The Downward Spiral Hotel
You're a private eye who woke up in a place that shouldn't exist: a subterranean hotel that shifts its own halls. Scavenge for resources, craft tools to survive, and uncover the conspiracy that trapped you here. Every room is a new mystery, and you're not the only guest.
0
Plays
4
Characters
7
Events
📖 Story Backstory
The introduction and setting of the world, including its history.
The world is a gritty, alternate 1940s where esoteric science and psychic phenomena are the secret obsessions of powerful shadow organizations. The 'Downward Spiral Hotel' is a clandestine prison and laboratory created by one such group, the 'Alabaster Group'. Built with non-Euclidean geometry, the hotel's layout is constantly shifting. It's a place designed to break minds and study the psychic anguish—the 'Echoes'—of its prisoners. It is not on any known map.
👥 Characters (4)
Characters in this story. You will choose who to play as when you start.
Jack Corrigan
Protagonist
A disgraced private investigator from the city, Jack was once a rising star until a case went sideways and ruined his reputation. He was investigating the disappearance of a scientist tied to the mysterious 'Alabaster Group' when he was ambushed. He is resourceful and cynical, driven by a stubborn refusal to be beaten by the world, or by this hotel.
Silas
Neutral
Her true name is unknown. 'Silas' is an alias. A corporate spy or a freelance thief, she is pragmatic to a fault. She was also investigating the Alabaster Group, looking to steal their research for a competitor. She views everyone, including Jack, as either a tool or an obstacle.
The Caretaker
Neutral
A semi-physical construct that patrols the halls of the hotel. It is not a living being but an automated enforcer of the hotel's esoteric rules. It is slow but immensely strong and relentless, drawn to loud noises and attempts to damage the hotel's structure. Its purpose is to 'tidy up' anomalies, which includes living guests.
Dr. Alistair Finch
Neutral
A former esoteric physicist for the Alabaster Group, Dr. Finch was one of the architects of the hotel's non-Euclidean engine. Plagued by guilt and paranoia, he attempted to leak information about the project and was subsequently 'retired,' becoming a prisoner in his own creation. He possesses deep knowledge of the hotel's mechanics but is crippled by fear.
⚡ Key Events (7)
Rude Awakening
The protagonist, Jack Corrigan, awakens on the floor of a dusty, windowless hotel room. The air is stale. A strange ticker-tape machine on a nearby desk begins to clatter, printing a cryptic message: 'GUEST #1301. WELCOME TO THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL. SURVIVAL IS KEY. THE KEY IS SURVIVAL.' The door is locked from the outside.
Echoes of the Past
Venturing down the corridor, Jack enters a dilapidated lounge. A ghostly, silent image flickers in the center of the room—a man in a lab coat arguing with a figure in shadow. The image dissolves, leaving a faint chill. As Jack investigates, a grotesque, vaguely humanoid shape of solidified shadow—a 'Shade'—lurches out from behind a toppled sofa.
A Fellow Guest
Following a faint sound of scraping, Jack finds the door to a large service pantry, barricaded from the inside. After a tense exchange through the door, it opens a crack to reveal a woman with sharp, suspicious eyes—Silas. She has supplies, but she's not willing to share freely, interrogating Jack to determine if he's a threat or an asset.
The Janitor's Rounds
The rhythmic, discordant jingle of keys echoes down the corridor, growing steadily louder. The air grows cold. The Caretaker is making its patrol. Its heavy, measured footsteps are a promise of implacable force. The only option is to hide or be 'tidied up'.
The Man in the Machine
Behind a door marked 'PANOPTICON' is a derelict control room, screens shattered and wires sparking. Cowering behind a bank of dead machinery is a man in a filthy lab coat, Dr. Alistair Finch. He nearly screams at Jack's intrusion, begging him to leave before 'they' find them.
The Makeshift Workshop
In a forgotten maintenance closet, a previous guest has left behind a small legacy: a workbench cluttered with scavenged parts, tools, and desperate notes. It seems possible to combine the junk found throughout the hotel into something more useful here.
The Albrecht Equation
In the library, a complex equation is scrawled across a chalkboard, left unfinished. It's the same handwriting as the Echo of the scientist, Dr. Albrecht. It seems to describe the hotel's shifting nature, but a key variable is missing, denoted only by a question mark.