Mary's Oath — The Queen's Betrayal in Edinburgh
Decipher the hidden conspiracy that forced Mary Queen of Scots to flee Scotland. Uncover the secrets locked within Edinburgh's royal palaces and unravel the oath that sealed her downfall.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
June 1566: Mary Queen of Scots has just given birth to her son James in Edinburgh Castle, securing her dynasty
Mary's Oath — The Queen's Betrayal in Edinburgh
You are David Rizzio, Mary Stuart's trusted secretary, in Edinburgh, 1566.
Your mission: navigate the dark corridors of power to unmask conspirators plotting
In 1566, dive into the intrigues of the Scottish court and thwart the plot threatening Mary, Queen of Scots, in the heart of Edinburgh.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« No one provokes me with impunity »— Official motto of Scotland, engraved on the Crown of Destiny since 1542
The story that haunts this land
Your quest begins at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Mary Stuart's residence from 1561 to 1567. This palace, rebuilt between 1671 and 1679 under Charles II, was the scene of David Rizzio's murder by Lord Darnley in 1566. Explore the places where the Queen of Scots lived her tumultuous years, where plots were hatched in the shadows of the corridors. It is here, in this UNESCO World Heritage listed building, that you will search for the first clues of betrayal, in the heart of the Royal residence Holyroodhouse.
A short walk away, the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland, offer a poignant setting for your investigation. This Augustinian abbey, a historic monument since 1923, was the site of the marriage of Mary Stuart and Lord Darnley in July 1565. The remains of its 16th-century Gothic choir and its 40m x 20m cloister, the best-preserved part, still whisper of broken vows. Here you will decipher hidden messages among the stones to understand the alliances that formed and dissolved, marking the Mary Queen of Scots trail.
The route then takes you to Canongate Kirkyard, a cemetery opened in 1688, located in the Canongate historic district. This eternal resting place houses the grave of the poet Robert Fergusson (1750-1774), mentor to Robert Burns, and the burial site of the philosopher Adam Smith (1723-1790), author of 'The Wealth of Nations' (1776). Here, among the enclosures of 18th-century Canongate Tolbooth residents, you will discover clues left by forgotten witnesses, leads to trace the thread of events that shook Edinburgh.
Continue your investigation to the Canongate Tolbooth, a Category A listed building constructed in 1591. This former prison, courthouse, and administrative center, with its typical 16th-century Scottish gabled facade and 18-meter bell tower, witnessed many secrets. The last public execution took place here in 1811, and since 1954 the building has housed the Museum of Edinburgh. Within its walls, you will uncover documents and testimonies that will reveal the identity of the conspirators against Queen Mary Stuart, enriching your visit to Edinburgh.
Your journey concludes in Parliament Square, a historic square in the heart of the Old Town, where the Scottish Parliament stood until 1707. This was the site of major witch trials from 1591 to 1661, a reminder of the era's brutality. Facing the statue of William Adam (1689-1748), a Scottish architect, erected in 1753, and near St Giles' Church, scene of the Preachers' Riot in 1637, you will assemble the final pieces of the puzzle. You will have uncovered the secrets of one of the darkest periods in Scotland's history, understanding the forces that shaped Edinburgh and Lothians, and the true meaning of Mary's oath.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
Royal Bloodshed
Investigate the chilling murder of David Rizzio, which still haunts the palace.
Queen's Secrets
Delve into the complex and tragic life of Mary Queen of Scots.
Palace Intrigue
Uncover plots and betrayals within royal walls.
The throne wavers, the truth emerges.
Will you measure up to the Queen's secrets?
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
Avis des aventuriers
Soyez le premier à partager votre expérience.
Did you play le serment de marie? Check the email you received after your game to leave a verified review.
Your turn to play
In 1566, dive into the intrigues of the Scottish court and thwart the plot threatening Mary, Queen of Scots, in the heart of Edinburgh.
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
Other escape games in The Palace of Holyroodhouse
See all games in The Palace of Holyroodhouse→More ideas for self-guided walking tours, scavenger hunts & city quests in the same city
West Port — Uncover the Body Snatchers' Secret
Decipher the dark conspiracy behind Edinburgh's infamous grave robbers. Solve the mystery of Burke and Hare's reign of terror in the shadowy streets of West Port.
Edinburgh Old Town — Uncover the Burke & Hare Murders
Decipher the gruesome secrets of Edinburgh's most infamous serial killers. Solve the Burke & Hare murders and expose the dark trade in cadavers that shocked Victorian Scotland.
The Reformation's Secret — Uncover Knox's Hidden Conspiracy
Decipher the coded messages left by John Knox and expose the hidden conspiracy that nearly toppled Mary Queen of Scots. Uncover the truth behind the Reformation's most dangerous secrets.
Edinburgh's Crown — Decipher the Stone's Secret
Decode the hidden conspiracy surrounding Scotland's Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny. Uncover why the Stone vanished and what Edinburgh's monuments conceal about royal power.
Royal Mile — Decipher the Scottish Enlightenment
Uncover the hidden intellectual conspiracy that transformed Scotland from bankruptcy into Europe's greatest mind. Decipher coded manuscripts, expose forgotten rivalries, and solve the mystery of how Edinburgh became the Athens of the North.
The Vigil of Greyfriars — Uncover Bobby's Secret
Decipher the mystery behind Greyfriars Bobby's 14-year vigil. Was his loyalty a cover for a darker secret hidden in the kirkyard's shadows?
Explore other cities in Écosse
Dunfermline
Scotland's ancient royal capital
Linlithgow
Birthplace of Scotland's monarchs
St Andrews
Birthplace of golf and historic university town
Stirling
Where Scottish history was forged, amidst castles and legends
Glasgow
Victorian city, cradle of Scottish art and music.
Glencoe
In the heart of the majestic Highlands landscapes