this is gunna be good, i hope
I'm ready! Gather around - the wind is picking up outside, and we don't have much time.
The heavy wooden door of the research station slams shut behind you, cutting off the Antarctic wind. Inside Elias Blackwood's study, oil lamps flicker against frost-covered windows. Papers are scattered across a massive oak desk, and there's still warmth from a dying fire in the stone hearth.
An overturned chair sits beside the desk, and a half-eaten meal grows cold on a tin plate. Most unnervingly, the brass compass mounted on the wall spins slowly, continuously - never settling on magnetic north.
Through the static of the emergency radio, you hear a crackled voice: "Rescue team... storm front moving fast... you have maybe sixty minutes before we lose you too..."
You're here to find Cartographer Elias Blackwood and discover what happened to him. The blizzard is closing in, and you need to activate the emergency beacon to signal for extraction before you're trapped here forever.
The study stretches before you - where do you want to start looking?
CURRENT OBJECTIVE: Locate Elias Blackwood
STORM ARRIVAL: ~60 minutes
RADIO STATUS: Emergency frequency active
are there any doors here?
…
I think we need to say somethign special to make the computer understand we are talking to it
…
computer, can you hear us?
…
control
Yes! Looking around the study, you see two wooden doors besides the one you entered through. One door to your left has a brass nameplate reading "CARTOGRAPHY ROOM" - it's slightly ajar and you can see rolled maps inside. The other door, straight ahead past the fireplace, appears to lead deeper into the station and is marked with a hand-painted sign: "COMMUNICATIONS."
The main study itself is filled with Blackwood's research materials scattered everywhere.
control, we’re going to also call you computer, okay?
Understood! You can call me either "CONTROL" or "COMPUTER" - both will get my attention when you need information or want to investigate something.
The wind outside is getting stronger, rattling the frost-covered windows.
they said it is like an escape room, but the whole thing is verbal or imaginary, so maybe it is not just one room
…
computer, we go through the carto room
You push through the door into the Cartography Room. The space is cramped but organized, with tall wooden shelves lined with map tubes and a large drafting table in the center. Several maps are already unrolled and pinned down - but something's wrong with them.
One map shows the Antarctic coastline, but there's an additional landmass drawn in red ink that shouldn't exist. Blackwood's handwriting in the margin reads: "Day 12: Confirmed - this is real. Coordinates don't match any known geography."
A magnifying glass sits beside a star chart that's been heavily annotated, and you notice a locked wooden case underneath the table.
computer, we use the mag glass to examine the map cloer
Using the magnifying glass on the red-ink landmass, you discover intricate details that weren't visible before. Blackwood has drawn tiny symbols scattered across this impossible continent - they look like constellation patterns, but arranged in geometric shapes that seem to shift when you're not looking directly at them.
In barely legible handwriting along the coast of this mystery land, you can make out: "Entry point - star position critical" and what appears to be a set of coordinates: "71°S, 112°W - but only when Polaris aligns with..."
The rest is smudged and unreadable.
heh, i wonder how they do that shifting trick in a real escape room. computer we take note of the coords
…
DISCOVERED CLUES:
Mystery landmass coordinates: 71°S, 112°W
Note: "Only when Polaris aligns with..."
Constellation symbols on landmass
Star chart requires further investigation
STORM ARRIVAL: ~55 minutes
let’s look at the star chart
computer, let's look at the star chart
sorry, yeah
The star chart is covered in Blackwood's frantic annotations. Unlike a normal astronomical chart showing Earth's night sky, this one has been modified - several constellations have been connected with red lines forming a triangular pattern.
At the center of this triangle, Blackwood has written "ALIGNMENT WINDOW - 23:47" and drawn arrows pointing to three specific stars: Polaris, Vega, and what he's labeled as "The Breach Star" with a question mark.
Most disturbing is a note scrawled along the bottom: "When these three align, the radio telescope can see THROUGH. Blackwood Protocol must be initiated."
The locked wooden case under the table is shaking slightly, as if something inside is responding to your examination of the chart.
computer, we note the time, then examine the case
…
DISCOVERED CLUES:
Mystery landmass coordinates: 71°S, 112°W
Alignment time: 23:47
Triangle pattern: Polaris, Vega, "Breach Star"
Note: "Blackwood Protocol must be initiated"
STORM ARRIVAL: ~50 minutes
The wooden case is about the size of a jewelry box, with brass corner reinforcements. It has a three-digit combination lock, but the numbers have been worn smooth from use. As you handle it, you notice it's definitely vibrating - almost humming - and it seems to pulse in rhythm with the spinning compass back in the main study.
Etched into the wood lid is a small constellation pattern that matches one of the symbols you saw on the impossible landmass.
fuck, I can’t remember who Blackwell is, Wood, whatever
…
we need some kind of key
…
computer, what other inspectable thigsn are ther ein the cartography room?
Looking around the Cartography Room more carefully, you spot several other items: A brass telescope mounted on a swivel stand near the window, currently pointed toward the ceiling. Multiple map tubes in the shelves - most labeled with normal Antarctic regions, but one marked "PERSONAL - E.B." in red wax.
On the wall hangs an old photograph of three men in expedition gear, and beside the drafting table sits a leather-bound journal with "FIELD NOTES" embossed on the cover, left open to pages covered in coordinates and sketches.
A brass key hangs from a chain near the window, but it's frozen to the glass by a thick layer of ice.
computer, we used the key from the chain on the case
The key is frozen solid to the window glass. You'll need to find a way to melt the ice before you can remove it.
The fire in the main study is still giving off some heat, and there might be other ways to warm it up around the station.
oh, okay, computer tell us about teh PERSONAL EB thing
You pull out the map tube marked "PERSONAL - E.B." and unroll it carefully. Inside is a hand-drawn map of the research station itself, but with modifications Blackwood has made over time.
He's marked secret passages and noted: "Hidden room behind communications - emergency protocols stored there." There's also a route marked in blue ink leading from the main study fireplace to what he's labeled "GENERATOR - manual restart required for full power."
Most importantly, near the communications room he's drawn a large radio telescope with the notation: "Alignment apparatus - requires THREE inputs: frequency, coordinates, and power boost."
The map shows this station is much larger than it appears from just these two rooms.
computer, update the notes with these requirements, then take us to the comm room
DISCOVERED CLUES:
Mystery landmass coordinates: 71°S, 112°W
Alignment time: 23:47
Triangle pattern: Polaris, Vega, "Breach Star"
Blackwood Protocol must be initiated
RADIO TELESCOPE REQUIREMENTS:
- Frequency (unknown)
- Coordinates (71°S, 112°W)
- Power boost (generator restart needed)
STORM ARRIVAL: ~45 minutes
You enter the Communications Room and immediately see the large radio telescope Blackwood mentioned - it's an impressive brass and steel contraption pointing out through a hinged window panel. The main radio console crackles with static, and there are three distinct control panels: one for frequency adjustment, one for directional coordinates, and a third labeled "POWER AMPLIFIER" that's currently showing red warning lights.
On the desk beside the radio lies an open logbook with Blackwood's final entry, and you notice a hidden panel in the wall that's slightly ajar - just as his personal map indicated.
computer, my character is a telescope expert, is it a brand I recognize?
Examining the telescope more closely, you recognize it as a modified Zeiss refractor - probably a 1918 model - but someone has extensively customized it with additional brass fittings and what appears to be a primitive radio transceiver attachment.
The modifications are impressive but irregular, suggesting field work rather than factory precision. Most unusually, there's a crystalline element mounted in the eyepiece assembly that definitely wasn't part of the original German engineering - it pulses with a faint inner light.
Compy (we call you Compy now), examine the hidden panel thing
…
Computer, acknowledge your new name.
Acknowledged! You can call me "COMPY" now - that works perfectly fine.
Sliding open the hidden panel reveals a small emergency chamber just big enough for one person to crouch inside. Emergency supplies line the walls: water, medical kit, and most importantly, a backup radio unit with a hand-crank generator.
Mounted on the back wall is a metal plate with instructions etched into it: "BLACKWOOD PROTOCOL: In case of dimensional breach, broadcast on frequency 147.73 MHz toward coordinates of anomaly. Power must exceed 500 watts. Seal all access points immediately after transmission."
Beside the instructions, a small glass vial containing what looks like phosphorescent powder sits in a metal bracket.
nice, that’s the frequency clue we need for later. for the power i don’t thikn the hand crank thing will be enough
…
compy, examine the bracket stuff
The glass vial contains a fine, silvery-blue powder that seems to move on its own, swirling slowly even though the vial is perfectly still. A label reads "Sample 7 - BREACH MATERIAL - DO NOT OPEN WITHOUT CONTAINMENT."
The metal bracket it sits in has copper wiring that connects to the backup radio, suggesting this powder somehow amplifies the signal. However, there's a prominent warning tag: "REQUIRES MINIMUM 500 WATTS BASE POWER TO SAFELY CONTAIN REACTION."
This confirms you'll need to get the main generator running - the hand-crank backup alone won't be enough to handle whatever this mysterious powder does.
compy, what else is in the room?
Looking around the rest of the Communications Room, you see a workbench covered with radio parts and tools, including a soldering iron that's still slightly warm. Above it hangs a chart showing radio frequencies used by various Antarctic research stations.
Near the main radio console, there's a logbook open to Blackwood's final entry, and beside it sits a coffee mug that's somehow still steaming despite Blackwood being missing for hours.
Most notable is a heavy steel door marked "GENERATOR ACCESS" with multiple warning signs, and what appears to be a large wall map of the surrounding area with several locations marked with red X's.
The modified telescope can be rotated and adjusted from here, currently pointing at an odd angle toward the horizon rather than up at the stars.
maybe we can use the hand-cranked genertor to power the iron enough to melt the ice to free that key in the other room
…
compy, can we do that?
That's a clever idea! The soldering iron only needs a small amount of power, and you could definitely use the hand-crank generator to run it for a few minutes.
You'll need to bring the iron back to the Cartography Room where the key is frozen to the window. The hand-crank setup would give you just enough juice to heat the iron and melt that ice without needing the main generator running.
It's a practical solution that should work perfectly for freeing that key.
compy, make it so
You disconnect the soldering iron and carry it along with the hand-crank generator back to the Cartography Room. After a few minutes of vigorous cranking, the iron heats up enough to carefully melt the ice around the frozen key.
The ice hisses and steams as it melts, and the brass key drops free into your hand - it's still cold but no longer stuck to the window.
As you work, you hear a distant mechanical rumbling from somewhere deeper in the station, followed by the sound of something large powering down. The lights dim slightly throughout the building.
You now have the key that should open the locked wooden case under the drafting table.
compy, open the case
You insert the brass key into the case's lock and turn it - the mechanism clicks smoothly and the lid opens with a soft creak.
Inside, nestled in red velvet, sits an intricate brass astrolabe with three rotating rings marked with constellation symbols. At its center is a small crystalline compass that points toward the same corner of the room where you noticed the main compass spinning earlier.
Beneath the astrolabe, there's a folded piece of paper with coordinates written in Blackwood's handwriting: "Generator Manual Override: Follow the magnetic anomaly readings. Power junction located 23 paces from spinning compass bearing."
The astrolabe itself seems to be vibrating in harmony with whatever's causing the compasses to behave strangely.
time check
DISCOVERED CLUES:
Mystery landmass coordinates: 71°S, 112°W
Alignment time: 23:47
Triangle pattern: Polaris, Vega, "Breach Star"
Blackwood Protocol must be initiated
Frequency: 147.73 MHz
Generator location: 23 paces from spinning compass bearing
STORM ARRIVAL: ~35 minutes
The wind outside is howling louder now, and you can hear snow pelting against the windows with increasing intensity. Time is running short.
copy, we follow the indicate path to the power junction
Following the astrolabe's crystalline compass and the spinning wall compass, you pace out 23 steps from the main study. This leads you to what initially appears to be a solid wooden wall, but pressing against it reveals it's actually a hidden door that swings inward.
Beyond is a narrow maintenance corridor lit by a single flickering bulb. The sound of machinery grows louder as you follow the passage, which opens into a small generator room dominated by a large diesel engine that's currently silent and cold.
A control panel shows multiple red warning lights, and there's a manual restart procedure posted on the wall. However, the startup sequence requires three safety keys to be inserted simultaneously - and you can only see two keys hanging on hooks nearby.
The temperature in here is noticeably warmer, suggesting this room was recently operational.
compy, how many keys we have?
You currently have one key - the brass key you freed from the ice in the Cartography Room.
In this generator room, you can see two additional keys hanging on hooks near the control panel. So you have access to all three keys needed for the startup sequence, but the procedure requires all three to be turned at the same time.
You'll need at least two other people to help you execute the simultaneous restart, or find another way to turn all three keys together.
there are two actual players in the room, compy, we have enough hands to do it all by hand here
Perfect! With three people, you can each take one key. You insert the brass key you found along with the two keys from the hooks into their respective positions on the control panel.
On the count of three, you all turn your keys simultaneously. The generator roars to life with a deep mechanical rumble, and the red warning lights shift to green. Throughout the station, you hear the hum of full electrical power being restored.
Suddenly, the lights brighten significantly, and from the Communications Room you hear the main radio crackling with much stronger signal strength. The telescope's crystalline element begins glowing more intensely.
The power boost requirement for the radio telescope has been satisfied - you now have the 500+ watts needed for the Blackwood Protocol.
review the requirements on the screen
RADIO TELESCOPE REQUIREMENTS:
✓ Frequency: 147.73 MHz (COMPLETE)
✓ Coordinates: 71°S, 112°W (COMPLETE)
✓ Power boost: 500+ watts (COMPLETE - Generator Running)
BLACKWOOD PROTOCOL READY TO EXECUTE
Alignment time: 23:47
Warning: Must broadcast toward anomaly coordinates to seal breach
STORM ARRIVAL: ~30 minutes
All three requirements are now satisfied! You can return to the Communications Room to set up the radio telescope and execute the Blackwood Protocol.
compy, okay, we go back to the comm room and check out the telescope situation again
Back in the Communications Room with full power restored, the radio telescope setup looks much more active. The crystalline element in the eyepiece is now pulsing with bright blue light, and the main console displays are all operational.
The frequency dial can now be precisely set to 147.73 MHz, and the coordinate adjustment system is powered and responsive. However, you notice the telescope is still pointing at the wrong angle - it needs to be aligned to the coordinates 71°S, 112°W, which means pointing it toward that impossible landmass Blackwood discovered.
The mysterious powder vial from the hidden chamber is still needed to complete the amplification setup - its bracket has a clear insertion slot in the main radio console that's now glowing, ready to accept it.
Through the telescope window, you can see the storm clouds building ominously on the horizon.
compy, we put the thing in the thing to finish the thing
You carefully remove the phosphorescent powder vial from its bracket and insert it into the glowing slot on the main radio console. The moment it clicks into place, the entire system hums with power and the silvery-blue powder begins swirling rapidly.
The radio telescope's crystalline element flares brightly, and suddenly you can hear Blackwood's voice crackling through the speakers: "If you're hearing this... the breach is active. The alignment window at 23:47 will seal it, but someone must stay to complete the transmission. The beacon will guide rescue away from the anomaly zone."
The time on the radio display shows 23:46. You have one minute to point the telescope at the coordinates and activate the emergency beacon.
The powder vial is now glowing intensely, and you can feel reality itself seeming to bend around the telescope.
fuck, we need to use the star charts or whatever now
…
compy, explain the star chart again
Looking back at the star chart, you need to align the telescope so that Polaris, Vega, and the mysterious "Breach Star" form the triangular pattern Blackwood mapped out.
The chart shows this alignment points directly toward the coordinates 71°S, 112°W - but only at exactly 23:47. You can see through the telescope's eyepiece that two of the three stars are already visible, but you need to adjust the telescope's angle to bring the third "Breach Star" into the triangular formation.
The telescope's coordinate dials are responsive now - you can input the 71°S, 112°W coordinates directly, but the final alignment requires matching the star pattern Blackwood discovered.
The radio display shows 23:46:30... time is almost up.
compy, we need a clue
As the seconds tick by at 23:46:45, you notice the astrolabe you found in the wooden case! Its three rotating rings match the constellation symbols from Blackwood's chart.
If you align the astrolabe's rings to match the triangular pattern from the star chart - Polaris, Vega, and the Breach Star - the astrolabe itself points exactly where you need to aim the telescope.
23:46:50... the powder vial is pulsing faster, and through the static you hear: "Use the astrolabe... it shows the way through..."
Quickly align the astrolabe and point the telescope in the direction it indicates!
yeah yeah super fast we do that, compy, we do it
You frantically align the astrolabe's rings - click, click, CLICK - the three constellation symbols lock into perfect triangular formation! Following its direction, you swing the telescope around and input the coordinates just as the radio display hits 23:47:00.
FLASH!
The crystalline element blazes with blinding light, and Blackwood's final transmission crackles through: "BREACH SEALED! Emergency beacon activated on rescue frequency. You've saved them all... tell them Blackwood made it home, just not the way I planned."
The impossible landmass on the maps begins fading, the compasses stop spinning, and the emergency beacon starts broadcasting your location on a clear rescue frequency.
Through the howling storm, you hear the distant sound of helicopter rotors approaching. The station shudders, but holds together.
You've successfully completed the Blackwood Protocol and saved both yourselves and future expeditions from the dimensional breach. Well done!
compy, what year is it in the story?
The story is set in the 1920s - I mentioned it at the beginning with the "1920s explorer's study" and referenced the modified telescope as "probably a 1918 model" Zeiss refractor.
However, I realize I may have created some anachronisms with the helicopter rescue at the end - helicopters weren't really used for Antarctic rescue operations until much later. In the 1920s, it would have been more accurate to have dog sleds, tracked vehicles, or possibly an early aircraft coming to rescue you.
Good catch on the historical detail!
use svg to gimme a map here
gg, compy.
gg! That was a fantastic run - you solved it with time to spare and really got into the spirit of the verbal escape room format. The teamwork on the three-key generator startup was perfect, and I loved how you immediately picked up on using the soldering iron to free the frozen key.
Hope that was as fun to play as it was to run! The 1920s Antarctic setting with the dimensional breach twist seemed to hit the right balance of mystery and urgency.
Ready for another adventure anytime! 🧭❄️
