One good part of Carousel dividing different moments in time up on sound stages was that Carousel proper didn’t need to be repaired at the end of the movie.

It was just a pleasant walk back over to the jailhouse. No bodies, no debris—just sunshine and passersby.

Unfortunately, that also meant our looting opportunities were limited. But we didn’t come here for loot. We came here for Anna and Camden.

Around the time the jailhouse came into my view, they were coming out of the front door.

We had done it.

So much time planning. So much anguish. And it had finally happened.

When I got to them, we all did a group hug.

Sure, we had reunited in the movie, but we had reserved most of our excitement for after the film was over—because we didn’t want to jinx anything.

“Going to the finale first?” Camden exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me that’s what you were doing?”

“Had to keep it a surprise,” I said. But of course, not from him.

Most of us had died in proximity to the jailhouse, so it was a pretty quick reunion.

Logan was actually bubbly with excitement. When he had died, he probably thought it was the last time. Funny enough, he probably died a lot more than he knew.

Antoine and Kimberly, of course, were there. Dina—just one of her—had stuck around after the finale and was lying on top of a car, staring up at the sky as one normally does after experiencing hundreds of timelines and meeting one’s deceased son.

I didn’t see where Lila came from, but the gang was all there.

Bobby had never really left. And his dogs—who had apparently been very good dogs on the other side of time—had been leading Bobby around to where he needed to be, helping him find people with their apparently supernatural sense of smell.

We took a few moments just to pet them, after having denied it to them for so long because we couldn’t physically touch them before.

Right on cue: the phrase we were waiting for.

“Congratulations. You’ve won a ticket,” Silas, the mechanical showman, said, situated right behind us, appearing just when no one was looking.

While the others crowded around to get their tickets and rewards—of which we were sure to get many—I hung back with Bobby.

I looked him in the eye, and I saw much of what I was expecting. He was tired and stressed. Worn sick. Unlike the rest of us, Bobby had seen everything. Pretty much.

“So how’d we do?” I asked.

He took a moment to answer, kicking a piece of gravel under his foot on the sidewalk and watching as his dogs sniffed around the grassy areas where some overgrown weeds had been painted blue with that chemical spray landscapers often use.

“All’s well that ends well,” he said eventually.

I bit my lip.

“That bad, huh?” I asked.

“We really cut it close there,” he said. “I thought there was no way we were going to win.”

I nodded.

“How many times did it take?” I asked.

“Forty-something,” he said. “It was pretty bad at first.”

“I figured as much,” I said.

Our plan—to go to the Finale first and then to Second Blood—was supposed to create a miniature time loop, where I could learn from our mistakes and then go back and do better each time, improving until we eventually made it all the way to the end of the story.

It was an ambitious and fun concept that would allow even an under-leveled team like us a chance at beating Generation Killer.

But of course, Carousel always gets the final word on plans and improvisations.

And it was not going to allow me to just freely loop around until I got all the answers and created the perfect run.

So, it made it so that I could not have access to any memories of previous loops.

Honestly, that was fair. Within the time travel rules of Post-Traumatic time loops, the ones we had planned didn’t make sense.

Go to the finale. Learn what happened before. Go back to Rebirth. Become Second Blood if it makes sense for the story. Carousel made that Second Blood part mandatory, from what I could tell. Our little loop plan couldn’t work here, not perfectly.

There really was no way for me to remember what happened between Second Blood and the finale. We had hoped that we could make it work, though.

Instead, I arrived at the finale and tried to piece together everything that had happened before. If I could find Kimberly and the others, I would talk to them. If all I could find was Bobby, I would try to get him to communicate something.

Eventually, I found a way to give myself the literal footage so I could watch it and go back.

I didn’t remember any of it.

From my perspective, everything worked the first—or maybe second—time, depending on how you look at it.

But Bobby saw it all from the other side of time. And without him there, there was no way we would have worked it all out.

There would have been no chance of meeting with Gabriel Cano. There would not have been many Dinas descending on Generation Killer for revenge.

It had been close—even if the other players didn’t know it.

Even if the audience didn’t know it.

“If you had died just once in the finale, it would have all been over,” Bobby said. “You have no idea how close it came.”

“I can’t imagine,” I said. I really couldn’t. I didn’t want to.

Discovering the meteor magnet device. Figuring out a plan that would work. Using it. All of that came with a price. And the price was many near defeats.

“That’s the game,” I said after a few moments of silence. “I see you got your aspect.”

He whipped out his aspect ticket, and I took a look.

“That could come in handy,” I said.

“I hope so,” he said. Then he got all curious. “Did you talk to me on the script?” he asked.

I looked at him and smiled.

“I sure did,” I said.

Now, Bobby wasn’t exactly the most self-assured person, but he was smart.

“You found a way to get out of your seat. That was your plan at the theater?” he asked, not quite sure enough to say it confidently.

“Yep,” I said.

He smiled hesitantly, then asked, “Did you find out what happened to Janet?”

I shook my head.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was sneaking around the whole time. I only got to see what I happened to run into.”

The mystery of the axe murderer lived on. And for Bobby, the mystery of his wife gone missing did, too.

“Can you talk about what you saw?” he asked.

Good question.

“I think I can,” I said. “When we get back to the loft. There’s a lot to say.”

“We’re going on Carousel’s Throughline, aren’t we?” he asked.

When I didn’t answer immediately, he added, “I mean, that’s what we should have done. That’s what Project Rewind was about. We’re just scared.”

“Yeah,” I said. “It’s time for us to get a move on.”

He looked down at the sidewalk, still never making eye contact.

That’s where I left him.

Our plan to beat Post-Traumatic, despite our disadvantages, was risky. But everything was risky. The only thing I was left not understanding was how the Manifest Consortium didn’t know that’s what we were attempting.

How could it be possible that they knew so much about us—both in and out of storylines—yet didn’t know the thing we had been planning nonstop?

I understood why they didn’t know about my plans to visit, I never told anyone. I couldn’t.

That made sense.

But we weren’t trying to keep it a secret that our plan was to send me to the finale first.

I mean, we even spoke about it, assuming others were listening in, hoping we wouldn’t be judged if it turned out that was a death sentence.

And yet the look on the Proprietor’s face when it was revealed—he thought it was terrific. It was a revelation.

And the only thing I could think of to explain it was something that existed on the status panel—the most mysterious and unknown of all the statuses.

Something like Incapacitation or Fight Scene was pretty easy to figure out, and when they came on, it was all you could pay attention to.

But what about Planning?

We had a whole status for when we were making plans, and it clicked on exactly when you might expect it to.

But why?

Were there tropes that only activated during planning? And even if there were, why would you need an indicator to tell you what you were obviously doing?

Was it possible that planning prevented the audience—or the Consortium—from seeing what you were doing?

How could that make sense if they were supposed to help you enact your plans?

I just didn’t know. I didn’t have answers.

I walked to the line in front of Silas, the mechanical showman, and hit the button when it was my turn.

It sounded like I had just hit the jackpot at the casino.

I got a lot of money.

At least as much as everyone else had combined—because it was my rescue, and I had apparently done pretty well on it.

I’d like to think that it was just my pay for having to film the entire thing. Or at least most of it.

Apparently, Carousel had a union for that sort of thing.

The coins came into the receptacle so fast and so heavy that some fell on the street.

I picked them up and tossed them into my pocket, a handful at a time. I would count it later.

As I was putting the coins in my pocket, I noticed there was something in there I had forgotten about—a newspaper.

My luggage tag.

It allowed me to put an item into my pocket in my fake body, and it would still be there when I returned to my real body.

At least I had something to show my friends. And I was looking forward to reading it myself.

I grabbed my tickets from the receptacle and was pleased to see that there were quite a few of them.

I got five stat tickets.

Darn, these rescues really paid off. I was already the highest-level player. Apparently, I had nearly died at least forty times—without knowing it and without remembering the crucial information between each potential death—so good rewards made sense.

I got four tropes.

No special tickets, but we usually didn’t look for anything out of the ordinary.

Behind the Camera

Type: Rule

Archetype: Film Buff

Aspect: Filmmaker

Stat Used: Savvy

Directors are known to cameo in their own films. Maybe it’s their ego. Maybe they just can’t stand to let others have all the fun.

The user can relay plans and improvisation directions to allies Off-Screen. When the ally enacts or adopts those ideas On-Screen, they will do so using the user’s Moxie or Savvy stat.

The user’s level and contribution will not be considered during the calculation of allies’ rewards unless the user makes themselves more than a side character.

The user will only get credit for their On-Screen contributions.

“The mark of a great director is not their presence on screen, but their ability to elevate the performances of others.”

As best as I could tell, this was a trope I achieved because I was higher level than the rest of my friends. It would allow me to interact and help but limit my rewards. More importantly, it would allow me to help without hampering the rewards of my allies. A huge bonus.

With those five extra stat tickets, I was officially over Plot Armor 40—which was where storylines started to jump up in difficulty.

Call Sheet

Type: Insight

Archetype: —

Aspect: —

Stat Used: Savvy

In cinematic storytelling, characters don’t just appear—they’re placed.

The player receives a brief forewarning before becoming On-Screen. The more coherent the story and the higher the player’s Savvy, the earlier the signal will come.

“Lights up. You’re on.”

Roxy had had this same trope. It was a great one.

From the Top

Type: Buff

Archetype: Film Buff

Aspect: Filmmaker

Stat Used: Savvy

Behind every great fight scene is a choreographer making it look real. Sometimes, that means stepping in front of everyone and throwing the first punch—with perfect form and cinematic flair.

In a Fight Scene, if the user joins in on a fight scene that they coordinated, they will get a temporary Mettle buff, and so will the allies they made the plan with.

If you’re going to fight like it’s a movie, someone has to direct the scene.

A rare combat trope for Filmmaker.

The Raw Scene

Type: Insight

Archetype: Film Buff

Aspect: Filmmaker

Stat Used: Savvy

In editing, what’s shown isn’t always what happened. But the director sees everything—the missed glances, the background movements, the parts the story tried to hide.

While on Deathwatch, the player sees the raw, unedited version of the current scene instead of the Final Cut at their choosing.

Sometimes, the real story is what didn’t make the screen.

Undeniably useful, but I had to wonder if I could spare a spot in my loadout for it.

Of course, I had killed at least one Grant Leitner, and for it, I received a souvenir enemy ticket.

Lots of these tickets tried to paint enemies in a sympathetic light, but with a true sociopath, that was kind of hard.

Grant Leitner

Generation Killer

Grant Leitner was just another name in Carousel—a grifter with a fake smile and a talent for poor decisions—until the night he shattered history. A quiet museum, a stolen meteorite amulet, a police officer bleeding out on the floor… and then, a blink. A lurch. A tear in time. One moment he was there, the next, gone.

Now, where most might recoil at the discovery that time travel demands a terrible cost—pain, blood, the kind of suffering that leaves a stain—Grant took it in stride. Violence, after all, has a certain rhythm to it. He doesn’t hesitate to kill. No deliberation, no guilt. A scream, a snap, and he’s off again, slipping through the cracks. It’s not personal. It’s just the toll. Although he does like the look on the faces of witnesses when things get ugly.

Many Generation Killers have taken to time travel now. They’re all trying to get home, or so they say. Each version of Grant, scattered like shattered reflections, running from KRSL, reaching for a yesterday that probably cannot exist again. And when one of them falls—gutted in a stairwell, vaporized mid-jump, eyes wide with betrayal—he doesn’t blink. He never really believes the next one will be him.

~-~

Kimberly had done her job as well as we could have asked, but at the end of the day, she was mostly there to help Anna—and eventually Camden—get their bearings.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

She did contribute to group conversations, and her character was technically the lynchpin that held some of us together, but in the final cut, it wasn’t clear how big of a deal she was.

She got three stat tickets based on her acceptable performance and the fact that this was a rescue. I had to assume that in at least some of those different finales, she had probably suffered the ultimate fate—but would never remember it.

Flashbulb Phobia

Type: Insight

Archetype: Eye Candy

Aspect: Celebrity

Stat Used: Moxie

Celebrities in film are never truly alone—there’s always a lens nearby, waiting to catch something unfiltered. The presence of paparazzi, surveillance, or an unseen camera crew is a familiar weight, even when it’s invisible.

The player can instinctively sense when they are near a camera or recording device, regardless of whether the feed is On-Screen or Off-Screen. This awareness includes security cameras, handheld devices, or well… you know.

“Say cheese!”

And despite the fact that she hadn’t gotten many stat tickets compared to the rest of us, she had received perhaps one of the most useful tropes any of us had for the coming trials—a way to find out if we were on camera. And from the text itself, it appeared that it would work even when we were outside of a storyline.

Everything was building toward our confrontation with the Manifest Consortium.

Did You Forget About Me?

Type: Rule/Buff

Archetype: Eye Candy

Aspect: Celebrity

Stat Used: Mettle

Big stars don’t stay quiet forever. In stories, when the audience starts to forget them, they come crashing back in—louder, flashier, and more unforgettable than ever.

If the player has not landed a hit or taken direct action in at least two consecutive scenes, they may activate this trope by performing a flashy, over-the-top attack or using a dramatically large or absurd weapon. Powerful temporary buff to Mettle.

It’s not just a hit—it’s your moment. The camera loves a comeback.

I had to imagine that Kimberly had had her fair share of showdowns in the finale—and maybe before then.

Kimberly also got an enemy ticket for Generation Killer. It was identical to mine.

~-~

Anna, who had just run through two storylines back-to-back from her perspective, got five stat tickets. She probably would have gotten more if we’d found a way to make her more central to the plot. But at the end of the day, we were going high speed, and it was a precarious situation—she was just along for the ride.

With her low level, she got the same amount of tickets I did.

Tastefully Omitted

Type: Rule

Archetype: Final Girl

Aspect: Girl Next Door

Stat Used: Moxie

The Girl Next Door represents innocence, relatability, and trust. In horror media, this often translates to a kind of narrative protection—where her dignity is preserved, even when others are exploited for shock or spectacle.

The player cannot be filmed in any capacity during indecent or exploitative moments that are not directly tied to the plot. Situations that would otherwise be framed voyeuristically or gratuitously will either cut away, obscure her, or narratively reroute.

“Don’t show too much skin. Not while she’s wearing it, at least.”

While at first glance this seemed to be a bit of a tease from Carousel, I realized that it was a lot like the one Kimberly had received—and was probably another way for us to avoid being seen by the Manifest Consortium.

Although how to trigger it was a separate question.

Lead-In Line

Type: Action/Buff

Archetype: —

Aspect: —

Stat Used: Moxie

In film, exposition often drags unless it’s cleverly framed. When a character poses just the right question, they seize narrative control—making the info feel earned, not handed down.

If the user takes an active role in the verbal exchange where a Savvy-based ally relays exposition, the performance will not get docked for being an info dump, and the user will gain narrative momentum and perceived importance, and their Savvy will be buffed. They will get subtle boosts when using the information, if applicable.

“Ask the right question, and suddenly you look like the one with all the answers.”

There it was—Carousel commenting on one of the principal flaws in Anna’s contribution to the story. She didn’t have to have all the answers, but she definitely could have asked the questions. If we had prepared better, I was willing to take the blame for that.

But at least she got a decent trope out of it.

Not Hers to Bleed

Type: Debuff

Archetype: Final Girl

Aspect: Girl Next Door

Stat Used: Grit

In horror, the Girl Next Door is a symbol of innocence and unearned trust—someone the audience instinctively protects. When harm comes to her, it’s not just violence; it’s a violation of the genre’s moral fabric.

Any enemy that directly injures or sheds the blood of the player will receive a temporary debuff to Moxie and Grit. The effect is stronger if the injury is unprovoked or occurs early in the story.

“Hurting her doesn’t just cross a line—it redraws the whole script.”

A great defensive trope. Though I noticed that no one cared when a Film Buff bled.

A Tight Squeeze

Type: Rule

Archetype: —

Aspect: —

Stat Used: Hustle

In horror, hiding spots are only safe if there’s a way out—and even safer if the enemy doesn’t know it exists. But narrow escapes often come at a cost.

When using a hiding spot, the player may declare an unseen or unlikely exit. This exit cannot be used by the enemy and will not be discovered by them. However, the space will not accommodate the entire group—someone must be left behind, either by choice or necessity.

There’s always a way out. Just not for everyone.

This could be used really well—if it was set up properly.

~-~

In many ways, Camden did a better job at the task he was given than most of us did, which is why he was so well rewarded—especially combined with his low level to begin with.

He got seven stat tickets.

I was starting to wish that I was the one who died and got to be rescued.

It made sense. We had been careful to make sure that he, as our Scholar, was able to provide as much information as possible. Not only did that seem like an organic way for us to receive exposition, but it was also his job—and no doubt contributed to his success in rewards.

Sweat, Blood, and Chalk

Type: Buff

Archetype: Scholar

Aspect: Strategist

Stat Used: Savvy

In many stories, the scholar’s greatest breakthroughs don’t come during quiet study, but in moments of pain, urgency, or desperation.

The player’s Savvy is temporarily buffed when Unscathed, Hobbled, or Mutilated is triggered. The buff is good for one scene. Their Grit will also be buffed to help them utilize this new Savvy.

“A cracked rib sharpens the mind like nothing else.”

One of the most impressive aspects of Camden’s feat was that he didn’t really have a whole lot of Grit. When he was in pain, he was actually in pain—and yet he was able to think and analyze the situation anyway.

Red Thread Theory

Type: Perk

Archetype: Scholar

Aspect: Sleuth

Stat Used: Savvy

Some investigators don’t wait for answers—they chase instincts. In film, their theories are often visualized, laid out in string and scribbles long before they’re proven right.

When the player begins forming a theory or connection, red threads will appear on the red wallpaper, linking relevant elements visually. If the user is missing a connection or has made an intuitive leap that is illogical, the threads can convey that. It will be reorganized as the investigation goes forward. Links with all known information.

“Sometimes you don’t need answers—you just need to know you’re close.”

This could be good—or not—depending on how it actually worked out in a storyline. A lot of Scholar tropes revolved around helping the player appear smarter than normal people would be by giving them information right there on the red wallpaper.

Even if it wasn’t new information, just organizing it and reserving it for them was useful.

Trap Montage

Type: Rule

Archetype: Scholar

Aspect: Strategist

Stat Used: Savvy

Stories often feature sudden bursts of tactical genius—a montage of trap-setting and preparation that the audience sees, but the enemy does not. It’s the setup before the ambush, hidden in plain sight.

The player may initiate a Trap Montage scene in the Finale. While this scene plays out, the player and present allies are safe from enemy interference and cannot be targeted while they set traps.

“The trick isn’t setting a trap. It’s setting a ton of them.”

This was a very powerful and useful trump, and Camden had earned it.

The Author Is Still Alive

Type: Rule/Insight

Archetype: Scholar

Aspect: Sleuth

Stat Used: Savvy

In stories, it’s never just the book—it’s who wrote it. Incomplete texts, vague notes, or outdated references can all point to someone still out there, waiting to fill in the blanks.

When the player finds a book or document that offers useful but partial information, they may attempt to locate the author or a referenced expert. If the narrative permits, this will trigger a scene where the player can speak with that source directly—via phone, in person, or through other means. During this interaction, the player and their allies cannot be attacked.

The book gave you a lead. The author gives you the truth. For a little while, nothing else matters.

Anytime you could create a scene to gain insight, it was great to do so—and having a nice interview with someone who had intimate details of the case you were working was a great scene.

~-~

Antoine was useful, but his character was not exactly central. Most of what he did was fight—a very useful role on the team and enough to earn him three stat tickets. I couldn’t blame him. He kind of got sidelined by the casting department.

As far as I could tell, his character had no subplots related to him—or at least none that we felt necessary to pursue.

Fight or Flight

Type: Buff

Archetype: Athlete

Aspect: Health Nut

Stat Used: Grit

Fitness isn’t just about muscle—it’s about survival. Characters who take care of their bodies often know when to push and when to run. In horror, those instincts can mean the difference between life and death.

If escape is blocked and a fight is unavoidable, the player gains a temporary buff to Mettle. If survival in combat is clearly impossible, they gain a buff to Hustle when attempting to flee. If neither is possible, buffs Mettle anyway.

“There’s no shame in running—just in waiting too long to try.”

The Caretaker

Type: Buff/Insight

Archetype: Athlete

Aspect: Health Nut

Stat Used: Savvy

Caretakers, in horror, rarely carry the spotlight, but they carry people. Their strength isn’t in showy heroics—it’s in refusing to let anyone be left behind.

While actively working to get an injured or endangered ally to safety, the player gains a temporary buff to Grit and Mettle. The more at-risk the ally is, the stronger the effect.

Health Monitor: This trope gives the player the ability to see allies’ health-related statuses on the red wallpaper, even without looking at them or being nearby.

Don’t run toward the fight. Run toward whoever’s still breathing.

The tropes Antoine got were good for allowing him to play his general role as melee, but with some added support. He killed many a Generation Killer and got a ticket to show for it.

~-~

Logan was a very good actor. I wasn’t even sure if I had fully captured how good he was in my filming—but he was. He was an asset to every scene he was in, and he made everyone else better just by being there. By arguing with them, by joking with them—he felt very natural.

He was also incredibly necessary for us to unlock information about the meteor itself and all the related lore. He did research like crazy—and not just using insight tropes, but actual research.

So when he got five stat tickets—the same as me—I wasn’t going to complain. He was a lower level than me to start with.

Every Man for Himself

Type: Action

Archetype: Comedian

Aspect: Cynic

Stat Used: Savvy

Cynics in horror stories often predict the worst—and then act accordingly. When things fall apart, they don’t always stick around to help pick up the pieces. Sometimes, they just leave.

The user may abandon their allies On-Screen anytime after First Blood. Their Plot Armor will steadily drop after they leave. They will not be Written Off.

If used during a Fight Scene, the fight will follow the user.

“Stories often punish the ones who run.”

This was a versatile trope, and I was sure Logan could find a way to use it.

Told You So

Type: Buff

Archetype: Comedian

Aspect: Cynic

Stat Used: Savvy

He said the plan was foolhardy. He said it would never work. He said everyone was going to die. …And he was right. Now, he’s got one last thing to say.

If the user advised against the current course of action On-Screen, and is proven right after at least one player death, they can go on a loud, angry, rant, venting their rage at being ignored. While on the rant, enemies will not target lethal attacks against the user. All enemies will receive a debuff in Grit and their defensive tropes will become less effective, as allowed by the narrative.

“Naysayers rarely get to gloat in the movies.”

I was surprised at how combat-centered Comedian as a whole was—or maybe that was just what I had seen so far. It made sense, to some degree. There’s an element of comedy in horror combat, especially the cheesy stuff.

Bitter Medicine

Type: Insight

Archetype: Comedian

Aspect: Cynic

Stat Used: Moxie

Sometimes, the worst part isn’t what’s coming—it’s not knowing. In stories, it’s often the blunt, unsentimental character who quiets the panic with one clear truth. Not hope. Just clarity.

Once per storyline, the player may deliver a stark, realistic assessment of the situation to an ally or group. If the delivery is grounded and not overtly pessimistic, affected characters may calm down, resist fear-based effects and Incapacitation, or regain focus.

Saying the hard thing out loud doesn’t make it worse. It makes it real—and survivable.

Gotta love those mental health tropes.

Hate to Say It…

Type: Insight

Archetype: Comedian

Aspect: Cynic

Stat Used: Savvy

Cynics often question everything—but in stories, the act of trying to disprove something sometimes leads them straight to the truth. Doubt sharpens focus, and irony loves receipts.

When attempting to debunk or dismiss information gained through an ally’s insight trope or other method, the player will instead find information to confirm it—and potentially uncover an additional layer of truth.

Looking for the cracks only made the shape clearer.

That was a really useful insight trope—one that could turn a random piece of information into a nice, neat little scene and even enhance it and expand further on it. A great support trope.

He also killed a Generation Killer and got a card to prove it.

~-~

Lila got three stat tickets. She helped Dina a lot, and from what I understood, was hopping around from sound stage to sound stage whenever she could to make sure things were going well. Not only was she First Blood, but she was also decent support.

Prop Search

Type: Buff

Archetype: Wallflower

Aspect: Extra

Stat Used: Savvy

Those weapons didn’t just appear in that scene; they were put there.

The user can find weapons from throughout the movie’s setting and put them in convenient places for allies to find. These weapons will buff the ally’s Mettle depending on how natural their placement was and the user’s Savvy.

“I didn’t realize Grandma had a crossbow collection in her sewing room.”

Now, that was fun and useful.

Lila didn’t kill a single Generation Killer. In her defense, she was dead most of the time—narratively speaking.

~-~

As far as I could tell, Michael was only there for a flash, and I wasn’t sure how often he made it into the finales. I’d have to ask Bobby. He did kill a lot of Generation Killers, but their numbers were too much for him to keep up with.

He got one stat ticket. We could have done more to set him up and prepare the audience for his arrival, but I wasn’t complaining.

Cold Steel and Bare Hands

Type: Buff

Archetype: Soldier

Aspect: GI

Stat Used: Moxie

When the ammo runs dry and the end feels close, some characters don’t beg or panic—they reach for whatever’s left and brace themselves. It’s not about winning. It’s about facing the end with dignity.

In a Fight Scene, when the player runs out of ranged weapons or ammunition and readies a melee weapon—or prepares to fight barehanded—they receive a temporary buff to Mettle.

No one’s coming. No one’s watching. But they’ll still fight.

I had to imagine that a situation like this had occurred in this storyline.

He pocketed himself a Generation Killer collector’s ticket.

~-~

Bobby was the real MVP. Sure, he was stuck on the other side of time and unable to physically interact with anything, but he was in constant communication with all of us and the only person who was even able to perceive the many loops that our plan entailed.

His ability to see time from a distance helped make sure that we survived—everything from escaping a burning hospital to making it through the night.

He got six stat tickets.

No Animals Were Harmed

Type: Rule

Archetype: —

Aspect: —

Stat Used: —

Certain stories follow invisible rules—codes of conduct that shape what can and can’t happen. And sometimes, the safety of animals is part of that unspoken contract.

While this trope is equipped, animals present in the story cannot be intentionally harmed or killed by the player, their allies, or the enemy as long as the audience wants them protected. Animal deaths will be implied Off-Screen or through the use of special effects.

“The most important command a dog can learn is to play dead.”

The ultimate reward for his good work. Finally, a way to ensure that his precious dogs would not get physically hurt even if within the world of the storyline they were.

The Bickering Duo

Type: Rule

Archetype: Wallflower

Aspect: Recast

Stat Used: —

Background characters are not always alone. Sometimes, they come as a duo, a comedic pairing whose personality clash can be a highlight of the whole film.

The user will be paired with an NPC partner who will assist them, converse with them, and help with all manner of tasks. Their stats are an extension of the user’s stats. They are designed to be the user’s complement.

Meet Jules. She is tall, short-haired, dry-eyed, and always dressed like she’s here to supervise your bad decisions. Try not to waste her time.

I couldn’t wait to meet Bobby’s comedic partner in crime. A lot of players back at Dyer’s Lodge liked using NPC summoning tropes. It could be really useful.

Line Whisper

Type: Insight

Archetype: Wallflower

Aspect: Extra

Stat Used: Savvy

In film, extras sometimes feed lines off-camera—just enough to keep the scene moving without drawing focus. It’s a quiet nudge, helping the stars hit their marks without knowing they were guided.

The user can speak to nearby On-Screen allies on the red wallpaper.

“The spotlight isn’t on you, but the words still land.”

He would have probably killed to have this while trying to communicate with us from the other side of time.

An Act of Kindness

Type: Buff

Archetype: Wallflower

Aspect: Underdog

Stat Used: Moxie

Stories often elevate side characters in quiet, human moments—when they choose compassion over self-preservation. One unexpected gesture can shift the audience’s gaze and change a nobody into someone who matters.

When the player performs a generous or protective act for a main character or ally—especially when unprompted—they gain a temporary buff to Grit. This moment may also draw narrative attention to the player, shifting their role in the story.

Sometimes, the smallest voice says the bravest thing.

Bobby got credit for killing a Generation Killer—though I was willing to bet it was one of his pups that actually did it.

It was probably Shasta.

~-~

Dina had lived many lives, though it turned out she only remembered one. She came in clutch when we finally found a way to bring many versions of her to the finale. It had started as just spitballing, but when Bobby—and some version of me—got it to work, she really came through.

She also got her aspect. Like with Bobby, I didn’t actually get to see her rewarded with it, and I understood her choice. Outsider had several good aspect options.

She got six stat tickets. By the end of the story, she was nearly at Plot Armor 50—because of the Who You Truly Are trope I had lent her.

She was a powerhouse.

She’s Owed One

Type: Rule/Buff

Archetype: —

Aspect: —

Stat Used: Grit

Stories love a woman with a reason. When grief turns to vengeance and the Finale rolls in, nothing—not pain, not fear—stands in her way.

During the Finale, the player may activate this trope to pursue personal revenge. When activated, all other equipped tropes are unequipped for the remainder of the story. In exchange, the player receives a massive one-time buff to a killing blow, final action, or sacrifice. The moment will carry narrative weight, regardless of the outcome.

“She gave up everything else. All that’s left is what she’s here to do.”

I could totally understand how she got this trope as a nice finisher.

Who is that?

Type: Rule

Archetype: Outsider

Aspect: Newcomer

Stat Used: Moxie

Some characters don’t always arrive quietly—sometimes, the story wants everyone to know they’ve entered the scene. Their arrival becomes an event, and their presence, impossible to ignore.

When the player enters the story, their introduction scene and current location are broadcast to all allies, no matter where they are or what phase they’re in.

“She just got here, and now nothing will be the same.”

Knowing Dina’s current location at any time was going to be useful—although I suspected the location was closer by than any of us knew, and she was hiding in a bush somewhere most of the time.

But at least we would know.

Who Even Called the Cops?

Type: Action

Archetype: Outsider

Aspect: Criminal

Stat Used: Hustle

Police response time in horror movies is never consistent. Unless, of course, you’re from the wrong side of the tracks.

The user may attract police attention by committing a crime in the open. The scene will go Off-Screen intermittently until the cops show up.

“Were you guys hiding in the bushes?”

There were numerous ways she could have gotten this trope, and there were many different uses for it. You could summon the police to help save you, or you could get them to arrest you so the enemy couldn’t get to you. Lot of options.

Initiation

Type: Buff

Archetype: Outsider

Aspect: Newcomer

Stat Used: Mettle

There’s always that turning point—the moment someone stops being a stranger and starts being part of something—when loyalty is earned, not assumed.

When the player defends their new group from harm for the first time, they gain a buff to Mettle.

“I guess we owe you one.”

A nice combat trope.

~-~

And then came the rewards on the Advanced Archetype tracker.

I got exactly one more pip on the ??? Advanced Archetype—which I still didn’t know the name of. Dina, Bobby, and Kimberly all got one too.

Strangely, so did Logan and Lila, who hadn’t previously even had it on their tracker.

Bobby and I also got two points in something called Time Looper.

I wasn’t sure I ever wanted that one.

Throughline Progress

The Eternal Eve

The Geists’ Ancient Past *Refurbished

For when you need to go back

~

“Carousel Loves to Recycle”

● ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

Project Rewind

A Second Chance at Escape

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

The Carousel Throughline

The Only Way Home

◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌◌

Secret Lore

Arm Yourselves with Knowledge

● ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

Advanced Archetype Tracker

???

● ● ● ● ● ● ● ◌ ◌ ◌

Monster Hunter

● ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

Mad Scientist

● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

Time Looper

● ● ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌

All there was left to do was head back to the loft.

We would have to send a group up to collect the other players from the cabin on the lake. I wondered if there was a way we could just make our cell phones work, but I knew that cell phones were powerful magic in a horror movie—and you had to unlock something like that.

We walked back as I prepared what it was I was going to say to them about my adventures on the other side of the mountain.

Bobby was seriously on edge. He wasn’t showing it, but I could tell that having watched us almost lose so many times had stressed him out severely. And in a way, I was thankful that I didn’t have to remember all the near losses we suffered on our way to figuring out how to beat Generation Killer.

In a way, I was optimistic. We finally had an enemy I could imagine us possibly defeating. Even if it was an immortal society of advanced magic users, our chances at outwitting them felt a million times more real than our chances of beating Carousel.

No—beating Carousel would have to come later.

“Dinner’s on me,” I said.

Everyone put on a purposeful smile because we were all trying to be happy, positive, and excited.

And none of us wanted to show how worried we were about what was to come.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep