Dilemma (fan expansion for T.I.M.E Stories)
Dilemma (fan expansion for T.I.M.E Stories) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Briefing
Welcome Agents, an unusual request this, but something, or should I say someone, we thought lost has just reappeared on our radar.
You will be sent to when and where he was last seen, just 38 years ago, near a small city in the US. We've identified some suitable receptacles near his last reading. Be careful - we don't know why he never came back to us, and we are unsure as to the identification of his receptacle.
Your mission is to find Charlie and free him, taking out whatever is keeping him behind in the process. And remember, he was originally sent there to prevent a temporal fault. Whatever you do, don't enable one.
[Now take turns revealing and reading cards b-e.]
Transfer
You sit in the caissons, and prepare yourself for the journey.
Good luck agents, remember... bzzzt ...Charl....fin..........crrrrck.....bzzz.... ...back.....zzzzzghhh
TRANSFER
Choose a receptacle from the six provided. Place the health points for that receptacle on the card.
Choose a Time Captain. They should close down the Location BASE and open the Location CELL.
The Captain reads out Cell- a, and the mission begins.
Mission Preparation
Place:
- The two PLAN cards in the appropriate spaces on the two plan spaces on the left. The other two plan spaces will not be used.
- The ITEM cards on the ITEM space.
- The CODEX Cards on the CODEX 1 Space. You will be instructed how to use these throughout the game.
- The Time Units marker on 35 (40 if playing with 3 people).
- The MISSION FAILED/ SUCCESSFUL cards on the appropriate space face down.
- The group token on the Location CELL.
On this mission your receptacles will have the following statistics:
Strength / Dexterity and Hacking / Charisma
Icon Reference
- Strength (purple icon)
- Charisma (yellow speech-bubble icon)
- Dexterity and Computer Hacking (blue icon)
- Painkiller token (green icon)
- Locked token (yellow icon)
In this mission you will only use the left side of the plan, and only have two plan cards out at once.
Characters
Each character card shows the receptacle's statistics as icons, in this order: Strength, Dexterity and Computer Hacking, Charisma, a shield icon with a skull, and a heart icon. The number under each icon is that character's value. The character's ability is printed below.
Amelia - Doctor
Statistics: Strength 2, Dexterity and Hacking 2, Charisma 2, Shield 3, Health 3.
Amelia begins the game with 3 sets of painkillers (Painkiller token). If someone is injured whilst on the same space as her, she can discard a painkiller token to prevent that injury.
Pia - Programmer
Statistics: Strength 2, Dexterity and Hacking 3, Charisma 1, Shield 2, Health 4.
Pia is excellent with computers. She rolls one extra die when hacking computers.
Corrin - Pilot
Statistics: Strength 2, Dexterity and Hacking 3, Charisma 1, Shield 3, Health 3.
Corrin is fast, especially when leading the group. When the player controlling Corrin is the current Time Captain, they do not roll the Time Die when moving to a new location.
Just - Student
Statistics: Strength 1, Dexterity and Hacking 2, Charisma 1, Shield 3, Health 4.
Just can be spurred on by being with others. If he shares a space with another player he can roll an extra die during challenges.
Debra - Physician
Statistics: Strength 1, Dexterity and Hacking 1, Charisma 4, Shield 1, Health 3.
People are predisposed to liking Debra, and she can motivate others. If Debra shares a card with other players, one of those players can roll an extra die for challenges that round, provided they could roll at least 1 die to begin with.
Simon - Engineer
Simon used to play baseball, and can throw items with ease. Simon can pass items to any character, even if they aren't on the same card.
Card Text by Location
The scenario's location cards are read in the order their letters are shown. Where a card has no printed letter in the OCR text, it is listed under the location it belongs to by page order, and image-only cards are noted rather than reproduced.
Cell
In this location, instead of choosing a card, all read card b first, followed by card c.
Anway, I will try to be fair. Each of you have been locked in a cell, some of you together. In each cell there is a screen. There will be two options on the screen: Stay or Leave.
If everyone chooses leave you will all leave this place, never to return. You can continue to go about your business as you were before I brought you here.
However, if at least one of you chooses stay, you will all stay, trapped, and some of you will die.
So please, make a decision. And remember, a single moment can impact on the lives of others.
The screen on the far wall hums and displays two words. Stay or Leave.
The voice speaks. Welcome strangers. I know some of you do not want to be here, and I apologise for keeping you, but I will not keep you longer than you wish.
Our actions have consequences. Sometimes unforeseen consequences. Like a researcher who accidentally sets his alarm clock an hour late, and ends up speeding to his meeting. That simple action which results in a crash, a boy's death, and a family mourning. Could the researcher have known that his simple mistake would spiral into such huge consequences? That the pushing of a button would result in a life of misery for so many?
Remember, sometimes it only takes a moment to ruin people, and lives beyond that. Keep your decisions in mind, they will impact others.
Result: Stay
Thank you for your votes. You will now stay here.
A gas leaks through the walls, and you find yourselves falling asleep.
Open the Warehouse location.
You awake to find yourselves in a large cavernous room. It looks to be some sort of warehouse. Four other people are standing around, you guess these must be the other people choosing earlier.
There are only two doors in the room, but they both stand out. A neon door in the far wall, and a grey door protruding from the wall. Neither of them have a handle.
On the far wall you can see some graffiti, and nearby two people are in conversation.
A woman and man both turn to face you as you get up.
You cannot return to the cells from here.
Place a locked marker on their location.
Take ITEM 45.
Result: Leave
Thank you for your votes. You will now leave.
A gas leaks through the walls, and you find yourselves falling asleep.
Take ITEM 10.
Open location 16.
Warehouse
STOP! You voted to stay, didn't you! You look suspicious to me, and I don't trust you. You're in cahoots with the ogre and space-boy over there aren't you? Pah! Just stay out of my way, all of you, or you'll be sorry. You don't scare me!
The man is a giant, at least 7ft tall, and the child he's talking to appears to be wearing some sort of helmet. You overhear some conversation as you approach them.
So you can't take it off? No, I told you, it's stuck. Do you want me to try again? No! You almost pulled my head off last time. Heh he, yeah. Sorry about that. How did you get it on anyway? I... I don't remember.
Just as you approach them to speak you stop.
The woman seems nervous. She timidly starts to talk to you. Did you... did you choose to stay? I don't think you would have, why would anybody? We... we must have been lied to. That man - she gestures to her left - he, he thinks we all want to stay. But if we start doubting each other we'll never get out. Sorry! My name - my name is Lisa by the way.
You take a closer look at the wall and floor. Is that blood or paint? Just what is going on here?
Suddenly a voice crackles through the room. It is the same voice from before. Welcome, participants. I'm glad you decided to stay. Your next challenge lies behind these two doors. Hurry, as this room will soon fill with phosphine gas. You have one minute until the doors lock. Good luck.
With that the neon and grey doors both open.
Take ITEM 5.
The crazy haired man and helmeted child rush towards the neon door, whilst the remaining two head for the grey door. Which do you choose?
- Neon door: Open location 10.
- Grey door: Open location 5.
The box in the corner catches your attention. Do you have anything you could open it with? If you have ITEM 16 and at least 1 [item icon not legible in the OCR text], take ITEM 2.
The door looks like an old elevator door. The device next to it appears to be a lock. There's an opening, but you don't have anything which can fit in it.
As you enter the room the door behind you suddenly shuts. At first you think you've ended up back in the same warehouse room you started in, but then you notice a few differences. The door has changed position and colour, the graffiti is different, and there is an incongruous fire extinguisher box sitting near the far wall. The other people are talking in a group, all except the crazy haired man who seems even more nervous and jumpy.
The way back is closed.
Place the lock token on location 10 and location 5.
Location 3
There's more graffiti in this room. And it makes just as much sense. It doesn't smell though, so you imagine it's just paint made to look like blood.
The lock looks the same as the previous one. Do you have anything to break into it? If you have ITEM 16 AND at least 1 [item icon not legible in the OCR text], return ITEM 16 and take ITEM 4.
The three are talking, and talk to you as you go up to them. Their names are Lisa, Steven, and the little one is called Sam. They're all quite hopeful, given everyone got out the previous room, but concerned about the man in the corner.
The man just won't stop talking. Aaaaaargh, get out. It's you, it's all of you trying to stop me from escaping.... I know one of you is responsible, but who. I bet it's that child, who knows what that helmet is for. We ought to rip it off their head and be done with this place.
Location 4 (the button room)
The room you find yourself in is small. It is completely featureless, apart from a button on the wall and some air vents embedded into the ceiling.
A voice crackles through the vents. Welcome, to your final room. A very simple room. I must tell you your team mates are currently in an identical room, listening to an identical message.
There is a button in front of you. You can push it, or not, it's up to you.
If neither team pushes it, I will free both teams.
If both teams push it, I will also free both teams.
If one team pushes it and the other doesn't, I will free the team which pushes it, and phosphene gas will be released into the room of the team which didn't.
Before you decide, I just want to remind you, that like a car swerving off the road, it only takes a second for someone else's decision to impact your life. Whether fair or not.
With that the voice stops.
Push or Don't push.
Suddenly a familiar voice fills the room. Congratulations on getting through the first room. Good luck with the next room, and I advise you to go quickly. This room won't be safe for long.
The grey and green door both swing open. Take ITEM 28.
The child and the woman both head for the green door, whilst the other two head for the grey door. Which door do you go through?
- Grey door: Open location 15.
- Green door: Open location 12.
So, there's your choice. The question is, what will your friends in the other room do?
Will they push the button to prevent themselves from dying, even if it means the deaths of you? Or do they trust you enough to not push that button, knowing that you would not do anything to put innocent lives at risk?
If you push the button you will definitely escape, but can you live with killing those people? If you don't push the button you definitely won't be a murderer, but will you even live?
Push? Or Don't Push?
Result: Did not push the button (the other team pushed)
The wall next to the button suddenly glows, and reveals itself to be a computer screen. Words suddenly pop up:
Dilemma. Results; YOU: Did not push the button. YOUR OPPONENTS: Pushed the button. You will be killed. Thank you for playing.
Take ITEM 9.
Location 8 (the shower room)
You enter through the doorway, and travel further down until you hear a slam behind you. You turn and see a smooth door blocking your way back. You MUST stay in this location until you can find a way out.
It's gloomy, but when your eyes adjust you realise you are in some sort of shower room. A silver door blocks the way forward, but there is no keyhole or handle to move it.
Turning you see some shower cubicles, one closed, and a small red device on the wall next to them. The two people who came down here are quietly talking to each other and glancing at you.
Some lockers line the wall on your right. The wall next to the button suddenly glows, and reveals itself to be a computer screen. Words suddenly pop up:
Dilemma. Results; YOU: Pushed the button. YOUR OPPONENTS: Did not push the button. You will be freed. Thank you for playing.
Take ITEM 30 and ITEM 12. Open Location 8.
The following card is printed on the same PDF page as the shower room. Its placement under this location is by page order.
Gas suddenly flows in through the ceiling. You hold your breath as long as you can, but eventually you breathe in. The gas stops and the doors open, but the poison has spread throughout your lungs and body. It is only a matter of minutes before you surely die. What can you even do in this time?
You wheeze and splutter through the open doors.
Take ITEM 21. Open location 11.
Location 5
The red box in the corner suddenly powers on. The cover flips open and there's space to input three numbers. A message flashes up:
Phillipe + Taxi + Walked + John + Richard + John + Phillipe =
Below that someone has scrawled "The youngest was 8".
If you think you know the 3 digit code, read the CODEX card corresponding to that number. If it isn't there, or the card doesn't begin with the word SMELLS, you are wrong and lose 5 Time Units. Then return the card to the CODEX deck.
The lockers are empty, but one of them has a lock on it. You don't know the code, but can attempt to pick the lock. If you succeed reveal the next card.
When you open the cubicle door, a metal ball suspended behind it begins to open up. It takes a vaguely humanoid shape, and then attacks!
If you have ITEM 29 remove 1 for the help you receive.
If you defeat the robot, take [reward not legible in the OCR text].
The pair see you approach and turn to face you. Where are we, the woman asks? Hmmm. The large man seems hesitant to talk, still suspicious of you. The woman suddenly reaches into her pocket. Here, I found this -
Wait! The man shouts, How do we know we can trust you?
To get any further you will need to convince them you're on their side.
If successful take ITEM 29.
You finally unlock the locker and open it. As soon as you do you see a metallic ball, which begins to unfold before you. A humanoid shape suddenly appears and attacks you.
If you have ITEM 29 remove 1 for the help you receive.
If you defeat the robot take ITEM 18 and ITEM 24.
The room reminds you of the earlier warehouse rooms, except this one is much narrower. There are two doors on the far wall, and some similar graffiti.
You see everyone else hunched together talking, but upon seeing you enter, the giant man rushes towards you. He seems very agitated by your mere presence. Everyone else hangs back nervously, although you detect a glimmer of a smirk on the crazy-haired man's face.
The way back is closed, and you MUST remain here until you are told you can leave.
Okay, I'm pretty sure there are 4 people, 4 ages, and 4 vehicles. Well 3 vehicles and someone who walked. We should be able to match them up. The door lock takes numbers? In that case I guess the ages must be important. Here, see if this helps. He hands you a piece of paper.
Take ITEM 14.
You look inside the cubicle and find a sheet of paper stuck to the back of the door.
Take ITEM 8.
The three people are whispering nervously amongst each other. Whether they're scared of you or the large man is hard to say. The man grunts at you, but seems not to want to fight anymore. He shouts out:
Arghhh, what the hell is going on!? Who can we actually trust in here?
The other three people look over, the crazy haired man still has suspicion in his eyes.
HEY! That guy says he heard you talking about pushing 'stay'. Back in the cells! We all pushed 'leave'! Are you the reason we're here!? WHY? You lot are always sticking together, but you haven't told us what you were even doing before we got trapped here. Just who are you and what is going on?
You will need to defend yourself. Either through talking or action.
The giant man lies wheezing on the ground. The other three people stare at you with fear in their eyes.
Location 6
You know what's coming up and think you may be able to take this opportunity to help everyone escape. If you want to tell everyone here about the button, reveal the next card.
As you step through the bunker door, Bob's voice suddenly crackles in your ear. Be careful Agents, there's a lot of Time distortion in your curr... loc...ion. Th...
The line goes silent. If you run out of TU in this location read the following Mission Failed card.
The bunker door closes behind you. You cannot leave this location.
[Do not choose where to go in this location as normal. Instead, every player must visit card b, then card c, then card d etc.]
The two doors suddenly slide open. You expect a voice to echo over the speakers... but... nothing. The other four people all take the left door, which closes as soon as the last person steps through.
Only the right door is open now, so you go through. As you do, it closes behind you.
Take ITEM 44. Open Location 4.
As you begin to explain what the next room is the crazy haired man suddenly starts pointing at you and shrieking. See, I knew they were suspicious! How can they know what's next?
Suddenly the whole room is full of arguing, and the suspicion in the room is almost palpable.
Whilst in this room roll 1 fewer die for challenges.
Take [the item or instruction after "Take" is cut off in the OCR text and must be checked against the page image].
Location 7
As you walk along two objects suddenly descend from the ceiling. They unfold to reveal themselves as robots. They make their way towards you, and suddenly emit a strange electric field, which you feel sapping your Time Units.
You turn the corner and see a set of bars blocking your way. Another set of bars fall from the ceiling behind you. You are trapped. An electric field crackles around the two sets of bars, sapping your Time Units. There is a computer panel in the wall. You must hack it to continue.
If you don't roll at least 1 whilst a [robot icon not legible in the OCR text] remains, add 1 more.
You've entered a long tunnel. The air gets colder as you walk down it, and your footsteps echo against the empty walls. The tunnel twists and turns as you go down it, until you hear a distant voice.
Aha! It worked! I mean, I thought it would, but it's exceeded my expectations. Apologies, this must be confusing for you. Welcome, agents. I would say I've been waiting for you, but I haven't been waiting at all. You've spent more time then I have at this stage, I'm sure of it.
Now, let me start at the start. I've told you about a boy's tragic accident, but I haven't told you about his younger brother's experience. A horrible childhood borne of another's mistake. That boy vowed to do something to change that, and change it I shall.
Tricking Bob was relatively easy. When you've been involved with T.I.M.E. for as long as I have you learn how to falsify a time rift reading. I insisted upon being sent back, and once here I quickly fashioned a device to prevent my consciousness from returning. Is Bob keeping my old body alive? Truth be told, I have no need for it now.
However, something was wrong, I hadn't gone back far enough. Almost, but not quite! I was stuck here in a timeline with no way to affect it.
There was only one thing I could do. I knew I could assemble a caisson, but that wasn't enough. I didn't have anywhere near the amount of energy required for generating Time Units, not here, not without government funding. But I knew how to drain them, I could do that.
You can hear you are getting closer to the voice so you start to hurry. You turn a corner and come face to face with one of the largest robots you have ever seen. It emits an electric field for absorbing Time Units and steps towards you.
You step out of the room, back into the smaller warehouse room. A section of wall in the corner slides up to reveal a pitch black passage. Is this the escape that was promised?
The other door slides open, and two of the other team emerge. It slides shut again after. The large man slowly lurches towards you, before collapsing.
The child fares better, presumably his helmet helped mitigate a lot of the gas, but he still has to stop and cough now and then.
The way back to the room with the button is now closed. Place a locked token on location 4.
All I needed to do was to get Bob to send me some Agents. That was simple enough, I remove the device and reappear on his radar, a long lost blip. But how to identify them?
I built a series of rooms. You've already seen them, though they are completely untouched in this timeline. Finishing with a trick - two rooms, one with a button and one without. A fake dilemma. But the room with a button doesn't know this, they just think the other people are always doing the opposite of them. Ha! Did you get caught on that? Or did you find your way here before then?
The whole system was setup to ensure only Time Agents came here, but not at any time, only Time Agents with lots of TU for me to siphon.
I wonder. How many times have I died in front of you? How many times did you die? Do those times even exist? It's good to see your faces.
I have enough Time Units now. I ask of you, let me rescue my brother. That's the only reason I'm doing this, as I'm sure you understand. There is no reason for any more bloodshed. Let me go back and save an innocent life. It's either that or kill me - my consciousness is so linked to this body if I remove the helmet I die. Tell me, in this timeline, who exactly have I harmed?
Let Charlie go: Take ITEM 39.
Kill Charlie: Take ITEM 11.
Location 8 (the passage)
The child talks to you. How.... did .... how did.... you know..... about.... the but... button? Wait... not import... ant.
The... wall... is.... important..... The writing... is... not right..... change...the letters... the order... rearrange.. them..don't.. .don't go..or..we... die. Solve..wall...
MAKE...IT EXIST...
The child starts coughing uncontrollably.
MAKE IT EXIST
The large man grunts, his eyes don't seem to see you, you wonder if he's gone blind. Wh... why..... murd......they... dead...... Then falls still.
The child just looks at you, before suddenly falling to the ground in a coughing fit, sobbing.
Why? Why did they not push the button? What changed this time?
Why, didn't you push it this time? You demand to know, angrily.
The large man is silent.
The child responds. What.... do you.... mean.... this time? We've.... only done..... it once. And.... the wall.... read... the wall... It's wrong..... It shouldn't... shouldn't be... MAKE ...IT EXIST.
Please... please don't... go. Solve... the writing... Change the... order.. move... the letters. If you leave... we all die... Don't go...
MAKE IT EXIST
The hole in the wall leads to a passage. The passage seems to go on for some time in total darkness.
Take ITEM 37.
To travel this way, open Location 13.
Location 9
As you approach the robot, its eyes suddenly start to glow red. It lurches out towards you! You must defend yourself.
IN ONE ANCIENT LOOP. Of course, it's an anagram.
You step up to the graffiti to examine it, but as you brush against the wall, a section of it slides to one side.
Take ITEM 32.
Everyone else in the room turns to look, but as you enter, you see that they daren't follow you into the blackness.
After just a few steps you find yourself in a small room. It looks like some sort of charging station for robots. Two robots line the wall, whilst a computer terminal sits between them.
The computer screen seems unresponsive, but, soon you see a green icon on the screen. You can attempt to hack the computer.
If you succeed, reveal the next card.
If the robots are still attacking they stop. A message appears on the computer screen.
If you know what number to input read the CODEX card corresponding to that number. If it doesn't begin with THE SCREEN, or doesn't exist, lose 5 TUs.
Location 10
As you enter the room the door suddenly shuts behind you. You can't see a handle on this side, and going back seems impossible. You must stay in this location until you have found a way out.
The room actually turns out to be a corridor. The funny haired man who came with you quickly turns the wheel on the right door and enters it.
There is a funny sounding hum coming from behind the left door, but it doesn't appear locked.
The young boy with the odd helmet on has gone to try the door up ahead. He turns to face you and shakes his head. That door must be locked as well.
A number pad next to the door is powered and blinking.
The young boy is shaking his head, he's beginning to panic about the situation. You reassure him with some comforting words and they relax a little.
My name's Sam. I'm not really sure what's going on. I can see fine, but I don't remember putting the helmet on. Actually. I don't remember anything. I guess I won't be much help here at all.
You can't see it, but you can tell from the sound of their voice they're saddened by this last statement.
You can try to persuade Sam to help you. If successful take ITEM 33.
The humming is caused by an old computer on a desk. A quick scour of the room reveals just a metal desk for the computer to sit on and a metal chair with no cushion.
You can attempt to hack the computer. If you succeed take ITEM 3.
The crazy haired man seems to be scrabbling over the room. He turns when he hears you open the door and tells you to get lost. He appears to have a piece of paper sticking out his pocket.
You can either persuade him to give you the paper, or pickpocket him. The two options are printed with the numbers 5 and 6 above them in the OCR text, and it is not certain from the text which number belongs to which option: [5] take ITEM 7 and ITEM 36; [6] take ITEM 7 and ITEM 16. Check the page image before play.
As you lurch out of the room, your vision blurs and your feet stumble. You find yourselves back in the smaller warehouse. A hole in the far wall appears to have opened up. Only the young child with a helmet has remained, no doubt the rest have fled down the new passage. He seems to want to speak to you.
The way back to the button room closes. Place a locked token on Location 4.
The unusual contraption opens to reveal a number pad. A screen beside it shows it needs a 3 number code. This must unlock the door and allow you out the location. There is some graffiti below it.
If you know the code for the door, read the CODEX card with the corresponding 3-digit number. If the card is not there, or does not begin with the word AFTER, lose 5 Time Units and return the card to the CODEX deck.
Each symbol is a number. It's only to do with the number of lines and dots. Do we know what J's age means? That would give us a starting point, and there might be more information there as well.
Thank you for trusting in me, by the way. I know it can't be easy with this.. thing on.
Location 11
You look up and see the child shaking their helmet in their hands.
Come on, you can come through here, Lisa said she saw light and felt air! We can get you help!
Take ITEM 37. To follow Sam through the tunnel, open Location 13.
The child looks at you hesitantly. How... how did you know what the next room was? Everyone else has gone down there, but you knew somehow. So I waited. But whilst I was here I was looking at the wall.
MAKE IT EXIST. MAKE IT EXIST. It's wrong somehow. You need to solve it. I don't know how I know, I just feel it, I guess like how you felt that room was coming up. The letters, they're not in the right order. You need to move them, change them around.
If you leave, we'll die. You must solve the wall.
MAKE IT EXIST
It's all blurry, you cough and start to fall. You look up, but your vision is faltering. Slowly you stumble to the wall, and rest against it.
You look up at the child. Why? Why did that team push the button this time? What made them change their mind?
W...why.... change? You manage to ask. The child cocks their head, confused. What? This was the only time we've done it. Besides, it's...anyway. That doesn't matter. Everyone else has left. But on the wall... it's... it's wrong somehow.
MAKE IT EXIST. MAKE IT EXIST.
I know you don't have much time, but that feels important. Even more important than escaping. I think you have to rearrange the letters. Don't leave- you must solve the wall!
MAKE IT EXIST
Location 12
The open-faced wooden shed is empty. The only thing of interest here is a wooden box on the window ledge. It is locked. If you have ITEM 40 you can unlock it immediately. Otherwise you can try to unlock it.
If you unlock it, take ITEM 17.
You set off towards the glowing pad in the rocks, and stumble across a piece of paper. Take ITEM 31.
A numberpad is set into the rock. It glows a luminous white. Above it a small display has space for three numbers. If you want to try inputting a 3-digit code take the CODEX card corresponding to the numbers. If it doesn't begin with the word GRUMBLING, or if it doesn't exist, return it and lose 5 Time Units.
You step through the door and down the corridor. Eventually you enter another large room. But this room is completely different.
At first you think you're outside. A stream trickles underfoot, and grass and trees can be seen growing here. Overhead a blue sky can be seen behind a glass dome, with a few clouds drifting lazily by.
However, a quick look around reveals this to not be the case. The trees and grass are real enough, but the sky is just an image projected onto the walls and ceiling. You are still trapped.
A wooden shelter or shed of some sort is to your left, and the wooden path takes you past some rocks, which appear to be glowing white.
Whilst looking at all of this the door slides shut behind you. You will not be able to leave this location until instructed to.
The child is resting against the shed, their head resting in their hands. It's impossible to tell with that helmet, whether they are worried, or at peace. Whatever it is they seem hesitant to talk to you.
You can try to get through to them. If you succeed, take ITEM 41.
Location 13
Lisa introduces herself (again if you've already met her) and seems eager to help. Here, take this. She pushes a piece of paper into your hand. Take ITEM 35.
Whilst she's happy to work to get out of here, she seems reluctant to open up to you. You can try pushing her for more information. If successful take ITEM 13.
After a few metres you hear the wall close behind you. You think about the dead bodies you are leaving in your wake and try to put them out of your mind. You walk up the black tunnel, towards a light in the distance.
Eventually, after many hundreds of metres, they reveal themselves to be lights on the ceiling. The tunnel stretches further into the distance.
You cannot leave this location until you are instructed to do so.
You walk down the wooden path to the sign. A piece of paper has been posted up.
A piece of paper has been posted up on the sign, listing the letters A to Z, each with a pattern of dashes and dots. [The letter-by-pattern table is not reproduced: the OCR text of the table is too garbled to transcribe reliably. Check the page image before play.]
After some time looking at everything, Lisa speaks.
First, we've got these prisoners. With the two bits of paper I think we can work out what order they should go in.
Then the page about jails and the morse code sign. I think those things go together, but how? Morse code is dots and dashes, which letters would they be? The arrow is pointing to the top half of the letters, if that helps.
Location 14
The tunnel stretches on and on. Eventually, the walls and ceilings seem to blend into rock, until you find yourself walking out of a cave rather than a tunnel.
The bright sunlight causes you to squint. How long have you been underground?
A few hundred metres down the road you see a town. The rest of the landscape is featureless in either direction, and you are unable (and unwilling) to head back down the tunnel, so you head for the town.
Take ITEM 1 and ITEM 38. Open location 14.
You walk up to some of the skyscrapers, but you don't really know what to look for. You stop some people and ask if they know a Charlie, but all you get is blank stares. Eventually your time runs out.
Read the following mission failed card.
You cough and try to walk up the corridor, but it's too much. Your body gives up and you collapse. Eventually you lose consciousness, and finally your body dies.
Read the following mission failed card.
Eventually, after much walking, you start to cross the flats on the city's outer limits. This is a big place, and there don't seem to be any real clues from here. Where will you start looking?
Location 15
You only take a few steps through the door before it closes behind you. As your eyes adjust to the gloom, you find yourself in a dark room.
A control panel in front of some steel shutters takes up most of the room, but a small glass window is visible to the right of the shutters. The control panel itself is a mixture of dials and sliders, with the exception of a large computer screen to the left.
The large man and the crazy haired man are both in here too, although one of them looks more pleased to see you than the other.
Some graffiti has been daubed on the walls and shutters.
With the door behind you closed and no obvious means of escape, you MUST stay in this location until you can find a way out.
As you approach the monitor it buzzes into life. You can attempt to hack into this computer. If you succeed take ITEM 23.
You head further into the city, perhaps in the hope of finding a police station. Unfortunately, you don't know your way around this place, and nobody you talk to can help you. You find a public information centre, but they're no real help. Eventually your time runs out.
Read the following mission failed card.
The tall man seems in good spirits. Hey, I'm glad you followed us in, I thought I was going to be stuck in here with just him for a moment there. You've got this all sorted though yeah? I'll just sit back here.
You can try and persuade him to help. If you have [item icon not legible in the OCR text] you succeed automatically. If you succeed take ITEM 25.
You look carefully through the orange glass, and can see something on the other side. In order to get to it you'll have to break through. If successful take ITEM 26.
The crazy haired man is beaten and bruised, he hands you the paper with trembling hands.
On the other side of the room Steven looks at you with horror. He will not talk to you now whilst you are in this room.
Place a locked token on Location 15 - b to show you cannot go there anymore. If you have ITEM 25 and/or an item shown on the card, return them.
The shutters won't move, so you prod and push everything on the console. Only the sliders move. There are 3 sliders, and each can be set to a number from 0 to 9. If you know what 3-digit number to set them to, take the corresponding card from the CODEX deck. If it doesn't start with CLATTERING, or doesn't exist, return it and lose 5 Time Units.
The man is mumbling to himself and completely ignoring you. You notice he has a piece of paper, but he refuses to listen to you, never mind give it to you.
You can try and either steal the paper or take it by force. By force: [2]. By theft: [4]. Check the page image for the exact requirement. Take ITEM 19.
Location 16
[Location 16 cards on PDF pages 95-98 are mostly image-only; the text captured by OCR is given below.]
There's three different puzzles here, but they're all about letters.
The number on the wall there relates to the phone dial - you should be able to work out what letters the numbers refer to.
Have you hacked into the computer screen? It gives a pattern, but the screen before also gives a hint as to which number in the sequence you want.
Finally that piece of paper describes letters in a certain order. I think they spell out a number when put together. After that it's just a matter of working out their order.
You wake up outside on a dirt track. In front of you lies a door to a bunker. The door looks heavy and is covered in strange markings. To the right of the door there is a lot of foliage. It looks untouched. To the left of the door a path leads out to a main road.
Steven looks around, and then finally speaks to you.
This path takes you to the road, which leads into the nearest city. Take ITEM 1.
If you choose to open location 14 from here you must roll the Time die two extra times because of the length of the journey.
Endings
Mission Successful
Congratulations agents, you've found Charlie, but even more importantly, prevented him from creating a catastrophic time rift. Such a brilliant scientist, but not even the higher ups knew how smart he'd gotten with this stuff. Such a shame, but I hope he's at peace now. Good job.
Read ITEM 42.
You remove Charlie's helmet. He doesn't put up a fight. When you remove it you see his face is old, much older than his body. He collapses to the floor, and when you check the pulse you realise he is dead.
Read the Mission Successful card. [The text of the card this refers to is on the page with the RICHARD / PHILLIPE notes and is not legible in the OCR text.]
The other team pushed the button on you. You will not forget this. Now, and at the start of any future runs, take: [the item or instruction after "take" is not legible in the OCR text.]
Mission Failed
Ouch, poisoned, not a nice way to go. Still, we kept track of you, and you did some nice work. Hopefully if we send you in again you'll be able to get to the bottom of it.
Keep all items stamped with [stamp symbol not legible in the OCR text] and return everything else to the deck. Restart the game from the Base.
What's the hold up? Have you found him? Hmmm, things sound stranger than I was thinking. Have another go, but begin with an extra 5 TUs this time. You need to find him.
Keep all items stamped with [stamp symbol not legible in the OCR text] and return everything else to the deck. When you begin your next run, or any run after that, give yourselves 5 extra TU than stated on the base cards.
So, I sent you, at great expense, to the best known location of one of our top agents, who's happened to be missing for several years, and you took the time to walk far, far away from that place. I'd ask why, but I'm sure I'd just be disappointed in the answer. Get back and find him!
Keep all items stamped with [stamp symbol not legible in the OCR text] and return everything else to the deck. Restart the game from the base.
The last thing you remember is hearing Charlie shout something. A cheer perhaps? You awaken in a familiar room with a face looking over you. That was a tough one guys, but we managed to pull you back quickly. We've ascertained enough now to send in some more prepared people to finish him off, unless you guys feel up to it? If you choose to let someone else complete the final steps, you have finished your mission. Read ITEM 42. Otherwise you can return.
Keep items marked with [stamp symbol not legible in the OCR text] and return everything else to the deck.
MISSION FAILED (the phrasing of the remaining failure cards is cut off in the OCR text and is not reproduced beyond this point; check the page images).
Congratulations Agents, find your score using the following chart:
| Run | Score |
|---|---|
| 1st Run | 0 pt |
| 2nd Run | 0 pt |
| 3rd Run | 50 pt |
| 4th Run | 35 pt |
| 5th Run | 15 pt |
| 6th Run (and after) | 5 pt |
Add 1 pt for each TU remaining.
Items
Item cards in the OCR text are given in PDF page order, with the item number where it is legible. Items whose number is not legible are marked as such.
- Hammer (PDF page 12): A hammer found inside the fire extinguisher box. Roll 1 extra die in challenges.
- Item, number not legible (PDF page 12): You've unlocked the computer, but only one file on the computer isn't corrupt. You open john.txt. What! The! Hell! If allowing Charlie to go back and change his own history was a good thing don't you think we would have let him? I've now got agents working overtime to stop time rifts all over the place. If our existence survives this, and it probably won't, you'll be fired. All of you. Get out of here!
- Item, number not legible (PDF page 14): A broken paperclip. MAKE IT EXIST... Of course! Anagrams. The wall graffiti - they're anagrams. You go up to the wall to inspect it further, and see something almost imperceptible carved into it. Take ITEM 27. You can follow wall graffiti when standing in front of it.
- Item, number not legible (PDF page 16): RICHARD WAS IN THE CAR / THE CAR SWERVED / THE 53 YEAR OLD IN THE TAXI WAS NOT PHILLIPE (clue text on a paper card).
- Paper or clue cards (PDF page 18): Lisa explains how she was on her way to interview for a research job at H-L Chemicals when her bus broke down. The last thing she remembers is the bus pulling off the road. She recognises the two men in the other room from the bus, and whilst there were children, she can't say for sure if Sam was on the bus because of the helmet. Lisa is now willing to help if you get stuck, but it will take her time. If you want her to help, move the TU marker down 6 and reveal the next card. If you have fewer than 6 TUs left, you can move it down to 1. A piece of paper from the large man reads, as a table: 8 | 28 | 42/53 | Walk | Car | Bike | Taxi with the rows John, Ahmed, Richard, Phillipe.
- Item, number not legible (PDF page 20): It appears to be a page torn out a book. It is unfinished, poorly edited and someone has drawn arrows on it. The page reads: reads:
CODEX Cards
When a puzzle asks for a three-digit code, read the CODEX card with that number. The printed number is on the card's face, and the card's text is on the page facing it. In the PDF the code headers (the blank "CODEX" faces) and the text pages are separate sheets. The table below lists them in PDF page order. The pairing of each header to its text has NOT been confirmed from the card faces, so check the page images before relying on it. Where the OCR could not read a code, it is marked.
| PDF pages | Headers (codes as read) | Text cards in page order |
|---|---|---|
| 33 / 34 | 000, 001 | "SMELLS from the drains..." (wrong-code text); "Nope, don't know what code you thought you were entering..." (wrong-code text) |
| 35 / 36 | 010, 083, 031, 137 | "GRUMBLING sounds..." (lose 5 TUs); "CLATTERING can be heard..." (wrong code, lose 5 TUs); "You should only be reading this card if you are in Location 3... Of course, it's an anagram..." (correct answer, voice message); "CLATTERING sounds are what you'd expect to hear if the shutters were lifted..." (lose 5 TUs while the machine resets) |
| 37 / 38 | illegible (4 headers) | "You have entered an incorrect code..." (lose the Time Units); "GRUMBLING can be heard. It's Sam and Lisa..." (wrong code, lose 5 TUs); "SMELLS start eminating from the rest of the room..." (Take ITEM 15, Open LOCATION 3, return this card, and return ITEM 29 if you have it); "AFTER spending so much time in that corridor..." (Take ITEM 15, Open LOCATION 3, return this card; return ITEMS 33 and/or 36 if you have them) |
| 39 / 40 | 300, 300, 310, 4e1 (as read) | "SMELLS start eminating from the room. Or is it Steven..." (wrong code, lose 5 TUs); "You have entered an incorrect code..." (lose the Time Units); "You have entered an incorrect code..." (lose the Time Units); "THE SCREEN changes. The words 'ERROR: INCORRECT CODE' appear..." (lose 5 TUs after the computer resets) |
| 41 / 42 | 443, n09, 460, illegible |
Discrepancy to check: the Location 5 card text says that a correct code's card must begin with the word SMELLS. Several SMELLS-prefixed CODEX texts (PDF pages 34, 40 and 48) say the code was wrong and tell you to lose 5 TUs, while the SMELLS text on PDF page 38 is a success result. This may be a design or printing error in the deck, or the rule may be intended. It is transcribed here as printed. Check the page images and the designer's intent before play.