Who is The Beeman??
about 2 years ago
– Mon, Apr 18, 2022 at 08:37:05 AM
For every Villain, Location, and Character it’s very important to me that they FEEL right. That they embody the object, individual, or monster that they are trying to convey. I have thrown out entire mechanisms because while it seemed cool, it just didn’t fit the thing in question. The feel and the ability to tell your story has been a driving force behind all of Slaughterville. It is a town, but most importantly, it is YOUR town. You decide what happens, you decide who lives and dies, and you decide how you will survive…if you can!!! For this reason, I do TONS of research on each of the aspects of the game. I find out as much lore as I can, I read, I watch, and I listen to you. For example, the Antique Store location in the Director’s Cut is based on Needful Things. You will find many references sure, but there’s also a story going on behind the scenes with the shop owner that you may discover. The same with the Residential Neighborhood…are they really your neighbors? Each location and Villain have these stories woven into them that will help you to tell your story. So, now let’s get into the first Villain. I won’t spoil everything, but I want to give you a good idea of what he’s all about.
When I first started thinking about this very requested character, I went deep into the lore of the one who inspired the Villain, the Candyman. What made him who he was? What made him compelling?
One of the basic and most well-known aspects of Candyman is that if you say his name 5 times, he appears. So, how are we going to incorporate that into Slaughterville? Well, that’s where the Ritual Track comes in. This track will rise because of Villain cards and once it reaches 5, The Beeman rises and hands out Bee Tokens to place you under his thrall! Bee tokens?? What are those?
Well, The Beeman was hunted down and murdered for a crime he didn’t commit. He was carved open and filled with live bees. As such, he uses these bees to torment those who do not believe into accepting his power. See, he is all about belief. Without it, he cannot exist. If you forget, then he will torture you until you believe in him. For this, we use Bee Tokens to represent how much of yourself is taken over by The Beeman. Once you are completely in his thrall, you are killed and become part of his Congregation!
And you cannot kill The Beeman. He will keep coming back as long as his soul is safe. So how do you win? How does The Beeman win?
You must search the town for the components to the Ritual that will banish him. Then you must find his carefully guarded Mirror that houses his trapped soul. Once you do these things, he will be banished forever. All The Beeman needs to do is make enough of you believe in his power. So, what can you do? How can you stop this Spirit of Vengeance?
One of the first things that you can do is seek out more knowledge on The Beeman, but be careful because the more that you uncover, the more that his legend spreads. Which is why whenever you investigate him, the Ritual Power increases. However, when you are investigating him (overturning the VILLAIN card or LOCATION card), they do not get ENCOUNTERED so you are not affected by the cards that you’re overturning. And not all is lost for those who have been marked. They may make a noble sacrifice that allows them to spread the knowledge they have gained from being so close to The Beeman to others who may use their tale to stop him.
But remember, The Beeman has the strength of ages and the power of the Congregation behind him. If he finds you, you cannot stop him. And each time he makes a move, those under his power suffer for his gain.
In the end, will The Beeman increase his Congregation, or will you send him to a final rest? That depends on your will and determination.
I hope you enjoyed this look at The Beeman. I had a great time coming up with this one and there were a lot of pieces in the original design that I removed to make it more thematic and streamlined. So be ready for when he makes his way to your table because you never know when he will rise and claim you for his own. Until next time, have fun!!
Chris