Narrative Design

In the game, I and Suri write various texts and dialogues

SCENE Before Looby:

Narration:

: 24, March, 1960

Alex

: Is this the motel?

: Apparently, this place is empty of guests. {wc}

But it didn’t look entirely abandoned.

: The appliances here are still powered by electricity. So, at least one person with a key still lives here.

: I should look around.

SCENE Looby:

Light

Alex

: The light is on. Someone should be nearby.

Looby Table

Alex

: The drawers at the reception counter seem to be locked.

Chair

Alex

: This chair is the only one still being used.{wc}The other chair was already covered in dust.

Tea Cap

Alex

: There was only a cold cup of tea on the table. Obviously, there weren’t a lot of guests.

Stairs

Alex

: The lobby seems to be empty.

: Maybe I should go upstairs to see if any guests know where the managers are.{wc}Only if there are still guests here.

Narration

: {s=20}Do you wish to go upstairs?

SCENE Before Hallway:

Alex

: Ugh, it smells like mould all over the place.

: This hasn’t been cleaned in a long time. Does anyone really want to live here?

: Anyways, I should look around.

SCENE Hallway:

Downstairs

Alex

: It’s not yet time to leave, and there’s no one downstairs. I should stay here.

Room 101

Alex

: Is anyone there? Police.

Narration

: … …

Alex

: Nobody responded.

Room 101 After Got the Key

Alex

:Maybe I can use the key to open this door.

Narration

: Do you wish to open this door?

No

: I should ask that ole lady in room 102 some more questions.{wc}She would have known something about this motel.

Room 102

Alex

: Hello? Anybody in the room? Police.

Narration

: … …

The Resident

: What’s the matter?

Narration

: It sounds like an old woman.

Alex

: Good day, Ma’am. I’m looking for the manager of this motel. {wc}

Do you know how to get in touch with them?

Narration

: … …

The Resident

: I know what you are looking for. {wc}Take this.

Narration

: A key passed through the crevice of the door. {wc}It is engraved with 101.

Alex

: What do you mean, Ma’am?{wc}Could you explain?

Narration

: … …{wc}No one responded.

Alex

: Ma’am?{wc}Well…

: Guess I’ll just have to figure it out myself.

Room 102 After Got the Key

Alex

: Sorry to bother you, but I have some questions I’d like to ask.

Narration

: … …

: It doesn’t look like anyone in there is going to reply again.

Hallway Oedipus Painting

Alex

: I didn’t expect such a shabby hotel to have such classic and gorgeous oil painting.

: What’s this painting about?

Narration

: Next to this painting is a small label that reads:

: Oedipus.

Alex

: Oedipus? Is that a tragic hero in Greek mythology?

SCENE Before Roses Room:

Alex

: The smell of mould in here is even worse than in the corridor outside.{wc}It has been a long time since anyone’s opened this door.

: What did that lady mean? Why did she say she knew what I was looking for?

: … …

: Well, I’d better focus on the clues in this room for now.

SCENE Roses Room:

Alex

:Ugh, it smells like mould all over the place.

:Anyways, I should look around.

Left drawer

Alex

:It seems that there is something in this drawer?

:It looks like a part torn out of a notebook. Could it be someone’s diary?

:I should take a closer look at what it says.

Narration

:*Note 02* Added to Evidence Bag

Trashcan

Alex

:The bin’s clean… but there’s something in it. Looks like a note.

:I should see what it says.

Narration

:*Note 03 * Added to Evidence Bag

Lamp

Alex

:This lamp is not plugged into a power source.

Right drawer

:These drawers don’t seem to be locked.

:And here’s a piece of paper.

:Huh… a certificate of ownership? For this motel?

:The former owner named Theodore Horton.

:The present Owner is Rose Clark… What?!

:No way. That’s the same name as my mother-in-law.

:Why did Rose buy this place? In 1949? I’ve never heard her mention it before.

:… …{wc}What if it’s just a coincidence… the same name?

:But Rose stayed at this hotel when she was a kid. That doesn’t seem like a coincidence…

:Anyway, I’ll take the deed for now.

Narration

:*Deed to The Motel * Added to Evidence Bag

Sofa

Alex

 :Strange… not much dust on this couch. Has someone been sitting here?

Oedipus RoseRoom

:Seriously? Another oil painting? That’s just weird. {wc}What’s this oil painting about?

Narration

:Next to this painting is a small label that reads:

:Oedipus.

Alex

:That name again…Why was the motel owner so obsessed with that Greek character?

:Wait…Looks like there’s something behind the painting…

:There’s a key here. And “Lob” is engraved on this.

:I guess it should mean “Lobby”?

:I remembered there was a locked drawer at the front desk in the lobby. {wc}Maybe this is the key to it.

:I should head back to the lobby once I’ve gone through everything in this room.

Narration

:*Lobby Key* Added to Evidence Bag

Curtains

Alex

:The dust on the curtains was untouched. No handprints, no signs of movement.

:No one had opened them in a long time.

Bed

:It’s just an ordinary hotel bed. The sheets are dusty, like no one’s been here in ages.

Rose Drawing COPY

:It’s just an ordinary hotel bed. The sheets are dusty, like no one’s been here in ages.

:Wait a minute… Something’s wedged in the bed.{wc} What’s this?

:Looks like a drawing of a child. Also… Is that mould or blood on this paper?

:How could there be children’s drawing in this deserted motel?{wc} The painting looks a little dated, too.

:Just in case… I’ll keep this.

Narration

:*Child’s Drawing* Added to Evidence Bag

Go back to Lobby

Alex

:That should be everything of interest in this room.

:Why is Rose’s name on the title deed of this motel? And those notes…

:Laura and Rose must have been here back then. {wc}But what exactly happened? Could Laura’s disappearance be connected to this place?

:Also, Theodore Horton…Why does that name sound so familiar? Where on earth have I heard it?

:There are too many unanswered questions in these clues. {wc}The truth has to be more complicated than it seems.

:But now that I have the key to the lobby, I should head back and see if there are any clues I might’ve missed.

Narration

:{s=20}Do you wish to return to the lobby?

Back to Lobby key

Alex

:Nothing in this room seems useful. My only lead now is that key.

Narration

{s=20}Do you wish to return to the lobby?

SCENE Back to Lobby:

Alex

:The drawer is right behind the front desk. Since no one’s around, I should take a look while I can.

Lobby table

:It’s open. {wc}This is all too convenient. Isn’t is?{wc} It’s like someone wants me to find these things… like I’m being led.

:I had a feeling from the very beginning that Laura’s disappearance wouldn’t be so simple. {wc}But now, things seem to be far more complicated than I expected.

:Anyway, since the investigation has come this far, I’ve got to keep going until I can expalin everything to Jade.

:Let me see what’s in here.

:Yet another key? This place is full of them.{wc} So many secrets… all carefully locked away.

:This key has a name tag…{wc} Basement. Of course. Where else would the real secrets be?

:I remember seeing a small door tucked in the left corner outside the entrance.{wc}If there’s a way into the basement, that’s probably it.

:Time to see what the basement is hiding.

SCENE Before Basement:

Alex

:This’s it.

:I should try and see if this key fits.

Basement Door

:… …

:Well, what else can I say?{wc} Let’s go.

SCENE Basement:

Alex

:This basement doesn’t smell musty. It feels like someone has been cleaning it regularly.

:The place is unusually elegant for a basement. There’s even a record player.

:The oil paintings in the previous room must have also been arranged by whoever owns this basement.

:If someone wanted to commit a murder in a place this secluded, hiding it would be all too easy.

:Good thing I brought some equipment from the station. They might just prove useful now.

:Also, hidden bloodstains can be detected with a UV flashlight.

:Also, hidden bloodstains can also be detected using the UV flashlight.

A-Record Player

Alex

:There’s no company logo on this record, and the production is quite rough. It must be homemade.

:The record player still works… I’d better listen and see what’s on it.

Narration

:{s=20}Do you wish to play the record?

Alex

:I’ve been through this record already.

Yes

Narration

:After a brief stretch of indistinct music.

:A hoarse male voice came through the record player.

???

:What better hunting ground than a motel?

:The people who stay here are poor, forgotten, homeless. {wc}No one notices when they go missing.

:In my basement, they’ll finally have purposes. {wc}They’ll be saved.

Narration

:The rest of the recording was unclear.

Alex

:… …

:Of course… that’s why the name Theodore Horton gave me that uneasy feeling.

:He was once a suspect in at least three murder and disappearance cases back in the 1910s. {wc}But he was never arrested due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

:Since no similar incidents happened after 1920, the police saw no reason to keep investigating him.

:Could this place have been his old crime scene? According to the previous land deed, he owned this place until 1949.

:But why would a killer as arrogant as him suddenly stop?

:… …

Narration

:”Record Player” Added to Evidence Bag.

A-Camera

Alex

:A camera pointed at the operating table… I’ve got a bad feeling about this.

:This is the same model as the one back at our forensic laboratory. Even got a microphone wired in for record.

 :Someone knew what they were doing, and they made sure nothing was missed.

:The power’s still on. If there’s any film loaded, I can run it through the player along with the audio device.

Narration

:There is one reel of film inside.{wc}The date on it reads 21st, July, 1904.

:{s=20}Do you wish to play the film?

Alex

:If I have other films, I can use these device to watch.

:I have found two films and I should be able to play them using these devices.

Narration

:Which film do you want to play first?

Yes

:The picture on the film is dim. Only one person can be seen, tied to the operating table. {wc}As if something is cutting into their body. {wc}As the scene progresses, the scream grows more and more piercing.

:With a final scream, the film came to an end.

Alex

:… …

:Whoever’s behind this footage has a habit of documenting the whole process.

:There’s bound to be more film reels around. If I can find them, I can bring them over and check for more clues.

Narration

:”Film 21, 07, 1904″ Added to Evidence Bag.

:The picture on the film is dim. Only one person can be seen, tied to the operating table. {wc}As if something is cutting into their body. {wc}As the scene progresses, the scream grows more and more piercing.

:With a final scream, the film came to an end.

Film 1925 Talked Bout Rose

Narration

:In the film, there’s a tall man cleaning something in the basement sink.

:He looked tense and angry, muttering something under his breath.

???

:How did that girl open the basement door?

:She must have stolen my keys when I wasn’t in the lobby.

:How could I expect an alcoholic father to raise his children properly?

:Besides, they’ve been behind on rent for ages.

:I should’ve evicted them long ago.

:And if she saw something in the basement… I can’t stay here. It’s not safe anymore.

:The police are already suspicious. Maybe it’s best to stop now before things spiral further.

:It’s a pity that I’m not interested in killing women.

:Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made it out of this basement alive.

:Well…

:I saw something in her eyes, something that told me she was a despairing person.

:But there was something else I saw… She’s just like me. A murderer at heart.

:This will become very interesting…

Narration

:The remaining films were damaged.

:Evidence “Film 07, 05, 1925 ” updated.

Film 1926 Laura Last Words

Narration

:In the film, there was a woman appeared severely emaciated, to the point of being unrecognizable.

:Her voice, raspy and fragile, barely left a trace on the recording.

???

:My name is Laura Clark.

Laura Clark

:I have been trapped in this basement for a long time.

:I don’t know if this was just an accident or if someone did it on purpose… but I’m out of time.

:I know I’m dying, so if anyone can find this place…{wc}Please tell my husband and child that I love them.

:I know… I failed them again, I failed Rose again.

:… …

:I can’t hold on any longer.

:I’d rather let myself choose the way to end.

:I’m sorry.

Narration

:A long sequence of silent, blank footage followed. Then, after what felt like forever, the film finally ended.

Laura Clark

:A long sequence of silent, blank footage followed. Then, after what felt like forever, the film finally ended.

Alex

:… …

Bed Blood

Alex

:Is this where the victim was killed?

:… …

:The blood has accumulated over time, it’s impossible to date it precisely.

:There are some friction marks along the edge of this operating table, likely caused by ropes that had been tied to it.

Wall Blood

Alex

:Something’s off about this bloodstain. Based on the shape and size, this looks like an adult female’s palm print.

:If a victim had been trying to escape, there would likely be more evidence of a struggle, instead of just one handprint.

Door

Alex

:This killer is arrogant and meticulous, they don’t make mistakes, and they won’t let anyone escape or get out of their control.

:So why are there so many fingerprints on this door?

:It just like someone was trapped inside, and trying to get out…

Small Cart

Alex

:There are signs of frequent use on the scalpel resting on the trolley, and dried blood, too.

:It’s almost certainly a murder weapon.

Trash Can Basement

Alex

:There’s some dirt on the outside of the trash can, but it’s clean inside. {wc}Nothing worth investigating.

B-Record Player

Alex

:There’s no company logo on this record, and the production is quite rough. It must be homemade.

:The record player still works… I’d better listen and see what’s on it.

Narration

:{s=20}Do you wish to play the record?

Alex

:I’ve been through this record already.

Narration

:After a brief stretch of indistinct music.

:A hoarse male voice came through the record player.

???

:What better hunting ground than a motel?

:The people who stay here are poor, forgotten, homeless. {wc}No one notices when they go missing.

:In my basement, they’ll finally have purposes. {wc}They’ll be saved.

Narration

:The rest of the recording was unclear

:… …

:Of course… that’s why the name Theodore Horton gave me that uneasy feeling.

:He was once a suspect in at least three murder and disappearance cases back in the 1910s. {wc}But he was never arrested due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

:Since no similar incidents happened after 1920, the police saw no reason to keep investigating him.

:Could this place have been his old crime scene? According to the previous land deed, he owned this place until 1949.

:But why would a killer as arrogant as him suddenly stop?

:… …

Narration

:”Record Player” Added to Evidence Bag.

B-Record Player

Alex

:This clock has stopped working for a long time.

B-Microscope

Alex

:I really don’t want to know what this microscope was used for.

:Anyways, it’s clearly been used a lot by someone. There are scratches and dried blood on it.

B-Sink

Alex

:The sink is covered in bloodstains and deep scratches, like someone was washing off something large… and very sharp

:A number of chemical agents had been placed here. {wc}I couldn’t identify them all, but from the labels and smell, it was clear they were highly corrosive.

B-Box Rope Two Film

Alex

:This box is really light, probably not meant for storing chemicals.

:So why is this box even here? And it looks pretty new, too.

:Maybe I should open it and check out.

Narration

:{s=10}Do you wish to open this box?

Yes

Alex

:There’s a knotted rope in here.

:This knot looks like a noose, and there’s still some blood on it.

:It seems too short to be used for hanging someone. Besides, there are no beams in this room.

:Then what is this used for?

:Also…

:There are two films in here, with different dates.

:I can use that camera over there to play the films and match the dates with the audio device to watch the full footage.

Narration

:”Knotted Rope ” Added to Evidence Bag.

:”Film 07, 05, 1925 ” Added to Evidence Bag.

:”Film 31, 08, 1926 ” Added to Evidence Bag.

B-Book3 Drawing

Alex

:These aren’t books, they’re just two blank notebooks with untouched pages.

:Wait a moment…

:Looks like a drawing of a child. Also… Is that mould or blood on this paper?

:How could there be children’s drawing in this deserted basement?{wc} The painting looks a little dated, too.

:Just in case… I’ll keep this.

Narration

:”Child’s drawing” Added to Evidence Bag.

B-Book2 Note

Alex

:These books are about law and psychology. Looks like the suspect did a lot of homework.

:And… here is another note.

Narration

:”Note 13″ Added to Evidence Bag.

B-Body Blood Floor

Alex

:The floor looks a bit strange under the UV flashlight.

:Judging by the color, it doesn’t seem to be just bloodstains.

:It looks like something has rotted and corroded the floor.

:This kind of discoloration doesn’t happen overnight. Whatever caused it had to be motionless for a very long time.

:What could this be? {wc}Chemicals… or a decomposing body?

Jar

Alex

:Looks like these jars get touched a lot. Fingerprints everywhere.

:And these appear to be human tissues. When I report this to the station, they’ll likely become key evidence for prosecution.

Logo Dedction

Narration

:{s=20}Do you wish to start the deduction?

Final

Alex

:I’ve combed through every corner of the basement.

:Clues have surfaced where there was only confusion before.

:The mystery of Laura’s disappearance is starting to unravel.

:I think I’ve gathered enough to make my final deduction. Once the pieces fall into place, I’ll tell Jed everything.

Narration

:{s=30}The deduction stage is about to begin.

:{s=30}Once you enter, there’s no turning back, and no more reviewing the evidence.

:{s=20}Do you wish to start the deduction?

Final No

Alex

:I’d better review the contents of my evidence bag again. There could be a clue I’ve overlooked.

Final

Alex

:Hello? Jade, it’s me.

:I’ve made some progress on Laura’s case.

:But…{wc} There are still a few things I can’t  explain…

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