and rooms become. The rooms become more hostile, and may even separate the hunters from each other.
Seemingly infinite structural generation
Weakness: Documentation can be found within the Children's Room (listed below) if the hunters are able to find them, that the House had mistakenly forgotten to hide away. The documents were written by one of the previous tenants, one that thought it best to write down info of their expedition and leave the pages behind. In it is a map detailing a way through the dark maze that can reach a "key" that will allow the individual to leave.
In order to stop the House from taking more individuals, one must cause a circuit breaker fire. However, the hunters must find the key to escape before they do so, lest they find their demise within the fires themselves.
The Keeper gets to draw out how the house will be laid out before the start of the mystery. The vast majority of the rooms are blank and empty, with the deeper they delve the darker it gets. While they may decide how the house will be laid out, even past the Hallway, there are key rooms that must be in place:
The Circuit room: the room is usually the last the hunters will run into. It's a tight room similar to that of a laundry room. On the wall is the circuit breaker. Messing with it won't outright cause the fire, but hunters must roll +sharp to figure out how to set it up to do so. On a 10+, they can make it go on a timer so it'll break once they are safely out of the house. On a miss, it'll be on a timer, but it'll break midway through escaping. On a miss, it'll break immediately and they will have to escape right away... if they have the key that is.
Key room: the room looks like a closed garage- shelving with boxes on them, big red toolbox, a broken down car of unknown make, and other things. Smells like oil and grease. The key is located within the car, which is locked on the inside. The hunters have to open the car without setting the alarm off. If the alarm goes off, the House will proceed to have the next several rooms be misleading and fully attempt to separate the hunters from each other, even attempting to make them drop the Key. Hunters must roll Act Under Pressure to attempt opening the car.
Children's room: even without lights, the walls are brightly colored with crayon drawings made by that of a little kid. The carpet is soft, and there's a toy chest. The bed is small, made for a 5 or 6 year old, with old dolls and teddy bears resting on the dusty sheets. The closet is hard to open, as if something is blocking it. The smell in the room is that of rot. No roll is needed to open the closet- inside is that of skeletal remains of children, no older than 12. The toy box contains a few coloring books that detail drawings and writings from the previous children there, listing their misgivings and fears they experienced before their demise in the House.
Master Bedroom: A minimalistic room with only a dresser, a king sized bed, and a mirror. The mirror reflects nothing in the room. The flooring is hard. There is the smell of rot. Just like the children's room, the closet is hard to open, as it holds some of the skeletal remains of the adults... but not all. The bedroom has scratch marks, as if those trapped in it desperately wanted out.
Insanity inducement: Those that stay long in the winding halls of the House will feel themselves going mad. If a hunter feels something gnawing at the back of their heads, have them roll +sharp. On a 10+, they manage to stuff down the feeling and aren't affected by the insanity inducement. On a mix, they feel a little paranoid about the party. They feel like one of them might be conspiring against the other, or maybe they might be working with the House- they take -1 ongoing if they try to help out another hunter. On a miss, the house has given them temporary madness- they will actively work against the hunters interest. If a hunter says one thing, they will follow the opposite (example: one hunter wants to move forward, the insane hunter runs backwards). Can only be cured with a Use Magic roll, but they will have to continue rerolling after being cured to further prevent insanity.
Hallucination inducement: The hunters will see things in the corners of their eyes that are not truly there. To stave off these visions, have the hunters roll +sharp. On a 10+, they overcome the visions and will not have to reroll the rest of the mystery. On a mix, they overcome it temporarily- they will have -1 forward on any actions on what they perceive is real, but also can attempt to reroll... after a while anyways. On a miss, they truly believe what they see is real. They feel everything the hallucination does to them- use the Hallucination stat block below. They can be cured with a Use Magic roll, but even after curing they will have to reroll to permanently avoid the hallucinations.
These hallucinations do not actually hurt those that do not see them- they only harm those that do.
Type: Brute (Motive: to intimidate and attack)
Can only be seen by those affected by hallucinations. Said hallucinations can look like whatever the keeper wants them to, especially if they tie into the Hunter's history.
Hovers over other hunters or loved ones in an attempt to make the afflicted hurt them.
Weakness: Use Magic on the hunter affected by it can make it go away.
