Chapter Eighty-Four: Worker’s Compensation

As I walked out onto the sidewalk where my friends and Silas were, I noticed right away that Kimberly and Anna were having an emotional moment.

“I’m so sorry!” Kimberly said.

“Don’t. I said it was okay,” Anna responded gently. She had been crying. Her eyes had that empty look that I now associated with dying in a storyline.

They continued their conversation with Kimberly continuously apologizing through tears.

As I approached the others, I asked, “What’s going on? Are they okay?”

Camden turned to me with a concerned look on his face. “I’m… not sure,” he said. “I was asleep for the final battle.”

Antoine had moved closer to them and was trying to comfort Kimberly, so I looked to Dina for answers. She was watching over the conversation with an intentional detachment.

She took a deep breath.

“The plan was for Kimberly to become the host of the monster and then try to control it because of her buffs and stuff. They thought it might work.” Dina explained. “She got scared of dying so the other one became the host instead and got shot in the head.”

Antoine overheard Dina’s explanation. “No. I took us off-screen,” He said, attempting to be a gentle diplomat, “We talked it over. It was something we all decided.”

I understood. Kimberly had always been very afraid of dying in a storyline. Couldn’t really blame her. We had to all but promised that we would never put her in the position of dying until she was ready. It was the reason she left her most powerful trope, Looks Don’t Last, at home even though it could be very useful.

I didn’t care as long as she contributed, which she did. It wasn’t like I could complain to anyone. Anna was her best friend and Antoine was her boyfriend. Camden wasn’t going to cause a fuss even if it did bother him.

It made more sense that Kimberly was originally the one who was supposed to be the host. She might have been able to control it completely. So much had been set up for that moment. It probably would have worked.

Anna rushing in and taking her place wasn’t as well set up, even with the flashbacks Carousel used to try to explain it away, but it worked pretty well too.

I wasn’t going to get involved just yet, but her decision to back down had undermined a lot of narrative momentum. Eventually, we would have to deal with it.

“Smart thinking with the sedatives,” I said.

“Thanks,” Camden responded. “I just realized that if the sedative worked to stop the manifestation, it might also work to stop the tethe—Wait. How do you know about the syringes?”

I smirked and took out my Director’s Monitor trope. I told him about Deathwatch and seeing the story from the point of view of the audience.

Our conversation even managed to distract the others from their apologies and I had to repeat it all so they could all hear. I told them about the other people cheering and clapping in the audience.

“And Kimberly,” I said, “You did great. I couldn’t even tell that something had happened.”

I wasn’t sure if that did anything to make her feel better but I had to take a shot.

“So that’s how we get aspects,” Camden said. “We have to die?”

“I don’t think so. That’s how it works for Film Buffs. It’s probably different for other archetypes. Todd said something about it a long time ago, but I didn’t really understand it at the time.”

“What did the people in the audience look like?” Anna asked. She was tired but trying to sound interested and concerned.

“I couldn’t tell,” I answered. “I couldn’t make myself look that direction in time.”

We took some time to discuss who it could be. Dead Film Buffs? Some eldritch audience that we have been enslaved to entertain? Maybe they were just random NPCs. We didn’t get too long to talk about it because Silas the Showman was getting impatient.

“I’d say you’re really pushing my buttons,” Silas said. “But that’s exactly what you’re not doing! Hehehe.”

Antoine walked up to the mechanical fortune teller and slapped his red button. There was a moment of hesitation as his hand got close, but he pushed through it.

He received three tropes, two stat tickets, and a monster card for one of the KRSL Agents he killed. He had gotten his bat back and intact, as well as an unloaded handgun that he pulled off a guard and three syringes of the sedative that he had taken from the guards after finding Camden. He never used them, so that part got cut from the movie.

Like a Security Blanket

Type: Buff/Perk

Archetype: Any

Aspect: Any

Stat Used: N/A

Whether in the movies or in real life, holding some means of protection can calm the nerves and make you brave enough to do what needs to be done.

When this ticket is equipped, the player’s Grit is buffed merely by brandishing a weapon, even if that weapon has little hope of doing any good.

The boost to one’s sense of safety radiates through the player and calms them in scary situations. The more powerful the weapon and the more proficient the player is with it, the more nearby allies will feel the same sense of security.

“A knife in the hand is better than two in the chest.”

That was an easy buff and a great perk. Easing fear might not be so useful on paper, but as Carousel started to wear on us, every mental health perk we could get was a godsend.

Reload After Cut

Type: Action

Archetype: Any

Aspect: Any

Stat Used: N/A

In a lot of movies, you never see the characters reload their guns during an intense fight. Their guns just never run out of ammo.

When this trope is equipped, the player goes Off-Screen as soon as they start to reload and goes back On-Screen shortly after they finish. Requires for them to be empty when reloading and to have more bullets to load.

“Off-Screen to reload, On-Screen to unload.”

Arthur had this same trope. I was glad to see it. When Antoine had the ability to bring guns into a storyline, we would have another way to go Off-Screen. I wasn’t sure if it was better than his Time-Out trope or not.

Swing Away

Type: Action

Archetype: Athlete

Aspect: Sport

Stat Used: Moxie

In the heat of a confrontation, a show of force can sometimes be enough to deter an enemy.

When this trope is equipped, the player’s character can swing their weapon, creating a momentary pause in the enemy’s attack. This can provide a crucial window of opportunity for the player to strategize or escape. Usually works the first time. Repeated uses succeed based on Moxie and believability in context.

“Sometimes, the mere threat of violence is enough to keep the monsters at bay.”

This seemed like an easy way for some temporary invulnerability. Antoine would have to use it well.

His monster card was the following:

KRSL Agent

Killer

Within the depths of the malevolent KRSL Corporation, the ominous KRSL Agent emerges. He is a soulless executioner, trained to kill and obey without question.

Beware the KRSL Agent, for he is a chilling force without morality or conscience, his actions leaving only devastation in their wake. In the shadows, his presence looms, a harbinger of unrelenting darkness and mechanical laughter, embodying the very essence of KRSL’s malevolence.

Kimberly was next. She got two tropes and one stat ticket. This was a surprise for me. I thought she did awesome. Apparently, her panicking in the Final Battle cost her a lot. With Anna’s Shared Experience trope helping her out, she still did okay.

Carousel Academy Awards

Type: Buff

Archetype: Eye Candy

Aspect: Celebrity

Stat Used: N/A

The glitz and glamour of award ceremonies can have a profound impact on an actor’s confidence, and this trope captures that essence.

When this trope is equipped, the player’s Moxie gets a boost based on their performance in the previous storyline. This reflects the surge of confidence and charisma that comes from the actor’s recent notable acting award win. Let’s face it, the audience loves an award-winning actor.

Beware: a poor performance can turn this boon into a curse.

“The spotlight’s on you, the world’s a stage, and every monster’s a critic waiting to be impressed.”

A basic buff in a good stat for Kimberly. She would have to wait to use it until she got a better performance.

Does anyone have a scrunchy?

Type: Action

Archetype: Eye Candy

Aspect: Beauty

Stat Used: Moxie

The audience forms their opinion of a character by how they act, how attractive they are, and even how their hair is styled. The simple act of putting hair up can often signal a shift in focus and determination. Both fighters and rocket scientists usually wear their hair up and out of the way in movies.

When this trope is equipped, the playercan put their hair up or in a ponytail, transferring a portion of their Moxie stat into their Savvy, Hustle, or Mettle stat depending on context.

The player can reverse this transfer by putting their hair back down properly, returning the stats to their original state in the next scene. Fails after repeated use.

“New hair, new me!”

This was interesting. An action that could redistribute stats. The Eye Candy appeared to have a lot of ways to buff stats based on the situation. That could really work well with her Convenient Backstory trope.

Anna soldiered through her mental fatigue and pushed the button. She got two tropes and two stat tickets.

Final Stand-In

Type: Action

Archetype: Final Girl

Aspect: Scream Queen

Stat Used: Moxie

The trope of self-sacrifice is a powerful one in horror movies, often leading to unexpected outcomes.

When activated, the Final Girl can temporarily pass her “Last One Alive” status to an established ally during the Finale by performing a self-sacrifice. This must be set up in the Party through forshadowing. Can only work on the singular character it is set up on. The self-sacrifice cannot be used to prevent nebulous deaths, only those that are imminent. This cannot be used to circumvent trope-guaranteed deaths. If the Final Girl does not die, the effect is reversed. It can only be used if there are no other allies remaining.

“Sometimes, the Final Girl isn’t the last one standing.”

This was a game-changer. We needed to be careful though. It could cause some resentment.

Steal the Spotlight

Type: Buff/Debuff

Archetype: Any

Aspect: Any

Stat Used: Moxie

No matter how important a character may be to the narrative, another one can sometimes steal the scene or even the whole show by upstaging them.

When equipped, the player can steal an ally’s buffs by upstaging them in a climactic moment and stepping in to finish what they started. This can happen in increments or all at once depending on the player’s Moxie and actions.

“You stole my thunder!”

“You mean our thunder.”

Given the fact that Anna had, in fact, taken Kimberly’s place in this recent storyline, it made sense that she would receive this. It was ripe for strategizing.

Camden received two tropes and two stat tickets.

Peer Review

Type: Insight

Archetype: Scholar equipped with Eureka!

Aspect: Researcher

Stat Used: Savvy

There is no show of raw intelligence greater than to look at a massive report or collection of data and be able to confidently declare that it is wrong. Unfortunately, knowing too much is rarely good for one’s health.

When equipped, the player is alerted if scientific, technical, or other documentation they encounter has been altered, faked, or is otherwise incorrect. The higher the Savvy, the more information about the nature of the flaw is received. The player will not automatically know what the truth is, only that something is false.

“Truth is the first casualty of fear, but not on my watch.”

Solid but situational.

Fine, I’ll Go First

Type: Action

Archetype: Scholar

Aspect: Strategist

Stat Used: Savvy

Convincing others to do something that is scary or uncertain can take a lot of charisma or intimidation. Some characters don’t have either. What they might have, is the certainty that they are right and the willingness to bet it all on their plans.

With this trope equipped, the player can substitute their Savvy for Moxie when trying to get other characters to do something for their own safety. All they need to do to activate the trope is lead by example and be the first to do whatever action they are imploring others to do.

“Oh, sure, copy the smart guy.”

That was a great way to get around his low Moxie. Interesting.

Dina received two tropes and two stat tickets.

They Fell Off

Type: Action

Archetype: Outsider

Aspect: Criminal

Stat Used: Moxie

In movies, almost anything can be used to work the lock of handcuffs in order to unlock them.

When equipped, the trope allows the player to unlock handcuffs or similar restraints using small objects to pick the lock by pretending to do so. Only works On-Screen.

“Every lock has a key, and sometimes, it’s not what you’d expect.”

That made sense. Could be useful.

Pen Pal

Type: Perk

Archetype: Outsider

Aspect: Stranger

Stat Used: N/A

The mysterious character whose motives and allegiance are unknown can sometimes be there to help all along.

When this trope is equipped, it enables the player to leave messages at various locations within the game setting. Allies become aware of these messages when they reach the same location.

These messages can either be out of character and Off-Screen, or in character and On-Screen as part of the narrative. If performed well On-Screen, they can carry great narrative weight.

“What does the note say?”

“It says the killer is one of us.”

At least we would have some way of talking to her about whatever plotline she had been assigned. I felt like this was most useful for very specific scenarios and settings where we wouldn’t get many scene breaks.

I received two tropes and one stat ticket as well as a monster ticket. I expected my sacrifice to net me more than that, but I was a higher level than my teammates technically.

Flashback Revelation

Type: Perk

Archetype: Film Buff

Aspect: Filmmaker

Stat Used: Savvy

Sometimes a character’s words before death are all they can leave behind to help allies, if only those words are remembered.

When this trope is equipped, a player on Deathwatch can trigger a flashback for an ally to help remind them of advice given before death. It could be anything from an inaudible message heard only by the ally or a complete visible recreation of the original scene that even the audience sees. If the flashback fits the narrative well enough during a climactic moment, it will make the final cut and send allies Off-Screen temporarily.

The amount of flashbacks available depend on Savvy and the quality of dialogue shared between the players. The trope only allows the player to send this information if the ally actually heard the original dialogue.

At higher levels, the player can send flashbacks of other characters’ words or even images.

“The truth was right in front of you. You just need to pay attention.”

At least I would have something to do while dead. It could really be useful.

Out Like a Light

Type: Perk

Archetype: Any

Aspect: Any

Stat Used: Moxie

In movies, characters can fall asleep on cue. They can be asleep before their head hits the pillow, before they even know they are falling asleep.

With this trope equipped, the player will be able to fall asleep on command by laying down and trying, assuming it makes sense within the narrative in some way. Can be counteracted by enemy tropes.

“Best sleep well tonight. You’ll probably die in the morning.”

This was a strong contender for my favorite trope I had ever received.

My monster ticket didn’t have a monster on its face or an enemy at all. It had an image of an old man wearing a white gown putting a puzzle together. It was the patient I had accidentally killed when I attacked the Poltergeist.

Paul Kimble, Grandson of Eloise Mercer

Psychic

Inside the chilling halls of Mercer Manor, a young Paul Kimble would often listen to the captivating tales of the ghostly presence that resided within. Gradually, he came to realize that every place he called home had its own spectral inhabitant. Little did he know that when he thought his home was infested with specters and ghouls, he was actually haunting himself by unconsciously manifesting a protective Poltergeist.

In his thirty-fifth year, Paul’s life took a tragic turn when the bank where he worked fell prey to a violent robbery. The details remained fragmented in his memory, save for the swift demise of the assailant which he remembers vividly. From that point forward, his abode shifted to whichever padded cell the mysterious organization known as KRSL commanded him to sleep in. Paul never tried to escape and reenter society, never fully trusting the spectral heirloom that he had never been able to control.

That made me feel kind of bad.

All I knew was that I would be testing out my sleeping trope as soon as we got back to the Lodge. I had been healed, so my body wasn’t tired, but my mind had not rested in days. More than that. I hadn’t slept well once.

I actually smiled as we began our trek home.

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