I really like the idea of actually playing this game with a group of nerdy hypnosis enthusiasts. It's sort of like Dungeons & Dragons, except with really simplified rules. The adventures are designed to hypnotize the players and the characters. And the reader too, yes that means you. You're encouraged to play along and slip into the world of Trials and Trances.
*****
Trials and Trances
The beginning of our adventure was not very memorable. We created our characters, and described how they met at the Deepwater tavern. I created Alphina, a smart and sexy elven maiden on a quest to find her missing sister. Brad created Rungar, a strong and surly dwarf on a quest to earn some gold pieces to repay his ever growing bar tab. Jeff created Jolleff, a perfectly average human on a quest to find some motivation. Jeff was not the most creative person, but he was good at games.
Danielle took control of things from there, and drew us deep into a magical adventure. She said that she would run the game because her initials are 'D M'. We couldn't think of any way to refute that logic, and none of us wanted to. DM just has a way with words. Once she starts talking you can't help but go along with whatever it is she's saying.
Back at the Deepwater tavern, our characters met an enchanting sorceress, who told them about an evil illusionist that lives on the outskirts of town. She told us to travel to the illusionist's manor and confront them. We don't remember exactly what she said after that. We were too busy staring into the shiny gemstone that she offered as payment. It was something about people venturing into the manor and losing their will completely to the illusionist's spell.
We travelled to the illusionist's manor that night as the sun began to set. The thick and foggy night air restricted our vision. The moisture in that air clung to our clothing and coated our skin in a cool relaxing layer. Somewhere in the distance, a pack of unseen ravens cawed at one another.
Our first challenge was a large and heavy gate set into the outer wall of the manor. Rungar approached the gate and tried to push it open. "
Roll me a physical check,
" said DM. Brad rolled four dice, but not a single one of them landed on a four or higher.
"
Tough luck,
" DM commented. "
No successes on a difficulty three check. You manage to push the massive door inwards, but the effort saps you of your strength. Every muscle in your body feels tired and heavy. Your consciousness level drops down three steps. Count them down for me.
"
Brad counted down from ten to eight, describing how each step affected him. I don't remember exactly what he said. I think that's one of the rules of this game. We only experience what's happening to our own character, and only keep track of our own consciousness level. I probably shouldn't have noticed Rungar's consciousness dropping to, um, whatever it was at. The more I focused on the game, the less I noticed the things I wasn't supposed to know.
Beyond the gate we encountered a massive hedge maze filled with twisting turning passages that looped and spiraled back on one another. We agreed to just keep turning left, in hopes that eventually we would reach the center.
"
The twisting turning passages daze and disorient your mind,
" DM explained. "
You come to a four way split and think 'Have we been before? Are we looping back to the same place again and again or are we delving deeper into the labyrinth?' It's so hard to tell, so hard to focus on anything through the fog. I need each of you to make a mental check.
"
This time I was the unlucky one who failed the check. Jeff rolled a four and a five, getting two successes on just two dice. Brad lucked out and rolled a six, getting two successes despite having only one point in his mental stat. I rolled three dice, but couldn't come up with a single success. DM told me that my consciousness level dropped two steps.
"
Ten,
" I began, "
feeling it all begin to drift away. Nine, reality is starting to fade as I slowly drift, deeper down.
"
Jolleff pulled out his dagger, cut a branch from the hedge, and left it at the intersection. He continued marking every intersection this way, using branches to indicate which paths we had traveled down. Eventually we realized that turning left brought us in a big loop around the perimeter. In order to go deeper into the maze we had to turn right.
That's when we stumbled across the fountain. The statue in the center depicted a beautiful naked elven maiden down on all fours. A dwarf stood behind her with his hips pressed firmly against her ass. He was clearly grunting in pleasure. A human stood in front of her and held her head inches from the bulge in his crotch. Her face was locked in a hungry stare. His was smiling in pleasant anticipation.
"
The water flowing from her luscious tits looks so crisp and refreshing,
" said DM. "
You're all so thirsty from your travels, and you'd love to take a drink. I need each of you to make a willpower check.
"
Willpower is Alphina's weakest attribute. Fortunately I managed to roll a success on a single die. Unfortunately the check was difficulty three.
"
You can't help but drink deeply from the fountain,
" DM explained. "
As the sweet intoxicating water reaches your lips, you realize that the statue bears an uncanny resemblance to Alphina, Rungar, and Jolleff. You grow more and more aroused as your body absorbs the pheromones in the water. You wonder what it would feel like to act out the lewd scene depicted on the statue. You can't resist acting on those desires. Alphina's consciousness level drops down another two steps.
"
"
Eight,
" I continued, barely aware that Brad was also counting down. "
Thoughts are forming slower now in my hazy foggy mind. Seven. Feeling my body relax as I continue to sink, deeper down.
"
"
Alphina strips off her blouse, drops to all fours and starts begging,
