Ministry of Lost Things: Case 1 – Lint Condition
Ministry of Lost Things: Case 1 – Lint Condition Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is Ministry of Lost Things: Lint Condition?
Ministry of Lost Things is a new tabletop puzzle adventure series from award-winning game publisher PostCurious. Blending escape rooms, board games, and interactive fiction, Lint Condition is the first case in an episodic exploration of the Elusiverse: a realm where every lost item has a story.
Become a scout for the Ministry of Lost Things and embark on a journey into a parallel world of forgotten treasures and misplaced memories. Uncover secret messages, meet charming characters, and reunite a lost item with its human companion. Featuring a whimsical narrative, tangible components, and beautiful artwork, this cooperative tactile mystery will engage players of all experience levels.
Have you ever wondered what happens to your loose change, missing socks, or absolutely anything you drop in the seat gap of your car? The answer is simple: it's all in the Elusiverse. How did it get there? It was collected by a gneester.
Thanks to a unique molecular structure that mimics that of the common dust bunny, gneesters are the only beings able to travel at will between our world (the Realisphere) and the Elusiverse. Collectors at heart, gneesters have a knack for sniffing out forgotten objects and bringing them into the Elusiverse.
Every once in a while though, a gneester takes an item that still has sentimental value or purpose in the Realisphere. These sorts of errors can cause glitches in the spacetime continuum, so the Ministry of Lost Things created the Department of Returns to straighten out such mishaps.
However, the Department of Returns has had trouble keeping up with recent demand. They are in desperate need of some Realisphere volunteers to help offset the caseload — that's where you come in!
As a newly recruited scout for the Department of Returns, your mission is to find and send back an item mistakenly taken into the Elusiverse. Examine evidence, reveal more about the missing item, and uncover details about its human companion... Can you piece together the clues to help them reunite?
Case 1: Lint Condition is the first standalone case in the Ministry of Lost Things series. An object of great emotional significance has gone missing. Can you figure out what it is and help the Ministry track it down in the Elusiverse?
What's Included
The game is played across four chapters, which contain a collection of letters, maps, documents, and witness statements, accompanied by a few bits and several dozen bobs. The box contains an introduction letter and five envelopes: four "Transmission" envelopes to be opened and solved in sequence, plus a Case Conclusion envelope.
Transmission One
- Transmission 1 Memo
- Item Retrieval Log
- Elusiverse Map
Transmission Two
- Transmission 2 Memo
- Elevation map
- Hiking journal
- Bag of 20 keepsake items
- Picture of kids at the puppet show
- Kevin's journal entry
- Letter from Maddy
- Letter from Grandma
Transmission Three
- Transmission 3 Memo
- Sock pile silhouette board
- Bag of 22 socks
- Email log
- Calendar
- Newspaper clipping
- 3 business cards
- 2 post-it notes
Transmission Four
- Transmission 4 Memo
- 3 witness cards
- Daniel's letter
- 3 paper strips
Case Conclusion
- Thank you letter from M.O.L.T.
- Credits page
- Sticker
- Sockies magnet
How to Play
To begin playing, simply read the introduction letter, log into the web portal, and open the first envelope to begin investigating.
Open the envelopes in order, solving the puzzles within before proceeding to the next envelope. All game materials are included in the box — the website isn't needed for solving the puzzles, just for verifying solutions. At the end of each envelope, verify your solutions online in the M.O.L.T website portal to progress to the next step. Incremental hints are also available in the portal, should you find yourself stuck and needing a nudge in the right direction.
You will need an internet-connected device (to enter solutions and access hints, if needed) and a pencil and paper to take notes.
Depending on the number of people playing and their experience level, gameplay time typically ranges from 2 to 3.5 hours.
Game Info (from the box's Game Explainer panel)
- Difficulty: rated 2 out of 5 locks
- Narrative: rated 2 out of 5 books
- Internet Use: Hints & Solution Input
- Duration: 2–4 hours
- Players: 1+ (best 1–3)
Getting Unstuck
We like to give you a challenge, but we know getting stuck without help is no fun. That's why we provide players with an easily accessible hint system, as well as spoiler-free solution verification.
What Is a "Puzzletale"?
"Puzzletale" is a succinct way of saying "a narrative puzzle adventure" or "a story told through puzzles." We usually describe it as a blend of board games, escape rooms, and interactive fiction.
Who Is This For?
Anyone who enjoys puzzles, board games, escape rooms, or interactive storytelling. The game is best suited for ages 14+, but younger sleuths can definitely join in the fun as long as there is an adult around to help!
Language
Not available in any other languages at this time. The puzzles do not heavily rely on knowledge of the English language, though, so if you are able to read and understand the game's materials, you should be able to play the game.
Resetting the Game
As with any puzzle game or escape room, you're likely not going to want to play again when you already know the answers. However, if you don't mark up the components, it is possible to reset the game and pass it on to someone else, as no components need to be destroyed. You can do this by using tracing paper or photocopying the pages you want to write on.
To reset Lint Condition, just replace components you've marked up with new ones from the refill pack, then stack the envelopes into the box in reverse order (starting with Case Conclusion at the bottom and ending with Transmission One on top). Place the introduction letter over Transmission One, then close the box.
Items marked with a pencil icon are meant to be written on, and the box includes a refill pack containing extras of these items. If additional copies of the pencil-icon pages are needed, PostCurious makes reprints available for download from its website.
Credits
- Game Design: Rita Orlov, Mark Larson, and Chelsea Stark
- Illustration: Nicole Gustafsson
- Graphic Design: Rita Orlov
- Web Development: Brennan Pilcher
- Video Production: Chelsea Stark and StoryPunk Studio
- Music: Leo Dennett
- Voiceover: Sean Devare
- Publisher: PostCurious, founded by Rita Orlov