Cloakroom Noir

exploratory cloak of darkness

Exploratory Story

An exploratory story is acted out by a narrator and player (or players taking turns). The narrator might be a person or a program. If the narrator is a person, begin by reading the situation. The player then states actions, one at a time.

• Go south.
• Examine the desk.
• Take the tuna sandwich.
• Use the silver key on the cellar door.

After each action, the narrator tells the outcome, improvising detail. The walkthrough is one set of actions that resolve the situation. Other solutions may be possible.

Suggestions for the player

• Explore the scene to find a sequence of actions that resolve the situation.
• Some elements may be useless. Others may have to be used together.
• Keep it practical, even if unusual, such as a rock on a rope for an anchor.
• Take what you find. Never know when it might come in handy..
• Characters are part of the story. Chat with them. They may give hints.

Suggestions for the narrator

• Before you start, read through the script.
• You might want to make a map or put the names of elements on index cards.
• Regardless of the genre (drama, horror, fantasy), humour is likely to ensue.
• Embellish and improvise. Add details to characters or objects for interest.
• Keep the player interacting with story elements, not talking directly with you.

If the narrator is a program, links expand the narrative. They give consequences of a choice, add descriptive detail, or present new options. The program also keeps track of the status of story elements, such as inventory or places visited. For example, if you put on shoes in the morning and find a loose nail in the afternoon, then you can pound the nail with a shoe.

Cloakroom Noir

Cloakroom Noir is one way Roger Firth’s short adventure “Cloak of Darkness” might look as an exploratory story.

Situation

You are in the FOYER of the office building. Everyone has gone home. Everyone but you.

Now what? That’s a puzzle
of the procedural kind.

The answer is actions
to perform in the mind.

Knowing how to do something
is what counts, I’d advise.

Like makeshift solutions:
be practical, improvise.

Use resources on hand,
combine them if needed.

Explore and examine,
make a plan and proceed.

Elements

• Anything attached can not be taken (added to inventory).
• Anything locked cannot be opened without a key.

1. BLACKBOARD is chalky, has messages (“after hours let yourself out” and “wash me”), goes in the CLOAKROOM.
2. BRASS KEY is heavy, has “main” on its side, starts in a CLOAK pocket.
3. CLOAK is damp and made of velvet, has a BRASS KEY in a pocket, starts on the COAT HOOK.
4. CLOAKROOM is musty and dim, has a BLACKBOARD and COAT HOOK, goes east to FOYER (any other direction, stumble in the dark).
5. COAT HOOK is brass and attached to the wall, has a CLOAK on it, attached to a CLOAKROOM wall.
6. DESK is unoccupied, has a DRAWER and TELEPHONE, is attached to the FOYER.
7. DRAWER is unlocked, has an STEEL KEY, attached the DESK.
8. FOYER is the building entrance and vacant at this time, has a DESK and STREET DOOR, goes south the the OFFICE EXTERIOR and west to the CLOAKROOM.
9. OFFICE EXTERIOR is closed, has a secure lock, goes north to the FOYER and east to the CLOAKROOM (if have STEEL, enter to the OFFICE INTERIOR).
10. OFFICE INTERIOR is pitch black, has assorted generic furniture, goes back to the OFFICE EXTERIOR (if any other direction, stumble over furniture).
11. STEEL KEY is small, has “office” on its side, starts in the DRAWER.
12. STREET DOOR is facing out onto the way home, has a secure lock (if have Brass Key, exit to win).
13. TELEPHONE is disconnected has messages (“after hours let yourself out” “no outside line after hours”), is attached to the DESK.

    Story Matrix

    	is …	has …	goes …
    Blackboard	chalky	message: let yourself out	in Cloakroom
    Brass Key	heavy	‘main’ on it	in Cloak pocket
    Cloak	damp, velvet	Brass Key in pocket	on Coat Hook
    Cloakroom	musty, dim	Blackboard, Coat Hook	east to Foyer (else stumble)
    Coat Hook	brass	Cloak	on Cloakroom wall
    Desk	unoccupied	Drawer, Telephone	in Foyer
    Drawer	unlocked	Steel Key	in Desk
    Foyer	vacant	Desk Street Door	south to Office Exterior, west to Cloakroom
    Office Exterior	closed	lock (if Steel Key, enter Office Interior	north to Foyer, east Cloakroom
    Office Interior	pitch black	generic furniture	back to Office Exterior (else stumble)
    Steel Key	small	‘office’ on it	in Drawer
    Street Door	facing out	lock (if Brass Key, exit to win)	in Foyer
    Telephone	disconnected	no outside line	on Desk