ALTAR
You investigate the altar once more and to your surprise, the blood-red candle has somehow lit itself and flickers with a dark flame, casting sinister shadows on the six photos behind it. Wax drips down on the photo of Elsie beneath the candle. Clearly, this is a ritual not yet completed. You feel compelled to finish what Charles McDermott started ages ago by identifying the murderer and setting their photo aflame, but who was it? Who poisoned young Elsie, and then the rest of the household, themselves included?
Are you sure? You wouldn’t want to damn the wrong spirit! If you’re sure, enter the special codeword here to proceed:
The candle has somehow lit itself, but the flame emits an unnatural dark light. Blood-red wax is dripping onto the photo of Elsie beneath it, obscuring her visage and setting a dark tone to the atmosphere. As you stare at the flame, a metallic taste fills your mouth. Your mind slowly starts to cloud over until you shut your eyes and turn away, the horrid symptoms dissipating instantly.
You look down at the marks worn into the table by the elbows of a father unable to abandon the restless soul of his daughter. A viscous red liquid starts to pool in the worn divots, overflowing and running down in streams towards the edge of the altar. As it drips to the floor, the coppery odor hits you – blood! You quickly wipe your hand across your eyes in disbelief and… the blood is gone. Nothing remains of the supernatural occurrence you just witnessed apart from the never-fading marks on the altar where Charles McDermott sat his elbows night after night in his never-ending search for the truth.
There are six photos surrounding the candle in the center. You recognize them as the six other victims of the McDermott House deaths. They have been labeled as if they were suspects in a murder. Choose a photo to recall what you know about them:
There’s not much in the case file on this guy. He called himself “Otto” and he had been hanging around town for about a week before the deaths happened. His business was selling toys, specifically girls’ dolls. Nothing confirming his identity was ever found, and it’s widely assumed that he was using an alias, but to what end remains a mystery. Otto had been seen canvassing the area just a day prior, and may have even stopped in at the McDermott residence. Otto’s car, with a trunk full of inventory, was found parked at the house, with no sign of the McDermott family’s vehicle. This baffled the authorities at first, until the McDermott family’s car was found broken down just a mile down the road, heading into town. Based on witness reports, it’s believed that Otto gave the McDermotts a lift back to the house just as a severe storm began to roll in. As a thank you, Otto was likely invited into the house for some refreshments and shelter, not to mention a prime opportunity to peddle his wares. His body was found collapsed on the floor, poisoned to death, another good deed not gone unpunished.
Aunt Jane was perhaps the most renowned victim of the fabled McDermott Curse, tragically punctuated with her untimely death along with the others that fateful night. What was the McDermott Curse? As much as you can surmise, just a handful of bad fortunes that seemed to follow the family around. Jane had married a handsome young man with a promising career, and together they had borne a daughter, Rose. Their happiness was short lived, however, as on the day that Rose turned four years old, her father, Jane’s husband, was killed in a head-on collision. Distraught, Jane and Rose moved to be closer to Jane’s brother and his family. Not even a full year later, however, the McDermott Curse reared its ugly head once more. While at the park with Charles and his family, Rose was kidnapped – never to be seen again. The only evidence left behind was a sinister note which chillingly taunted, “The curse is coming to get you all.” Naturally, Jane fell into a deep despair. Her brother convinced her to move in with him and his family at the McDermott House. It took a year, but slowly yet surely, Jane recovered. Having her brother’s family helped, and while her life could never be the same, it wasn’t without purpose anymore. The “Curse”, however, was relentless, and on the same evening as the others, she succumbed to death by poison. Her body was found slumped in a chair, her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling.
Virgil Weber was 14 years old when he died of poisoning on that tragic night. As you recall, he was not a McDermott by blood, but rather the son of Mrs. Vera McDermott and her previous, late, husband. Virgil was somewhat of a problem child, often getting into scuffles at school and never really getting along well with any of the other children. At home, he mostly kept to himself, passing the time with what was described as his favorite hobby, writing. He was there the day Rose, Aunt Jane’s daughter, was taken. By his account, he had been playing hide and seek in the park with Elsie and Rose when they suddenly found themselves unable to find Aunt Jane’s daughter. The only thing out of the ordinary he could recall was having seen a strange man in a black hat strolling by during their games. Virgil’s body was found in the corner of the room, sitting with his back against the wall, an expression of horror written on his face.
The neighbor, an elderly woman by the name of Birdie, lived a two minute walk down the road away from town. Her father had built and lived in the McDermott house long before Charles McDermott settled his family there. It was widely known that Birdie regretted losing the house, but following the death of her father and some rotten financial mishaps, she had been forced to sell the property ages ago. Nevertheless, she was a common “guest” at the door of the McDermott’s, incessantly showing up to lodge complaints against the children of the house whom she believed had been stealing various items from her own home down the road. It is not known what she was doing at the McDermott house the night of the murders, but like the others, she was found poisoned to death in a ghastly fashion, her body face down in the hall of the house in which she had grown up.
As was common during the times, Charles McDermott rented out a spare room of the house to those needing it in exchange for some extra income. At the time, the spare room was being inhabited by a man named Emmett. He was a mysterious man, but quiet, clean, and respectful. Interviews with the townsfolk had said Emmett was popular with Elsie and her friends for the riddles and word games he’d play with them. Mrs. McDermott, it seemed, hadn’t approved of the kids becoming so close to the relative stranger in their house. Charles McDermott, however, saw nothing ill about the relationship, and was rather quite thankful for the free entertainment given to Elsie. Witnesses who visited the McDermotts noted that Emmett, who had been at the house for about a year, had grown quite reclusive in the days leading up to the deaths, so much so that some of Mrs. McDermott’s friends had prematurely congratulated her on finally getting rid of the “creepy drifter”. They weren’t far off, however, as Emmett’s body was found just outside his room, poisoned and lifeless, his hand still gripping his luggage – packed and ready to go.
Vera McDermott (formerly Vera Weber), will be forever remembered as the town beauty, and from her picture, rightfully so. Despite losing her first husband, Virgil’s father, so early in their marriage, reports indicate she found new happiness with Charles McDermott. Theirs was apparently a whirlwind romance, with him returning from what was supposed to be a business trip with a new bride and her young son in tow. Elsie was, by all accounts, instantly infatuated with her glamorous stepmother and even her stoic new brother. Little was reported on Mrs. McDermott’s life before marrying Charles, but it seemed to have taken some time for Vera to adjust to the quiet life of McDermott House, and some townsfolk had even referred to her as standoffish and haughty with anyone that wasn’t Charles. Despite the coolness she was attributed with, she must have been a warm hostess at the very least. Her body was found collapsed, poisoned to death, on the floor by the serving tray with a shattered porcelain teapot in pieces beside her.
The candle has somehow lit itself, but the flame emits an unnatural dark light. Blood-red wax is dripping onto the photo of Elsie beneath it, obscuring her visage and setting a dark tone to the atmosphere. As you stare at the flame, a metallic taste fills your mouth. Your mind slowly starts to cloud over until you shut your eyes and turn away, the horrid symptoms dissipating instantly.
There’s not much in the case file on this guy. He called himself “Otto” and he had been hanging around town for about a week before the deaths happened. His business was selling toys, specifically girls’ dolls. Nothing confirming his identity was ever found, and it’s widely assumed that he was using an alias, but to what end remains a mystery. Otto had been seen canvassing the area just a day prior, and may have even stopped in at the McDermott residence. Otto’s car, with a trunk full of inventory, was found parked at the house, with no sign of the McDermott family’s vehicle. This baffled the authorities at first, until the McDermott family’s car was found broken down just a mile down the road, heading into town. Based on witness reports, it’s believed that Otto gave the McDermotts a lift back to the house just as a severe storm began to roll in. As a thank you, Otto was likely invited into the house for some refreshments and shelter, not to mention a prime opportunity to peddle his wares. His body was found collapsed on the floor, poisoned to death, another good deed not gone unpunished.
Aunt Jane was perhaps the most renowned victim of the fabled McDermott Curse, tragically punctuated with her untimely death along with the others that fateful night. What was the McDermott Curse? As much as you can surmise, just a handful of bad fortunes that seemed to follow the family around. Jane had married a handsome young man with a promising career, and together they had borne a daughter, Rose. Their happiness was short lived, however, as on the day that Rose turned four years old, her father, Jane’s husband, was killed in a head-on collision. Distraught, Jane and Rose moved to be closer to Jane’s brother and his family. Not even a full year later, however, the McDermott Curse reared its ugly head once more. While at the park with Charles and his family, Rose was kidnapped – never to be seen again. The only evidence left behind was a sinister note which chillingly taunted, “The curse is coming to get you all.” Naturally, Jane fell into a deep despair. Her brother convinced her to move in with him and his family at the McDermott House. It took a year, but slowly yet surely, Jane recovered. Having her brother’s family helped, and while her life could never be the same, it wasn’t without purpose anymore. The “Curse”, however, was relentless, and on the same evening as the others, she succumbed to death by poison. Her body was found slumped in a chair, her lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling.
Virgil Weber was 14 years old when he died of poisoning on that tragic night. As you recall, he was not a McDermott by blood, but rather the son of Mrs. Vera McDermott and her previous, late, husband. Virgil was somewhat of a problem child, often getting into scuffles at school and never really getting along well with any of the other children. At home, he mostly kept to himself, passing the time with what was described as his favorite hobby, writing. He was there the day Rose, Aunt Jane’s daughter, was taken. By his account, he had been playing hide and seek in the park with Elsie and Rose when they suddenly found themselves unable to find Aunt Jane’s daughter. The only thing out of the ordinary he could recall was having seen a strange man in a black hat strolling by during their games. Virgil’s body was found in the corner of the room, sitting with his back against the wall, an expression of horror written on his face.
The neighbor, an elderly woman by the name of Birdie, lived a two minute walk down the road away from town. Her father had built and lived in the McDermott house long before Charles McDermott settled his family there. It was widely known that Birdie regretted losing the house, but following the death of her father and some rotten financial mishaps, she had been forced to sell the property ages ago. Nevertheless, she was a common “guest” at the door of the McDermott’s, incessantly showing up to lodge complaints against the children of the house whom she believed had been stealing various items from her own home down the road. It is not known what she was doing at the McDermott house the night of the murders, but like the others, she was found poisoned to death in a ghastly fashion, her body face down in the hall of the house in which she had grown up.
As was common during the times, Charles McDermott rented out a spare room of the house to those needing it in exchange for some extra income. At the time, the spare room was being inhabited by a man named Emmett. He was a mysterious man, but quiet, clean, and respectful. Interviews with the townsfolk had said Emmett was popular with Elsie and her friends for the riddles and word games he’d play with them. Mrs. McDermott, it seemed, hadn’t approved of the kids becoming so close to the relative stranger in their house. Charles McDermott, however, saw nothing ill about the relationship, and was rather quite thankful for the free entertainment given to Elsie. Witnesses who visited the McDermotts noted that Emmett, who had been at the house for about a year, had grown quite reclusive in the days leading up to the deaths, so much so that some of Mrs. McDermott’s friends had prematurely congratulated her on finally getting rid of the “creepy drifter”. They weren’t far off, however, as Emmett’s body was found just outside his room, poisoned and lifeless, his hand still gripping his luggage – packed and ready to go.
Vera McDermott (formerly Vera Weber), will be forever remembered as the town beauty, and from her picture, rightfully so. Despite losing her first husband, Virgil’s father, so early in their marriage, reports indicate she found new happiness with Charles McDermott. Theirs was apparently a whirlwind romance, with him returning from what was supposed to be a business trip with a new bride and her young son in tow. Elsie was, by all accounts, instantly infatuated with her glamorous stepmother and even her stoic new brother. Little was reported on Mrs. McDermott’s life before marrying Charles, but it seemed to have taken some time for Vera to adjust to the quiet life of McDermott House, and some townsfolk had even referred to her as standoffish and haughty with anyone that wasn’t Charles. Despite the coolness she was attributed with, she must have been a warm hostess at the very least. Her body was found collapsed, poisoned to death, on the floor by the serving tray with a shattered porcelain teapot in pieces beside her.