Kylar's Manor

Kylar's Manor
Description
"You are in the front hall of Kylar's manor. A chemical scent lingers in the air. You hear a disturbing noise upstairs."
Information
Area	Town
Location	Danube Street
Owner	Kylar
Inhabitants	Kylar, their parents

Kylar's Manor is a location on Danube Street. An aged estate shrouded in mystery, it's home to Kylar and their parents - and potentially, an unwilling player.

Description

Described as "old-fashioned" in style, Kylar's manor is expansive. It houses more individual rooms than most of the game's other locations. From what the player sees of it, it consists of a garden, a kitchen, a living room, two bedrooms, and a sprawling basement. It's likely the manor is even larger, with several more rooms the player doesn't visit. The grounds of the manor are connected to the Forest, encompassing a small section of woodland.

The vast size betrays its poor condition. Years of neglect have left it in decay - the garden is overgrown, the kitchen is littered with rotting garbage, and the living room is teeming with chemical residue. The basement, where the player spends the duration of their abduction, is in severe disrepair, flooded by broken pipes and infested with rodents. Much of the player's time here will be spent getting it into a livable state.

How to Enter

To gain access to Kylar's manor, the player must develop the Stockholm Syndrome: Kylar trait during their abduction of the player. In short, build up Kylar's Lust while in captivity, then submit to them. Once the trait has been obtained, the player can enter the manor from Danube Street at any time.

The player must finish the abduction by developing Stockholm syndrome to access the manor. Any other method of escape will not allow the player to return, unless they end up kidnapped again.

People of Interest

• Kylar
• Kylar's Parents

Walkthrough

Unlike other love interests' homes, Kylar's manor does not function as a safehouse, lacking any utilities - even a place to sleep. Instead, it serves as a place to interact with Kylar away from their daytime hangouts, and a means to uncover their family's sordid fate.

Daily Tasks

The manor is separated into five sections, connected by the main hall. With the exception of Kylar's room, each section has a task for the player to complete. Each one is available once a day, resetting at midnight.

Each task builds the trust of Kylar's parents by one point, up to 100 points. See the section on "The Manor's Secret" below for the results of gaining the parents' trust, as well as each room's section for information on measuring it.

The Garden

The garden serves as the manor's entryway. Glimpsed over the course of the player's captivity, it's been taken over by weeds and thorny bushes.

The player's chore in this area is to trim the hedges (1:00). This initiates a Tending check. The player will gain Trust regardless of success; however, if they fail the check, their clothing will end up damaged (or, if they're naked, they'll scratch their skin for a slight Pain increase).

As the player gains favour with Kylar's parents, the flavour text for tending to the garden changes as follows:

• 1-19 Trust: You shiver, and see a figure watching from the manor through a window on the second story. | + Stress
• 20-39 Trust: You think you hear something behind you. It might just be the wind.
• 40-59 Trust: You catch snippets of a song, half-heard on the wind.
• 60-79 Trust: Your heart skips a beat at the sight of pale eyes, half-visible through the branches. Or did you imagine them?
• 80+ Trust: You think you see movement in your periphery, as if an arm were reaching from the hedge and helping you cut the barbs. But when you turn, nothing's there.

The Grounds

From the garden, the player can walk around the side of the manor. This leads them to the manor grounds, described as "an elevated patch of woodland full of curious mushrooms."

While there's no Trust-building chore for the player here, there is a daily task available: pick mushrooms. This initiates a Tending check of moderate difficulty; a C+ or higher will always succeed. Doing so allows the player to harvest a small batch of "ghostshrooms." These fungi sell for £2 apiece at the Connudatus Market Stall. Failure yields no mushrooms, but it will slightly increase the player's Tending.

Through the grounds, the player can also access the Forest. This path is functionally identical to entering the woods from the streets.

The Lab

Through the front hall, the player can enter the manor's "lab" - in reality, a living room overrun by an alembic and other scientific equipment. It's described with a "peppery chemical smell."

This area's chore is simply to clean (1:00). This time, a Science skill check is in place. It has the same effects as the garden's tending check. Passing has no consequence, failure results in minor clothing damage (or Stress, if the player is exposed), but either way the player will gain some Trust.

As the player gains favour with Kylar's parents, the flavour text for managing the lab changes as follows:

• 1-19 Trust: You clear some of the paper scattered on the ground. They're covered in thick blood-red chemical stains. You hope they're chemical stains, at least. | + Stress
• 20-39 Trust: You clear some of the paper scattered on the ground, storing the sheets in a cupboard. They detail complex chemical formulae. You're not sure if they're still useful to anyone.
• 40-59 Trust: You scoop a chemical sludge out of a copper alembic. The alembic itself looks like an antique, but it's too heavy to move.
• 60-79 Trust: You wipe down the walls. They're caked in a flakey orange substance, a black tar-like substance, and worse.
• 80+ Trust: The lab is much cleaner than when you arrived. This should help Kylar.

The Kitchen

Leading directly from the basement is an old-fashioned kitchen. It's full of rubbish, to the point it takes up most of the floor.

Same as the lab, the player is tasked with cleaning the kitchen (1:00). No skill check is in place here, and no stat changes will occur, save for an increase to the parents' Trust.

As the player gains favour with Kylar's parents, the flavour text for cleaning the kitchen changes as follows:

• 1-19 Trust: You clear up some of the rubbish scattered across the floor, and march it outside in several bin bags. You startle a mouse that made its home among the litter, and it startles you in turn. | + Stress
• 20-39 Trust: You check the cupboards for expired food. There's a lot. You dust the empty shelves.
• 40-59 Trust: You work on the mountain of unwashed dishes teetering on the counter. At least the taps work.
• 60-79 Trust: You wipe down the counters with a sponge, removing all sorts of gunk.
• 80+ Trust: You clean the wooden floor, though you fear you'll have to live with some of these stains.

The Parents' Room

The last of the manor's major rooms is the master bedroom, where Kylar's parents reside. With the exception of a four-poster bed - under which the parents can be found - the furniture's been reduced to splinters and torn fabric.

Here, the player can soothe Kylar's parents (1:00). Once again, there is no skill check. However, the player will always gain a small amount of Stress.

As the player gains favour with Kylar's parents, the flavour text for soothing them changes as follows:

• 1-19 Trust: There's no response.
• 20-39 Trust: There's no response, except a dismissive hiss.
• 40-59 Trust: A head rises from beneath the bed. Pale eyes observe you a moment, before it disappears once more.
• 60-79 Trust: A hand extends from beneath the bed as you talk, and rests on the sheet beside you. You touch the cold silver, and colder flesh, before it withdraws.
• 80+ Trust: A figure rises from beneath the bed, and a gaunt face greets you. It extends a handful of silver nails towards you, and strokes your skin. You don't dare move until it retreats into the dark.

The Manor's Secret

Upon reaching 100 Trust, the player will note that the manor is much more tidy than when [they] arrived, and they'll be prompted to visit Kylar in their room. Upon doing so, they'll express their gratitude for the player's service, claiming they're "not sure how to clean."

The player leads Kylar to the lab to show them how it's done, only to find Kylar's parents waiting for them. Kylar notes they're acting strange, and stand in front of the player protectively. One of the parents pulls on a ceiling light, and a hatch opens up.

When questioned by Kylar, the parents shriek and flee the room. Kylar looks up the staircase. "D-do you want to go first?" The player can do so (+ Stress) or have Kylar go first (- Love). Either way, they'll find themselves in a dusty attic.

Inside, the player finds a "bizarre monstrance." Numerous spikes of silver and bronze surround a central space, giving the impression of a sun. The metal at the top is distorted, as if someone has hacked part of it off. Bronze tendrils emerge from the base, running along the lower half of the spikes, licking them.

Kylar reacts with confusion. With the Decent History trait, they'll identify it as a "host for sacramental bread"; otherwise, they'll simply call it "some kind of religious thing." Regardless, they'll assume the temple might know more.

The explanation makes little sense to Kylar. "I didn't think my parents were religious," Kylar says as you return to the lab. "Why did they show this to us? Why now?"

The Monstrance

Sure enough, visiting the Temple and speaking to Jordan after discovering the monstrance yields a new option: inquire about the monstrance you found in Kylar's manor.

Jordan ignores the player's account of the monstrance, more concerned with the manor itself. "My child, I must caution you against returning. That building is considered profane. It is unsafe. Please open your mouth." The player can adhere to Jordan's request, or refuse.

• If the player obeys, Jordan will sigh in relief following their inspection, claiming the player to be "untainted."
• If the player refuses, Jordan strikes the player in the stomach and forces their jaws open. As with obeying, they're relieved to find the player is untainted, although they'll ask the player's forgiveness for the violation, genuinely ashamed.

After the inspection, Jordan goes on to dismiss the monstrance, but thanks the player for informing them regardless. As the player leaves, they notice a dark-cowled individual disappear down a hall.

Servants of Auriga

Following the meeting with Jordan, while walking the streets, the player will eventually run into yet another black-robed figure. They identify themselves as a member of the temple. "I was told you made an inquiry, about a certain monstrance? You found it in a manor. Tell me, what do you think of the inhabitants? Do they not frighten you?" | + Stress

The player may respond in one of four ways:

• Say there's nothing strange there - The player dismisses the question, claiming the manor's just their boy/girlfriend's house. "Is that so?" the cowled man/woman chuckles. "Then I have little of import to impart to you. Well, I shall impart it anyway!"
• Say there are monsters there, but you don't care - The player confesses the presence of "monsters," but claims that Kylar makes it worth it. "Ah!" the cowled man/woman chuckles. "Young love. Foolish love. How I miss it. I know a story about a couple, if you want to hear it."
• Say there are monsters there, and they're scary - Similar to the above, the player admits their fear, but says "it's [their] boy/girlfriend's home." "Oh," the cowled man/woman chuckles. "But it's so much worse. If only you knew."
• Say nothing - The player says nothing, and the robed figure chuckles. "Not one to speak to strangers? I understand. Perhaps you would listen?"

They go on to tell the player that Jordan was "mistaken" about the monstrance, but reassures them that the priest's soul is "pure," savouring the word. "Some years ago, old blood made friends with the servants of Auriga-" The word makes you shiver. "-though they knew it not. A couple, the owners of your boy/girlfriend's manor. They coveted our power, but did not respect that power. So they transgressed, and were punished." The player spots a glint of silver hooks under their robes. | + Stress

"It's a simple thing, if you have the tools. A blood-steeped altar. A blood red moon. Silver to prevent transmission. All in accordance with scripture." The cowled figure laughs. "They asked us to spare their child. They thought we meant to kill them there. Like some pagan rite. That would hardly be an example." | + + Stress | + + + Awareness

The player can get angry or remain silent. The cowled figure responds to both by tossing their head back and laughing. Their cowl falls, revealing a hooked nose and long, dark hair. "The manor is profane. It is unsafe. And now you know why." They disappear into the shadows, leaving the player alone.

Witnessing this scene earns the player the "Pagan Rite" feat. For now, this is the storyline's end; the player cannot relay the story to Jordan, Kylar, or anyone else. It remains to be seen what will become of it.

Gallery

The following images showcase below what the kylar manor looks like at different times of the day.

looks like at different times of the day.

• 

  dawn

• 

  day

• 

  dusk

In the Winter

• 

  dawn

• 

  dusk

• 

  night

Unlockables

• Ghostshrooms can be harvested daily from the woodlands surrounding the manor.
• Building up trust with Kylar's parents and learning the manor's full story earns the player the "Pagan Rite" feat.

Feat name	Hint	Description	Requirement	Notes	VrelCoins Added	Rank
Pagan Rite	"Discover the secret of Kylar's manor."	Be told the truth of the Monstrance by the Temple.	Requires the Stockholm Syndrome: Kylar "Learned about Kylar's parents."' After being introduced to Kylar's parents, the player can then begin cleaning up around the manor, slowly raising their trust. Once Kylar's parents' trust hits 100, the player can report the manor as clean. The player and Kylar are then lead to a hidden room in the lab and the player figures out they need to go to the Temple for more information. The player can go to Jordan for said information, but beyond learning Kylar's Manor is considered profane, they get no further details. The player, while roaming the streets, can be accosted by members of the temple who further explain what happened. They claim Jordan would not know because Jordan is too pure. After they tell the player of the Rite, this feat is obtained.	1