I had the pleasure of running a game of The Dreadful Secrets of Candlewick Manor for a few friends recently. Naturally I would like to share with you a little about the woeful orphans who were their PCs (Pathetic Children, or Player Characters if you prefer).
We made up characters from scratch. Most of the players asked to use Dr. Jester’s Phantasmagorical Automatic Freak Machine to create their creepy powers, and that in turn shaped their orphans’ other stats, skills, and personalities.
I ran If You Love It So Much as an introductory adventure, though I first spent a languid hour or so introducing the individual orphans and their long drive from various orphanaria through Candlewick Vale, Candlewick Township, and the Candlewick Estate.
Then they came at last to Candlewick Manor, where they met the staff who would be their caretakers and they confronted the first of many dreadful secrets. And there they may yet meet their several unseemly and untimely fates.
To commemorate the occasion, I have given If You Love It So Much an overhaul, adding a few new bits and revising things here and there. Download it and see.
In addition, I added long-overdue bookmarks to the PDF of The Dreadful Secrets of Candlewick Manor. For convenience, I’ve also added specific skill names to the lines under each stat of the character sheet. Any new orders will get the updated PDF. If you have the old PDF, email shane@arcdream.com with a proof of purchase in some form (a copy of your email receipt, a photo of you holding the book with a creepy smile on your face, a screenshot of the PDF file on your computer desktop; something along those lines) and I’ll make sure you get the new one.
Let us meet our foundlings as they appeared after the two sessions of If You Love It So Much.
Delilah Von Mortismoot
Image: A slight wisp of a girl with straight black hair, pale skin, and large glasses with thick lenses. Age 8.
Personality: Shy and quiet, but loyal to anyone who befriends her. How do you fit in: Not acting smarter than those around me. Greatest fear: My own brain exploding.
Echoes: Fresh-cut wood (2). Sound of running water (2). Crackling fire (3). Taste of cinnamon (2).
Stats and Skills
- Feet 3 (Dodging +2)
- Hands 3 (Blocking +1)
- Guts 2 (Courage +1)
- Brains 4 (Out-Think +2, Remember +2, Notice +2)
- Face 2 (Charm +1)
Creepy Skills
- Shadow Step +1 (Feet; Useful)
- Big Ole Brain +2 (Brains; Attacks; Defends; Useful: reads minds)
Abigail Von Mortismoot
Image: Perfectly adorable and charming until she reveals her teeth. Sticky hands and feet. Age 10.
Personality: Cute and charming but dark on the inside. How do you fit in: Pretend to be perfectly lovely. Greatest fear: Anyone hurting her sister.
Echoes: A woman screaming (2). The color red (2). Sound of running water (3). Smell of rain (2).
Illumination: 2.
Stats and Skills
- Feet 4 (P.E. +3, Dodging +2)
- Hands 2
- Guts 2
- Brains 2 (Notice +1)
- Face 5 (Charm +3, Connive +3)
Creepy Skills
- Shark Teeth +2 (Face; Attacks)
- Flywalk +2 (Feet; Useful: climbing; Useful: stealing)
Eustace Barrowgore
Image: Long dark hair hanging over his right eye; talks in a monotone; short. Age 10.
Personality: Morose; steady; helpful; literal; misunderstood and underestimated. Tries to fit in by offering helpful hints. Greatest fear: Water.
Echoes: A car door slamming (2). The sun seen through three feet of water (4). The feeling of warm silk (2). The smell of cheap cologne (2).
Stats and Skills
- Feet 3 (P.E. +1, Kicking +1)
- Hands 2
- Guts 3 (Wind +1, Courage +2)
- Brains 5 (Out-Think +3, Remember +2, Notice +2)
- Face 2
Creepy Skills
- Snake Tongue +3 (Brains; Useful: taste the air; Useful: prehensile; Defends)
Violet Maltuft
Image: Almost transluscent skin with a slight sheen. Age 12.
Personality: Misunderstood. Lives in a fantasy world most of the time. To fit in, she covers up as much skin as possible. Greatest fear: getting trapped in a bad dream forever.
Echoes: Orange firelight (3). The sound of rain (3).
Illumination: 6.
Relationships: Boyar Mizzenrath, long-dead mad architect (4); complications: mistaken identity (2), vendetta (2).
Stats and Skills
- Feet 2 (Dodging +2)
- Hands 2 (Blocking +2)
- Guts 3
- Brains 5 (Out-Think +2, Notice +3)
- Face 3 (Connive +3)
Creepy Skills
- Doorway of Sleep +2 (Brains; Useful: move into a dreamworld and bring others along; Sharing; Area; Attacks: nightmares!)
Augustus Krick-Manworm
Image: Overweight almost to absurdity. White, button-up shirt. Red suspenders holding up green shorts. Age 11.
Personality: Gluttony personified. Will do anything for a treat except taking one from a friend. Has no dignity or shame. The end (eating) justifies the means. To fit in, he always—ALWAYS—wears a shirt. Greatest fear: Eating someone he cares about in his sleep.
Echoes: Frogs croaking (3). Splashing (3).
Relationships: Wisteria Candlewick, the vicious daughter of Dr. Candlewick, is in love with Augustus (4); complications: love (3), a price (2), animosity (2), lies (2).
Stats and Skills
- Feet 2
- Hands 2
- Guts 5 (Wind +3, Courage +1)
- Brains 3 (Notice +3)
- Face 3 (Charm +3, Putdown +3)
Creepy Skills
- Tummy Mouth +4 (Guts; Attacks; Useful: I could eat a horse)
Download The Dreadful Secrets of Candlewick Manor for yourself, or order it in print and get the PDF instantly and free.
