Home is... an adventure

This adventure is better for a single player, with the guidance of a master. You can play it on your own if you don't open any of the spoilers in the sidebar, and wait to the right time the ones in the adventure itself.

Structure

Exposition

You are a young person ready to start a life on your own. To do that, you need, first, a job and a house. You are working on the first, but the latter has been quite a challenge. Until one morning, as you read a bit to prepare for today's job interview, you get a call from Jenny, a real estate agent, with good news. But before we get into the house's details, let's talk about you.

Player's Character

The character has certain traits and abilities that will define their results when they try something. The max value of each trait is 20 points, and the max value for each ability varies.

Traits	abilities
Charisma [/20] Courage [/20] Intelligence [/20] Strength [/20] Superstition [/20] Creativity [/20]	Cooking [/50] Cleaning [/10] Research [/50] Medicine [/100] Foreign Languages [/50] Art [/30] Psychology [/50]

You have three different options to pick or design your character:
Bring your own character (or create one)

Distribute points according to their backstory and personality.

Points for traits: 60

Points for abilities: 170

You don’t need a backstory, but if you have one it needs to be consistent through the game as you take decisions.

Build one with random traits and abilities

Option A (EASY)

Throw 1D20 to determine the value of each trait (in any order you want)

Throw 14D10 and distribute the results among the abilities in any way you want (two throws in each ability, sum several of them for each ability you are interested in, etc.. )

Option B (CHALLENGE)

Throw 1D20 to determine the value of each trait. Once/if you reach 60 points or more, the rest of the traits will have zero points. You can change the order BEFORE the throws.

Throw the appropriate number of D10 for each ability, once you reach 170 points or more, the rest of the abilities will have zero points. You can decide the order BEFORE throwing.

Pick one from a list of generic characters

Sara (Challenge)	Elizabeth (Easy)
She wants to be a doctor but has zero knowledge and less experience. She is starting Medicine school (with family's support) and as long as she can pay the rent and a meal, she might live on her own, away of the noise of her multiple siblings. Otherwise, back to her parents' house it is.	She is a creative mind, in a very tired body. She's been through a lot: work, challenges, experiences... Now she only wants to dedicate her time to writing and living life. She has money on the bank working for her, but not enough to take care of both a expensive rent and a complicated career too.
Traits	Traits
Charisma [10/20] Courage [10/20] Intelligence [10/20] Strength [10/20] Superstition [10/20] Creativity [10/20]	Charisma [15/20] Courage [15/20] Intelligence [15/20] Strength [10/20] Superstition [10/20] Creativity [20/20]
Abilities	Abilities
Cooking [20/50] Cleaning [10/10] Research [20/50] Medicine [0/100] Foreign Languages [10/50] Art [0/30] Psychology [0/50]	Cooking [25/50] Cleaning [5/10] Research [25/50] Medicine [15/100] Foreign Languages [25/50] Art [25/30] Psychology [30/50]

General data

Plot type

One shot RPG

Goal

Move into the house.

Characters

Milton Black

Owner of the house

Show spoiler

He dislikes tourism business in town and favors people trying to make a life for themselves and has a tendency to help them if possible. He’s superstitious and afraid of the ghost haunting his house. He’s very apologetic about that and hopes to get rid of the ghost soon.

Leisa

A neighbor

Show spoiler

She’s lonely and kind of sad, but at the same time she is always kind to others and is looking for friends. She’s secretly an alien who will never age and has been alive only for a couple of years, and recently lost his father who she loved deeply. She always tries to do what he would recommend. She looks somewhere in her late teens, and she’s not exactly lying when she says that she’s struggling to make a life for herself now that her father died and she’s completely alone because she doesn’t have any other relatives and she just wants to start over: to build a life and hopefully make friends and find purpose.

Jenny Thomas

Real Estate agent

Show spoiler

Polite and charismatic, she always looks friendly but she’s just doing her job.

Locations

While there is very specific details about the house, other than following those, the master has full creative reign about the description of each place.

The house for rent (See better description in the plot)

A park near the house for rent

Hotel room/House of the player's parents or a friend.

Office of the house owner.

Very well, now that that's out of the way, let's take a look at the house Jenny found for you.
Should you take the tour with the agent, or with the house's owner?
For the master's eyes only

During the house tour, if and only if the player choose to be guided by the house's owner, whenever the character likes/dislikes house features, they will gain/lose Relationship points towards the house owner. Use a social throw to determine the amount of points to add/reduce.

The house

Very well, then. It's time to see that house.

Master: Next there is a brief description of each area of the house. It's on the players hands to decide if they like them or not. While you can play with the narration and details, make sure to keep it balanced and not empathize any of the elements of the description. There is, though, one exception to that rule: for the master's eyes only

For each room, you will throw two dice, and compare the results to determine how spooky it is.

Intelligence/5 + 1d10 vs Superstition/5 + 1d10

If the superstition throw is bigger and courage is less than 10, you can empathize the scary detail as much as you want, and inform the player that their character IS scared about it. Also, the difference in results is reduced from the relation points with the house's ghost (the difference as is). If the intelligence throw is greater or courage is higher than 15, you can still be as scary as you want with the spooky detail, but it will be the player who decides how to react.

If they are amused or friendly, add [R] points (social throw)

If they don’t pay attention, nothing changes

If they are specifically scared or aggressive, reduce [R] points (social throw)

AND DON'T FORGET: Besides the Relationship points of the ghosts, you might need to update the owner's. Only if he's giving the tour, and whenever the character shows that they like or dislike an area of the house for details unrelated to the ghost.

House's areas

Outside

Out

Not even birds seem to approach it.

Is that a person looking from the window, or just a random shadow…? Oh, never mind, is gone.

It seems like it was recently painted, all bright and clean.

The plants are unkept.

A broken plank in the fence

Garden

Something moves in the plants in the window box. Probably a rodent… right? You just imagined the little human arms.

There are some differences in the terrain

Is spacious, the sprinklers work.

Small wild flowers here and there

If inspected, they seem to hum really, really quietly.

No bees, no butterflies.

First level

Entrance

There is only one door, it stocks at first and it seems to creek a “Leeave” when opened.

It seems as if a conversation had just been interrupted when someone enters, but of course, it’s empty so that must have been just their mind playing tricks.

Living room

Cold.

A window won’t open.

If you insist on opening it, you hear soft laughs in the window box outside.

Sounds can be heard upstairs, like things being dragged and a little girl singing beautifully. It also sounds like there is water running in the nearby room (the kitchen).

It’s spacious and has good light.

There is a nice chimney in good condition.

If you light it up, you’ll see images in the fire. People dancing, a silouhete of someone drowning,an epic battle, two people sparring friendly. You can almost hear the correspondent sounds in the crackling of the fire. (Those can be all mentioned, or picked by a dice throw).

Kitchen

It always sounds like the water is running except when you look at the faucet.

One of the doors of the cabinets won’t close.

There is a beautiful plant by the window, a great view for people cooking.

Upstairs

Stairs

Creaky

As they go up, the guide first, the player hears their name called from the living room. There is no one there.

Once upstairs, you can hear

the singing child and the furniture being dragged downstairs.

If the player tries to go back and check,

... they will see the little girl saying hello with a cute wave, and running to the kitchen, where she won’t be found later.

Bathroom

A silhouette is seen behind the curtain of the shower. If you check, there is nothing there. If you don’t, the shower opens on its own.

You can hear singing coming from the shower. A baritone. It’s very good, at least.

There are bubbles floating out of the faucet instead of water.

There is no window or anything similar.

Bedroom

Before entering, you hear whispers inside, like people are talking casually but in low volume. When the door opens, nothing is there. It smells like sweat and smoke and… something that makes people feel uncomfortable but it’s gone before being recognized.

The player enters first and the door slams closed behind them. It’s not stuck at least, and the bad smells are gone, replaced by a sweet perfume of flowers.

You are informed (and probably not surprised to know) that this house is believed to be haunted. The previous tenant left in a hurry and strange things happen here. If you are with the agent

Jenny informes you that not many people is interested in haunted houses, and the rent is very low.

If you are with the house's owner

Milton Black lets you know that he feels really bad about renting you a haunted house. He's working on a way to get rid of the ghost, but he needs the income, so he will at least give you a very low rent, even after the house is back to normal.

You are also informed that this is a very good neighbor, quite peaceful and lovely, where you find anything you need very close.
Should you inspect the area to be sure?
If you rather not, you can skip the next section and go straight to the Job Interview Preparation.

The Neighborhood

You walk around the block, saying hello to the children playing outside and the old ladies talking in front of a small store. It does look like a nice area. You sit to relax and observe in a bench on a pocket park. Not five minutes later, a young lady asks if you mind her sitting next to you. There are other benches, one of them right in front of you, but the empty ones are all under the sun and probably very hot.
Should you let the stranger girl sit with you?

For the master's eyes only

Sit with her

She tries to start a conversation

Rude answers or silence: Social Throw to reduce points

Polite of friendly conversation: Social Throw to add points

Tell her to find her own sit

Social throw to reduce points.

If her Relationship points reach 10

She asks if you are from the area, and when you say you aren't, she asks why are you here.
Do you tell her the truth?

Yes

She's in the area for the very same reasons! Maybe you two could share the house and split the rent?

The conversation takes other route and, eventually, you part ways.

Yes

It takes some conversation, and some more later with the house owner, but eventually it is settled. It's economic, you two become close friends, and the house is not really that spooky now that you live here. It will take a long, long time before she let's you know how she was simulating the ghost to scare other potential tenants away and get a price she could afford. The end, so far.

The conversation takes other route and, eventually, you part ways.

Job Interview

You have shown your interest in the house and now you just need to wait. And find a source of income to pay rent, of course. So, back to that job interview, you go back to your current lodgings and explore your options, reading about different professions and checking those you have been applying to in previous days. Eventually, you got yourself an interview that makes sense to your goals, likes and/or abilities. Which area was it again? Tourism
Medicine
Entertainment Industry
Cleaning and Housekeeping
Science
Arts or literature
None.

If the player doesn't want to have a job offer the player each and any of the following options that apply:

The ghost

40+: You can call the owner and offer to stay in the house in exchange of vanishing the ghost.
roll 1d12 to determine how many months you can stay.

-40 or less: You can wait until there is other option, some place less troublesome.

The house's owner

80+: Offer to do odd jobs and keep the house in order in exchange of staying for a while.
Roll 1d12 to determine how many months you can stay.

Picking any of these would be the end of the game.
If neither of those apply or if the player rejects all, the game ends when you are informed that another person is already prepared to pay the rent.

If, the player picks a job check the requirements in the following list to determine if they got any of the positions in the chosen area: Tourism Industry

Hotel employee

Income: Low
Savings: None
Offers: Live in the hotel while you have the job. (Ending of the game)

Requirements

75+ points in total of:

Cooking

Cleaning

Foreign languages

Resort Administrator

Income: High
Savings: None
Offers: Live in the hotel while you have the job. (Ending of the game)
Requirements

75+ points from the sum of:

Cooking

Cleaning

Foreign Languages

125 + points from the sum of:

Creativity

Intelligence

Medicine

Medic

Income: High

Medicine = 90 pts

45+ points in the sum of:

Cleaning

Foreign languages

Intelligence

Courage

Entertainment Industry

Creator

Income: Low
Savings: None

Requirements

Total 60+ in the sum of:

Foreign languages

Creativity

Intelligence

Art

Psychology

Charisma

Popular Creator

Income: High
Savings: None

Requirements:

Total 115+ in the sum of:

Foreign languages

Creativity

Intelligence

Art

Psychology

Charisma

Cleaning and housekeeping

Cleaner

Income: Low
Savings: None

Requirements

Cleaning 1+

Specialist cleaner

Income: High

Cleaning 10

Housekeeper

Income: Low
Offers: Work for the landlord. Leads to getting the house.

Requirements:

Total 30+ points in the sum of:

Cleaning

Cooking

Science

Lab assistant

Income: Low

Requirements:

Intelligence 15

Research 35

Total 70+ points in sum of:

Cleaning

Cooking

Research (yes, it counts in this total too)

Foreign Languages

Scientist

Income: High
savings: None

Requirements:

Intelligence 20

Research 50

Total 70+ points in the sum of:

Cleaning

Cooking

Foreign Languages

Arts or literature

Creative

Income:Low
Money:none

Requirements:

Creativity: 20

Intelligence: 7+

Charisma: 7+

36+ points in the sum of:

Cooking

Cleaning

Research

Medicine

Foreign Languages

Art

Psychology

Best Seller

Income: Low
Money: Lots
Offers:
* Throw a big party (savings: none)
* Marketing course (savings: some , +10 charisma)

Requirements:

45+ is the total of:

Creativity

Intelligence

Charisma

Every ability 5+

Conflict

You get a call from the agent, and find out that everything is working fine. It's totally up to you when to move in and for how long to make the contract. You consider it... but maybte you took a little to long, or did the owner lied to you? For either reason, when everything seems to be going fine, you get bad news: There is another person making an offer to rent the house. That's unexpected, upsetting, even. What should you do now? You might want to talk to the owner in person, right, but he's a busy person, maybe you should just wait?

For the master's eyes only

The real decision here is in the reaction.

Angry demands or calls to the owner, will reduce to cero the relationship points (if there was any) with him.

The player might be upset enought to say that they will just look for other option. Game over.

Polite communication with him, or waiting with some degree of patience, will keep things as they are.

Eventually, you are invited to meet the Milton to try and convince him you are the best tenant. In preparation you can try one of the following: Improve your income

You can pick another of the options in the list of job areas.
If you get a first job, it's usual perks and offers apply.

If you get a second job
-- Income: high -- Savings: the higher of both -- Offers: new offers apply.

Improve your status in your job (only if there was a better option in the same area)

You study or call a friend, or both, and end up with 5 extra points to distribute in your abilities. Distribute them wisely and maybe you will get a better position in your field of work. (It is possible, and recomended, that the master distributes the point or share the requirements of the higher position in the career.

Rest well right before the interview

You do something relaxing or have a good sleep. The world seem brighter after that, and you add +5 to charisma

Take a walk

During your walk, you meet a girl, you might have meet her before. If you haven't, or if you are in good terms, she will approach to talk.
Rude answers or silence: Social Throw to reduce points

Polite of friendly conversation: Social Throw to add points
If, on the other hand, you are in bad terms (negative Relationship points), she wont approach you. But you can try to apologize.
Approach to be rude: Social Throw to reduce points

Ignoring: No change

Apologize: Social Throw to add points

It's time for the meeting. You arrive at the office where he works. You have to wait a couple of minutes. As you do that, you meet a girl. You might have seen her before, recently perhaps.

For the master's eyes only

Her name is Leisa, and she's here to try to convince Milton that she's the best possible tenant for his haunted house. You have feelings about it, of course.

Be polite: Social Throw to add relationship points

Be rude: Social Throw to reduce relationship points

Be distant: Only if you met her before, Social Throw to reduce relationship points

Check the current relationship points with Leisa.

If you are friends you have the option of offer to be roomies. She will accept, the owner will accept, everyone is happy. This is the happy ending... Thought you may want to check the epilogue if you are still curious about the ghost and you have 10+ relationship points.

You meet the tenant. You can talk about one of these topics: Work

If you work in a low income/starter job: Social Throw to add relationship points

If you are a hotel administrator: Social Throw to reduce relationship points

The ghost

If you are afraid of the ghost: Social Throw to add relationship point

The house

If you dislike the house: Social Throw to reduce relationship point

If you like the house, depending on your situation you can make a deal:

offer more payment (high income)

pay some months in advance (good savings)

Any of these will be accepted and you get the house.

After the conversation Check the relationship points with Milton.

If you are good friends (80+ points) you get to rent the house. Otherwise, you don't.

Epilogue

Read all the options that apply. If you don't get to rent the house

You'll need to look for other place to live. Meanwhile, you stay with your friends/parents for a little longer... though you are working, maybe even studying to get a better job. Who knows, you may end up staying here for good. There's nothing wrong with that either.

If you are renting the house

You moved in as soon as possible, and got yourself at home almost immediately. It will take a while before you have the chance to fix the small imperfections, which you keep finding here and there; you might end up getting used to most of them, is not like they are terrible. The house is not as haunted as it seemed, either. Maybe you only got spooked by the rumores and imagined the whole thing. Or maybe the ghost doesn't like it here, with all your optimism and joy.

If you have +10 points of relationship points with Leisa and +40 points with the ghost

With the pass of time, you become close friends with Leisa. You seem to like the same movies and she gets you free candy from her job. Eventually, she let's you know her secret: she is a bit of a witch, she says. Not the kind you might be thinking of, but that's the word they used in the places she's lived at. She can make some things happen. You don't believe her, of course, and instead of showing you a trick, she tells you yet another secret: "The ghost in Milton's house? That was me. I was trying to lower the price so I could rent it. That's why it sort of disappeared when it did." Do you believe that? Is it more wild that the idea of a haunted house? Or maybe there is a perfectly reasonable explanation.

Home is... an adventure

Structure

Exposition

Player's Character

Option A (EASY)

Option B (CHALLENGE)

General data

Characters

Milton Black

Leisa

Jenny Thomas

Locations

Should you take the tour with the agent, or with the house's owner?

The house

House's areas

Outside

First level

Upstairs

Should you inspect the area to be sure?

The Neighborhood

Should you let the stranger girl sit with you?

Sit with her

Tell her to find her own sit

Do you tell her the truth?

Job Interview

Hotel employee

Resort Administrator

Medic

Creator

Popular Creator

Cleaner

Housekeeper

Lab assistant

Scientist

Creative

Best Seller

Conflict

Epilogue

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