I've actually been wanting to run a scenario based on Numberstations for a while now – basically a bastard lovechild of
Arcadia Signal,
The Last Equation and
The Dance in the Blood - but I don't have a group atm so I haven't worked out the specifics.
If your interested in what I've got;
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Sine Language
The Premise:The “Investigators” are Number Station enthusiasts. After spending endless hours listening to the stations and pouring over their output, they have each realized that there is an underlying pattern to the numbers, which in turn leads them to a small town in the middle of nowhere. They contact each other, verify their independently discovered findings, and arrange to make a trip, thrilled at the chance of finally discovering the source of the Numbers...
The Horrible Truth:There is no source.
At least, none in this reality.
The number stations are a by-product of the manifold Nature of the cosmos – If you create radio networks, number stations begin turning up. The location of the town isn't embedded in the numbers at all, rather the investigators have dedicated so much of their mind to decoding an Otherworldly signal that it has become embedded in their minds, and they are beginning to “resonate”.
This has the following gameplay effects:
1. Once they arrive at the town, they will perceive (hallucinate) number stations in the background of any audio coming from an electronic device. Initially, this is just a suggestion which they can barely hear, but as time goes on (see “Progression” below) this becomes stronger and stronger, until it blots out all other sounds.
2. They become increasingly aware of townspeople using numbers in their speech – values are never “lots” or “a few” or other vague generalities, it's always a specific number or range - “between 1 and 14”. Again, this isn't actually happening, their minds are becoming oversensitive to numbers and values, and their mind is replacing the generalities with “reasonable” ranges to compensate.
3. They become aware of oddly dressed figures amongst the townsfolk, seemingly humans dressed in office clothes, but moving in a manner which seems unnaturally mathematical in it's precision. The townsfolk treat them as absolutely normal, and interact with them as though they were perfectly fine despite the fact they never say a word.
These are the Tainted: the remains of the other enthusiasts who became infected with the signal – their minds have become so infested with the Numbers that their Selves have dissolved.
If the investigators manage to incapacitate one, then they find a MP3 player, smartphone or similar in their pocket leading to a pair of earbuds the Tainted never remove – constantly streaming a Number station.
4. “Progression” - Whilst the Tainted appear to be the the dnagerous element of the scenario, and indeed should be played up as such, the actual threat is the Investigator's preoccupation with Number Stations:
Every time they concentrate on the Numbers or their effects – in essence, every time they investigate anything – they strengthen the Pattern's hold on their mind.
What this means is that the effects listed above increase in strength the more the Investigators pay attention to them, represented mechanically through the loss of Sanity.
The Hallucinations become harder to ignore, the speech of the Townsfolk becomes more Numerically precise.. and the Tainted begin to take notice.
Initially, they simply start to watch the Investigators, but as they Progress they begin to display “hostility” - they attempt to grab the investigators and take them away (an act the townsfolk ignore as completely mundane). Eventually they come in groups, ideally ending in a “siege” of the Tainted trying to get at the investigators in their motel room.
Should they Succeed, the victim will find themselves in a dark room surrounded by the Tainted, who with drab, lifeless voices recite seemingly random Numbers...
Endgame:There are only two possibilities the investigators can look forward to at this point – their fate was sealed the moment they began to “understand” the Numbers.
First, they can attempt to prevent the infection progressing. This means either completely removing themselves from all sources of electronic communication and personal interaction (becoming hermits in the woods), permanently deafening themselves, or causing permanent brain-damage. Of these, only the last is a sure-fire solution.
If they don't succeed in any of these options – the Tainted take them, or they lose all their Sanity – then the Numbers consume them, they join the ranks of the Tainted, and a new voice joins the choir...
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Also, Hello! I'm a person who Exists! Isn't it a nice day to Exist?
