Windmill Game Co.

And by one vote we have a winner in our Dread Madness 2026.

The winner is.....

Lost in the dreams of a sleeping town, you and your fellow mindwalkers must discover what happened to the residents to trap them in their slumber, while surviving the worst of their nightmares.

Congratulations to all of our competitors.

Alright, alright alright, an hour late but that's because we had a close races decided by a single vote.

Round 1b comes to a close and here is our results:

Match 9

A) (WINNER) The ongoing mine fire beneath Centralia, PA has reduced the former coal town to empty ruins and a mile of broken, graffitied highway in the woods. You are high school students visiting that abandoned stretch of road for a senior class rite of passage the night before it is buried by state officials forever.

B) You and the ladies have been friends for 60 years, and you haven’t slowed down one bit! This all-seniors cruise promises the type of party you last rocked in the 70s, and the Itty Bitty Biddies Commitee is all aboard, baby! If only the body snatchers, shapeshifters, aliens and/or dopplegangers would leave well enough alone. Let’s go wild, girls.

Match 10

A) (WINNER) None of you had heard of the town before you got the call to appear, but hey, the travel is comped, and the check has already cleared so what’s an independent wrestler to do but perform? But does the crowd look a little feral to you? Oh well, the show must go on.

B) The Questing Knight begins a new journey. Accompanied by her Squire, guided by her Mentor, in full devotion to her Love. The names, the lives, the details….they don’t matter. The journey is always the same. The story is always the same. Find the ending you deserve.

Match 11

A) The earth had long since been explored and exploited. Now the company sends you to Europa to see what lies beneath even darker and more distant waves.

B) (WINNER) The Tennessee farmers that had worked the land for generations weren't the only ones displaced when the government steamrolled in to build the Secret City. Entities as ancient as the land itself were awoken and did not take kindly to outsiders on their land.

Match 12

A) (WINNER) Contestants on a reality TV talent competition start turning up dead. Those who are still living have to make sure they’re not next while they try to figure out the cause, be it magical or mundane.

B) First contact goes as poorly as possible when an alien prison ship crash lands on Salsbury Plains in 9th century England

Match 13

A) (WINNER) On a late night train to Shibuya, a group of Japanese students miss their stop and must discover the things that live past the last station

B) A tour of a cold war bunker turns hot when in an emergency the doors seal and the computers turn on.

Match 14

A) The gods are fed up with us. Humanity is now on trial, and you have been summoned by the gods to testify on its behalf. The continued existence of the world is at stake— and the jury is biased.

B) (WINNER BY 1 VOTE) You joined the alien abduction support group seeking solace and finding acceptance. But there seems to be something off with the newest member, in fact, you don’t remember seeing him at all before your yearly retreat. That has to just be paranoia, right?

Match 15

A) (WINNER) 11:00 am, Wednesday,January 15, 1919 Boston Massachusetts. The pit of your stomach is churning with a horrible uneasy feeling and there is a thick sweet smell in the air.

B) Midnight Manor is the hottest new Halloween haunt around. But when a group of dedicated horror fans go to check out its much-vaunted “thrills and chills”, they find themselves in scenes that are not so make-believe. Now they have to use all their smarts- and a heavy dose of genre savviness- to make through to the other side.

Match 16

A)Stories tell of a vast kingdom under the sea….tales whispered by old sailors of strange waters, alien monstrosities, and haunting denizens with unknown objectives. Should you sail these waters, post a watch…for you have something they want.

B) (WINNER) Breaking into urban exploration is tough- finding sites that are both safe and cool is difficult, and the veterans don’t share their turf. But an anonymous online tip pointed your group to a prime spot- an abandoned funeral parlor longtime explorers seem to avoid.

Whew another great round and we continue with the e eryone gets to vote round.

Round 1c is up and 3 days to vote.

Woooooooo

Hello friends, family, and Windmill Patrons!

We've all made it. We've defeated 2025. We hope that all of you had safe and happy holidays, and that 2026 will be a kinder and gentler year for us all.

This month's offering is an article by the terrifyingly talented Paul, with some very excellent guidance for how to run Dread. Give "So You Want to Play Dread #5: What Your NPC Horoscope Says About You" a read!

To satisfy Al Gore's Rhythm, the image is a thumbnail to U2's "New Year's Day", link in the comments!