Players:

1 principal

Requirements:

1 building, at least 10 stories high, with an elevator. All three of these conditions must be met in order for the game to proceed.

Instructions:

Venturing Out:

Enter your chosen building and get into the elevator on the first floor alone. Do not proceed if anyone else is in the elevator with you.
Press the button for the fourth floor.
When the elevator reaches the fourth floor, do not get out. Instead, remain in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
When you reach the second floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the sixth floor.
When you reach the sixth floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the second floor.
When you reach the second floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the tenth floor.
When you reach the tenth floor, remain in the elevator and press the button for the fifth floor.
When you reach the fifth floor, a young woman may enter the elevator. Do not look at her; do not speak to her. She is not what she seems.
Press the button for the first floor. If the elevator begins ascending to the tenth floor instead of descending to the first, you may proceed. If the elevator descends to the first floor, exit as soon as the doors open. Do not look back. Do not speak.
If you reach the tenth floor, you may either choose to get off the elevator or to stay on it. If you choose to get off, and if the woman entered the elevator on the fifth floor, she will ask you, “Where are you going?” Do NOT answer her. Do NOT look at her.
You will know whether you have arrived at the Otherworld by one indication, and one indication only: The only person present in it is you.

The Return Trip:

If you chose to stay on the elevator at the tenth floor:

Press the button for the first floor. If it doesn’t work, keep pressing it until it finally does.
When the elevator reaches the first floor, exit as soon as the doors open. Do not look back. Do not speak.

If you choose to exit the elevator at the tenth floor:

You must use the same elevator to return as the one in which you arrived.
When you enter the elevator, press the buttons in the same order you did in steps 2 through 8 of Venturing Out. You should finish at the fifth floor.
When you reach the fifth floor, press the button for the first floor. The elevator will again begin to ascend to the tenth floor. Press any other floor’s button to cancel the ascension. You MUST press the button you use to cancel the ascension BEFORE you reach the tenth floor.
After you reach the first floor, check your surroundings carefully. If anything seems off—even the smallest detail—do NOT exit the elevator. If you detect something wrong, repeat step 2 until your surroundings look as they should. Once you are confident you have returned to your own world, you may safely exit the elevator.

Additional Notes:

Should you reach the Otherworld, the floor onto which you will emerge will look almost identical to the one from your own world, save for two things: All the lights will be off, and the only thing you will be able to see from the windows is a red cross in the distance.
Some say that electronic devices—mobile phones, cameras, MP3 players, etc.—don’t work in the Otherworld; others say they do.
Getting back to your own world may be more difficult than it seems: You may become disoriented and forget which elevator in which you arrived; the elevator may seem to get further and further away from you as you walk towards; and so on. Be vigilant, and keep your wits about you.
If at any point during the ritual you faint, pass out, or otherwise lose consciousness, you will likely wake up in your own home. However, be sure to carefully examine your surroundings upon waking—the “home” to which you have been returned may not be the one you left when you first set out to attempt this ritual.

Concerning the Woman on the Fifth Floor:

Do NOT speak to her.

Do NOT look at her.

If you do, she may decide to keep you for her own.

Players: At least 1 principal Requirements: 1 candle 1 lighter or book of matches 1 piece of paper 1 writing implement 1 pin 1 wooden door, closed Salt Instructions: The Invitation: Begin prior to midnight. Write your full name – first, middle, and last – on the piece of paper with your writing implement. Prick your finger with the pin and squeeze until a drop of blood appears. Dot the blood on the paper and allow it to soak in. Turn off every light in your home. Place the paper with your name and blood on it in front of the closed wooden door. Light the candle using the matches or lighter and place it on top of the paper. If you are using a taper, make sure it is placed in a candle holder . Knock on the door 22 times. The final knock must occur precisely when the clock chimes 12am. Open the door; then blow out the candle and close the door. Relight your candle immediately. The Main Event: Keeping your candle in hand and your salt and matches or lighter close by, begin to move about your home. Should your candle go out, you must relight it within the next ten seconds. If you are successful, continuing moving about your home. Do not stop moving until 3:33am. If you are unsuccessful in relighting the candle, immediately surround yourself with a circle of salt. Remain inside the circle until 3:33am. The Ending: At 3:33am, it is safe to stop moving or to step outside your circle of salt. You may also turn on the lights. The game is over. Additional Notes: The Midnight Game may be played with more than one player. In this instance, all players are principals; as such, each player must perform the Invitation individually. The Invitation welcomes an entity known as the Midnight Man inside your home. The goal of the game is to avoid meeting the Midnight Man in the dark. Continually moving about your home will make it more difficult for him to find you; should you stop moving at any point, he will catch you. Accounts differ as to what befalls players caught by the Midnight Man. Some claim he will induce a hallucination of your worst fear until the end of the game; others claim he will remove your organs one by one. Both outcomes are to be avoided at all cost. Indications that the Midnight Man is near include, but are not limited to, the following: Sudden drops in temperature. The sound of a soft whisper with no discernible source. The appearance of a humanoid figure within the darkness. The candle going out. Should you experience any of the first three occurrences, leave the area immediately. Should you experience the fourth occurrence, following the previously given instructions, re: relighting the candle within the next ten seconds, will keep the Midnight Man temporarily at bay. Should you fail to perform this action correctly, the circle of salt will do the same. Do not fail to do either. There are no known methods to abort the game. At 3:33am, the Midnight Man will leave your home. After he has left, you may safely end the game. Do NOT turn on any lights during the game. Do NOT use a flashlight during the game. Do NOT go to sleep during the game. Do NOT use a lighter instead of a candle during the game. Do NOT use a person’s blood other than your own during the game. Do NOT attempt to leave your home during the game. Do NOT attempt to provoke the Midnight Man during the game. And most importantly: Do NOT assume that the Midnight Man has left your home for good at the conclusion of the game.

Players:

One principal.

Requirements:

Two black cords or ropes measuring half a meter in length each.
A telephone. If you have access to an old-fashioned rotary phone, it is suggested you use it, as it will provide the greatest effect. A modern touch-tone phone will also work, although it is recommended that it be of a corded variety. Cordless or cellular phones may present some difficulties and are not recommended.
Matches or a lighter.
A watch.
Salt.

Instructions:

The Prelude:

Prior to beginning, perform a cleansing ritual in the location in which you plan to perform the Hooded Man Ritual. Burning a sage smudge stick and spreading salt or ash before the front door are recommended; for more detailed instructions, see here.
Shut all the doors, close all the windows, and draw all the curtains.
Turn off the lights, as well as all electronic devices. Set the two black cords, as well as the matches or lighter, near the phone.
Empty your pockets of any power or protection items, but keep the watch on your person.

Calling the Cab:

Begin at night.
Sit down before the telephone and count to the number 13. Then, leaving the phone on the hook, dial the following number: 20496888.
Tie one black cord securely to the telephone’s handset. Lift the handset by holding the cord only; then dial the following number: 25515823.
Count to 13 and set the handset down, but do not hang it back on the cradle. Speak the following words into the receiver: “Hello? I need a cab.”
Untie the first black cord from the handset and replace it with the second one, making sure to secure it tightly. Burn the first cord immediately if possible; if it is not possible to do it immediately, burn it as soon as you have completed the ritual.
Open the curtains and look out. If you have completed steps one through five correctly, you will see a black taxi cab parked outside. Exit the building, locking the door behind you, and climb into the cab’s empty back seat.
Lock the cab door and go to sleep.

During the Ride:

When you awaken, use your watch to check the time.
If your watch reads anytime other than 3:30am: Exit the cab and reenter your home within two minutes. Proceed to “The Ending – Step 1.”
If your watch reads 3:30am: Go back to sleep.
When you awaken for the second time, you will find the cab to be driving on a highway with a man wearing a hood at the wheel. Do NOT do any of the following:
Panic.
Attempt to get out of the cab while it is moving.
Speak to any other passengers the cab may pick up.
When you are ready to end your ride, lean close to the hooded man’s ear and say the following words, slowly and deliberately: “I have reached my destination.” You will fall asleep one last time; when you awaken, you will have returned to your starting location.

The Ending:

Once you have returned to your starting location, seat yourself before the telephone once more and dial the following number: 200082.
Use the black cord to lift the handset, set it down, and recite the following words into the receiver: “Thank you for the ride.”
Untie the black cord from the handset. Burn it; then bury the ashes of both it and the first cord in the ground. Scatter salt over the top of the burial site.
Perform a cleansing ritual.

Additional Notes:

Sage, salt, or other items of protection may be used during the cleansing rituals performed before and after the Hooded Man Ritual itself; however, these items should NOT be carried with you while you are performing the Hooded Man Ritual.

Should you feel threatened, followed, stalked, or otherwise unsafe at any point during the ritual, do NOT proceed. If you have not yet gotten in the back of the cab, do not enter it; if you have, perform step five of “During the Ride.”

Panicking, attempting to exit the moving vehicle, or speaking to other passengers may result in dire or fatal consequences. Do NOT, under ANY circumstances, perform those actions.

Concerning the Length of the Cab Ride:

You may allow the cab ride to continue on as long as you desire; however, it should be noted that the longer the ride, the more difficult it is to emerge from the landscapes through which the cab passes. Should you wish to return to the same world you left, it is recommended that you do not allow the cab ride to go on for undue amounts of time.

It is unknown what happens when the cab stops. If you are feeling adventurous, you may attempt to find out…

…But don’t count on being able to return home again once you get there.

Players: 1 principal. Requirements: 1 bathroom with a bathtub. NOTE: A shower may NOT be substituted. You MUST use a bathtub. Instructions: The Prelude: Begin at night, just before you got to bed. Shed your clothing and enter the bathroom. Fill the bathtub with water and turn out the lights. Climb into the tub and sit down facing the faucet and taps. Close your eyes and begin washing your hair. As you wash your hair, repeat the words “Daruma-san fell down. Daruma-san fell down.” Do not stop repeating them until you have finished washing your hair. Do not open your eyes. If you have performed this action correctly, you will gain a mental image of a Japanese woman standing in a bathtub. She will slip and fall, landing face first on a rusty tap and gouging her right eye out. Should you hear any noise behind you or feel movement in the tub, do NOT turn around and do NOT open your eyes. Ask aloud, ‘Why did you fall in the bathtub?” Allow the question to hang in the air. Then, keeping your eyes shut, carefully stand up and get out of the tub. Do not trip and fall yourself, and do not drain the tub. Exit the bathroom, shutting the door behind you. You may now open your eyes. Leave the bathroom as you left it — water in the tub, door shut — until morning. Do not turn on any lights. Go to sleep. The Main Event: Awaken at your usual time. The game begins the moment you open your eyes. Go about your day as normal. You will feel a constant presence behind you; it is likely that, should you turn to look, you will see nothing. However, glancing over your right shoulder may occasionally reveal a glimpse of her. Her hair will be black and tangled, and she will have only one eye. She will attempt to get closer and closer to you as the day goes on. Should you spot her and find that she is too close for comfort, shout “Tomare!” — that is, “Stop!” — and run away. The idea is to put some distance between you and her; do NOT allow her to catch you. The Ending: Capture her in your gaze by looking over your right shoulder. Shout “Kitta!” — that is, “I cut you loose!” — while swinging your arm down in a chopping motion. If you have performed this action correctly, a winning condition will have been achieved and the game will be over. If you have NOT performed this action correctly… run. Additional Notes: She is fond of water and dark spaces; as such, it is recommended that you avoid immersing yourself in or crossing running water, as well as traversing dark spaces, until the conclusion of the game. Use the “Tomare!” command sparingly. Each time you use it, the amount of time for which it will stall her will diminish. Use it only when absolutely necessary. The ending MUST be performed before midnight. Failing to do so will grant her permission to enter your dreams. Do NOT allow her to do this. Additionally, performing the ending is not as easy as it seems. If she suspects you are about to try to end the game, she may hide. You MUST have her in your sights when you perform the “Kitta!” command. Concerning Second Attempts: It is NOT recommended that you play this game more than once. Should you play it a second time, she will begin in the same position she was in at the conclusion of the previous game. This will not provide adequate distance to escape her. Do NOT let her catch you.