Prepare to be Mystified by this expansion to the award-winning TTRPG Flabbergasted! Befuddle, bewitch and bewilder your players as you learn how to craft a mystery-driven campaign to introduce into your Flabbergasted games.
In Mystified, 3 new archetypes are introduced: the Sleuth, the Explorer, and the Occultist bringing your choice to a total of 7 archetypes when combined with Flabbergasted. Each archetype will have 15 unique scene cues which are narrative-based abilities.
The Sleuth
As a Sleuth, you are always ready to crack the next case…even if no one asked you to. You’re a mystery magnet—it just seems like mysteries follow you wherever you go. And when not accidentally stumbling into a mystery, you love looking through cold cases and keeping abreast of all that is happening around town.
The Occultist
As an Occultist, you have had a close brush with some otherworldly or paranormal experience at some point in your life, and this encounter has shaped the way you look at the world. You’ve developed esoteric interests that many would baulk at as being nothing more than a bunch of hokum. But you know the truth that there are forces at play beyond our understanding.
The Explorer
As an Explorer, you have an insatiable thirst for adventure and knowledge. The notion of spending your life working behind a desk or living a quiet life bores you to tears. You crave excitement and you feel more at home carousing shanty ports in far-flung islands, exploring ancient sites, or getting your hands dirty at a dig site.Â
Three new sandbox locations are included in Mystified. Each location comes with its own map and a list of key districts and landmarks. Each location comes with a pre-written full-length campaign, so you can dive straight into running your first mystery.Â
Aside from being new backdrops to set your mystery in, each location lends itself to a distinct flavour of mystery. Â
Pembrook - Create a classic whodunnit or cosy mystery
Pembrook is an idyllic town nestled by the river, known for its picturesque scenery and close-knit community. Its cobbled streets are adorned with charming townhouses and well-manicured gardens. Pembrook is famed for its specialty bookstores, antique dealers, quaint cafes, and Mr Curly's famous fish and chip shop. Life unfolds at a leisurely pace here and not much of note happens in this sleepy town, save for the odd bake sale, art fair, and an inexplicable string of murders.
Kravenspire - Create a mystery that is steeped in the occult and the unknown
Kravenspire is a town steeped in an eerie atmosphere that is cast by Gothic architecture and the permanent layer of fog that is prevalent in this town. The town is known for academic institutions and research facilities taking residence in Kravenspire, pursuing dubious and less-than-legal endeavours. Kravenspire beckons an unsettling array of characters that are drawn to the whispers of otherworldly presences that permeate the town through rumour and legend. It is a place where the boundaries between reality and the supernatural blur, and where the pursuit of forbidden knowledge intertwines with the town's numerous mysteries.
Porto Verde - Create a mystery that is filled with adventure and daring escapades
Embark on an adventure to the island of Porto Verde, a tropical paradise that is steeped in ancient mysteries. The island is cloaked in an impenetrable jungle that would prove a challenge even to the most intrepid of explorers. The main village of Porto Verde is a ramshackle shanty port that plays host to an array of colourful characters. The port is nestled along a network of winding rivers that serve as a gateway for adventurers to navigate the uncharted depths of Porto Verde.Â
To write a mystery for Mystified, the first thing you need to do is come up with a killer hook for a premise and a series of leads and clues with interesting challenges attached to them. The book will guide you through easy-to-follow steps that will allow you to fill in the Mystery sheet.Â
The unique thing about crafting a mystery for Mystified is that...you don't have to come up with the ending. In Mystified, it's up to the players to formulate an ending with all of the clues you've left for them throughout the mystery. That way, the ending can be as wildly imaginative and satisfying as the players want it to be while keeping collaboration at the heart of the game.
Fleur Sciortino (she/her) is a freelance illustrator and designer who currently works in the Tabletop RPG sector and has previously worked in fields ranging from book and board game publishing, video game development, storyboarding for film, animation, and design agency work. Her work has been published in many international publications and has worked with clients like Penguin Random House and Scholastic.
Chelsea Sciortino (she/her) is a game designer, writer, digital marketer and co-owner of The Wanderer's Tome. She enjoys writing diverse TTRPGs focusing on storytelling, improv and comedy. She is also a warranted architect and really loves dogs.
The Wanderer’s Tome is an Ennie-nominated game design studio run by Maltese sisters Fleur and Chelsea Sciortino.
The two have a passion for all manner of tabletop roleplaying games. Together they write, produce and design lighthearted roleplaying content that's comedic, character-driven and unique in setting. They are also dedicated to creating inclusive and diverse games.
