Union of the Tormented: Part 9
2nd Floor
2A. Second Floor Landing and Hallway
Like the Pantry and Grand Foyer, these areas contain nothing of mechanical or narrative importance. They serve as transitional spaces—the main artery of the second floor, connecting the larger rooms throughout. Passing through still counts toward the investigators’ movement total for triggering security checks.
For added atmosphere, the Keeper may describe the landing and hallway as exceptionally dusty, with bits of graffiti and occult scrawlwork continuing from the Foyer, though more scattered here. At the far end of the corridor hangs a once-famous portrait of Zeus. Someone, with equal parts skill and irreverence, has defaced it—his regal curls painted into writhing tentacles, his hands redrawn as monstrous claws.
2B. Guest Bedrooms and Sewing Room
There are six generously sized guest bedrooms in total, almost all of them identical. Checking them all in sequence counts as one movement for the purposes of the Security mechanics.
A few rooms are treated like the Music Room—furniture and amenities draped in plain white sheets, preserved in their long disuse.
One room stands out: the bed sheets are ruffled, a full ashtray rests on the side table, and a forgotten hat—similar to those worn by the Pinkertons—suggests it has been used as a break room for guards. A successful Spot Hidden roll reveals an extra box of 12 revolver shells.
Another room reeks of unwashed bodies; the bedclothes are thrown everywhere, and scandalous clothing lies about, implying a recent guest took certain liberties with a lady associate or working girl.
The last bedroom before the Sewing Room is locked. An investigator may attempt a Lockpicking roll. On success, if George Roberts is present, he finds a neatly folded pile of children’s clothing on a cabinet, and in the hamper by the side table is his daughter Bethany’s discarded dress. Roberts must roll 1/d6 Sanity. On failure, he lets out a heartbreaking scream and rushes to clutch the dress.
At this point, the Keeper should flip a coin or roll a 50% challenge to see if the alarm is raised another level. If it is, the investigators must pull Roberts away before a security agent arrives. Pulling him away requires an Opposed POW roll to bring him back to his senses. The Keeper may adjust the difficulty of the challenge roll by ±10 as they see fit.
As the investigators approach the Sewing Room, they hear a vague female voice mumbling tearfully inside. They can handle this however they wish—walking in directly, opening the door carefully (perhaps with an Easy Dexterity roll), or bursting in.
If they burst in or knock, a maid stumbles forward, barely containing sobs. She will not alert security, but the Keeper may embellish her distress so it suggests that risk. She should appear sympathetic—an innocent civilian trapped in the nightmare of serving her increasingly deranged employers.
Her name is Mary Finnegan. The investigators interrupt her mid-prayer, desperate invocations she’s been repeating between duties. She has tried to escape several times, but was caught by security each time. She has since learned that anyone seen on the estate grounds—other than security—will be shot on sight.
Upon learning of the investigators’ actions, Mary will eagerly cooperate. She volunteers that the snipers guarding the front lawn are positioned in the attic, accessible from just above the Sewing Room, which also connects to the Master Bedroom.
If questioned further about Rishi Agnivara or Samuel Miller, she shares two details after thinking carefully:
Miller always ends his rounds by heading to the Gymnasium, but she never finds him there when cleaning. He keeps a tight grip on his keychain. She believes he is currently mid-round and will soon be stowing agent reports in the Business Office by the Library.
As for Rishi, she sometimes sees him in the Gallery, fiddling with a puzzle, but when she turns back, he’s gone—never passing her in the halls. She hasn’t seen him for days.
Before parting, Mary begs the investigators to “take out” the snipers by any means necessary, even if it means killing them—anything to give her a chance to escape this dreadful mansion.
If George Roberts asks her about Bethany, Mary explains that she has been given charge of the girl and has been caring for her over the last few days. No harm has come to her, but she is clearly terrified, and Mary has done what she can to soothe her. A few hours ago, they took her below, saying something about “having to prepare her.”
This revelation may spark an argument among the investigators over what to prioritize, potentially leading to opposed POW rolls. Mary will understand if they decide to focus on rescuing Bethany first, but the Keeper may emphasize the emotional weight of leaving her behind under the guards’ control. Mary will either return to her desperate prayers or nervously keep an ear to the ceiling above, listening for the investigators’ progress against the snipers.
2D. Attic and Storage
This narrow space connects the sewing room to the master bedroom, serving as a discreet route for security personnel. Because it’s already in active use by guards, moving through it does not require a security mechanics check.
Whether or not the investigators have interacted with Mary, the snipers’ presence will already be known from earlier reconnaissance outside the mansion. These agents are battle-hardened veterans, highly situationally aware.
Stealth Entry: Entering the attic from the hallway requires a Hard Stealth check. Only George Roberts is even mildly skilled in this.
Charging from Below: Bursting up from underneath grants the investigators a surprise round. This may be enough to subdue or disarm the agents in a single round, depending on their numbers (see Area 1A).
Cover: Dusty, sheet-covered furniture, cabinets, and boxes fill the shadowy space, offering plenty of cover options during combat.
Time Limit: The attic has only two entrances, both slow to traverse. The investigators have 4 rounds to neutralize the snipers before Samuel Miller arrives with reinforcements.
Shove Maneuvers: The snipers start combat near windows, making shoving them out a viable tactic.
Loot: If a sniper is defeated inside the attic, investigators can claim a Winchester 1895 Rifle (Off a couple years, but closest I could find).
Aside from this encounter and the potential weapon, there is nothing else of note here. From the attic, investigators can proceed to the master bedroom, backtrack through the guest rooms, or vice versa depending on their earlier chosen route.
2C. Master Bedroom and Lab/Storage
The master bedroom carries surprisingly fewer hazards from security patrols.
When moving into this room—or the adjacent personal lab and storage used exclusively by Pullman—the security test is set to 1, regardless of how high the investigators’ accumulated score.
Security Test: Always 1 here and in the adjacent lab/storage.
Patrol Behavior: Guards perform only cursory glances from the hall, avoiding disturbing Pullman.
This lowered physical risk, however, is countered by potent occult dangers. These were Pullman’s private quarters, a space largely left undisturbed even during routine sweeps.
The appearance is unsettling in a different way than rooms like the ballroom below. Glowing glyphs and formulae cling to the walls and corners, radiating otherworldly beauty. Rumors of Pullman’s recent hedonistic excess find little confirmation here—there are a few discarded women’s garments on a counter, a nearly empty bottle of brandy on the bedside table—but the bed is neatly made, unslept in, and dusted with neglect.
The dominant impression is intellectual obsession. Academic, engineering, and mathematical equations saturate the room. A massive chalkboard, positioned beside a large window overlooking the hedge maze, is filled to bursting, its contents spilling onto the window glass, the wall behind the bed, the walk-in closet, even columns and support beams. The sheer scope is overwhelming—deciphering it could fill volumes and earn a place in any university curriculum.
There are several disciplines at play here—chemistry, materials science/engineering, and mathematics/physics. Few of the Investigators possess any formal scientific training. Eugene V. Debbs and Jacob Riis are both educated, but only Riis has a background in chemistry. While skill checks may be called for, even an extreme success will yield only a partial understanding without relevant expertise. Players who create characters with stronger scientific backgrounds may uncover more. Successful rolls in the appropriate disciplines reveal the following:
Chemistry: Pullman appears to have discovered a new element he calls Aethelite. He notes its remarkable capacity for energy output. Scattered notes and pre-publication papers reference a developing theory he calls “radioactivity” (radiation was first identified in 1896). For a time, his research pursued this angle before diverging. Aethelite seems to exert energy on its surroundings without producing heat or photographic effects; instead, it generates an unusual electromagnetic influence—not like ordinary magnetized metals, but amplified to an extraordinary degree. Arrays of magnetically sensitive components around it could, in theory, operate indefinitely, like a genuine perpetual motion machine.
Materials Science/Engineering: Rough sketches and early blueprints depict more than a dozen devices—an incredibly efficient automobile, a flying machine, and a compact all-purpose motor for household appliances. All share one mysterious feature: an energy source abbreviated simply as “Ae.” Without context, the meaning is unclear.
Mathematics/Physics: Numerous formulas attempt to describe a bizarre state of matter and energy. While it behaves similarly to magnetism, the source of its force seems to draw from something absent in the natural world. The notes suggest that such objects do not generate energy themselves, but act as conduits, channeling power from an unknown source outside our reality.
Finally, regarding the hazards of this room: if the investigators linger to examine the notes and documents—whether or not they succeed in deciphering them—they remain long enough for dormant protective enchantments to trigger. All investigators must attempt a Luck roll. Anyone who fails is struck by the Curse of the Putrid Husk, suffering vivid hallucinations of their own body rotting and their entrails spilling out, resulting in 1d10 Sanity loss.
The laboratory adjacent to the master bedroom carries the same hazard as before for attempting to read the scattered formulas and notes on its chalkboards, which continue the same information. It serves as a second temptation for any investigators who resisted their curiosity in the bedroom. The trap, however, can only trigger once—either there or here. If an investigator failed a previous attempt to decipher the writings, they may try again in this room, but an Extreme success is required.
Aside from these shared hazards, the lab’s appearance reflects Pullman’s scientific pursuits with a stronger emphasis on practical experimentation. Gears and wiring have been assembled into increasingly intricate, humanoid-like limbs, each crafted with obsessive attention to detail. One display includes an eerie metallic arm, positioned beside a small pull-circuit. If activated, the arm and hand flex rhythmically back and forth in a mechanical cycle.
2E. Gymnasium and Infirmary
The household gym is relatively modest, as high society typically favors more leisurely pursuits. However, with Pullman's recent reliance on long-term security forces, he renovated an addition to accommodate their physical conditioning between shifts. The space contains weights and benches, gymnasium rings, a padded area for friendly boxing matches, and other typical equipment of the period. Nothing particularly ominous stands out, though the room appears underused—perhaps Pullman's current indifference has infected his staff as well.
The adjacent infirmary shows signs of neglect: a waste bin overflows with bloody bandages from on-duty injuries, and medical tools lie exposed in unsanitary conditions. These may have been abandoned in haste during the recent worker uprising. Without requiring any check, investigators can gather unused supplies from a small doctor's bag on one of the tables, creating a useful first aid kit.
Hidden Element: A successful Spot Hidden check in the gym reveals that paneling behind one of the lifting racks sits slightly askew. When examined, it comes free easily, exposing a keyhole for a secret entrance.
Alternative Discovery: If investigators miss this check but later defeat Samuel Miller, they'll find a key ring containing a skeleton key, office keys for buildings outside the property, and one key labeled "Gym." The Keeper may then remind them that the gym's main entrance had no visible lock, prompting further investigation.