#motw mystery

[quadrantadvisor]

Monster of the Week Mystery: Shadows in Unity

(I didn't see a better place to post the custom MOTW mystery that I ran, so onto Tumblr it goes.)

In the small town of Unity, Iowa, two teens mysteriously disappeared. More than one person in town has been messing with forces they didn't understand, and now the local corn maze is home to a being of great and terrible power, a Shadowling. This mystery works best in a campaign dealing with eldritch beings and cults.

Hook

The sudden and unexplained disappearance of two teenagers, in a town with hardly any crime to speak of. Their identities were kept out of the news, but it's the talk of the town that young lovers Aimee Schaffer and Ben Torello have either skipped town together, or had something horrible happen to them.

[My version of this mystery started with a scripted scene of the hunters overhearing a conversation about this between waitresses Maggie and Sharon at the Sideswipe Diner.]

Countdown

Day: The Shadowling possesses Ben's corpse to lure in new victims. It is spotted in town overnight.

Shadows: Farmer Neadbaum enters the corn maze in an attempt to perform a ritual and trap the monster. He is killed.

Sunset: Masha Torello stays up overnight to keep an eye out for her son. She spots him and follows him back to the cornfield, becoming another trapped victim of the Shadowling.

Dusk: Aimee is drained of all life and dies.

Nightfall: Sharon Maat and three of her friends, other teens from the local high school, plan to hang out in the cornfield at night to drink without getting caught. Sharon is killed and her friends are captured.

Midnight: The Shadowling's activity has garnered the attention of Nelson Neadbaum's former cult, the followers of The One Who Waits in Shadows. They catch the creature for their nefarious purposes.

Threats

Shadowling

Monster: Parasite (motive: possess, control, devour)

The Shadowling is a being from somewhere beyond this world, and it should not be on this plane of existence. It's form cannot be easily seen nor comprehended, more of a silhouette of shifting tentacle-like shapes. It is not an especially intelligent being, operating largely on instinct to attract more prey. It claims a space as it's own, a den of sorts, and that space becomes warped by it's very presence. In this case, that space is the corn maze, where it fled to after being summoned in Neadbaum's barn. The Shadowling is a timid creature, and uses it's den and the forms of other creatures to hide itself away from possible threats. Above all, the Shadowling's presence is a herald of a much greater evil.

Powers:

Intangible: Cannot be harmed by attacks that don't involve magic or one of its weaknesses.

Taste of Madness: Can alter a victim's senses to induce disorientation or panic.

Possession: Can inhabit the form of a human, a corpse, or another humanoid shape.

Attacks:

Life drain: 3-harm, ignore armor, hand

Armor: none

Harm capacity: 11

Weaknesses:

Fire and bright light can be used to force it to leave a host, to corral it, or to contain it.

A magical ritual can be used to banish it from this realm

Takes two days to research

Takes three people to cast

Must be cast in the presence of the monster

Takes 10 minutes to perform

Scarecrow (Possessed)

Minion: Assassin (motive: to kill the hunters)

A scarecrow made of burlap and denim, with a wide brim straw hat and no face. It hangs limp in front of the entrance to the corn maze. It moves with an unnerving swiftness and smoothness. It can be destroyed by fire.

Attacks:

Shears: 2-harm, hand, quiet

Strike: 0-harm, intimate

Harm Capacity: 5

Ben and Aimee (Possessed)

Minion: Renfield (motive: to push victims towards the monster)

The shadowling is using Ben and Aimee to lure more victims to its lair. Ben is clearly already dead, with two large puncture wounds in his torso that were inflicted by the shears. Aimee is filthy and covered in blood, but has no visible injuries. She is wearing a leather jacket that's a bit too big for her, presumably given to her by Ben before his death.

Attacks:

Unarmed strike: 0-harm, intimate

Harm Capacity:

Ben's corpse: 6

Aimee: 7, but has already taken 3 harm

Nelson Neadbaum

Minion: Guardian (motive: to bar a way or protect something)

Farmer Neadbaum is an older gentleman, perhaps in his 60s, and his hair and long mustace are beginning to grey. He is gruff with the hunters, but not openly hostile until he feels they are coming to close to his secrets. He wants to keep the hunters away from the Shadowling and out of his barn. He summoned the Shadowling in an attempt to communicate with The One Who Waits in Shadows, not expecting an unintelligent beast. It quickly escaped his containment measures, and he lost any control of the situation he may have had.

Neadbaum was once a member of the cult of The One Who Waits in Shadows, but was excommunicated from their ranks for having lofty ideas about using the god's power for himself, rather than serving it. He has been studying on his own ever since, and stewed in his solitude and self-righteousness, until meeting a sympathetic ear in Aimee, to who he tried to teach his ways.

Neadbaum's farm is the location of an annual corn maze, and this year, Aimee was volunteering to help run it as an after school activity.

Attacks:

Hunting knife: 1-harm, hand

Shotgun: 3-harm, close, messy

Harm Capacity: 7

Locations

Corn maze

Location: Den (motive: to harbour monsters)

The maze was poorly constructed/cut, making it difficult to tell what is meant to be a path and what is poorly spaced and/or trampled corn. If the hunters approach during the day, the light that falls over the corn wavers like a heat mirage. During the night, the shifting of the corn creates strange figures in their shadows.

Move: Navigate the Maze

If a hunter/the hunters would like to navigate the maze and the Shadowling is present within it, it uses its Taste of Madness to confuse and disorient the hunter(s).

Have a hunter roll +Weird. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. Use a hold to mitigate one of the following effects.

Lose track of the exit

Lose track of your companion(s)

Discover nothing of consequence

On a 6-, the hunter who rolled is fully controlled/taken by the Shadowling.

Sideswipe Diner

Location: Crossroads (motive: to bring people and things together)

(The following is the start of a scripted scene written for the beginning of my own session, and may not be entirely applicable to yours. I've kept it here, in case it helps inspire you as to the tone of the mystery.]

"You are in a roadside diner. The outside looked a little run down, but when you entered you were pleasantly surprised to find the interior clean and lively. Your party of 5 [the number of hunters in our session] were seated easily together in a booth, with an extra chair on the end, of course. You're now enjoying the hot, greasy flavors of hometown America. It's a nice respite after miles and miles of nothing but Iowa cornfields. It's around 11 AM, and the sunlight through the windows is bright. It doesn't fool you, though. It's October, and you know that the wind chill bites."

Unity Police Station

Location: Fortress (motive: to deny entry)

The station is on the small side, but it's also the most modern building in town. You get the feeling they may be compensating for something.

Unity Library

Location: Hub (motive: to reveal information

An old schoolhouse that's been converted. It's got old, cracking paint, but the windows are clean. The interior is cramped and stuffed with books.

Schaffer Home

Location: Hub (motive: to reveal information)

The lawn is trimmed and green. The house is older, and is one of the only ones on the block with a second story. The interior is open concept, with plain white walls and modern knick-knacks. Aimee's room is on the second floor. It looks like a mundane girl's room at first, but hunters may investigate hiding spots or check her computer to find out about her interest in the occult or her connection to Neadbaum.

Torello Home

Location: Crossroads (motive: bring people/things together)

A trailer home on the other side of town from the Schaffer home. It is propped up on cinder blocks. There's a small dog tied up out front, and a garden.

Neadbaum Barn

Type: Hellgate (motive: to create evil)

From the outside, this is a classic red barn. The inside is similarly unassuming. Light shines in from the wooden slats in day time. The floor is matted with hay, and there's a cot up in the loft.

Neadbaum's animals do not choose to stay in the barn if they are not penned in, and if they are penned in, they are agitated and uncomfortable.

There is a book in an unrecognizable language hidden beneath the cot, and if the hay is cleared away, the summoning sigil for the Shadowling can be found.

Bystanders

Aimee Schaffer (student)

Bystander: Witness (motive: to reveal information)

Aimee is a high school student with light skin and straight brown hair. She is pretty, chubby, short, and normally well put together. Aimee felt stifled by her parents, their expectations, and their rigorous schedule for her. She began acting out in subtle ways, such as by reading up on the occult at the library and becoming involved with Ben.

Working with Neadbaum on the corn maze was a way to talk to someone in town who shared her interests while working on community building, something her parents would approve of. Aimee's occult research is generally benign, and she did not know just what horrors Neadbaum would get her involved in.

Aimee had left Ben a note that told him to meet her in the cornfield after she and Neadbaum concluded their ritual, unfortunately bringing him into the situation as well.

Aiden and Maria Schaffer (Aimee's parents)

Bystander: Busybodies (motive: to interfere in other people's plans)

The Schaffers are community leaders in Unity, who want the best for their daughter. They are very proud of Aimee for taking an interest in community events. They believe that Ben has done something to her, and are extremely distraught that she is missing. They do not acknowledge that Aimee was seeing Ben of her own free will. The Schaffers are suspicious of outsiders, unless they're authority figures.

Carla Torello (Ben's mother)

Bystander: Victim (motive: to put herself in danger)

Carla is a tall, thin woman, with a large straight nose and black hair. She wears a long brown coat.

Carla doesn't like Aimee, because her parents are elitist. She is certain that Ben is in some sort of trouble, but doesn't trust the authorities to help her. She'll do anything to find her son, and is relatively open to strange explanations. If she hears something ridiculous, though, she'll think she's being made fun of, and shut it down.

Maggie Watterson (Waitress)

Bystander: Gossip (motive: to pass on rumours)

Maggie is a pale woman in her 50s, with curly red hair pull back into a bun.

She is very worried about Ben and Aimee, who frequented Sideswipe Diner on their dates.

Sharon Maat (Waitress)

Bystander: Skeptic (motive: to deny supernatural explanations)

A high schooler with brown skin and black hair. She's tall, and looks consistently bored. She thinks that Ben and Aimee ran off together, and that everyone is making a big fuss over nothing. She goes to the same school and Ben and Aimee, knows that Aimee was helping organize the corn maze, and knows where both Ben and Aimee live, if the hunters ask.

Gordon Deep (County Sheriff)

Bystander: Official (motive: to be suspicious)

Sheriff Deep is a large man, both in gut and in build. He's in his 40s, and has a trim moustace and salt and pepper hair.

He's very no nonsense, and doesn't care for children. When things start to go terribly wrong, he becomes desperate to find a culprit.

Hank Devon (Deputy)

Bystander: Innocent (motive: to do the right thing)

Deputy Devon is a young man of average build. He's dark skinned and bald.

He's incredibly concerned about the disappearances, and very eager to find solutions. If he thinks the hunters have any sort of lead, he'll want to talk with them.

Mikki Watterson (librarian)

Bystander: Gossip (motive: to pass on rumors)

Mikki is a young person with short curly red hair and freckles. They are wearing a they/them pronoun pin. Waitress Maggie is their mother.

Mikki is involved in the community, and is very familiar with the Schaffer family and their library habits (especially Aimee, who comes by herself looking for occult books).

Layout

Here is a very simple drawn layout of Unity, which was filled in as our hunters discovered locations.

Additional Notes

In our session, the hunters immediately clocked the scarecrow as a threat, and destroyed it before it could be used. It's up to your discretion if you want to leave it vulnerable outside the cornfield as a freebie for your hunters, or if you'd like to hold that idea back as a surprise while they're exploring.

Our party included an initiate, which allowed this mystery to have some very fun cult politics. I highly recommend it.

If you end up using any of these ideas, I'd love to hear about it! MOTW is a great game, and I want to know about other people's experiences.

@freemotwresources @tabletopmonsteroftheweek

[caniethenondogsartblog]

I made a free motw mystery on Itch!

it’s a beginner oriented 1-2 shot taking place in an amusement park Halloween festival that has a mysterious curse.

first ever published thing, fully written and illustrated by me, tell me if you check it out!

[sheridoodle]

Watching the Poirot series for the first time and I’m entirely convinced this is just some eccentric queer friend group’s ‘Monster of the Week’ party.

[xyagold]

Americana Horror?

Many years ago, I listened to Alice isn't Dead and it was so impactful that I'm still looking for something to fill the space it left behind for me. I don't think I can name a piece of media that changed my taste in media like this. I fell in love with the atmosphere, the almost eldritch horror of the Thistle Men, the way the highway was almost a character in itself, and of course the road trip nature of the story going from one eerily familiar landmark to the next. When it came out, I even bought the book and read it twice.

I found some other stuff over the years that scratched the itch a bit but never quite suited the niche I was looking for.

Even the novels I'm working on are about an unlikely trio traveling across the states and hunting down creatures of myth and legend while running from the horrors of their pasts (very similar to early Supernatural). One does it as a career, one does it for destiny, and one does it for the thrill.

I adore this "Road Trip" framing for stories like this but I have trouble finding anything new.

Does anyone have any good recommendations? It can be anything, shows, games, books, comics, podcasts, or movies!

Any would be greatly appreciated!

Peace!

[tabletopmonsteroftheweek]

This one would of been a phenomenon mystery concept, however none of the phenomenon types really... felt right/fit it to me? It's essentially a big building, so it doesn't move. But having attacks is also weird to give it, idk.

The House always wins

People on the Vegas strip have gone missing, many believing that they got drunk and lost their way. The cause? A casino, the High Roller, has suddenly had a influx on winners, taking a trip to the penthouse suite to "spend the rest of their lives" at... or at least the last of their lives.

Monster: Aspect of Greed

Type: Parasite (motivation: to infest, control, and devour

The aspect of greed has taken over an existing casino, turning it into low stake high reward. It draws in new players with its low stakes and, those at are lucky enough to hit jackpot multiple times (which is once-twice daily), they are brought up to the penthouse. There the Aspect infests itself into the lucky winner, slowly draining them until they are nothing but dry husks. However, if they prove their worth they instead become the Staff, where they lead more people into the casino effectively giving it more prey.

Powers:

Addiction

Game Manipulation

Luck Detection

Weakness: The House Always Wins in the end... except when it doesn't. Much like gambling addicts, the Aspect of Greed will raise the stakes if it means the reward for itself is far greater. This will mean that it will take riskier bets, such as self-banishment if it loses a game. However, you HAVE to build up to it- it will not jump straight to that if it were just a normal game. Raise it over time, let it win some, get its ego up before the big bets.

Otherwise, using Big Magic in the casinos that circle around it will banish it out of the High Roller. However, this will mean the party is split as it sends minions out to stop the ritual once it knows what's going on.

Armor does not take into account for either- when it loses games it takes around 1-10 harm ignore armor depending on how high the stakes are.

Attacks:

Life-absorbtion- 2 harm close far ignore armor

It's a literal building (+3 armor)

Harm: 15 harm

Custom Moves:

Let the Games Begin- When the players challenge the Aspect, they will take turns on which game is being played. Meaning, the Aspect picks the game first, then the hunter, then back to the Aspect. It goes back and forth until theres one winner, and the hunter does have a chance to lose. All rolls will be done with Act Under Pressure because they ARE under pressure.

Only one hunter can challenge the Aspect to the game. However, that does not mean the other hunters cannot help in other ways as well. The Aspect's Staff will try to tilt the favor to the Aspect at any given chance. The Hunters not playing will have to keep an eye out and stop them before they do something to make the playing hunter lose. To the Aspect, so long as it's not the one cheating, it's not at fault. It will be annoyed if the playing Hunter uses that logic as well, but won't block it.

Addiction/Just One More Game...- The Hunters can easily fall under the influence of the Aspect should they play its random casino games. In order to snap out of it, they must roll Act Under Pressure.

On a 10+, they snap out of it. On a mix, they leave it alone but the temptation is there... they have -1 forward if they play another game (yes, that includes the challenge against The Aspect.) On a miss, they cannot stop playing, it's way too addicting! They have -1 ongoing while in the casino, including the final battle with the Aspect. Maybe one more spin will get them the jackpot...

Minion: The Staff

Type: Renfield (motivation: to push victims towards the monster)

People under the influence of the Aspect of Greed that weren't turned into husks. They lead people into the High Roller, scope out who has better luck, and then make sure they win so that they can go to the penthouse above. The richer the soul, the better luck they have.

Powers:

Game Manipulation

Soul Sight

Attacks:

9mm (2 harm close loud)

Brass Knuckles (1 harm hands small)

Harm: 5 harm

Custom Moves:

Game Manipulation: The Staff will turn the tides of a game no matter what, mostly subtly.

Bystander: Gamblers

Type: Victim (motivation: to unknowingly put themselves in danger.)

These are just random players in the casino. They do not know what they have got themselves into. They will more than likely refuse to leave with the hunters to go anywhere unless convinced that this area is not safe. Otherwise, they will slowly fall under the influence of the Aspect, continuously playing games until they hit their lucky streak and head up to the pent house.

[cookiesnpaste]

I really like this dress for her :)

fancy outfit for a fancy party that hopefully never happens cuz oh golly is shit gonna go down there if it does

[stereotypical-jew]

okay. so. i did not vibe with the latest doctor who episode a lot? and idk why exactly. i did still enjoy it for the most part! do love that we're getting more explicit queer romance on the show, but idk it didn't feel...genuine? especially with the doctor saying that ruby's his best friend but then abandoning her to aliens for most of the episode. i'm like really feeling that the overarching plot must be about storytelling. like especially all the blatant references to bridgerton INCLUDING the bad guys and poker face covers. and the teaser line about it being the doctor's life they're playing out. i'm hoping that the arc is kind of about how something (pantheon character?) is kind of controlling the doctor/ruby's story to hit the beats it's supposed to bc its tv but is doing so in a non-organic way which is why the season feels so disjointed and very telling-not-showing. also the weird 6 month time jump between Space Babies and Boom. otherwise i'mgonna feel like it was just kind of poorly written. like! to be clear! i am still enjoying the show! but not as much as i have other seasons

[intertexts]

THEY GET A FUCKING WINNEBAGO!!!!!!!!!

[krabkrab-wontshutup]

Florian Adam, the Skeptic.

Florian is blind, gay, and a skeptic! pick a struggle man (JOKE).

[saintofhounds]

[hotsugarbyglassanimals]

Sayer at the carnival

[ragsy]

if you're like me and you're a ttrpg GM who homebrews a lot and you struggle with balancing under- and over-preparing, here's something that helps me: try having a specific amount of pages alloted for that session's prep notes.

for me, it's a two page word doc. no more, no less. it tricks my brain into thinking "okay, i only have to fill THIS much space and then i'm done" while at the same time i have a constraint keeping me from writing too much that i will most likely forget about in the heat of gameplay.

of course, maps and diagrams are an exception, they can go on as many pages as you want. but having a goal that is also a limit can be somehow ironically freeing

[cheerfulsleuth]

#cheerfulsleuth: an indie, private, and highly selective rp blog for an original character based on Evil Hat's Monster of the Week. Beloved by Mary. 21+, EST. Sideblog to #summervillespook.

[tabletopmonsteroftheweek]

The Supersoldier Initiative

An experiment had begun, government funded and supported, yet never announced to the public or foreign powers. Those experimented on are those in prison and/or jail, those that the higher ups believe "would never be missed or noticed to be gone." Things were going well, until an accident at the facility made the experiments escape.

This mystery can take place in any location, but recommended in rural/near out of the grid areas.

Hooks:

Prisons/jails seem to be lighting their intake on inmates, unknown where they are going.

Professional companies will get receive word to keep an eye out for "escaped criminals", but only the higher ups will have the classified info as to what the criminals have become.

Normal citizens will see signs of destruction outside of town, such as broken down trees, shattered rocks, and docks destroyed. Wildlife animals may have been killed and consumned as well, their bodies left behind with unusual marks on it.

A body of one of the experiments is discovered and brought to the hospital, where it turns out its not dead.

Monster: Supersoldier Elite

Type: Beast (Motivation: to run wild, destroying and killing)

They're more beast than human now. The facilities top of the line experiment. Razor-sharp claws, huge jaw with multiple layers of teeth. It has no neck, the flesh of the shoulders going up to the head. The top of the head is incredibly hard, almost mithril-like. It's legs are thick to support the body, but very athletic/light.

Powers:

Razor-sharp claws that can tear through metal like napkins.

Hard head used for breaking stone or foundation.

Super fast.

Eagle-like sight.

Skin thick and durable.

Shark-like teeth.

Super Strength

Resistance to heat, acid, and electricity (grants an additional +1 armor to what its resistant to).

Adaptation.

Weakness: The scientists developed a failsafe for it should it escape- by exposing it to extreme cold, it will become sluggish and slow. It's resistances will be nullified as well, and its skin will become brittle. Exposing its muscle/inner tissue with a combination of electricity and acid it will explode into semi-liquid chunks.

Attacks:

Razor-sharp claws- 2 harm hand messy ignore armor

Hard head- 3 harm hand forceful ignore armor

Sharp teeth- 2 harm intimate messy restraining

Harm: 10 harm, +1 armor

Custom move:

Adaptation- If the Elite is struck multiple times by certain weapons, elements not listed in his resistances, or pure magic, it will gain a temporary resistance to it until the encounter ends. The only thing it will not gain a resistance to is ice.

Minion: Supersoldier Experiments

The lesser versions before the Elite. They are more human shaped and each has only one-two abilities compared to the Elite.

Type: Brute (motivation: to hurt and terrify)

Powers:

This is constant:

Super Strength

Then pick one - two per Experiment:

Razor-sharp claws that can tear through metal like napkins.

Hard head used for breaking stone or foundation.

Super fast.

Skin thick and durable.

Shark-like teeth.

Resistance to heat, acid, and electricity.

Eagle-like sight.

Weakness: Unlike the Elite, they still have some hint of humanity left within themselves. Find something that links them to their identity and they may snap out of their rampage.

Attacks:

Super-punch- 2 harm hand.

(if picked) Razor-sharp claws- 2 harm hand messy ignore armor

(if picked) Hard head- 3 harm hand forceful ignore armor

(if picked) Sharp teeth- 2 harm intimate messy restraining

(if picked) +1 armor

Harm: 6 harm

Minion: Sadistic Scientist

Scientists that want to see how this all goes down, taking notes about what each experiment they find does. Almost as if they wanted the accident that freed the experiments to happen...

They will do anything within their power to make sure the experiments live.

Type: Guardian (motivation: to protect the experiments, even if they kill them).

Attacks:

Laser Gun- 2 harms far quiet

Net Launcher- 0 harm close restraining

9mm- 2 harm close loud

Harm: 4 harm

Bystander: Frantic Scientist

Scientists that are trying to recapture the experiments and stop the sadistic scientists. Some may even be more concerned about the paperwork after the incident more than the lives potentially lost during.

Type: Witness (motive: to reveal information)

Bystander: The Police

Once helping the government with supplying jail/prison inmates for the Supersoldier Initiative, now they deny any and all involvement and will be more in the way than helpful.

Type: Busybody (motivation: to interfere in other people's plans) OR Official (motivation: to be suspicious)

[petite-sami]

Don't Be Seen 🫥🙈🙊🔦

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE Nancy Drew. So I gave Briar (and her then grumpy bestie, Grayson) a moment of being a nosy amateur sleuth. ... Just ignore the broken pot they totally didn't hit. Grayson & Briar belong to @madericious & myself. Don't forget that commissions are open if you're interested!! Check out my pinned post and my bio for more information!

[summervillespook]

#summervillespook: an indie, private, and highly selective rp blog for an original character based on Evil Hat's Monster of the Week. Beloved by Mary. 21+, EST.