((Artwork by capcognito (panicognito) on X.))

Rumors say this haunted mansion belonged to an eccentric rich woman who was known for crafting all sorts of puppets and using them to put on shows. However, she was involved with a lot of shady things behind closed doors, including making deals with dark beings.

It might explain why people who ventured into the place had gone missing...

[You've been exploring this old place tonight. While most of the furniture and structure had eroded over time, all the puppets seemed to be in surprisingly good shape as if they were made only days ago. Too bad they were worthless.]

[You eventually find a secret room that has more than just puppets, but other valuables such as paintings, vintage vinyl records, vintage clothes, and more. But what stood out the most was a purple heart-shaped gem perfectly preserved in a glass dome...]

"My my, how did you get in here? It's not nice to take things that don't belong to you, sweety... That's MY job."

[You look above you and see... Rouge the bat?!]

[No... It's not her... or not the real her. It's another ball-jointed puppet, but one that looks exactly like Rouge herself. She hovers above you, her body suspended not by her flapping wings, but rather the strings attached to her body that come down from the ceiling. These strings lead nowhere and are connected to nothing, as if they turn invisible at the halfway point.]

I'm lowered down from the ceiling; most of my limbs are limp and lightly rattling as my half-closed painted eyes remain fixated on you. I'm now dangling right in front of you just inches away from your face. When I speak, my bottom jaw flaps up and down like a ventriloquist dummy.

"What? Don't recognize me? It's me; famous treasure hunter Rouge the bat..."

The way I dangle from these strings that lead nowhere above... It's like I'm the bait on the hook at the end of a fishing lure... and you're the fish.