The bike ride — Scenario

Original scenario. Target duration: 3-5 hours.

Summary

A group of friends goes on a cycling trip through central France, gets hit on a cliffside road, then finds shelter with a "former doctor" who turns accident victims into biomechanical puppets -- the Dollface.

Themes & content warnings: Isolation, injuries, medical manipulation, morgue, incinerator, mechanical prosthetics, electronic noises, loss of identity. (Tone down as needed for your table.)

Characters & key elements

Dr. Wilhelm Kraus

Polite, composed, clinical vocabulary, economical gestures.

• Objective: isolate, test, "prepare" subjects, recycle corpses.
• Means: anesthetics, electricity, internally locked doors, circuit breaker, single key, generator.

The Dollface

Mutilated human bodies (face removed, skull cavity partially hollowed out), filled with armatures, wires, speakers (recorded breathing), small crackling coils -- dead-alive cyborgs.

• Behavior: erratic, unfinished, sometimes motionless for 1-2 minutes, then sprinting, spasmodic movements, scraping against metal surfaces.
• Attracted to: heat, electricity, low-frequency sounds.
• Shred on contact.

The house

A former dispensary styled as a manor/small medical practice, on 3 levels:

• Ground floor: reception, living room, kitchen, office, examination room
• Upstairs: bedrooms
• Basement: morgue, workshop, incinerator, electrical room
• Garage: wrecked car, workbench, storage

Atmosphere: smell of ether, polish, hot metal, basement dampness.

The car (in the garage)

Same model/color as the one from the accident, dented hood, corpse wedged in the engine compartment (botched attempt at concealment -- the car won't start anymore).

Scenario structure

1. [S1] Curve & fall -- Accident, waking up at the base of the cliff, inventory, first choices.
2. [S2] The path & the building -- Approach to the house, signs of activity.
3. [S3] Clinical welcome -- The doctor offers to help, isolates a PC for "examinations."
4. [S4] The room next door -- Recorded breathing, a "prepared" corpse, first Dollface awakening.
5. [S5] Exploration phase -- Semi-sandbox house: rooms, clues, tensions.
6. [S6] Garage -- The car from the accident, corpse in the engine, mechanical parts.
7. [S7] Basement & workshop -- Morgue, incinerator, inactive Dollface, victim files.
8. [S8] Cat and mouse -- Separation, power cuts, locked doors, light gas.
9. [S9] Confrontation -- Face Kraus / deal with Dollface / sabotage the house / escape.
10. [S10] Epilogues -- Exit variants, consequences, traces left behind.

Detailed scenes

[S1] Curve & fall

Objectives:

• Establish isolation, lightly injure/exhaust the group, create urgency (cold, nightfall approaching).
• Assign a few items (headlamp, folding knife, water bottle, whistle, and especially: who has the phone that doesn't work).

Atmosphere: rural silence, smell of wet earth, wind through tall grass, twisted bikes.

Clues:

• Tire tracks above: sudden braking + impact on the guardrail.
• Plastic shards consistent with a modern side mirror.
• Paint marks on a bike (same color as the car).

Triggers:

• If the PCs try to climb back up the cliff: difficult, dangerous, time-consuming, automatic failure.
• A wisp of smoke spotted in the distance (the house's chimney) catches their attention.
• An intermittent glow (generator) in the valley.

Outcomes:

• The PCs follow a deer trail toward the building.
• "Camping" option possible: cold, hunger, pain encourage them to move.

[S2] The path & the building

Objectives:

• Present the house: a plausible but unsettling refuge.
• Provide "soft" alarms.

Atmosphere: overgrown path, gate ajar, poorly maintained garden, distant electrical hum (generator), muffled barking (speaker?).

Clues:

• Wet doormat but no recent rain (frequent cleaning).
• Fresh tire tracks toward the garage.
• Fake camera at the entrance, but real sensors (internal motion detectors).

Triggers:

• If the PCs call out: Kraus arrives with a slight limp, storm lantern, composed voice.
• If they circle around: half-open window in the office, smell of ether.

Outcomes:

• They enter, "for now."
• If they refuse: sudden bad weather (fog), nightfall, pressure on urgency.

[S3] Clinical welcome

Objectives:

• Establish Kraus as a "benevolent" host (but VERY suspicious).
• Separate a PC for examination (core tension).

Atmosphere: hallway with coat hooks, dark living room, old photographs (medical school class), bookcase (treatises on neuropathology, experimental prosthetics, pre-war eugenics -- nothing explicitly Nazi on the walls).

Clues:

• Very complete first-aid kit... but rusted instruments, metal scratches on a stretcher.
• Speaker box (artificial breathing) set aside "for repair."
• Flat key marked Elec. Room on his belt.

Triggers:

• Kraus offers a saline drip and a "simple neuro test" (reflexes + weak electrical impulses "just to check").
• He isolates a PC (examination room). Once the exam has "gone wrong": "Go get some rest, bedrooms are upstairs."

Outcomes:

• The examined PC suffers tingling, a needle prick (pretext: painkiller). Effects: mild dizziness / sluggishness / short-term amnesia if you want to push harder.
• Electrical resistivity tests: gratuitous injury!
• The others go upstairs and find the infamous "other room."

[S4] The room next door

Objectives:

• Trigger the horror: recorded breathing, a "prepared" body, the first Dollface.
• Push toward exploration / flight.

Atmosphere: an overly clean room, drawn curtains, muffled regular breathing. Make sure to describe that "someone is sleeping in a bed." The principle is to unveil the horror VERY SLOWLY and inevitably.

Clues:

• Under the sheet: face removed, skull opened then closed again, brain replaced by a machine; under the bed: small pump + tiny speaker emitting the "breathing."
• Crude sutures, translucent gel, smell of metal and antiseptic.

Triggers:

• Upon leaving the room, the thing awakens: convulsions, stands up, flees at high speed, down the corridor, around a corner, out of sight, and RUNS AWAY from the players.
• The noise crackles, magnetic static.

Outcomes:

• Panic, regrouping, searching for the friend being examined.
• If immediate pursuit: corridor toward the staircase (creaking, flickering lights).

[S5] Exploration phase (sandbox house)

Objectives:

• Let the PCs search, discover rooms and clues; build pressure in waves.
• Alternate silences and intrusions (Kraus or Dollface).

Room map:

Ground floor

• Examination room: jury-rigged electrodes, blood pressure cuff, syringes (partial labels). Clue: notebook -- "muscle response under 9V erratic."
• Office (desk): paper files on "residents," topographic maps (back roads, isolated locations marked in red). Clue: newspaper clippings -- "Unexplained Disappearances."
• Kitchen: jar of hemostatic gel, smell of "cooked" meat (unidentifiable).
• Living room: old radio picking up persistent static (jammer?).
• Kraus's room: locked wardrobes; calendar with initials (dates of "procedures").

Upstairs

• Guest room A: n beds (one per player), nothing unusual -- describe it as normal as possible.
• Guest room B (the "sleeping" Dollface's): unmade bed, signs of a struggle (broken nails, torn-off button), see S4.

Basement (locked by default -- key on Kraus / hooks behind a painting / metal rod)

• Morgue: 2 empty drawers, 1 occupied drawer (body parts?), cold mist (chilled group, penalties/exhaustion).
• Workshop: inactive Dollface on the floor, cables in the thorax; "control board" blueprint; prosthetic tool case. The Dollface wakes up when the players least expect it!
• Incinerator: warm; fresh ashes (jean buttons, staples, a twisted ring).
• Electrical room: main circuit breaker, generator, jammer (kills mobile reception nearby).

Garage: see S6.

Event table (every 10-15 real minutes or every 2-3 rooms searched):

1. A Dollface passes at the end of the hallway, motionless facing the wall for 5 seconds, then sprints noisily elsewhere.
2. Lights: voltage drop, fluorescent tubes buzzing, audio static.
3. Kraus appears with a lamp, offers "sugar and water" ("blood pressure drop, I'm sure"), stays calm if not threatened.
4. A door locks behind the PCs; Kraus claims "the humidity" (a lie).

[S6] The garage

Objectives:

• Reveal that Kraus's car hit the PCs.
• Eliminate the "we take the car" solution.

Atmosphere: smell of oil, dried metallic blood, workbench, bass hum of the generator.

Clues:

• The bodywork has collision marks (height consistent with a bicycle), paint on the bumper, scratches.
• Under the hood: corpse wedged in the engine compartment (possible post-mortem mutilation).
• Torn fabric found in the body's hands (struggle).
• Keys on a pegboard (car, basement, electrical room).
• Gas can (10-15 liters).

Triggers:

• If they try to start the car: failure (engine blocked), burning smell, smoke.
• If the PCs remove the body: Dollface attracted by the heat.

Outcomes:

• Material evidence against Kraus (useful if "police" ending).
• Gas + rags = possible fire (risky weapon).

[S7] Basement & workshop

Objectives:

• Provide absolute proof (morgue, ashes, blueprints).
• Offer levers (cut power, destroy jammer, fire).

Atmosphere: cold dampness, sporadic beep of an oscillator, smell of metal and grease.

Clues:

• Files: "before/after" photos, diagrams of skulls without calvaria, notes: "non-deterministic behavior."
• Recordings: tapes labeled "BREATH-1 through 4," "HEART-LOOP" (loops meant to deceive).
• Inactive Dollface: disassemblable (you can recover a coil, speaker, blade).
• Jammer: box with a whip antenna; interrupting it allows a sliver of signal if the PCs go outside (not guaranteed).

Triggers:

• Power cut (automatic) if the PCs trip the circuit breaker: darkness + unsteadied Dollface crackle.
• Light gas (modified cooking aerosol) if the PCs force the wrong door: dizziness.

Outcomes:

• The PCs understand the plan: capture -> dissect -> "equip" -> incinerate the waste.
• Resources: tools, gasoline, circuit breaker (levers for S8-S9).

[S8] Cat and mouse (escalation)

Objectives:

• Apply time pressure.
• Force choices: set fire? sabotage? flee?

Atmosphere: short alarms, narrow corridors, slamming doors, heavy footsteps of a Dollface on the stairs.

Escalation plan (trigger when ~60-90 min have passed or after the garage/basement revelation):

1. Kraus tries to separate: locks a PC's area, speaks through the door: "Stay calm, I'm calling for help."
2. A Dollface stands motionless in front of a door -- an imperfect "guard"; suddenly leaves.
3. Localized fire (workshop) if the PCs have spilled gasoline (accidental or not).
4. Loss of a key item (lamp / first-aid kit) during a chase: dilemma -- do we go back for it?
5. Examined friend: returns staggering, constricted pupils, needle mark on the arm. They are genuinely in danger (mild poisoning / sedative).

Consequences:

• Fatigue, panic, accumulated minor injuries.
• Pressure to act now (S9).

[S9] Confrontation & tactical options

Objectives:

• Offer several credible exits.
• Let them choose their own ending.

Major options:

1. Sabotage the electricity

   • Cut the circuit breaker: the house becomes hostile (darkness, unsteadied Dollface crackle).
   • Destroy the jammer: a trickle of signal possible outside (climb to a ridge/garden).

2. Set fire

   • Gas + rags: progressive fire.
   • Incinerator overload (open hatch, stuff with paper): alarm, smoke.
   • Risk: getting trapped; smoke attracts/panics the Dollface.

3. Restrain/neutralize Kraus

   • Evidence: garage car, files, human parts.
   • Kraus is dangerous up close (box cutter, syringe, improvised stun gun), but weak if surprised/tied up.
   • He talks a lot: "I transcend death... your fears are archaic..." (stalling for time).

4. Escape through the outside

   • Kitchen window (grate), garden door, basement window well.
   • Terrain: thorns, low wall, muddy slope, BEAR TRAPS ON THE GROUND!
   • Dollface outside: hindered by total darkness and cold (slow when far from electrical/heat sources).

5. Steal the car

   • Not viable as long as the corpse blocks the engine; but they can take the papers, photos (evidence).

Dramatic triggers (pick 2-3):

• A Dollface freezes in front of a PC (20 inches away), inactive for 10 seconds... then screams (crackling + overloaded speaker) and charges the opposite wall.
• Kraus tries to administer a sedative via "inhaler" ("minty smell"): tests to resist.
• Escape route falsely "open": garden door padlocked (key in basement/garage).

[S10] Epilogues (pick / combine)

1. Out alive, house in flames

   • The PCs see the smoke at dawn; sirens in the distance (if signal was obtained).
   • Question: were there other "patients" still alive? Remorse.
   • Hook: a Dollface collapses in the ditch, speaker sputtering an old lullaby (tape found earlier).

2. Out alive, Kraus captured

   • Media trial; newspapers: "The B&B of Horror."
   • Twist: among the evidence, a workshop blueprint bearing the stamp of a medical conference from 30 years ago (network? followers?).

3. Out alive, no evidence

   • The authorities have doubts.
   • The following week: the house has burned "accidentally"; no more evidence.
   • Hook: anonymous package -- tape labeled "BREATH-3".

4. Failure / capture

   • A PC reappears later... "calm," scars at the temples, long silences.
   • At the very end: they freeze, then turn their head one notch -- crackling.

Useful tables

Dollface "unstable" behavior

1. Stands motionless, facing a wall, 1d4x10 seconds.
2. Rubs its head against metal, crackling.
3. Emits recorded breathing that is too regular (out of sync with its movements).
4. Erratic sprint for 10-15 meters, falls, gets back up.
5. Presses itself against a heat source (pot, engine), burns without reacting.
6. Attacks on contact (hands, teeth, attached tools), then stops dead after 1-2 rounds.

Tension encounters (every 20-30 min or on demand)

• A lightbulb explodes, plunging the group into darkness.
• A door slams behind them, a key turns (trap).
• Ozone smell (electricity): a Dollface is nearby.
• Whispering through a speaker: fragments of a recorded voice ("Everything's... fine...").

Resources & possible improvised gear for the PCs

• Improvised weapons: fireplace poker, crowbar, scalpel, kitchen knife, screwdriver.
• Tools: wire cutters (antennas/cables), electrical tape (sensors), hammer (locks), keys (padlocks).
• Fire: gasoline + fabric; cremation oven (dangerous).
• Electricity: cutting the circuit breaker slows/disrupts the Dollface (test to move without injuring yourself in the dark).
• Evidence: photos (if the phone eventually gets signal), files, metal plates from the "control board."

Playing Kraus

• Always calm, explains, rationalizes: "You're in shock."
• Avoids direct violence as long as possible; isolates, sedates, disorients (light, discreet gas).
• Knows the house by heart: shortcuts, duplicate keys, local circuit switches.
• If cornered: syringe (sedative), box cutter, improvised stun gun.
• Never attacks a prepared group head-on; prefers to "waste their time."

Quick map

• Ground floor: Hall -> Living room (radio) | Kitchen (garden door) | Office (desk) | Examination room (toward locked basement stairs).
• Upstairs: Room A (signs of struggle), Room B (sleeping Dollface), Kraus's room (wardrobe).
• Basement: Landing -> Morgue | Workshop (inactive Dollface) | Electrical room (breaker + jammer) | Incinerator.
• Garage: Side door from ground floor | Car | Key board | Workbench | Gas cans.

Difficulty variants

• Softer: Only 1 active Dollface, Kraus falls/gets injured early, signal accessible outside.
• Harder: 2-3 Dollface "patrols," secondary jammer in the attic, Kraus wears a filter mask (immune to gas).

Questionnaires

Player 1 -- The enthusiastic leader

1. You're the one who suggested this trip. Why this remote area in particular?
2. What promise did you make to convince everyone to come?
3. You had planned to film the outing. Why did you end up leaving the camera in the car?
4. What is your relationship with nature: fascination, escape, challenge, or nostalgia?
5. One of the group members deeply annoys you. Why?
6. What argument broke out just before departure?
7. You seem to know the local roads well... or maybe not so much?
8. What did you forget in your bag that you already regret?
9. What song has been stuck in your head since the start of the trip?
10. You convinced everyone not to bring phones because "it would feel more natural," but you forgot to charge the only working phone. Why?
11. What are you hiding behind your confident smile?
12. What is your biggest regret about a broken promise?
13. What is your name?

Player 2 -- The cautious one / the skeptic

1. You weren't keen on this trip. Why did you agree to come?
2. You know the area: what do people say about these remote roads?
3. You don't like trusting others on the road. What bad experience left its mark on you?
4. What piece of emergency gear did you insist on bringing?
5. You checked the weather before leaving: what worried you?
6. You think the others are taking this outing too lightly. Why?
7. You almost backed out at the last minute. What held you back?
8. What secret have you promised never to reveal to one of the others?
9. What smell or sound immediately puts you on edge?
10. When someone suggests a break, what always pushes you to say no?
11. What can you not stand being blamed for?
12. If everything went wrong, who would you trust to make the decisions?
13. What is your name?

Player 3 -- The funny / unstable friend

1. You came "for the laughs," but you're hiding something else. What?
2. What kind of joke do you crack right at the start of the trip?
3. You forgot an essential piece of gear. Which one?
4. What's your nickname in the group and how did you get it?
5. You hate silence. Why?
6. You don't like people looking at you too closely. What scar are you trying to hide?
7. You have a small nervous tic that the others notice quickly. What is it?
8. What is your greatest fear, the one you hide behind your humor?
9. You often talk about a recurring dream. What happens in it?
10. What sentimental object do you always carry in your bag?
11. What can't you manage to forget from your teenage years?
12. If you could disappear for a day, where would you go?
13. What is your name?

Player 4 -- The outsider / the newcomer

1. You're not used to this kind of activity. Why did you agree to come?
2. Who in the group invited you to join?
3. What do you secretly hope to find during this outing?
4. You often observe the others before acting. Why?
5. You come from a very different background. What surprises you here?
6. You hide your unease behind flawless politeness. What anxiety do you dread?
7. What trivial thing makes you strangely angry?
8. What did you notice in the landscape that nobody else saw?
9. What do you feel when the road moves away from any sign of habitation?
10. What little voice inside tells you to turn back?
11. What does your laugh sound like when you're trying to convince yourself everything is fine?
12. What image haunts you when you close your eyes?
13. What is your name?

Player 5 -- The quiet one / the observer

1. You rarely speak, but you mentally note everything. Why this habit?
2. What relationship connects you to the group leader?
3. You're carrying a heavy bag whose contents nobody knows. What's inside?
4. What smell or color takes you back to a childhood memory?
5. What did you notice was strange even before the departure?
6. You can't stand people touching your gear. Why?
7. What sound always makes you flinch, even when everything is fine?
8. You always seem to be somewhere else. Where does your mind go when you're pedaling?
9. You recognized a familiar detail on the road. What was it?
10. What do you feel when the group laughs at something you don't understand?
11. What sentence has haunted you without you knowing why?
12. If someone had to disappear, who would you miss the most?
13. What is your name?