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Gameplay Design Notes - World Design Notes

Please note that this is a draft document to be used for proposal and design purposes. The final information that players will read may be changed from this version.



An ancient terror lurks in your dreams, shifting just beneath the veneer of your memories, hidden by the pain and regret of losing a loved one. The Priestess that stalks your nightmares carries with her the endless torment and anguish of thousands of souls, both living and dead.

If only you would join her in the Manor of Sleep...



Welcome to Tormented Turnabout, the intersection of Ace Attorney and Fatal Frame; of logical deduction and the fear it inspires; of careful investigation and the horror it uncovers. In this crossover roleplaying experience, your character's sanity will be tested as they explore the Manor of Sleep, solving devious puzzles, escaping bloodthirsty wraiths, and venturing ever deeper into the nightmare. Fail, and the Tattooed Curse will drag you into the Rift; survive, and there will still be questions left to answer when you awake.

It's dangerous to go alone, and cooperation between characters is key. In addition, a Game Master (GM) will be responsible for resolving actions and providing information and results, rewarding your actions and bravery while warning you of dangers as you progress.

Exploration in the Manor of Sleep takes place in a controlled "dream-world" set of threads. While cursed characters have exclusive access to the dream-world, all characters may freely explore the waking world outside the Manor of Sleep, as they would normally go about the roleplay setting. Even here, the mysteries of the Manor can demand your attention, for everything in dreams has basis in reality...

Even when not trapped in their dreams, characters that have visited the Manor of Sleep are overtaken by the Tattooed Curse, and begin to be affected by the strange things they have witnessed. The secrets of the Manor, combined with the trail of evidence in the waking world, are your only hope to solving the mystery and breaking the curse.

= = = The Tattooed Curse = = =
The harbinger of the dark fate that awaits visitors to the Manor of Sleep. The regrets and guilt of the living are embodied in dark tattoos spreading over a victim's body, slowly consuming them as they venture further into the Manor. All characters that are initiated into exploring the Manor of Sleep receive cursed tattoos that can eventually spread to completely engulf their skin.

As the Curse advances, the victim feels chronic physical pain, experiences hallucinations and hauntings in the waking world, and is ultimately compelled to return to the Manor of Sleep. The final stage of the curse is said to make one stay inside the Manor forever...

= = = Expanding Event Horizons = = =
The Manor of Sleep is filled with locations that parallel areas in the waking world, connected with the memories that reside in those places. As part of the adventure experience of Turnabout Tormented, new areas of the world will be revealed and possibly added to the roleplay group's network. The Game Master's presence will be felt in these areas as well as within the Manor of Sleep, for the challenges contained in the waking world and in the dream-world are intertwined. (These sections may still be under roleplay moderator control.)

Exploring the waking world does not tax your character's sanity as greatly, and as such there is no great cost or risk to your ability scores involved while investigating the waking world... most of the time.

= = = COMBAT: Encountering Hostile Ghosts = = =
The Manor of Sleep draws souls into the Rift, turning them into malformed, twisted and malicious entities hell-bent on spreading their pain to the living that have been trapped with them. Encounters with these spirits leaves an indelible mark upon the living, steadily depleting one's sanity. It is nearly impossible to defeat these beings directly; your only hope is to hide or escape.

Some ghosts haunt areas that they are strongly attached to, while others aimlessly wander. They may be confined to specific spots, or may tirelessly chase victims from one end of the Manor to the other. While some ghosts never attack visitors, more than a few are hunting for victims...

Hostile ghosts in the Manor of Sleep subject victims to pain and torment that whittles away at their ability to resist the corruption of the Rift. A hostile ghost attack favors a specific target ability that acts as both defense and health; if the target ability score is at 0, it targets the highest ability score. To defend against a hostile ghost attack, a victim makes an ability check using the targeted ability; success nullifies the attack completely, and failure means one point is expended in the target ability.

If a victim fails to defend against a ghost's attack when their ability scores are all at 0, they are consumed by the Tattooed Curse and "expire" in the Manor of Sleep, returning to the waking world.

Characters may perform an encounter feat to defend a nearby victim from a hostile ghost's attack. This is an automatic success like any feat: it expends one point to completely nullify the attack as though it were a successful ability check to defend.

Special effects, such as lingering damage, stunning, or immobilization may be countered by save checks. The victim makes an ability check as normal, and success stops the effect completely. Some effects may require multiple save checks.

A ghost will stop attacking a victim when they leave an encounter, usually by fleeing the ghost's area of influence or successfully hiding and escaping their notice. There is always a chance the ghost will attack again unless the character leaves the ghost's current area of influence.

= = = Abilities & Exploration = = =
In Tormented Turnabout, your character's ability to resist the corruption of the Rift is measured in three ability scores. Upon entering the Manor, you are required to define your character's abilities: each ability has a base score of 1, and you are granted 3 extra points to spend among them however you like. This initial setup is locked as your ability score maximums, and cannot be permanently changed. Potential Ability Scores: 4/1/1, 3/2/1, 2/2/2

• Senses: The clarity and acuity of a character's awareness of their surroundings. This is a character's ability to perceive the environment, investigate areas, detect strangeness, and maintain a threadbare understanding vital to their sanity. Analogous to: intelligence, wisdom, perception
  
• Willpower: The power of mind over matter is essential to a character's survival. This is a character's ability to endure injuries, overcome terror, and keep a firm grasp on their sanity. Analogous to: strength, charisma, endurance
  
• Nerves: The strength of a character's resolve allows them to persevere. This is a character's ability to navigate treacherous environments, evade ghosts, and remain resolute in their sanity. Analogous to: agility, reflexes, balance

A character may spend a point in an ability score to perform a feat: an extraordinary action that progresses investigation and exploration. Here are some examples:

• Senses: scouring a room for items and secrets; creating a map or intuiting location; detecting the presence of ghosts without the Camera Obscura
  
• Willpower: surviving long falls and other hazards; enduring harsh conditions; moving heavy objects
  
• Nerves: crossing dangerous ground or unstable flooring; scaling walls and other obstacles

You may attempt one last feat for an ability score that is at 0. This is not a guaranteed success, but the GM determines the outcome: success lets you perform that feat, and continue making such attempts using that ability; failure prevents you from using the ability again until your ability score is replenished above 0.