-- Doppelgangers --
You awoke to silence and stale air. Stockpiles of inedible things surrounded you. The air was acrid and dry. But on it you smelled…food. The hunger welled up. A shared experience, overpowering and primal.
A trio of workers found and devoured. Memories merging with your own. Knowledge flooding your minds. Yes. The inedible things, machine parts and supplies for drones. An outpost. Small, quiet, isolated. A perfect spawning ground from which you can grow and learn before heading out into the wider universe.
You are doppelgangers, and have taken on the forms of those you ate. Now you need to rid this outpost of the humans who live here. They will kill you if you do not. Each night you may choose one among you to go out and perform a Night Kill to satiate your bloodlust and hunger.
FallacyofUrist (Doppelganger)
You consumed a highly intelligent individual who had training as a Detective. A very useful skill, it allows you to go out at night and Investigate another player to see what Role they possess.
Vector (Doppelganger)
The human you consumed was actually an undercover Agent here on suspicions of hostile alien activity. How right they were! But not prepared for you, it seems. In any case, each night you can go out and Investigate another player to see what Race they are.
notquitethere (Doppelganger)
An unusual individual, the one you consumed was a Medium, able to speak through the ether to the border of life and death and commune with those who have not yet crossed over. (You will be given access to the deadchat Discord channel, as well as a discord bot that will allow you to post anonymously in the deadchat)
The three of you also have the ability to communicate telepathically, and will be given a private discord channel to communicate with each other away from the prying eyes of the humans.
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EuchreJack (Human)
While your day job involves some basic drone technical work, you have a secret up your sleeve. You’re naturally gifted with the psychic abilities of an Enchanter, which allows you to influence others at a subconscious level. Your vote counts double during the final count.
--
Jim Groovester (Human)
The loss of the Comms tower hit you hard. As an Intelligence Scientist tech like that is your bread and butter, someone just dropped yours on the floor butter side down. You don’t have the gear here to fix it, but you can at least rig up some stuff to help find the doppelgangers. Choose one of the Intelligence techs to start the game with, or you can choose to have a Mind Shield or Anti-Tech field instead.
Please make your choice before the end of Day 1.
Despite your brilliance, however, you’re also known to be a bit of a Kook, and are likely to be mistaken for a Doppelganger if anyone attempts to inspect your Race.
--
Knightwing64 (Human)
While your regular duties as a geologist won’t help you too much with doppelgangers, you do have a secret that might. You are also a Medium, able to speak through the ether to the border of life and death and commune with those who have not yet crossed over.
(You will be given access to the deadchat Discord channel, as well as a discord bot that will allow you to post anonymously in the deadchat)
--
Maximum Spin (Human)
While your regular duties as a drone operator won’t help you too much with doppelgangers, you do have a secret that might. You are also a Medium, able to speak through the ether to the border of life and death and commune with those who have not yet crossed over.
(You will be given access to the deadchat Discord channel, as well as a discord bot that will allow you to post anonymously in the deadchat)
--
ToonyMan (Human)
While you may just be a lowly cook, you aren’t going to just sit here and let your friends get killed by monsters. You’ve decided to do whatever it takes to be a Heroic Guard.
Each night you can choose to Protect another player and save them from harm even if it costs you your own life.
--
TricMagic (Human)
You do many duties around the outpost, but security is one of them. And, trained to be an Observant Guard in case of trouble, you’ll do what you need to in order to protect the people here from these monsters.
Each night you can choose to Protect another player and try to stop them from dying. In the process, though you yourself may die, you will be able to tell your target who was trying to kill them.
--
hector13 (Human)
Normally, being quartermaster of an outpost like this is an exercise in dull tedium. Which, to be honest, is part of why you signed up here. Gave you more time and the peace and quiet to focus on developing your powers as a Psychic Warden. These powers will allow you to Block another player from performing any role actions that night or the following day.
As a psychic ability, you do not need to leave your room to do so.
--
webadict (Human)
It was a brilliant plan, really. Sign up for some remote outpost chock full of high tech parts and open space that no one cares about. Perfect for a Cutting Edge Scientist like yourself to work on projects that might not be sanctioned by some of the more stuffed up governments in the sector.
At the start of the game you may choose one tech from the Cutting Edge tech list, or take a Mind Shield or Anti-Tech Field instead.
Please make your selection before the end of the first day.
FallacyofUrist Doppelganger Detective Alive Investigate Maximum Spin Blocked
You prepare yourself for a night of sleuthing, gathering up appropriate clothing and some gadgets that will help you discover what Maximum Spin really is.
However, as you pull on a pair of dark gloves you feel something wrap around your body. Alarmed you try to fight back, but the sensation only increases. You feel yourself growing weaker, tired. Like whatever is binding you is drawing out your energy.
You collapse against your bunk and your last thoughts as you fade to darkness are fury and panic.
You awaken the next morning, sore and head pounding, but otherwise unharmed. But also none the wiser on Maximum Spin’s true skill set.
--
hector13 Human Psychic Warden Alive Block Fallacy of Urist Block
You clear off your table, and begin your preparations for the Ritual of Binding. You set out a dark blue candle, and light it. Not a large one, which would have been preferable, but personal space on shuttles out to outposts like this is precious and you took what you could. Next you pull out the silver chain that you wear around your neck.
It was your grandfather’s. He was the one who taught you about your powers, and how to use them. He’d learned himself, back during the days of the Persean Strikes. Never thought you’d really need them, but here you are.
You settle your mind and focus on the flame. It fills your vision, and you feel yourself drifting up to etheric space beyond reality. There you see the lights that represent the minds of those around you. You concentrate on FallacyofUrist, and draw near his light. You pull forth the psychic chain, larger and stronger here than in real space, and begin to wrap it around him. You chant the words of the ritual, and you can see the energy being drawn from them.
After a bit, the light dims, and you know they will not have enough energy to do anything to anyone tonight.
You come back to yourself, blowing out the candle so as not to waste any of it, and sitting back. You can only hope that you are correct, and that you have blocked one of the monsters. But, time will tell. For now, you settle in for a good night’s rest. You’ll need your wits about you tomorrow, you are certain.
--
Jim Groovester Human Intelligence Scientist/Kook Alive Snooper bot Trail FallacyOfUrist Goes nowhere
You program in some basic guidelines to the Snooper Bot and send it off to go keep an eye on FallacyOfUrist for the night. If they go anywhere, you’ll be able to figure out where. Not much else to do with that for now, so you tinker a bit on some other projects you’ve got in mind.
When you wake up the next day the bot has returned, and you can check its path on your computer. Seems like Fallacy didn’t go anywhere last night. Not a smoking gun, then, but hopefully the information will prove useful.
--
ToonyMan Human Heroic Guard Alive Protect Notquitethere Protects, protected (from Vector)
You finish up your duties in the kitchen and head off, taking along a nice long knife with you. It’s not much, but you’ve never heard of doppelgangers being immune to stabbing so…hopefully it’ll do.
After a short walk you find yourself near Notquitethere’s house and find a good spot to sit and watch it, hopefully where you can yourself remain unseen.
The night drags on, and nothing happens. Seems like they are safe for now, so you eventually decide to return home.
As you stand in your doorway, looking forward to some well earned rest, you get grabbed and shoved aside just a large clawed hand scrapes along the side of the doorframe. You backpedal as the smooth face of a Doppelganger looms out of the dim light in front you. You glance to the side at your savior. TricMagic is next to you and holding a stun baton. “It’s Vector, and they’re after you! Go! I’ll hold them off!”
You hesitate for a second, but he’s right. If you can get to safety with this information, you warn the others. You dodge to the side and take a swipe with your knife to get the monster to fall back so you can duck inside. Once there you lock the door and than barricade the hab as best you can.
You hear the sounds of a scuffle from outside, a grunt of pain, and a thud. Then the long, slowly fading sound of something scraping on the dust.
You do not, it turns out, get a lot of sleep that night. But nothing tries to break in, and when the alarm goes off you know that you’ve at least survived one night.
Now to warn the others. And, perhaps, learn what happened to Tric.
--
TricMagic Human Observant Guard Alive Protect Toonyman Dies, alerts Toony
You’ve decided that ToonyMan needs to survive this night, so you gear yourself up and head over to his part of the habs. There isn’t much in the way of real weapons here, no need on such a desolate rock, but you do have a stun baton that might help against the dopps.
You find a good spot near his room to do a stakeout and settle in for a bit.
After some time you hear a noise and see a figure moving through the alleyway. You move around and peer through some gaps in the ventilation pipes, you can’t see much, a smooth head devoid of hair…and, there! No one but Vector wears a coat like that! Then, that means, Vector is a dopp!
Another noise, and you turn around to catch sight of Toonyman standing just outside his doorway. He probably heard the noise too, but Vector is coming right at him! You dash forward and grab his arm, jerking him to the side just as a clawed hand slashed furrows in his doorway.
“It’s Vector, and they’re after you! Go! I’ll hold them off!” you shout at him. He hesitates for a second before nodding. You circle around to one side, brandishing your weapon at the monster as Toonyman makes a dash for his room. The creature snarls in anger as the door slams shut, and then turns to you.
You step forward, jabbing out with the stun rod. But the doppelganger is quick. Too quick. It sidesteps and grabs your arm. You are pulled forward and feel a sick slicing feeling deep in your stomach. The creature grins a horrible grin as a mouth full of too many sharp teeth opens before you. Your body goes into shock, and the last thing you see is another clawed hand coming towards you.
You have died. Your soul will be transferred to the limbo between realms for a short while. While there you may converse with any of those who have also died.
--
Vector Doppelganger Agent Alive Kill Toonyman Target Protected, Kills TricMagic
You and your kin have conversed. A decision was made. You will perform the hunt this night. Toonyman shall be your prey.
You wait for a bit, until the sounds of people moving about and getting ready for sleep have died down. Then you head towards Toony’s room.
There are tremors. You sense the heat from his body. The blood calls to you. He is there, just outside his house! Perfect.
You leap forward, claws slashing. But he is not there.
Another is here! They have pulled him from harm!
You hear a voice shout. “It’s Vector, and they’re after you! Go! I’ll hold them off!”. Tricmagic. But how?
No matter. One of them shall be your meal tonight. It matters little which, you suppose. But Tric is armed with a stun rod. You’ll need to be careful.
You take another slash at Toonyman, but a stab from Tric forces you back just far enough that Toony is able to dash into his house and slam the door. You growl in frustration. This could be an issue.
But, first thing’s first. There is prey in front of you.
Tric stabs out again, electricity crackling at the tip of the rod. But you are faster than him. Much, much faster. You easily sidestep the weapon and grab his arm, pulling the human towards you and right into your waiting claws. They sink with a satisfying wetness into the depths of his stomach. The bloodlust grows stronger as the smell of blood surrounds you. Another slash of claws, this time to the neck, and your quarry is dead.
You waste little time dragging the body off to your kindred to feed.
FallacyofUrist Doppelganger Detective Alive Investigate Maximum Spin Medium
You prepare to head out again. This time to see what Maximum Spin really is under the bluster and stories.
Last night…did not go well for you. But this time you seem to be unimpeded.
You head off. Using a few well placed gadgets and some detailed knowledge of the layout of every building in the colony you are able to covertly survey him throughout the night.
After a while, you determine that he is in fact a Medium, able to converse with the dead.
Interesting. You head home to get some rest and ponder the implications of this new knowledge.
--
hector13 Human Psychic Warden Alive Block notquitethere Blocks
Another night, alive. And with a bit more hope, the colony being down one bloodthirstly monster.
But you can not let up. Your actions could very well save lives this night. And so you prepare again for the ritual.
The candle is lit, the chain slides between your fingers, and the light fills your vision. Soon, you float in the etheric space, and draw yourself to the mind of notquitethere.
The words are spoken, the chain cast out. You see them wrap out his etheric form, and the light slowly dims. Soon, you are confident that the Ritual was a success, and you break from your trance.
You are tired. The Ritual takes a toll, especially when done on successive nights. Well, nothing a snack won’t fix. And you even have a few packets of that stuff that’s supposed to taste something like chocolate!
--
Jim Groovester Human Intelligence Scientist/Kook Alive Snooper bot Trail FallacyofUrist Goes to Maximum Spin's house
Well, you didn’t get much of note last night. Let’s see how well tracking FallacyofUrist does tonight. Maybe you can catch him in action!
Sending the bot off takes even less time, since you don’t need to reconfigure it, and you get in some light reading on Ansible Communications Arrays before heading off to bed.
The next morning you check the readings, and there is a lot more to look at this time! After a bit of cross-referencing, you deduce that he visited Maximum Spin’s house last night. Interesting. Very interesting indeed.
--
notquitethere Doppelganger Medium Alive Kill ToonyMan Blocked
You pace back and forth in your room, amping yourself up for the hunt. Things have not gone well. One of your kin is dead. You must hunt, kill, remove the threats. It is the only way to survive.
But, as you pace you suddenly feel a pressure wrap around you. It tightens, resisting your struggles to throw it off. As you fight, you feel weaker and weaker, as if whatever is binding you is also draining your energy. Your last thought as everything goes dark is a curse against these humans.
You awaken in the morning, unhurt but sore and still a bit tired. No time to do the hunt, though. You’ll have to pretend to be human on an empty stomach. It’s the worst, really.
--
ToonyMan Human Heroic Guard Alive Protect Jim Groovester Protects, Nothing happens
You have to psyche yourself up a bit to go out again tonight. The monsters might target you again, after all and…well, you don’t know that your knife is going to do much better than TricMagic’s stun baton.
But what does it matter? If you’re going to go down, better to go down protecting someone else than shivering in fear in your room. Or waking up to that maw of teeth looming over you in the dark…
You shudder at the thought, and then head out towards Jim Groovester’s house. You keep the knife firmly in hand.
After hours of quiet, though, you eventually determine that nothing is coming for him. Your walk home is nerve-wracking, but the streets stay quiet.
You barricade your door and settle in for what sleep you can still get.
FallacyofUrist Doppelganger Detective Alive None Blocked
The loss of the others is too much. Survival seems unlikely. So you grasp at the one straw available. You do nothing.
For a bit, it is just you in your room with your thoughts. But then you feel that binding around you, tightening against you. You don’t fight it this time. Why bother? You just lie back on your pillow and allow your mind to fade to unconsciousness.
When you awaken you are far less sore than last time, and the headache is a quiet echo of what you had the first morning.
Perhaps, regardless of how this all turns out, you made the right decision after all.
--
hector13 Human Psychic Warden Alive Block FallacyofUrist Blocks
Another round with the ritual. You’re not really looking forward to it this time. But, maybe, maybe it’ll be the last time you need. You can hope, anyway.
You light the candle and begin the Ritual. Fewer lights in the etheric landscape now, and that much easier to pinpoint FallacyofUrist’s mind. You speak the words, and bind the chain around them.
Soon their energy fades, and you are confident that they will go nowhere.
You end the Ritual and sit back with a sigh. You feel like you’ve been running marathons this week. Time for some well earned rest.
Time will tell if you’ve made the right choice this night.
--
Jim Groovester Human Intelligence Scientist/Kook Alive Snooper bot Trail FallacyofUrist Goes nowhere
For the third night in a row you send your little bot off to scope out FallacyofUrist and follow him. It doesn’t take much time, which suits you fine since you really want to get back to your book.
The next morning you see that Fallacy never left their room. Interesting. You’ll have to see what everyone else has to say once you get to the mess hall.
--
ToonyMan Human Heroic Guard Alive Protect Hector Protects, Nothing happens
Out again. You’re still wary, of course. But things have been going well. Two monsters down. It’s starting to look like you all might get out of this with your lives after all.
It doesn’t take long to get to Hector’s, and you soon find yourself a relatively comfortable spot to sit and watch the area for signs of trouble.
But, like last night, nothing happens. You eventually head off to bed. Maybe there will be good news tomorrow?
You can hope. But you still barricade the door just in case.