You just woke up with a big headache, on the banquette of a booth, at the Midnight Pub. Now you remember: you definitely had too much to drink yesterday night, and you passed out. In fact, you're experiencing quite a bad hangover!
The Pub seems to be completely empty: no patrons, no bartender, as if everyone left while you were sleeping. Apparently the staff didn't notice you at all, while they were doing the close up.
Still surprised and wobbling, you reach the entrance, just to find it locked. Hell, they definitely closed with you inside!
You're almost hit by an attack of panic in recalling the reason why there was a discount on beer, yesterday evening: ~bartender was going on vacation.
This is ESCAPE THE PUB, an experimental and improvised escape room! Your objective is to escape the Midnight Pub, while I'll be your eyes and your hands. Reply to this post to start playing in a thread (I'll probably master just a few games at the time for now, since I'm not sure where this is going, first come first served).
I knew I should have been more careful with the IPAs. The truth is, a promotion on beer on a Tuesday was too good to pass. Anyway. Don't panic. Am I dreaming? It all looks too real to be a dream. I start by doing two things:
(Thanks by the way for doing this Kyle! Love the idea!)
You pinch yourself quite hard to make sure this is not a dream. Although you did feel pain, you're not entirely convinced about it. At any rate, if it is a dream, escaping is probably the only way to wake up.
Your mobile phone would definitely work fine, if you didn't use it as a coaster while you were drunk, last night.
You check outside the window: it seems to be midnight, as it always happens around the Midnight Pub.
(Thanks by the way for doing this Kyle! Love the idea!)
(You're welcome :-))
And all of a sudden I remember parts of last night... As I was sitting at
this tableI felt it was such a shame to let such a nice table carry the pints by itself. I drunkunly wanted to help it, and decided to put my phone below the beers. It went all fine until the beer slipped and, well, broke the phone.
But back to reality. Or is it? If no one's there and it's the middle of the night, I might as well get comfortable. I decide to go and look around the lounge. Who knows, maybe there's a door I haven't seen before?
I hope the phone wasn't new!
It is the same Pub, as always.
On the right wing you can see the booths: you fell asleep on the fourth one. As you remember, on the second one is where those stupid kids were caught vandalizing the table.
At the end of the room the staircase that leads to the toilets.
On the left wing you see the pool tables and the darts.
On the central area you see the bar, and the door that leads to the kitchenette
To your knowledge there should be no other door, at least not in the public areas.
I've always wondered what secrets are hidden within the kitchenette. I've heard bartender speak about crazy things like "mixing emotions" into cocktails. I've often thought it be like a hidden alchemy lab. Well, since I'm locked within the pub and time seem to have stopped, I might as well go have a look in that place!
You feel irrationally surprised in discovering that the kitchenette is just a normal room assigned to the preparation of cocktails and sandwiches: you see a food slicer, some knifes attached to a magnet on the wall.
While reaching the center of the room you open your eyes wide noticing some alembics upon the kitchen bench, among regular bottles. There might be some alchemy going, after all! You see a corkscrew on the table.
On the opposite side of the room, below the kitchen bench, there's a crate containing some empty bottles. You also see a locker, probably containing aprons and alike.
Unfortunately there's no back door here, but there might be one somewhere else. On the plus side, you find a key ring with two keys. Perhaps your captivity won't last long!
The great thing with keys is that they let you open things. The bad thing is you are never too sure of what. When you are stuck and find a key ring, hope instantly goes up.
Since there's a locker around, I'll inspect it to see if it's locked. If that's so, I will try my luck with this new key ring!
I'm feeling a little bit guilty because I like bartender a lot, but my hangover is too strong and I wouldn't mind some food right now. I look around and check if anything looks edible?
Physical needs come first. You notice there's a fridge and you open it, finding it almost empty. There's only a small dish with a sandwich wrapped in plastic wrap, and a note that says:
To my good friend ~brewed
-- ~bartender
While munching your sandwich puzzled, you open the door of the locker, which is ajar. As you guessed, it just contains a couple of aprons and a uniform. The locker has got a top shelf, where you see a lint remover and some papers. The topmost paper is the receipt of a recent plumbing work.
No use for the keys then. But you could already tell from their shape: one opens an old style warded lock, while the other seems suited for a cylinder lock, yet it is definitely too big for a padlock.
Hmmm. I should search the cash register for hidden keys.
The cash register is probably a good place where to hide some spare key.
It is an old electronic cash register. As you might expect, the drawer is closed. In this particular model it can be opened in two ways: either by means of a physical key, or by entering a numeric password on the keyboard.
Oh, and of course you can try to pick the lock, but you would need some tool.
Oh no. I'm hungover and the obvious didn't work.
I'll need to search the kitchen for a key, a hair pin or a record of the number. But a staff room or office would be even better if I can find one.
(Great idea Kyle. Kudos)
Sorry, the obvious almost never works. It worked once: legend tells about a legendary escapist, whose skills in obvious were stuff of legend! Are you the chosen one?
Anyway, the kitchenette door is behind the counter top. Entering feels somewhat a violation, but necessary for sure.
On the right side of the room, mounted on the wall, you see a knife magnet with some professional knifes, and next to it a food cutter. Below the bench there's a crate containing empty bottles, the kind you return for money.
On the opposite side the kitchen bench embeds a couple of drawers, and is a bit shorter: a big fridge towers over it. Chances are you're not going to starve.
There's also a locker, closed with a padlock.
You open the drawers hopeful, finding a couple of corkscrews and some scissors that unfortunately seem unsuitable for lock picking. There's also a baker's brush.
Hey, there's a key hanger next to the door! You find a key ring with two keys.
(Great idea Kyle. Kudos)
(Thanks! I hope you've fun! If you've got suggestions, don't hesitate :))