The Buried By Bob McGough

Instruments: 1d6, Deck of Cards, Tumbling Tower





Game Description 


Deep below the earth, you and your fellow miners have found a door. When attempting to blow it up, you cause a cave-in, trapping you far below the surface. Will you find your way out? Or will the starvation, the darkness, the miners or that thing you unleasked get you first?



Game Content Warnings 

These are content warnings that are from the game prompts and are present in all playthroughs.





Playthrough Content Warnings 

These are content warnings specific to this playthrough only.



Game Playthrough

Word Count: 3,123     Played: Nov 26, 2020

A/N: For each card you can decide if you have your light on to negate certain effects.





Entry 1, Day 1


Initial Tower Roll: 6


Copied From Game


My name is We-Dream-Openly-of-The-Night-Sky. I survived a cave-in in Tunnel No.7. I think I may be the only survivor. As I am unsure of rescue, I have decided to follow this tunnel I have found myself in, and try to find a way to the surface. If you find this, I didn’t make it, but you will at least know why. Tell my father, I-Know-Only-Of-The-Night-Sky, that I love him, and that I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough.


Battery Charges: 12

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 0/4



Entry 2


Roll: 3


Jack of Diamonds       You find Pelzer and they beg you to put them out of their misery Pull from the tower.
Queen of Spades -1 Light you try to catch rats with your rations. Roll: 1, Success!
Ace of Hearts -1 Light you know you are on the right path, at the end of each day roll 1d6 if you get a 6 -1 token


I don’t know how long it’s been. I’m starting to get hungrier by the minute. I don’t have much rations, just a little bit of the granola in my pocket. I’ve had to start catching rats with it. They seem to like it and I caught a big one today.

I think I found a way out though. The air’s fresher, and I found more people headed this way. It was The-First-Folly-Was-Pelzer that I found, but they didn’t make it. Half their body was crushed beneath a giant stone. They were either gonna get eaten by rats or freeze or something. They asked me to do it, ya know. I couldn’t just leave them, so I lifted my axe and helped out. It don’t feel good, but I think it was the right choice. I turned off my headlamp so I didn’t have to see it either.


Battery Charges: 10

Token Roll: 2

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 0/4



Entry 3


Roll: 2


7 of Hearts -1 Light You find a rat limping along, Pull from the tower.
King of Clubs       Something is in here and you catch glimpses of it, Pull from the tower.


Somethin’s down here and I don’t mean us or the rats. Somethin else. Somethin big and scary and has too many legs. I saw it out of the corner of my eyes. It was crawlin around the walls of a big cavern as I passed through it. I should-a known, seein as how all the rats came swarmin’ out of the place. They didn’t pay me no mind either and I managed to catch one limpin’ along. Reminded me of Pelzer and I helped it like I helped them. More meat for me anyway. Not that I ate Pelzer. I did not.

I hid from that thing too--went down the first passage I could see and shut off my damn lamp. Might as well save it for later, but if this thing lives in darkness havin’ it off won’t save me none anyway.


Battery Charges: 9

Token Roll: 4

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 1/4



Entry 4


Roll: 2


Queen of Diamonds       you find Robin dead, who you hate
King of Spades       you stand before a large crevasse Pull from the tower.


Saw Three-Trees-And-A-Robin today. Bastard was dead too. I hated the fella but I would a rather him quit than end up like he was. Looks like he didn’t die from the fall neither. Shame to say I lost my lunch when I saw his body. I don’t wanna recall it in writin’ but somethin’ down here got him and it weren’t the rats.

Just about fell down a big pit when I was scramblin’ to get away from it. I didn’t have my lights on, which was stupid, I know, but I only got so many battery packs. I almost went over too, but I grabbed myself and had ta double back past the mess.


Battery Charges: 9

Token Roll: 5

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 5


Roll: 5


2 of Spades -1 Light forking path, down water, up way out Roll: 3, Success!
5 of Diamonds       A body with an eaten face Pull from the tower.
4 of Diamonds       you found Alexei dead +3 Battery Charges
6 of Hearts -1 Light A Bloody Granola bar!
7 of Spades Darkness you find water and you drink it. Roll: 4 Pull from the tower.


Found another path that forks. I could hear water comin’ from one end but it was the wrong way, so I had ta ignore it. Won't’ need it if I get outta here first.

Found another body too, couldn’t tell who it was though. Looks like the same thing got them like they got Robin. They did have some granola bars on them but I had to pull them out of a pool of blood. Hope I don’t get nothin’ from it.

Next to them was Alexei-Comes-From-Another-Place, they was dead too. At least she had a battery pack on her. There ain’t nothin but corpses down here. I keep thinkin I’ll be one too but I gotta just concentrate on gettin’ out. I gotta see my father again.

I did find a barrel of, well let's call it water? I thought it was until I drank some. Should have used some of my battery for lights but I didn’t. The water had a dead rat floatin’ in it. I think i’ve been down here too long ‘cause it didn’t bother me like it shoulda.


Battery Charges: 11

Token Roll: 2

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 6


Roll: 1


6 of Diamonds       You see Julius running.


I think I saw They-Named-Him-Julius-Like-His-Father. Ze were runnin’ through the tunnels, lights off and everything. I tried calling after zem, but ze just kept on runnin. I tried to keep up but I also had my lights off and didn’t wanna run straight into a pit so I lost track of zem. Reminded me of the rats runnin from that thing. Is that thing chasin’ us too?


Battery Charges: 11

Token Roll: 3

Tokens: 10/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 7


Roll: 6


8 of Diamonds -1 Light You hear laughing in the distance, unhinged and far away
Queen of Hearts -1 Light You find moisture on the walls
Queen of Clubs       an old image of you carved into the stone
Jack of Clubs Darkness The creature caresses you sensuously. Pull from the tower.
2 of Diamonds       Julius runs into you and then runs off
Ace of Spades       You are starting to know where things are in the tunnels, if you roll a 4 or higher -1 token


I shoulda stayed near that water. I am so thirsty… I’ve been lickin the walls to find moisture. I hate that I have ta do this but today it worked! It weren’t much but it was somethin, at least until I felt something on it. I traced  around with my fingers before flickin’ on the lights. 

I ain’t got the time to try and draw it but I’ll describe it best I can. It was a carvin’ one that looks old. I’m no mason, nor artist but I know some things about stones and this one was ancient. It was, a thing what have many legs and eyes that look like they don’t see, and beside it was me. A damn carvin’ of me. I know this ‘cause on it was the Of-The-Night-Sky crest, the one with the constellation, the one that we share with everyone. But above that!!! Above that were my own private constellation crest, the one no one knows but me. Fuckin thing even got my braids right. 

I was beside it and it was, doin’ somethin’. I ain’t no artist so I don’t know the symbolism, or the hidden meanin’s ,or whatnot, but we, the thing and I, were dancin’? Holdin’ hands? Doin’ something together. 

I had ta stop ganderin’ since I heard someone laughing, far into the distance. I’ve seen no one down here alive since Julius and it sounded human, but a bit crazy in the head. It was away from me but I couldn’t stay here. There was no way i was forgettin’ where this was so I could at least use it as a landmark. I think I'm startin’ to get a handle on where I am. 

I followed it for a bit before ze came barrlin’ straight into me. We could still hear the laughin’ in the distance and before I could grab zem, ze took off again back to where the carvin’ was. 

Then it came, out of the tunnel and skittering around and around the walls, all legs, hairy and blind, eyes. I don’t know what happened but I curled into a ball and prayed that it didn’t hurt me. It skittered and hissed less like a cat and more like people sayin “SSSSSSS.” I pulled my head between my knees and my light was covered. It touched me. It reached out with what was a claw from its mess a arms and legs and it … It stroked me, on my back. Like your sweet-heart puts a hand on your back.  It hissed the “SSS” then ran off. What the fuck is happenining? I think I’m as crazy as Julius. No one will believe me.


Battery Charges: 9

Token Roll: 6

Tokens: 9/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 8


Roll: 1


Ace of Diamonds       you find the body of McManus +5 Charges


Found the body of McManus-Man-Of-Us. Looks like the bastard had survived the cave-in, but he had a pickaxe hole through his skull. I’m almost sorry I wasn’t the one ta do it. I went through his pockets and found a battery pack, and some more granola. I’m lucky the rats didn’t get to it. I ain’t got time to ponder who else is down here besides me and Julius, and I don’t know of ze had the right of mind ta do it. Or maybe it was the madness that drove zem to it.



Battery Charges: 14

Token Roll: 3

Tokens: 9/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 9


Roll: 1


4 of Spades -1 Light you are so hungry and feeling weak Roll: 5 Pull from the tower.


It’s been a while since I wrote. All the rations I found off of McManus are gone. I’m feelin’ sick and I can’t walk none. I haven’t been able to catch any rats. I’m cuttin’ rations as much as I can but I ain’t long for this world if this keeps up.


Battery Charges: 13

Token Roll: 3

Tokens: 9/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 10


Roll: 6


9 of Clubs -1 Light you see yourself standing before you, they look surprised and run, you do the same, Pull from the tower.
9 of Spades -1 Light A narrow tunnel, roll: 5 Success!
3 of Clubs -1 Light something hoovers around the edge of your light, sniffing, following and muttering
2 of clubs -1 Light The creature caresses you sensuously. Pull from the tower.
4 of Hearts -1 Light you find a stash of supplies +1 Light
6 of Clubs -1 Light you hear drums in the darkness


I saw  some footprints today. They looked like blood but I don’t know who’s. They were fine at first, like a normal person, then they started to get wider and wider like they was skippin then leapin’ then just, I don’t know, not normal like. I told myself that thing probably was wearin’ someones boots, since its got many leg things. Don’t know why it would though. 

Anyway I was followin’ it until i started to hear drummin’ in the background. They were commin from the direction I was goin’ and so I continued on until I reached a small tunnel, just barely big enough for me to squeeze through, but I managed and now I can’t hear it no more. 

In the narrow tunnel there was a small stash of supplies. There was granola, a battery pack, and water. Someone else has been here but I haven’t seen them. Maybe Julius has regained zeir mind? 

No matter since I was startin’ to see stuff again. It was right outta my light, but I could hear it, shufflin’ and hissin’. I tried to ignore it and explore the new tunnel. 

What I saw I can’t explain. I turned a corner, and there was a person standing’ in an open chamber. They wore a fine robe that was almost sheer and they had their hair braided like mine and they most certainly weren’t a miner.

I called out to them and they turned to me. Both of us were in for a fright ‘cause I was lookin’ back at myself. The other me wasn’t starvin’ or dirty like I was. They looked fresh washed and shaved and made up nice with nice earrings and a tattoo around their forehead. 

They gasped then ran straight to another tunnel. I ran too. I’m losing my fucking mind.



Battery Charges: 8

Token Roll: 5

Tokens: 8/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 11


Roll: 3


8 of Hearts -1 Light You find a small pool of water
9 of Hearts -1 Light you drink your own urine
Jack of Spades -1 Light You hate the darkness

I’m loosing my damn mind! I hate this darkness I hate it I hate it I hate it!!!! I’m running out of battery packs, I only have 5 left but I need the light! I burned through one today just to keep the chittering and hissing at bay! I can’t do this much more! 

The water from the pool is gone and I have started to drink my own waste. How much more until they find us? Until that thing finds us? Where is everyone where am I? What is happening??!?


Battery Charges: 5

Token Roll: 5

Tokens: 7/10

Kings: 2/4



Entry 12


Roll: 1


King of Hearts Darkness You eat some glowing mushrooms

Fucked up real bad today! I saw some glowing mushrooms and just fucking went to town. Threw up almost instantly. If you’re reading this… don’t eat them.


Battery Charges: 5

Token Roll: 2

Tokens: 7/10

Kings: 3/4



Entry 13


Roll: 1


3 of hearts -1 Light consider eating other people Pull from the tower.
7 of Clubs -1 Light you find a door with only darkness

I’m so hungry. I’m so hungry. I went back and looked at the body of McManus today. I almost… I considered… But I didn’t.

I had to take my mind off my hunger so I explored more of where I saw myself. I went down the path they went down and came across another one of those doors. I thought there might be something good behind it! But when I pulled on the large handle the entire thing disappeared and all that was left was an archway. Beyond it was darkness. To look into it was to see nothin’. The light from my lamp can’t reach through it and I don’t want to touch it.

Battery Charges: 3

Token Roll: 2

Tokens: 7/10

Kings: 3/4



Entry 14


Roll: 3


Jack of Hearts -1 Light battery pack with Roll: 6 Charges!!! And a severed head Pull from the tower.
10 of Clubs -1 Light you see the spirits of the dead minors
5 of Hearts -1 Light you get some water but hurt yourself Pull from the tower.

I found more batteries today. I also found the head they were attached to. Light-Comes-Close-In-Warmth’s head. I always liked her. I’m worried how used to everything I’m becoming. 

I found some water on a wall today. There was a crack with a trickle and I managed to get some, but I fucking slipped and fell right onto my back. Hit my head too. 

I saw stars then I thought I saw the rest of the crew. All the dead ones. They were lookin back at me with hollow eyes and pointin’ fingers. Like it was all somehow my fault we were in the mess. Or maybe they were pointin’ towards the body of McManus since I think he was that way too. I just wanna lie here for a bit.


Battery Charges: 5

Token Roll: 1

Tokens: 7/10

Kings: 3/4



Entry 15


Roll: 3


5 of Spades -1 Light identical paths roll: 6 Pull from the tower.
10 of Spades -1 Light Split in the tunnel roll: 1 Success!!!
10 of Diamonds -1 Light note from Julius

I got lost today, went around in a fucking circle until I ended up where I was before, but I think I made a little more progress.

I found a note in Julius’ handwriting. Can’t be anyone else I haven’t seen them. It says “Watching You. Never Run.” Is ze talking about the legs? Or is xe threatening me?

Battery Charges: 2

Token Roll: 4

Tokens: 6/10

Kings: 3/4



Entry 16


Roll: 2


8 of Clubs -1 Light You find strange purple stones, later they vanish
3 of Spades -1 Light You find another crevice

I used up the last of my batteries today. I guess it's good I still had them when there was a crevice in front of me. But there will always be more pits and  I ain’t got no light. 

I also found some weird rocks today. They weren’t no gemstones I’d know but it looked nice and holdin’ it made me feel better. I put the first one on my pocket then later found a second. I picked that one up too, ain’t no reason why not. When I rested for a bit I pulled them out, there were 4 now. I ain’t understand any of it. They were just regular purple stones, nothin’ special, not Divine in anyway but now there were more. 

But then later, I went to look for them and they were gone. No holes in my pockets, nothin’. Maybe I never found them in the first place. I’m losing my fucking mind.


Battery Charges: 0

Token Roll: 4

Tokens: 5/10

Kings: 3/4



Entry 17


Roll: 6


7 of Diamonds       vanishing footprints in the dust, Pull from the tower.
King of Diamonds       Seima attacks you with a pickaxe

Kings: 4/4 Gameover


I saw some more footprints today, they weren’t bloody like the last time. I tried to follow them, but then they just stopped. I went back to retrace them and they weren’t even there! What the fuck… what the fuck….

… I think I hear something again. Some else is coming. I don’t think its Julius. … It’s Seima! I hope they are alright!!!




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