The story behind The Fear Complex
The Legend of Bleakrock Springs
Four attractions. One town. Something waiting beneath them all.
Enter the fictional world of Bleakrock Springs.
Full Story:
Before the earth opened
The Fall of 1927 promised to be a fruitful one for Warden Everett Hubbard and the town of Bleakrock Springs. A secluded mountain town founded on its three major industries, alluring hot springs, a mental health treatment facility, and a prolific open pit mine that employed hundreds of men, women, and wayward children of Bleakrock.
Tucked in between the entrance of the mines and surrounded by thick sludge and swampland, stood the hallowed entrance of the highly revered St. Trina’s Retreat for the Clinically Insane. The Warden had poured months of preparation into the opening of St. Trina’s newly expanded surgical wing, even though the patient’s own calloused hands had performed the majority of the work.
Warden Hubbard remained eager to welcome the townsfolk into his new wing; his Head Physician, Doctor Harrow, had grown tired of the limitations of a traditional medical suite. His Lead Psychiatrist, Doctor Nosanity, had disclosed her own boredom to the Warden during their weekly appointment, feeling that once she had manipulated one insane brain, she had practically seen them all.
The Source
Warden Hubbard was determined that this new surgical wing would be exactly what the doctor ordered: a fresh start for St. Trina’s. His excitement began to dissipate when he began to see cracks form in the foundation, the earth itself seeming to protest against Hubbard’s advancements.
An earthquake ripped through the town of Bleakrock Springs, leaving miles of damage in its wake. Not to mention the hundreds of souls trapped underground, who had become the victims of a mine collapse. Massive fault lines in the town split open, and left the surface of the earth below exposed.
Those left alive after the earthquake began to notice a gas emanating from the rips in the earth, and the strange, dizzying feeling one would get when they stared into the chasms below. Residents of the town started to call this energy ‘The Source’; they were suspicious of its power, but certain that life in Bleakrock would never be the same.
A new kind of faith
Always the optimist, Warden Hubbard maintained his positivity. He felt that The Source opened new doors for him and his staff. There were new experiments to undertake, a sanitarium to rebuild, and a renewed faith in the town of Bleakrock Springs.
The Source was inviting, drawing new faces in from the outskirts of the town, notably a preacher, Father Anvil felt the call of The Source. He encouraged the people of the town to worship The Source, to pray for the return of their families. While hoping their praise would only strengthen his personal connection to The Source and show him the real power he was capable of possessing.
The show must go on
Bleakrock Springs was beginning to recover; foot traffic throughout the town had picked up, and the hot spring’s busy season was just around the corner. Whether it was by accident, fate, luck, or a higher calling, the Town of Bleakrock Springs became the new home of Shanky’s Carnival and Flea Circus. This ragtag group of performers had been searching for its next temporary home for months.
Unfortunately, their wagons weren’t built to traverse through the thick swamp and marsh area surrounding Bleakrock and Shanky’s Circus found itself stuck. Composed of performers and acts from all walks of life; the troupe was no stranger to having a “show must go on” outlook on life.
Shanky’s in-house magician, The Miraculous Morax, felt an immediate connection to the Source. At long last, the spirits he had been so desperate to commune with were reaching out to him from beyond the grave in the form of this ‘Source’. He knew it was best not to doubt the spirits and continued to communicate with them in the form of a nightly seance.
Morax had his work cut out for him, the undeluded spiritual power was overwhelming at times. He found himself torn between the realms of the living and dead, as his desperation drove him closer to madness. Morax was a broken man, his soul was held firmly in the grip of the spirit world and it seemed as though he would never be whole again.
That was until he was contacted by Shanky’s newest recruit, a child of the Forsaken and Forgotten, a member of the coven of witches and cryptids who have lived in the mountains and mines for centuries. Vetala came armed with confidence and a clear idea of how Morax could manage his connection to the Source, encouraging and building his seances to better align with the Coven’s wishes.
Your invitation awaits
The residents of Bleakrock Springs have been working hard to restore St. Trina and her surrounding attractions to their former glory. Warden Hubbard is delighted to invite you to St.Trina’s grand reopening. As you prepare to tour her grounds, you may feel compelled to stay. Rest assured, our doctors will have a bed available. They’re ready to provide you with the most comprehensive treatment possible.
Are you brave enough to discover the true nature of The Source, be it religious, spiritual, or scientific? Or, will you be the next soul trapped in Bleakrock Springs?
Story broken down by section:
Sanitarium:
Warden Hubbard has worked tirelessly to restore St. Trina’s Retreat for the Clinically Insane to her former glory. You have been cordially invited to be among the first to explore her grounds and celebrate the grand reopening of this fine institution. Please ignore the cracks in the walls, or any strange smells, and let your attention be captured by our highly qualified and deranged staff of doctors, nurses, and dentists. You may have a chance encounter with any number of patients who have had the pleasure of experiencing medical treatment at the hands of our Doctors. The fear and pain will fade… eventually.
Manor:
After experiencing the finest care St. Trina’s has to offer, you may feel inclined to stay and rest a while. An inviting forest and warm home will guide you deeper into the depths of the town of Bleakrock. The Source grows stronger in the manor, and its residents are hungry for more cult members. You could make a fine addition to the Butcher’s collection of bones or Father Anvil would be pleased to welcome you into his Chapel; the beating heart of this cult. Many hands have worked tirelessly to spread the roots of their faith throughout Bleakrock and they are more than willing to share it with you.
Mines:
Our Foreman will guide your descent underground into the very core of Bleakrock. Creatures too grotesque to live above ground have made their home in The Haunted Mines, where the Source is at its strongest. Mutilated and twisted bodies serve as landmarks as you navigate through the mines, lining the walls with evidence of the horrors caused by The Source. Miners continue their work under the watchful eyes of the Foreman above and Wandering Witches below. Desperate for entertainment and finding their own in the form of fights to the death, the beasts of the mines suffer the full effects of madness. Ghostly figures trapped and suffering, continue to move through the mine shafts that survived the earthquake. Are you willing to join in their work?
Clowns:
As you resurface through the abandoned swamplands of Bleakrock, the distant sound of carnival music may catch your attention. The bright colors and seemingly friendly faces of Shanky’s Carnival and Flea Circus are happy to give you a show. These Clowns, contortionists, and magicians, are the pride and joy of the Ringmaster. He has whipped these performers into shape, their wagons may be deteriorating, but The Source has given them a stage presence you will not soon forget. The Miraculous Morax, joined by his assistant, Vetala, invite you to join in their seance. Spirits echo through the splintered wood and broken roof of the Magician’s Wagon. Proving that, even in death, the spirits of Shanky’s Circus remain powerful. Our clowns, driven by bloodthirst and fear, will give you a show full of electricity that will leave you screaming for more.