Through the Breach Campaign Document part 3: the House

THE BEAUFORT MANOR

Like most structures in Malifaux no one is certain of who the original builders were. The estate rests in Malifaux near the area where the wealthiest house give way to the poorest. It’s also close enough to the quarantine zone that people mistake if it belongs there.

The house is a large manor with a thriving estate. From the street outside you can discern very little of the house or grounds. The large stone wall is topped with iron bars ending in jagged points. A huge gate wrenches and squeals when opened. A hedge built inside the wall grows wild and unkempt stretching high above the outer wall blocking all view of the house. This is an extremely well cultivated image. Thatcher works hard to maintain this illusion.

Once through the gate and inside the walls the view changes substantially. The grounds are covered in wonderfully maintained topiary’s. The grass is green and thriving. Numerous flowers, fountains, and shade trees dot the landscape. A huge spiraling hedge maze rests in the backyard covering a large stretch of property. There’s a fine orchard filled with cherry trees that. The orchard hosts a small pavilion for intimate moments.

The house is a picture of style and sophistication. The large white two story manor house is covered in ivy. A series of six marble pillars hold up a balcony on the second level. The interiors are elegant and serviceable.

Doctor Beaufort likes a house that feels lived in. As such the interiors feel lived in. He uses the furniture, walks the floors, and encourages what few guests he’s had to do so as well.

There are several rooms in the house that are easily available:

First floor: Grand Hall, Kitchen, Dining Room, Study, Library, Ball Room, Music Room, Cloak Room, Family Room, Sitting Room, Mud room, and a Pantry. Possible rooms: a pool, weapons room, gallery, billiards room, and a trophy room.

Second Floor: Hosts six guest rooms, a fabulous main bed room, a bathing room, and a private bath.

The Basement: A couple of storage rooms, a large furnace room, and a wine cellar. Possible rooms: lab, workshop, weapons room, and a cold storage room.

There is also an attic.

A few notes on the rooms.

Grand Hall: a large wrought iron and blue crystal chandelier hangs in the hall. In the presence of powerful magic the chandelier glows green.

Library: a faint breeze blows in this room. Beaufort has searched for a secret passage but has yet to find one. He’s even removed all of the books and shelves, pulled up the carpet, and is considering pulling bits from the walls.

Trophy Room: The room is filled with the hunting trophies. They came with the house. The centerpiece of the trophies are the three sabretooth chimera heads over the large fire place. Beaufort is still trying to figure out what to do with the trophies. The only reason he keeps them is he’s confident that some of the trophies disappear from time to time. The mystery of it fascinates him. Though he is confident that it’s dangerous due to some of the animal trophies kept here.

Bathing Room: The bathing room is a large tiled space with a few smaller iron tubs with privacy screens set up. The center of the room features a large inset heated pool. It’s not deep but is ringed by seating and can host several people at once.

Dining Room: The room is dominated by a large table capable of seating twenty guests. The only room with soul stone powered lights. The lights can change color. The color of the lights is controlled by a dial near the kitchen. Possible colors: red, green, yellow, blue, and an odd violet color.  Do the lights have an effect based on the color?

Sitting Room: a large comfortable room. An ather vox (magic radio) rests on a small side table. Several comfortable chairs, a sofa, and a chaise lounge are situated around the room. A small tray with various alcohols and glasses rests in one corner. It also features the only picture of Beaufort. A large portrait of Beaufort, a woman, and a young boy hangs over the large gothic fireplace.

Guest rooms: Each of the guest rooms is done in a different color. Other than that, they are all warm, inviting rooms. They each have their own small fireplace and a private toilet. Each room also contains a wardrobe decorated with a different woodcut scene on the front. Green: Stags in a forest clearing. Blue: Dolphins leaping through waves. Pink: A merry go round filled with fantastic animals. White: Rabbits in snow. Yellow: A field of wild flowers. Beige: Prairie dogs playing a dessert valley. Do the wood cuts move? Are the significant? Do they foretell anything?

The Wine Cellar: The wine cellar is not original to the house. When Malifaux was occupied the first time before the breach closed for one hundred years the family that lived here built over the original room. Beaufort hasn’t realized this. The room was originally a scrying chamber. If the hardwood floors are pried up it will reveal several symbols carved into the floor. A clue to the room original purpose is carved into the walls. A fate reading is inscribed there. It begins up the left wall from the stairs with two lines, one line on the far wall, and the final two lines are down the right wall and finish by the stairs. The prophecy will be created during character creation. It will be the fate of the house/campaign.

I should explain Fate. In Through the Breach characters are generated through a sort of tarot reading mechanic that gives them numbers to use as stat and skill numbers. It also generates a characters fate. These are five line poems where each line is played out over the course of a single session. The campaign will last until each character plays through their entire poem. I intend to have an additional fate reading done that will pertain to the campaign or house, I haven’t decided.

It’s one of the things I like about Through the Breach, the campaign has a set length. We play five sessions for each character and then the story is over. You can keep playing, but I like the fact that the story has an ending and we reach it. It lets players bring in new characters and ideas. I will be adding an extra five games to this story by including a fate reading beyond the players.

I'll be back next week with starting notes on the overarching story and the evil plot.