Jan 15, 2025 9:40 pm
Maybe it's time to review the information you have. A rough timeline, who saw whom last, when, where etc.
OOC and Character Creation
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Jan 17, 2025 10:05 pm
Btw, I suspect this would be easier for me to do. I don't want to rob you of your fun, but if it doesn't sound like a fun thing to do, let me know.
Jan 18, 2025 3:28 pm
I'm terrible at this kind of thing. That's why I hired Dr_B, for the detective work 😆
Jan 28, 2025 10:35 am
It's been some time and I'd like us to start moving again. I'm going to post a little summary of what the PCs know so far.
The incident occurred about a week ago.
The day before the incident Tubbs and Starhouse are travelling back home from an unspecified town to the east.
On the road they meet a man claiming to be a magician. Tubbs speaks him privately in the carriage.
The magician gets off near an unspecified village (still to the east). He looks smug, and so does Tubbs. Starhouse is uncomfortable and thinks they have been talking about him and maybe plotting something.
In the evening Tubbs has an argument with his wife and they barely speak at dinner.
During the night Starhouse leaves, passing by Peglar's to say goodbye.
In the morning Mrs. Tubbs insists on making her husband's breakfast herself.
The breakfast seems to take longer than usual and no one rings for the table to be cleared. Elsie (the maid) goes to see if anything is needed and finds the room empty. She spots her mistress in the courtyard and goes to bring her her shawl. Mrs. Tubbs says Mr. Tubbs has left on business.
Stuff you know:
Starhouse is very good at handling animals.
Mr. Tubbs is obsessed with fairies and thinks Starhouse is one.
Starhouse finds that uncomfortable enough to finally leave. The last straw seems to be meeting the vagrant magician.
When leaving, Starhouse has left some valuable possessions behind, neatly arranged.
Starhouse has gone north.
Mr. and Mrs. Tubbs have been at odds about Mr. Tubbs' obsession. It's safe to assume that the argument prior to Tubbs's disappearance had been about magic, because during dinner Mr. Tubbs had been pettishly calling his wife by the name of a comical magic-hating character.
Elsie thinks that Mrs. Tubbs have poisoned her husband, but that doesn't explain the disappearance of the body.
The dining room window (calling it "dining" but they have all their meals there) is overlooking the courtyard and was opened when Elsie went to check on her masters.
It's pretty obvious that Mrs. Tubbs knows something but is refusing to talk.
Mrs. Tubbs is deeply distressed, but you've not been able to discern if it's fear, grief, guilt or something else.
Mrs. Tubbs has taken to wondering listlessly around the courtyard. She has also developed a sudden distaste for cats.
Some pointers:
You've not yet explored the back garden (Mr. Tubbs's so-called "fairy wood")
You don't know for certain if any magic has occurred.
No one except Peglar has mentioned the vagrant magician. It's safe to assume that he's not visited the village, because if so many people believe there's something magical about Tubss's disappearance, they wouldn't have left such a colourful and suspicious character out. You could still look for him to the east.
Starhouse has gone "north" which is not much to go on, especially since it's been a week. However, the nights are cold, the crops have been harvested, it's not exactly the best time for wild camping and foraging. He'd need to find food and shelter on his way, and probably even work to pay for it.
The incident occurred about a week ago.
The day before the incident Tubbs and Starhouse are travelling back home from an unspecified town to the east.
On the road they meet a man claiming to be a magician. Tubbs speaks him privately in the carriage.
The magician gets off near an unspecified village (still to the east). He looks smug, and so does Tubbs. Starhouse is uncomfortable and thinks they have been talking about him and maybe plotting something.
In the evening Tubbs has an argument with his wife and they barely speak at dinner.
During the night Starhouse leaves, passing by Peglar's to say goodbye.
In the morning Mrs. Tubbs insists on making her husband's breakfast herself.
The breakfast seems to take longer than usual and no one rings for the table to be cleared. Elsie (the maid) goes to see if anything is needed and finds the room empty. She spots her mistress in the courtyard and goes to bring her her shawl. Mrs. Tubbs says Mr. Tubbs has left on business.
Stuff you know:
Starhouse is very good at handling animals.
Mr. Tubbs is obsessed with fairies and thinks Starhouse is one.
Starhouse finds that uncomfortable enough to finally leave. The last straw seems to be meeting the vagrant magician.
When leaving, Starhouse has left some valuable possessions behind, neatly arranged.
Starhouse has gone north.
Mr. and Mrs. Tubbs have been at odds about Mr. Tubbs' obsession. It's safe to assume that the argument prior to Tubbs's disappearance had been about magic, because during dinner Mr. Tubbs had been pettishly calling his wife by the name of a comical magic-hating character.
Elsie thinks that Mrs. Tubbs have poisoned her husband, but that doesn't explain the disappearance of the body.
The dining room window (calling it "dining" but they have all their meals there) is overlooking the courtyard and was opened when Elsie went to check on her masters.
It's pretty obvious that Mrs. Tubbs knows something but is refusing to talk.
Mrs. Tubbs is deeply distressed, but you've not been able to discern if it's fear, grief, guilt or something else.
Mrs. Tubbs has taken to wondering listlessly around the courtyard. She has also developed a sudden distaste for cats.
Some pointers:
You've not yet explored the back garden (Mr. Tubbs's so-called "fairy wood")
You don't know for certain if any magic has occurred.
No one except Peglar has mentioned the vagrant magician. It's safe to assume that he's not visited the village, because if so many people believe there's something magical about Tubss's disappearance, they wouldn't have left such a colourful and suspicious character out. You could still look for him to the east.
Starhouse has gone "north" which is not much to go on, especially since it's been a week. However, the nights are cold, the crops have been harvested, it's not exactly the best time for wild camping and foraging. He'd need to find food and shelter on his way, and probably even work to pay for it.
May 15, 2025 7:34 am
Apologies for the long delay, I've not been getting much PC time recently. I know I should have warned you about going on hiatus, the thing is I didn't mean to go on hiatus. Now I'm going to officially say it - I'm going to take a break until Monday, just so I can break the cycle of "I'm totally gonna post today after work - oh, God, I didn't post today, I'll totally do it tomorrow".
Jul 20, 2025 10:02 am
Wondering if we should shelf this game? It will be hard to keep it going at this pace, particularly because it's an investigative game.
Jul 20, 2025 4:24 pm
As much as it pains me to admit it, I think you are right. I have a very nice list of excuses about why I've not been able to post more regularly but considering that I've stalled the game for almost a month, I don't think at this point it matters much why. I can only apologise for not saying "sorry, let's pause, I need X time to get my ducks in a row". I know my ducks will not be getting in a row in the foreseeable future and I was trying to convince myself I can make myself go back to posting despite that, but clearly I can't.
So yeah, I think we should officially stop here.
So yeah, I think we should officially stop here.
Jul 20, 2025 4:45 pm
That probably makes sense. I really enjoyed this game, though. Thank you for running it, Merivel!
If you don't mind, I'd be curious to know what the story behind the disappearance is.
My assumption is Jack isn't actually a fairy and one of him and Mr. Tubbs ended up killing the other (probably on accident) and the survivor went into hiding. But I'm probably off-course.
If you don't mind, I'd be curious to know what the story behind the disappearance is.
My assumption is Jack isn't actually a fairy and one of him and Mr. Tubbs ended up killing the other (probably on accident) and the survivor went into hiding. But I'm probably off-course.
Jul 20, 2025 6:59 pm
Oh, I forgot you might have wanted to actually know what had happened.
After encountering the vagabond magician and inviting him in the carriage, Tubbs talks with him about magic and about his suspicions that Starhouse was a fairie. The magician, sensing an easy mark, "enchants" an egg - one of those he had stolen from the villagers earlier - and sells it to Tubbs before departing. Tubbs is supposed to boil the egg and somehow trick Starhouse into eating it - which would have turned the coachman into a mouse. To return to human form, Starhouse would have had to use his own magical powers, thus proving that he is a fairie.
Starhouse knows nothing of this but he suspects his master and the magician are plotting something, and after seeing how smug the magician looks after they drop him off, Starhouse decides he's had enough. Late in the night he packs his stuff, swings by his friend the lock-keeper to say goodbye and disappears. The stuff Edward found in the loft - the boots, the coat and the other bits and bobs - are Tubbs property, used by the coachman but not actually belonging to him, so he's them left behind, not wanting to be accused of stealing.
Meanwhile, Tubbs has told his wife about his ingenious plan to force Starhouse to reveal his "powers". Mrs. Tubbs gets angry, leading to their evening row. In the morning Mrs. Tubbs dismisses the maid and makes the breakfast for her husband herself, meaning to feed him his own "enchanted" egg and prove to him that he's been swindled.
But! Dun dun dunnn! Turns out that the egg actually works! Mr. Tubbs turns into a mouse at the breakfast table. After a brief panicked scuffle Mr. Tubbs ends up being flung through the open window into the courtyard, being pursued by one of the farm cats until eventually escaping into the old well through one of the rotten boards. Mrs. Tubbs runs outside to save him, but not being able to find him falls ill with shock. She believes he's either died from the fall or that the cat has gotten him (or both); at the same time she hopes against hope that he's alive and hiding somewhere and that he'll come back when the spell eventually wears off. She blames herself for killing him and refuses to talk to anyone about it (as Max discovered).
Mr. Tubbs is actually alive somewhere in the well. Not being able to climb back up, he makes for the well in the back garden. The two are connected underground, but the one in the garden is even more dilapidated and Tubbs hopes the crumbled masonry would prove an easier climb. Unfortunately, turns out there are some creepy crawlies living in the cracks, blocking his way out, so he's been stuck there, surviving on fallen nuts and berries and digging himself even further in, trying to stay warm during the cold snap.
After encountering the vagabond magician and inviting him in the carriage, Tubbs talks with him about magic and about his suspicions that Starhouse was a fairie. The magician, sensing an easy mark, "enchants" an egg - one of those he had stolen from the villagers earlier - and sells it to Tubbs before departing. Tubbs is supposed to boil the egg and somehow trick Starhouse into eating it - which would have turned the coachman into a mouse. To return to human form, Starhouse would have had to use his own magical powers, thus proving that he is a fairie.
Starhouse knows nothing of this but he suspects his master and the magician are plotting something, and after seeing how smug the magician looks after they drop him off, Starhouse decides he's had enough. Late in the night he packs his stuff, swings by his friend the lock-keeper to say goodbye and disappears. The stuff Edward found in the loft - the boots, the coat and the other bits and bobs - are Tubbs property, used by the coachman but not actually belonging to him, so he's them left behind, not wanting to be accused of stealing.
Meanwhile, Tubbs has told his wife about his ingenious plan to force Starhouse to reveal his "powers". Mrs. Tubbs gets angry, leading to their evening row. In the morning Mrs. Tubbs dismisses the maid and makes the breakfast for her husband herself, meaning to feed him his own "enchanted" egg and prove to him that he's been swindled.
But! Dun dun dunnn! Turns out that the egg actually works! Mr. Tubbs turns into a mouse at the breakfast table. After a brief panicked scuffle Mr. Tubbs ends up being flung through the open window into the courtyard, being pursued by one of the farm cats until eventually escaping into the old well through one of the rotten boards. Mrs. Tubbs runs outside to save him, but not being able to find him falls ill with shock. She believes he's either died from the fall or that the cat has gotten him (or both); at the same time she hopes against hope that he's alive and hiding somewhere and that he'll come back when the spell eventually wears off. She blames herself for killing him and refuses to talk to anyone about it (as Max discovered).
Mr. Tubbs is actually alive somewhere in the well. Not being able to climb back up, he makes for the well in the back garden. The two are connected underground, but the one in the garden is even more dilapidated and Tubbs hopes the crumbled masonry would prove an easier climb. Unfortunately, turns out there are some creepy crawlies living in the cracks, blocking his way out, so he's been stuck there, surviving on fallen nuts and berries and digging himself even further in, trying to stay warm during the cold snap.
Jul 20, 2025 8:12 pm
There's something about in character conversations which makes investigations harder than they need to be, I feel :/. It's really hard to make NPCs give you clear information in a natural way, also some of your roll results made it harder than it needed to be.
Also a big mistake I made (other than, well, not being here for you) was not giving you a ticking clock. When I ran this live we all knew that we had 4-5 hours to play, so the urgency was on a more meta-level than in the actual game.
Also a big mistake I made (other than, well, not being here for you) was not giving you a ticking clock. When I ran this live we all knew that we had 4-5 hours to play, so the urgency was on a more meta-level than in the actual game.