Short stories
There are 6 short story rooms. Each is only encountered three times, telling a short story. E.M. Gemovich is a staunch supporter of animal rights and so these stories tell a story of animal cruelty as a beginning, middle, and end.
When a short story room is first encountered it will take the form of the “start” for the current run. The next run it is encountered it will take its “middle” form, and the next run it will its “end” form. The short story room is then removed from the pool after the run. The letters “S M E” are at the bottom of the sticky note for these rooms to track this progression.
Generally the short stories are split like so:
- Start:
All the non-investigator humans in the Short story rooms are Self-inserts. They all have the face of E.M. Gemovich and the only word they can say is “Gemovich”.
A short story room remains as it was left during the same run, meaning benefits cannot be gained a second time be re-entering the room. Generally, the investigators can freely pass through these rooms unless The Taker of Thoughts is pursuing them. In that case they can use the room to fight or they need some method to flee.
Foie gras
Foie gras is liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened by force feeding (gavage). It is considered a delicacy of french cuisine.
Start
The whirring and vibration of a propeller engine on your back whilst your face braces against the wind. Gentle honks can be heard over the engine as geese fly in formation behind you. You watch the sun rising over the serene clouds knowing you are in for a long day.
- Setting
- A clear sky above the american wilderness
- Investigators
- Flying ultralight aircrafts
- Guiding migrating geese
- Each must state how they brave the day’s long and cold flight
- A relevant failed save (if required) leads to d4 stress
- Escape
- Leave after their day’s flight
Middle
Echoes upon echoes of geese honks as an uncomfortable heat clings onto your crouched form. In one hand holds a nozzle attached to a fat and corn caked machine. Held by the other, the neck of a goose pinned to the ground between your legs.
- Setting
- Large foie gras factory farm in France
- Investigators
- Farm staff
- Force feeding geese (gavage)
- Self-inserts
- 3 supervisors encourage and punish unwilling staff
- Farm staff force feeding geese
- Escape
- A day’s labour, escape, or revolt
End
The scent of fermented grapes, leather, and truffle as red wine is poured. The gentle steps of high-class wait staff is barely audible over the melody of polite conversations. Looking around you see the candlelit visages of your companions around your table. With a sudden flourish the cloche before you ascends, revealing a buttery foi gras atop a hawthorn sauce flanked by gold flecked rose petals.
- Setting
- A french 3-star michelin restaurant
- Investigators
- Dining at a table together
- Presented with foie gras
- Foie gras
- Each investigator that consumes it gains +1 max HP (subsequent servings have no effect)
- If any investigator eats the foie gras The Taker of Thoughts gains its feathers feature
- Self-inserts
- Restaurant staff
- Diners, some have their heads covered in large napkins eating Ortolans whole
- Escape
- Leaving through the restaurant’s entrance is permitted at any time
San-nakji
San-nakji is a Korean dish consisting of the small octopus nakji. Normally it is killed and cut up before consumption, sprinkled with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. Sometimes the whole octopus is eaten whole. Either way it is a potentially fatal choking hazard as the tentacles’ neurons activate, gripping onto the throat as it is swallowed.
Start
Swaying refracted light falls through the waters of the coastal reef. The embracing coolness of the water is a delight where the air is stifling. A fish quickly swims past, tentacle writhing in its maw, a stream of blue blood in its wake.
- Setting
- Calm tropical costal waters
- Investigators
- Free swimming
- Octopus
- Blue blood leads to octopus squeezed into rocks
- Protecting its eggs
- Being attacked by fish
- Escape
- Rescue octopus or
- Witness its death and the consumption of its eggs (d4 stress)
Middle
The sulphuric smell of decaying sea life slightly distracts you from the arduous task of traversing the wet sandy mud. You would easily be lost in this flat and grey landscape if not for the line of wooden poles and your guides. One of the fishermen stops and suddenly starts digging. In about a minute she lifts a small octopus in her hand and, with E.M gemovich’s face, exclaims “Gemovich!”. She gestures, your turn.
- Setting
- Vast mudflats on the coast
- Investigators
- Fishermen hunting for octopuses
- Attired in big wellies and waterproof overalls
- Each equipped with a shovel (d6)
- Self-inserts
- 3 Expert fishermen with shovels (d6)
- Guide and ensure the investigators make their nakji quota
- Know the way out of the vast mudflats, will leave those who don’t make their quota
- Digging for nakji (octopus)
- Gruelling task digging through heavy water laden mud
- Must be quick lest the nakji escape by burrowing away
- Escape
- Leave the mudflats
- Drown in the rising tide (d6 stress)
End
A bustling communal food market lit by neon signs of souju, beer, and cutlery. Small green bottles cover the table and your E.M. Gemovich faced neighbour pours a clear liquid into your small glass. You take an apprehensive sip to taste a pleasant plum flavour. A Gemovich faced diner comes with a red plastic tray. Set before you is a whole squirming and living octopus. Another diner takes theirs and places the head into their mouth. She chews and chews as the tentacles dangle and writhe outside of her mouth. Eventually she swallows and the octopus is no more.
- Setting
- Busy Korean food market
- Investigators
- Eating various street foods
- San-nakji is brought to your table
- San-nakji
- Investigators who partake each roll 3d6, if the total is higher than their current max DEX, they take the new result (subsequent servings have no effect)
- If any investigator eats the San-nakji The Taker of Thoughts gains its rehydrated feature
- Self-inserts
- Stall owners
- Masses eating and drinking
- Escape
- The investigators can leave the market at any time
Violin glue
Hide glue is a glue made form animals, particularly horses. It is used for wooden stringed instruments, such as violins, as it works well with wood. Additionally hide glue can be removed with heat, allowing for easier repairs.
Start
Tall and long wooden boxes stand upon the plains of grass. The bright teal paint contrasts the saturated sky. Through the holes you hear apprehensive whinnying and trotting. One of the boxes opens as a Przewalski horse escapes to its native home. Short and tan it looks around before eating its first mean in the steppes of Mongolia. You sigh with relief as you know your conservation efforts were worth it.
- Setting
- The grassy Steppes of of Mongolia
- An cloudy but dry day
- Investigators
- Wildlife conservationists
- Releasing Przewalski’s horses into the wild.
- Przewalski’s horse is the only living actual wild horse (other horses are feral, i.e. tamed then escaped into the wild)
- Self-inserts
- Fellow conservationists
- Escape
- Load the van with the horse boxes and drive away.