Sample Mystery

Here is a mystery to try for your players to get used to the game.

If you have a copy of Brindlewood Bay, you already have a great set of Mysteries to choose from. All they need is a monster!

The Mystery

Gracie’s Hound of Westmark Cemetery Level 8 (24)

The Westmark Cemetery has always been known for spooky events. Teenagers who have dared each other to spend just one night among the tombs come out screaming that the statues are smiling at them. The sound of a rusted gate screeching open always happens at midnight. The smell of freshly churned earth lingers in the air despite not a single new “resident” having been laid to rest there in years.

That was until three months ago.

The wealthy centenarian Grace d’Mure had finally passed and was laid to rest in her family tomb. As were her wishes, a statue of herself and her childhood hound “Tilly” was crafted and placed upon the entrance to keep a vigilant watch over Westmark.

Since then, those who’ve come to grieve their relatives swear that they hear the laughter of a child among the graves, see turned up earth as if some creature paws at the ground, and a few swear that the statue of Tilly goes missing and can be glimpsed prowling the grounds.

The Question: What is Tilly guarding?

Inciting Incident

Read out loud

Grounds Keeper Willy’s lantern swings languidly from its perch, casting a long dancing shadow among the graves. He cups his gnarled hands together and gives them a puff to warm them against the frigid air. Giving them a quick rub he returns to his duty of fixing the rusting lock on the front gate.

A snarl behind him stops his work. The old grounds keeper threatens a glimpse over his shoulder that freezes his bones in place. There, among the tombstones, stalks Gracie’s hound Tilly. Its once stone body is now alive with fur and glistening in the moonlight.

Once more it growls, sending Willy screaming into the night…

The Monster

Tilly the Hound 4 (12) Tilly appears to be a red hound dog with big, spade shaped ears and a lean build that stands at least 3 feet at her shoulder. Her thin, whip-like tail gradually turns from red to black at its tip.

Daze: 4

Health: 12

Movement: Long while within the cemetery.

Modifications: Tilly has a hindrance of 1 when outside of rhe cemetery and only requires 2 levels of daze to escape from.

The Chase: Tilly darts in and out of the tombstones and mausoleums, attempting to “herd” their prey out of the graveyard or to trip and fall. She nips at their heels and lunges to push them in specific directions.

Tilly may perform one of the following actions during the Chase.

Ghostly Howl: Tilly lets out a chest rumbling howl. Anyone within a long range causes all who fail an Intellect defense of 4 to have a hindrance to their next action.

Heel Nip: Tilly nips at a target’s heels. Failing a Speed defense roll causes the target to make a hasty turn which trips them into a tombstone and takes Might damage.

Monstrous Glare: Looking into Tilly’s golden, glowing eyes causes a shock of fear. Failing an Intellect defense roll the target’s PANIC! increases by 1 and they speed off, zig-zagging among the tombstones.

Jump Scares

Here are a few potential Jump Scares to use for GM Intrusions.

• Books tumble from a bookshelf, slamming onto the floor.
• The PC walks into the street and is nearly hit by a car.
• A cat leaps from a hidden location with a screech.
• A flock of birds scatter out from their nest.
• A statue suddenly smiles at the PC.
• A rusted gate flies open with a gust of wind.
• Someone with a flashlight appears “out of nowhere” to spot the PCs.
• A painting falls from the wall and clatters to the floor.
• Walking past an alley, a car roars out in front of the PCs, its tires screeching across the asphalt.
• An engine backfires

Suspects

Some Suspects have a connection and potential clue of their own for players to discover.

Grounds Keeper Willy 3 (9) Connection: Works the cemetery grounds and meets with Gregory Klein every Tuesday for a chess game.

Modifications: Treat as level 4 for digging and grounds keeping.

Gruff and a loner. Willy has seen more “ghosts” than people over the years. But the hound chilled him to his core.

Gregory Klein 2 (6) Connection: Grace’s chauffeur and secret lover to Missy Trent.

Modifications: Treat as level 5 for driving.

Gregory is young, brash, but a focused driver due to his time as a stunt driver. A few years younger than Missy, he instantly fell in love.

Horace Von’Buren 4 (12) Connection: Lady d’Mure’s last husband who frequents the dog races.

Modifications: Treat as level 5 when lying or hiding the truth.

Horace is in his mid 60s with massive veneers and expensive tan that makes his white hair appear like fresh snow. He treats everyone like a million bucks.

Missy Trent 3 (9)

Connection: Grace’s niece and secret lover to Gregory Klein.

Missy was once Grace’s favorite niece until something changed. Missy believes Grace uncovered her love affair with Gregory.

Nurse Fredrika Gelmer 2 (6)

Connection: Hospice nurse to Lady d’Mure who believes she was having an affair with Dr. Druff.

Modifications: Treat as level 3 when dealing with medical tasks.

Fredrika is a fantastic, no nonsense nurse. She truly loved Lady d’Mure and secretly hopes she’ll be left something in her will.

Martha Jones 2 (3) Connection: Head clerk at the Westmark Records Office.

Modifications: Treat as level 3 for bureaucratic tasks.

People say Martha knows where all the skeletons are buried and they’re not in Westmark. She’s quick to gossip.

Dorace Smith 3 (9) Connection: Head maid at the d’Mure manor who despised Grace d’Mure.

Modifications: Treat as level 4 for running a manor house.

Dorace has grown bitter over the long years working for Grace and finally feels free now that the old bag is dead.

Dr. Grant Druff 4 (12) Connection: Lady d’Mure’s doctor and drug addict.

Modifications: Treat as level 6 for medical knowledge and procedures.

Grant has grown stagnant in this small, upscale town with nothing but the rich elderly to take care of. He secretly hates them all and has turned to sneaking their drugs for himself.

Chuck O’Toole 3 (9) Connection: Owner and operator of O’Toole’s Tools that services the d’Mure fleet of vehicles.

Modifications: Treat as level 5 for mechanical knowledge and fixing.

Chuck loves working on Grace’s fleet of cars and often tried to buy them from her. Horace wanted to, but Grace always stopped the sale.

Yolanda Reece 2 (6) Connection: Runs the dog track. Horace owes them big money.

Yolanda always has a thick cigar in her mouth and and mustard stained sweatshirt with the track logo embroidered on it. She absolutely loves dogs despite her dubious profession.

Locations

Westmark Cemetery The start of the mystery. It is quiet and foreboding. Several tall tombstones with intricate statues just up among the smaller headstones. Most notably is Grace d’Mure’s. A freshly carved statue of a child standing next to her faithful hound.

Manor d’Mure A massive, 20 room estate. The grounds are overgrown with vines taking over the front facade. Inside the rooms are sparse or empty, with white dust covers draped over the furniture.

Grace’s Room however has the appearance of being lived in, with family portraits hung across the walls and heavy armoires full of clothes. A massive four post bed dominates the center of the room. Hospice equipment has been pushed to the back corner of the room.

Coroner’s Office A cold, sterile office packed with towers of papers and rickety office equipment well past its prime.

Westmark Records Office Rows and rows of tall records shelves line the walls. With a spin of a dial you can shift a shelf down a track to reveal more shelves.

O’Toole’s Tools and Garage The smell of old grease and metal hangs in the air. Behind the checkout counter in the waiting room/shop is the mechanic’s garage full of old cars owned by the wealthy residents of town.

Dog track Considered a blight among the rich elite in Westmark. The track is open every Saturday and Sunday with 5 races a day. Discarded losing tickets litter the parking lot and stands from out-of-towners who’ve lost big.

Additional Clues

• A dubious will.
• Family portrait being repainted to remove Missy.
• A box of laser pointers.
• Sound effects machine.
• Jewelry case missing jewels.
• Empty china cabinet.
• Receipt for mountable mirrors.
• Missed message from a magic school seeking payment for classes.
• Dog food, freshly opened.
• Red spray paint.
• Medicine missing dosage.
• Overdue bank/credit card statements.
• IRS audit.
• Shoes with fake dog paw prints glued to the bottom.
• Keys to the cemetery.
• A lovers note.
• An old syringe.
• Marred chain cutter.
• Deep scratches across Grace’s Town car.
• A muffled argument behind closed doors between two Suspects.